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So while I've been staying home more the weather has been getting nicer

Bernard_Fokke

Captain Fokke
Supporting Member
This shelter in place stuff makes one want to keep busy, once the rain backed off I could get out and put the yard to rights, clean up the winter debris service the yard tools , mowers, weed eater, blower and power edger. Mulch, seed, fertilizer bug bait, and so on.

I also have bird nesting boxes up and needed to clean, repair and get back up for this years crop of tweetybirds. So I was out on the deck enjoying a good cup of Kona and noticed a pair of house wrens have taken up residence in one of the boxes. They are a little tiny songbird maybe 3" and probably weigh in at a whopping half an ounce soaking wet with a beak full of bugz. They've been working all day long building the nest busy, busy, busy.
I also noticed a pair of Blue birds and a couple of goldfinches looking at other nest boxes.

It was downright peaceful and pleasant sitting there watching the birds focused on the next generation.

Looks like I'll have to break out the air rifle and keep it handy for the tree rats who like to raid the bird nests for the eggs. I'll get some target practice in too. win, win.
 

bdtex

Administrator
Staff member
That same Saturday the weather was great here and I took my granddaughters to San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. It is only 7 miles from where we live. We love it out there.

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This shelter in place stuff makes one want to keep busy, once the rain backed off I could get out and put the yard to rights, clean up the winter debris service the yard tools , mowers, weed eater, blower and power edger. Mulch, seed, fertilizer bug bait, and so on.

I also have bird nesting boxes up and needed to clean, repair and get back up for this years crop of tweetybirds. So I was out on the deck enjoying a good cup of Kona and noticed a pair of house wrens have taken up residence in one of the boxes. They are a little tiny songbird maybe 3" and probably weigh in at a whopping half an ounce soaking wet with a beak full of bugz. They've been working all day long building the nest busy, busy, busy.
I also noticed a pair of Blue birds and a couple of goldfinches looking at other nest boxes.

It was downright peaceful and pleasant sitting there watching the birds focused on the next generation.

Looks like I'll have to break out the air rifle and keep it handy for the tree rats who like to raid the bird nests for the eggs. I'll get some target practice in too. win, win.
You don't have those bird houses on steel poles?

With the traffic sounds all but gone the birds around here have been singing like crazy. Never heard them like this even decades ago when this place was literally the boonies and Eastern Whip-poor-will could drive you absolutely crazy at night.


I hear birds at 4:30 AM before the crack of dawn. This bird activity is absolutely fantastic.
 

Bernard_Fokke

Captain Fokke
Supporting Member
You don't have those bird houses on steel poles?

With the traffic sounds all but gone the birds around here have been singing like crazy. Never heard them like this even decades ago when this place was literally the boonies and Eastern Whip-poor-will could drive you absolutely crazy at night.


I hear birds at 4:30 AM before the crack of dawn. This bird activity is absolutely fantastic.
I've got them on treated 2x2's with a wrap of aluminium roof flashing as a tree rat guard, I've put a couple of the more persistent ones in the outgoing trash so far with a .20 cal pellet rifle.
 
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To my life this lock down hasn't really made any difference but for the atmosphere, people are more relaxed and there are no planes in the air - voices which float my way are happier but there are more dogs taking people for walks in this once peaceful countryside. All our secret quiet walks are now full of unruly doggy tourists - pity the Lapwings now nesting on the ground.

I have a new hobby though - someone gave me an orchid about three years ago. It was flowering then but has done nothing since - zilch, nada, nothing - I was looking at it one day and, feeling sorry for it, began a bit of research on youtube - I found a lovely lady who uses the water culture method for her orchids and I was hooked. Now I have three more and another on the way - all sitting in different levels of water on the window sill in my kitchen. The perfume from one is heaven as I walk into my kitchen in the morning. I love them. They used to scare me a bit - such extraordinary and sometimes sinister plants - very sexual others.

One odd thing though - I keep nettles in a part of my garden, for the butterflies, and so my garden is usually full of certain butterflies. I haven't seen one in it this year and yet other people are saying that they haven't seen so many for many many yrs. Odd ..... unless they are all at the bottom of the garden and don't venture near the house - odd.

My neighbour was lost when he was laid off because of the lockdown but now back at work he wishes he could be locked down again - he, I tink is not alone, in so many ways this is good for some - time out, a quietus, to just be for a little while -
 

Bernard_Fokke

Captain Fokke
Supporting Member
To my life this lock down hasn't really made any difference but for the atmosphere, people are more relaxed and there are no planes in the air - voices which float my way are happier but there are more dogs taking people for walks in this once peaceful countryside. All our secret quiet walks are now full of unruly doggy tourists - pity the Lapwings now nesting on the ground.

I have a new hobby though - someone gave me an orchid about three years ago. It was flowering then but has done nothing since - zilch, nada, nothing - I was looking at it one day and, feeling sorry for it, began a bit of research on youtube - I found a lovely lady who uses the water culture method for her orchids and I was hooked. Now I have three more and another on the way - all sitting in different levels of water on the window sill in my kitchen. The perfume from one is heaven as I walk into my kitchen in the morning. I love them. They used to scare me a bit - such extraordinary and sometimes sinister plants - very sexual others.

One odd thing though - I keep nettles in a part of my garden, for the butterflies, and so my garden is usually full of certain butterflies. I haven't seen one in it this year and yet other people are saying that they haven't seen so many for many many yrs. Odd ..... unless they are all at the bottom of the garden and don't venture near the house - odd.

My neighbour was lost when he was laid off because of the lockdown but now back at work he wishes he could be locked down again - he, I tink is not alone, in so many ways this is good for some - time out, a quietus, to just be for a little while -
Sometimes learning to accept what is for what it is is a lesson hard learned.

The hardest lesson is learning to like and accept yourself as you are, not how others expect you to be.

Congratulations on the orchids, I've always admired them for the simple but complex beauty. I've always favored the bulbed flowers, tulips, fresas, aneomines, hyacinth and so on, must be my Dutch ancestry showing. ;)

The bulbs do well where I live here in Missouri, they seem to like the temperature extremes even if I don't.

Stay well.
 
Sometimes learning to accept what is for what it is is a lesson hard learned.

The hardest lesson is learning to like and accept yourself as you are, not how others expect you to be.

Congratulations on the orchids, I've always admired them for the simple but complex beauty. I've always favored the bulbed flowers, tulips, fresas, aneomines, hyacinth and so on, must be my Dutch ancestry showing. ;)

The bulbs do well where I live here in Missouri, they seem to like the temperature extremes even if I don't.

Stay well.
The journey of life :) xxx

The English have become the hardest working people in Europe though - through necessity many many people work 2-3 jobs just to keep their heads above water - others are on the run all day long everyday of the week just to keep afloat, worry instead of sleep, too much internet, never a moment of peace - I am watching those people blossom in this time out and really hope that they find a permanent peace through it.

Many bulbs are gorgeous, magical - I would have to plant anew every year here - some years i do others not - We don't know what it is but something eats our bulbs here - but yes if I could keep more I would smother the garden with them. Lucky you xxx Oh except for the wild garlic which has gone totally, off its head, mad.

I have had so many orchids, given to me, over time, they always died, but this little Philinopsis just hung on in there - it deserved better than my haphazard, hit and miss, care - now it is in a glass with a quarter of its root in water green as green can be - te he. It won't flower this year but next year maybe. My house is quite dark though, I'm surrounded by trees which the person who lived here before me planted ( Laylandii !!!!!) the birds love it but not my plants -

I have got an allotment too - which is full of fruit BUT someone's, very heavy, shed roof has fallen on the raspberries ( a storm blew it off) and I'm having a terrible time gathering two big strong men to pick it up for me ............ lol. Life in the slow lane.

You too - I am so pleased that you are enjoying your garden xxx what pleasure they bring xxx
 
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