My Backyard: 2011

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Baby Tomato Plants

The baby tomato plants are looking very nice. I should be able to transplant them this weekend which is good because they are starting to get too big for their container (photo below). I have most of my planters full of compost courtesy the farm down the road but I need one more load to finish filling the big one. I'll post new photos when it's all done. I did discover that there are a bunch of violets growing all over the yard. So I dug some up today (before we mowed) and moved them to the big planter. I also have about 3 dozen yukon seed potatoes that I am going to plant too. I got them from the farm (benefits of working on a farm are wonderful). I have a bunch of 'mixed' hot peppers that need to be transplanted this weekend too. Super exciting! OH and we finished the roof on the shed last weekend. The yard is really starting to come together it is so nice!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Goldfinches

Today at the feeders I saw my first goldfinches :D There were 3 males hanging around the mixed seed feeder, and one lonely female at the thistle. I was still very happy to see them and was even happier when they stayed around after I went in the house to get a photo! There was a few other birds that I did not recognize, but they scattered as I went into the house. I didn't get a good look at them and they haven't come back for photos. I think they had some read on them, but that doesn't give me much to go by.

male

female

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Garter Snake

Itty bitty little garter snake :) When I was moving the large rocks to make my new planter/raised bed this little guy was hiding underneath. SO freakin cute! He even struck at me a couple of times hehehe. I moved him and put him under a pile of leaves I had raked into a pile in the woods. It was really too cold to leave him out in the open (it was only about 45 degrees today) because he was very lethargic and I didn't want a bird to get him. His head was only about the size of my thumbnail :D

Another Raised Bed

I work for a farm a few miles down the road and the owner gave me 100 gladiolus bulbs. I needed somewhere to plant them and have been considering making another planter so this afternoon I got to work. There used to be a planter next to where we park our cars so I scavenged a bunch of the stones to make this one. I still need to do some compost runs to the farm to fill it, but I have it all prepped, grass is pulled, etc. It is much larger than is necessary for the bulbs. The other day while moving brush and such from the house my boss is renovating I discovered a whole bunch of strawberry plants. The man that owned this farm previously must have planted strawberries and never tended them so they took over the field. I think I may dig up a bunch of them to put in the planter as well. Anyway here is a photo of it before the compost and plants.

Red Squirrel

A red squirrel decided to visit the sunflower feeder today. He's so cute. I know people don't like squirrels getting the bird seed, but I don't really mind. I'm surprised I haven't had a squirrel come sooner!

Red Breasted Grosbeak

Taken on May 16, 2011. It's a bit fuzzy, and he was off in a flash so I barely got my camera in time to get one photo. I hope he comes back, but he didn't seem too excited about the seed ;).

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Little Garden Spot

I got my little garden bed finished today. I planted some corn, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, basil, and chives. I started the roma/cherry tomatoes and the hot peppers indoors. They will get transferred out here in a few weeks. I have pumpkins and sunflowers planted in separate areas. I want to make another raised bed, but I'm not sure what to plant in it. I would love to plant watermelons, strawberries, and honey dew...so maybe I can do that.

I filled the bed with compost from the dairy farm that I work at a few hours per week. It is wonderful stuff and I am sure my veggies are going to love it!