Deirdre's Garden Diary: 2006 February

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:: 03.16.06 ::

Finally!

The japanese quince just started blooming last week. Last year it was almost in full bloom by January 15th...not sure if it was early last year or late this year, but a two month difference seems pretty drastic. There are not many blooms at all this year and practically none on the larger bush by the road. The spirea just started blooming yesterday...but again...nothing like last year.

Bluebonnets? Not gonna' happen. I see a few sparse buds on the ground here and there, but they have been knocked out. I will have to spread new seeds in the fall to replace them.

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:: 03.09.06 ::

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to...

So that was it then...
Fall got lost on the way to the party, then sat in the corner ignoring everyone in his dreary brown loafers.

Winter only came by long enough to make an appearance and left without telling anyone goodbye. You would hardly have known she had been here at all except for the fact that she knocked over the ice bucket and killed my heirloom rosebush with her drunken late night spinning.

Spring is a timid little thing, shy, like Fall. I doubt she will stay for dessert...
I do wish she would be more assertive, it is so nice to visit with her. but I understand her uneasiness around Summer. He is so pushy with her, always wanting to take control with his hot headed temper and he always overstays his welcome. Last year he sucked up all the Perrier and set Fall's pants on fire! I hear his brother from the North, is much more pleasant.

So why do we keep inviting him?
Well...he always brings a nice vegetable tray.

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:: 03.06.06 ::

New Goodies

     As you may have noticed...there is a new look ot the garden
     page. I hope you like it, I am trying to get all the links organized
   and updated. Some links still have the old look, but I will update
     them soon. Lots going on...stay tuned.

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:: 02.18.06 ::

Wildlife Photography

Lately I have had a number of opossum sightings around the house. Recently they have been on or near the front porch. Twice I have opened the door to let the cats outside and found one right by the door, scaring me, my scream scaring the cats.

Apparently opossum and cats are cordial. They don't hang out, but they give each other some space. I sure hope this is true, because if it isn't, then we have a potentially serious problem. The cats do seem to be cautious lately before venturing outside. I have noticed they look and sniff before making their way out the door. Still, I would prefer that the opossums didn't park themselves on the porch scaring the beegeebers out of me...lets face it, they are a little creepy looking!

I missed the garbage truck Friday and had left the trash bag on the porch. Big mistake. I think this is what started the influx of marsupial porch snoopers. I won't be leaving garbage bags on the porch any more. I also think they are attracted to the area around the door because they can smell the cat's food bowl inside the house. They can't get to it, they can only smell it.

I caught this one on camera...yeah, he's BIG!...much bigger than the other ones I have seen in the yard and the second one that was seen on the porch looking for the missing trash bag the next night. You can't really tell from this photo, but he is slightly gnarling his teeth and slobbering a lot...little foamy puffs of slobber dripping from his mouth. ICK! After doing some web searching I learned this is one of their defense mechanisms. My defense mechanism was to scream, slam the door, run get a flashlight, and camera, bravely open the door again to see him still there, shine a light in his eye, flash the picture, and slam the door shut again! Whooo...that was close!

You think National Geographic needs a photographer?

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:: 02.09.06 ::

The garden is ready for spring...

Night photograph of the first daffodils to bloom in my garden.

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