Bits and bobs and bluebirds

 If you love bluebirds like I do, you can imagine that seeing this outside my window yesterday was a welcomed surprise. I actually screamed and scared the life out of the cats. 

                                                                           "PLEASE STAY"

Now, if only she will stay. The last few years have been disappointing because the tree swallows chased them off and they never returned that spring. The only positive thing was that the swallows stayed and filled three of our houses with families. It was fabulous to have them around all summer. They can eat hundreds of mosquitoes in a day and that's fine with us. Plus if you haven't watched swallows swooping through the air you've really missed something. They are exciting to watch.

We had rain and snow but it's already disappeared. Thank Goodness! The temperatures are to warm up again tomorrow and that's good because I have lots to do outside. Once you start your spring cleanup it's hard to stop abruptly for a snowstorm. I still have a couple of million leaves to compost and a new garden to build.

Here's a few photos of what's been going on at Fox Grove this spring. It's been like summer weather and I've been potting up dahlias, sunflowers, daisies, zinnias, cat grass and pansies. Out go the pots on the warm days and then back in the shed at dusk. It's a bit like work but no complaints here. I enjoy every second spent with plants.💚 It's been a very long winter.

The shed is bursting at the seams with plants and potted tubers and bulbs.

It was hot enough last week that a sun hat was needed and this one from my son and family was the ticket. :-)

My big handsome boy, Wilson.💙

Meet KIA

This is the lone wild turkey that lives in our woodlot, roams all day and sleeps in a maple tree on our property.

I read that they can be shunned by their flock for numerous reasons. Last summer she had a friend with her and now she's alone again. 

Seriously, I think she needs to do a 'personality check' on herself.

But you know me...I'll feed her, I've named her and I'll try to keep her out of harms way.

Gold finches are plentiful here. Aren't they pretty.

Wilson has staring contests with the many black squirrels around here. This went on for ten minutes.

 Then the squirrel remembered that it hadn't chewed and pulled apart the wreath on my shed door today so off it went. :(

I get a few visitors throughout the day in the potting shed. No humans...just chipmunks. 

I'm obsessed with dahlias this year. I want to learn everything about them and ordered tubers from a local dahlia farm. Imagine living on a dahlia farm...wow!

The tubers are hilarious. 

I'm so impressed with the order I got from The Dahlia Experts. Beautiful, big and healthy tubers with growth starting on them. 

I potted half of them up and will finish tomorrow since the weather sounds promising.

Today...not so much.

I hope everyone is keeping well. We are still in lockdown#3 and miss seeing our family and friends. 

Fingers crossed this will be the last one.

Get out and enjoy your spring.

Be kind,

Deb