Personal Bits and Bobs

Today is cloudy and mild. It has been spitting a few drops of water now and then, but the promised storms have not arrived. :/

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- While we were out at Whiteside Garden, I picked up a generous clump of wild ginger. :D I also saw a red-headed woodpecker.

We stopped at Home Depot and bought 12 concrete blocks, the kind with two holes, and water sealer. I'm going to make a planting bench with the solid-top pallet that we obtained earlier.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I planted the clump of wild ginger at the east end of the savanna where moss is growing. I'm going to try establishing a woodland garden there.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did some work around the patio.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I planted the mountain mint in the wildflower garden.  This looks similar to the mystery wild mint that I had before, which is among the most popular pollinator plants.  If so, that boosts genetic diversity.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I hauled 6 of the 12 concrete blocks out of the car.  For some reason the guy putting them on the flatbed trolley gave me two different kinds; some have flat ends and some have ridges sticking out, and these aren't the kind of blocks meant to interlock.

I am done for the night.
 

Today is cloudy, breezy, and mild.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen any yet.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- We went to Whiteside Garden again. This time I picked up a clump of wildflowers fused together: a couple of tiny ferns, and even tinier columbine, and some yellow violet.

We stopped to chat with a friend. His yard has several red-headed woodpeckers. I heard them drumming and spotted one as it flew away. These used to be the dominant woodpecker around here, but have been largely replaced by downies and are now rarer to see.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I planted the new wildflowers. One yellow violet had come loose, so I put that with my others. The rest of the cluster went into the mossy part of the savanna which already has a woodland feel.

And now I'm hearing thunder, on what was supposed to be my main planting day. *sigh*

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I planted the sedum from yesterday and watered the newly planted things.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I planted the holly from yesterday at the east edge of the Midwinter grove.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I watered and mulched the holly.

It's 83°F outside now, too hot to do as much yardwork as I hoped. At least I got the Whiteside things planted.

I've seen a few sparrows and house finches, plus a fox squirrel.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I watered the pansies and violas. The hot wind is just stripping the moisture out of everything. :(

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.

I saw a brown thrasher foraging in the house yard.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I raked a section of orchard.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I sowed some grass seed in the orchard.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.







.

Today is cloudy, breezy, and mild.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen any yet.

I put out water for the birds.

I've seen a six-spotted tiger beetle on the brick of the big red birdbath. I figure it's either drinking from the moist brick or hunting other insects attracted to the water. :D

Today is mostly sunny and mild.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/11/26 -- We went out to a Small Business Fest today.  We spent about 3 1/2 hours there, a lot longer than expected, but it was four or five times the size I expected and really awesome.  :D  But now my nose is pink from the sun and my legs feel like they're about to fall off, so that limits my yardening potential for the day.

On the way into town, we saw two turkey vultures visiting the remains of a possum at the edge of the yard.

EDIT 4/11/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/11/26 -- I potted up most of the remaining flowers.

EDIT 4/11/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I potted up the last of the flowers.
 
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.  *goflopnow*

Today is sunny and warm with howling wind. :/ The wind really complicates my plans to plant anything today, so I'm trying to think of ways to compensate for that.

I fed the birds. I've seen a fox squirrel on the ground and at the hopper feeder.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I used salvaged string to fasten together 4 white single-pot plant stands, with the taller 2 in back and shorter 2 in front, forming a square. Due to the angled legs, it is not snug, but at least they are more stable than any one would be alone.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I put the pot of mixed Johnny-jump-ups on one of the tall white plant stands. This is not necessarily its final location, but allows me to get it out of the house without exposing it to too much wind.

I sorted out the black single-pot stands. There is a tall one, a medium one, and two short ones. I started by fastening the tall one to a folding multipot stand.

I've seen a flock of house finches, a male goldfinch molting, and a male cardinal.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did more work securing the black one-pot planters. There's one left to attach. Progress.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I finished securing the last black planter. The resulting structure, while not perfectly tight, is still a great deal more stable overall due to more legs connected in some manner. It doesn't have to look fancy, just do better than last year's constantly tipping pots.

I've seen several sparrows in the forest garden.

It got up to 80°F today, but is cooling down now.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Today is sunny, breezy, and warm.

I fed the birds. I've seen a small flock of sparrows and house finches, plus a male goldfinch.

I put out water for the birds.

I took some pictures around the yard.

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/8/26 -- We went out to run errands. I picked up a flat of mostly pansies and violas in assorted colors plus a couple 4-packs of white alyssum, a pot of mixed Johnny-jump-ups that are actually fragrant, and a purple-and-white columbine. :D

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I planted the purple-and-white columbine in the rain garden. The bleeding heart there is starting to bloom! \o/

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I did a bit of work on the new picnic table garden.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Today is sunny and cool.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen much activity yet.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I started raking part of the orchard so I can sow grass seed there.

I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I did more raking in the orchard. There are a lot of dead branches that need to be removed.

I've seen the turkey vulture overhead again. I glimpsed a metallic green beetle, likely a tiger beetle.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I sowed grass seed over the raked portion of the orchard.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I started setting up where to plant the American plum.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I planted the American plum in the savanna. I mulched around it.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I planted the spicebush in the savanna and mulched around it. This concludes the batch of seedlings from Prairie Moon.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I did some grass trimming in the savanna.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I sowed a scarlet runner bean under the large redbud tree in the savanna. This year I'm experimenting with growing legumes as living fertilizer.

The honeybees are very active, with a constant stream going in and out of the be tree.

I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/6/26 -- I gathered a trolley of branches from the orchard and dumped them in the firepit.

I am done for the night.

Today is sunny and cool.  It rained again yesterday.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/5/26 -- I planted a gold curly willow in the savanna.

EDIT 4/5/26 -- I planted a red curly willow in the savanna.

I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a male cardinal, and a fox squirrel.  I also spotted a turkey vulture soaring low over the yard, just above the treetops.  :D

The honeybees are to-ing and fro-ing at the bee tree. \o/

EDIT 4/5/26 -- I planted the last of the gold curly willow in the savanna.

EDIT 4/5/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/5/26 -- I sowed 'Lovely Lettuce Mesclun Blend' lettuce, 'Choko Baby' pak choi, and 'Thumbelina Baby Ball' carrots in troughs on the new picnic table garden.

EDIT 4/5/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.