Radogast's Non-420 Garden Creation Thread

[Ranger275]

And the circle goes 'round and 'round. Truly inspirational.
One tip on training vines that I forgot to mention: In the N-hemisphere, your vines will want to go clock-wise up their support. This would be the reverse for our friends in the S-hemisphere. Don't ask me how they know, but you'll notice when training, 1 direction is a fight w/the vine and the other is smooth & easy. Pretty cool, huh?

 

[Radogast]

Off-topic

My Rhosgobel rabbits did great in their final movie tonight, and Bilbo made it home with his chest of gold.

 

[Radogast]

The bluebirds started out shy, but they are now used to the bird feeders near the glass.
We have 5 or 6 blueBird "regulars." They get extra shy around camera phones soit's tough to get a good picture.

 

[SweetSue]

Wow, they're beautiful Radogast. Lucky birds.

 

[SBG]

I Love feeding our backyard friends we have a yard full of bush tits and wrens and the odd steller jay stops by to make a racket and let everone know he's around.

don't forget the water for them in winter we feed them but alot of people forget the water thing.

 

[Radogast]

I Love feeding our backyard friends we have a yard full of bush tits and wrens and the odd steller jay stops by to make a racket and let everone know he's around.

don't forget the water for them in winter we feed them but alot of people forget the water thing.

No problem with water....
North 100ft, south 350ft, west 100ft, east 50ft
all reach a stream

With the temperature below freezing, the water bowl won't stay clear, but the streams do.

We sometimes set out water for the raccoon, but that's a raccoon thing


I love Stellar's Jays. Blue Jays are pretty, but Stellar's Jays have attitude.

Happy New Year everyone

 

[SweetSue]

Attitude is good. I like a spunky creature too. We're such non conformists.

 

[Radogast]

Nor'Easter Juno - Blizzard and birds

7AM blue in the morning

The stream from my bathroom

A squirrel deciding NOT to dive into the snow

My driveway

Spider web

Spider

Junco on the back porch. They LOVE the snow. Chirping up a storm.

 

[SweetSue]

I woke up thinking about how you and the wife are faring in the blizzard Rad. You're getting the brunt of it. Lucky you, huh? Stay safe and warm.

Loving the photos. Tell me you have someone who can plow that driveway for you or that you have a plow of your own.

Take care.

 

[Radogast]

8AM we out put the bird feeders we took down last night.


We set a chair out in 6" of snow last night. Falling at 2-3" / hr.

Front feeder: Bluebird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Bluebird
Back feeder: Yellow finches

Gray squirrel, Downy Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Bluebird

Downy Woodpecker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Snow is a couple feet deep now.

Radogast family locked safe inside

 

[nhteatime]

Right there with you Rado - so far and easy 1 1/2 ft here on the seacoast Birds are all over the feeders here. Love the Woodpecker picture! We havent seen one here yet

 

[Ranger275]

Absolutely beautiful photography, my Friend. I loved the "Radogast in a Blue World."
Those birds are lucky to have you as a neighbor, especially on days like these. They should repay the favor all Summer eating nasty bugs.

 

[Dennise]

Just lovely... I pray you can just stay inside and enjoy the beauty.....

 

[Radogast]

Right there with you Rado - so far and easy 1 1/2 ft here on the seacoast Birds are all over the feeders here. Love the Woodpecker picture! We havent seen one here yet

We have woodpeckers year round. I think it comes from being in the woods. We have 4 common woodpeckers.
I didn't get a picture of the red-bellied woodpecker that came by today. He is only a winter feeder, although he is on the land year round, so he is shy.

A fifth woodpecker variety, the Pileated Woodpecker had been spotted in the yard twice - but not by me.
I've only seen a Pileated Woodpecker once while driving. They are monster, primeval looking birds (they seem the size of a crow.)

I am grateful not to be on the coast this storm.
I will gladly forgo the joys of thundersnow if it helps me avoid flooding and 60mph winds.

 

[Radogast]

Absolutely beautiful photography, my Friend. I loved the "Radogast in a Blue World."
Those birds are lucky to have you as a neighbor, especially on days like these. They should repay the favor all Summer eating nasty bugs.

I saw woodpeckers and a nuthatch hunting for bugs in trees today.

Unfortunately, the biggest bug pest for us is even worse for the birds - mosquitos.
Many times more birds die from mosquito borne West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis than humans and horses.

Last summer I saw a Cardinal rubbing against a Rosemary plant. I assume it was to acquire the mosquito repellent scent.
Our lemon balm was planted in non draining planters, so our didn't thrive well, but...
The Lemon Balm was very popular in the outdoor table. We encouraged guests to crush a leaf and rub it on face and hands.
It's a nice aroma and seemed to work as a mosquito repellent.

 

[Radogast]

Just lovely... I pray you can just stay inside and enjoy the beauty.....

I stayed inside all day. Mostly being lazy and learning to play electric bass.
Tomorrow I'll shovel a little and pay for my first ever snow plowing.

 

[Dennise]

I have a woodpecker that has been coming back for at least 3 years now... I wish I knew the breeds like you do but he is beautiful and I love watching him work on my huge oak... I have a Cardinal that has been coming back for at least 3 years too and he has 2 females with him each year.... How long can they keep returning? I love your pics Rad they are just beautiful.....

 

[Radogast]

I learn the bird breeds one at a time, just like plants. It takes me several repetitions to learn.

On days like today, I can watch them for hours. The wife and I had several conversations about the birds today.
Little stuff like, noticing how the junco fan their tail feathers in the snow on the railing. They left notches like the crenelations on a castle wall.
Or how the 5 stripe sparrow that hangs out with the juncos was bossy today.
Or just how wrens are the cutest color (ike she hasn't heard me say that before.)

Apparently the word for wren in ancient welsh sounds like "drui" and was related the welsh word for druid.This makes sense to me.
The modern Welsh word for starling is something like 'druid bird,' which is totally the wrong name in my opinion.

It took me a year to figure out one of our favorite trees is a beech tree. Still unkown are two more favorite trees which might be small beech or ash or something else.

 

[Ranger275]

Last year I got what is now one of my favorite culinary herbs: Silver-edged Lemon Thyme. Cute, little spreading evergreen thing. It's pretty widely available. If you find one plant it where it gets moonlight or near garden lighting. It glows in the dark! It's also great on chicken and good w/spuds. Very fragrant and delicious.

 

[SweetSue]

Nice referral Ranger. I'll have to source one for the container garden I'm thinking of starting on our balcony this year or next. I may need to get Dale healthier before I attempt that garden again. The last time ended badly.