It has been a gorgeous week to work outside in the garden. A garden that grows year round needs constant attention. I usually spend more time working out in the back garden because it is more sheltered, gets the morning sun and that is where the greenhouse and potting shed are. Today, as soon as the sun reached the front, I ventured out to cut back the skullcaps, remove the dead stems from the Salvia leucantha and lantana and pull out the remaining zinnias. I will also have to pull out a lot of bluebonnets because if I don't we won't be able to use the seating area. This is what happens when I am not around to control the bluebonnets throwing their seeds.It seems odd to have such warm days and for there to be very little flowering in the garden. The Copper canyon daisy in a sheltered spot in the front garden still had blooms.
This little butterfly spent the afternoon flitting around the flowers.
We had a new visitor to the garden last night. When we came in late last night I noticed a dark shape on the window ledge above the kitchen cupboards. We went out with a flash light and at first thought it was a raccoon because we saw a striped tail. Then a closer look determined that it was a ring tailed cat. It was difficult to get a picture of him and his tail all in the same shot but there was no doubt of his identity.
This is becoming a popular spot because we keep seeing a squirrel up on the ledge. He has just about eaten every berry on the pyracantha. At least, I hope he is eating the berries and not burying them in the garden. I'm afraid the cedar waxwings will be disappointed this year.
I think it is time to take my cup of tea outside and relax with a few gardening books.
I'll bet we are going to have another great sunset tonight.
Enjoy today. Temps are dropping after midnight tonight and they are predicting a possible freeze on Sunday and more freezes next week.
ReplyDeleteThe sunsets have been so gorgeous.
Sigh. That's winter? It's quite different here, but for a minute, reading your post, I remembered what gardening is like!
ReplyDeleteHope you don't get that freeze that Bonnie just commented about. (And I like the new picture of you holding that gigantic watermelon, which I assume you grew yourself in your garden?)
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
To be honest I'll be glad if we get some cold weather. It isn't good for the plants to start growing in Jan. I did grow watermelons last year but they take up a lot of room.
ReplyDeleteYep, that's a ringtail. I feel quite certain that it is eating a lot of the berries. They also eat a lot of Hackberry seeds as well as prickly pear fruit. Your so lucky.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a few years but I can remember how excited we were to see and ID a ringtailed cat on our deck. It peered through the glass doors at us, looking quite ready to play. No digital camera then - lucky you, Jenny, to get the photo!
ReplyDeleteAnnie at the Transplantable Rose
I like the ringtail cat! How cool! I saw one run in front of my car in the evening a while back, but never have I had one in my yard (that I know of!). Really nifty. Thanks for sharing!
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