Sunday, January 31, 2010

Apple Shunned

I tossed an apple in the bird feeder just for the squirrels..and the first customer refused the treat.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

How Many Birds Do You See?

This is the favorite hiding place for Oregon juncos, house sparrows, goldfinches, pine siskins and house finches. It's a mini rose bush that drapes over the fence from the neighbor's yard. When the hawks come around, they're too big to get into the thorny twigs to catch the birds.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Ready to Help the Birds for Nesting Season

This mesh bag is filled with pieces of string and yarn, so nesting birds can help themselves to materials.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Cedar Waxwing Peek-a-Boo

A flock of cedar waxwings were dining in the crab apple tree yesterday. I hope to get a shot showing off their colors when the sun returns.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Three Doves

The mourning doves don't mind the rain today. They're perched here scouting out the spilled seed under the bird feeders.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Tie a Green Ribbon 'Round the Cherry Tree

A mysterious green ribbon has wrapped itself around a tree in our backyard. It's just something that blew into the yard during our recent windstorms.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Wind Damaged Climbing Rose

This climbing rose cane didn't survive some recent big wind.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Snack for a Crow

I didn't know crows liked crab apples. Several were feasting in the front yard tree this week, though.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Dried Hydrangea

A naturally-dried hydrangea bloom.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Thyme in Winter

This creeping thyme gets a purple tinge during the cold months.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Seed Thief

Yep. I knew the new supply of seed would be irresistible to this thief...who invited friends, too.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Re-Stocked

Re-stocked the bird feeders Sunday. The way the squirrels have been decimating the supplies, this won't last a day.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Middle-Aged House Plant

An indoor plant from my childhood...literally. I purchased this philodendron at the local Safeway store when it was in a little pot with just two leaves, and I was in the 4th grade. There have been times I've let it grow long and leggy. Over the past eight years, I've kept it trimmed to fit this space.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

"Giant" Saguaro

That's what the tag says - Giant Saguaro. It's about 4 inches tall and lives in a bathroom, since despite its fearsome look, it couldn't brave an Idaho winter.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Garden Dreaming and Planning

These catalogs have been brightening up my mailbox over the past week or so. I'm dreaming and planning. Hard to believe, but seed-starting will start in about a month for petunias.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Somebody's Watching

Meet our cedar fence critter, who watches us in the backyard. I like to think he's an owl, or maybe a cat. Can you see him?

Monday, January 11, 2010

House Sparrow Invasion

House sparrows gather probably 50 at a time under, and at, the backyard platform feeder. They don't stay still for long. They swoop to the food, eat for a few seconds and swoop away.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Fuzzy Frost

Frost makes this weed look soft.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Snow Rooster

The rooster that stands guard over my strawberry patch has been wearing a dusting of snow for days, as we're in a deep freeze like much of the country.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Red Christmas Cactus Wakes Up

The red Christmas cactus is the last to bloom this year.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Spiky Frost

Spiky frost has greeted us each morning recently...

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Pine Cone Collection

A planter basket filled with pine cones until the planting season arrives.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Bird Seed Thief

One of many daily squirrel thieves who raid the bird feeders. Yeah - I let 'em.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Daylily Pod

I'm imagining a tulip when looking at this daylily pod in the dead of winter.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Patio Visitor

Say "hello," to Damon. He lives next door, but likes to lounge on our patio furniture when the sun is just right.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Snow Toppers

The black-eyed Susan seed heads topped with snow this week...before the rain turned everything super soggy.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Magenta Christmas Cactus Bloom

I thought my Christmas cactus plants weren't going to bloom this time around, but instead, they were just very late. This magenta bloom is in its full glory this week.