Construction!

.... At last.  We have the framing started on our little house.

Ralph, Richard (the contractor man) and Glen (chief carpenter) 
discuss the progress.

It was a beautiful day for viewing the progress--rusty red oaks and green pines 

on the gray hillsides beneath a brilliant blue sky.

And a view from above. 

Crocus

In the late fall these delicate crocuses appear in yards all over the Midtown neighborhood and are soon buried in leaves.  

 A cuckoo wasp flies from bloom to bloom.

A Fungus . . .

Growing around a twig.

a woody polypore

 

Early November

Virginia Creeper

the last of the plumbago

a hosta says goodnight

Squash Harvest

One giant squash vine with very prickly leaves, a volunteer from the compost pile, thrived during the whistle pig invasion.  Ralph harvested over 30 pounds of squash from it.  Even though they aren't shaped like butternuts, they're butternut colored and taste like butternuts.

Rain . . .

On Halloween.

Urban Trapping

The garden marauders--first they ate all the leaves off the sweet potato vines.  No sweet potatoes this year.  Then they climbed the pole bean towers and ate every leaf off the bean plants.  No more beans.  Then they started on the summer squash.  Ralph tried to blockade the squash but they nosed their way in and ate every squash leaf they could get to.  Then Ralph bought a trap.  By then the only things left in our backyard veggie garden where a few struggling patty pans, okra (even whistle pigs won't eat okra) and a giant volunteer butternut squash vine with very prickly leaves.  No luck with the trap so far.  Then they started on the butternuts.  Giant teeth marks on every squash they could get to without going too deeply into the prickly vine.  Someone suggested baiting the trap with cabbage.  Success finally.

The proud trapper and his first catch.

We had seen two different individuals and thought this was the bigger one.  One of Ralph's co-workers relocated it to her place in the country.

Second catch.

This was not a veggie eater.  A catch and release, the 'possum is happily roaming the wilds of Midtown again.

Third catch, another (or the same) 'possum. Ralph moved the trap and baited it with an already gnawed on squash.  
 

The urban trapper and his fourth catch.

Nope.  The first one was not the big one.  

Amy couldn't fetch him (her?) for relocation until the next day.  By morning that squash was almost gone.


FYI:  whistle pigs, aka groundhogs or woodchucks.  Here's a YouTube video demonstrating why they're called whistle pigs.

Happa Asks . . .

                     "Who is this interloper?" 

Hopper and Looper in the divided rabbit corral

Heck Creek in August

Our land was once part of the old Wallin family farm.  

One of the sons was called Heck and the creek was named after him.

Heck Creek is normally a smallish stream, 

perfect for cooling your feet on a late summer's day.

Heck Creek, late July 2012

After a thunderstorm, part of this year's record-breaking percipitation,

 it looked like this.

Heck Creek, mid August 2013

Heck Creek, mid August 2013

Happa Asks . . .

Hop and Pop clean up.

"Why do we have to clean up, Pop?  I like living in a barn."

Bee Watching

 

I've been watching the carpenter bees.  I occasionally see them checking out the house.  Carpenter bees excavate a perfect (as though it were made with a drill) round hole in wood to lay their eggs.  They will use a dead tree or a building for their nests.  We've been keeping up with the painting and so haven't had a problem with them nesting in the house.

 

  A carpenter bee looks a lot like a bumble bee, but carpenter bees have a bare, shiny black abdomen instead of a fuzzy one like a bumble.  

The carpenter bees have been enjoying the flowering sage. Their robust bodies and large size make it easy for them to reach the nectaries in the back of the flower--they're strong enough to simply part the petals.

 A honeybee needs to crawl almost all the way in to get to the good stuff.

 I've also seen the the carpenters feeding on columbine.  The nectaries are in the back of the flower spur.

 The carpenter bee pierces the end of the spur to get to the nectar.  Since this technique bypasses the flower stamens, I don't see any advantage to the columbine.

It's amazing how those tiny wings keep the bees aloft.

It's Nesting Season

A pair of mourning doves have been spending a lot of time

on the transom ledge above the front door.

I open the door and go out.  They fly away, but not too far.

Just out to the spruce in the yard.

 

After opening the door dozens of times 

and pulling down all their twigs and grasses several times, 

I think I've convinced them not to nest above the front door.

____________________________________________________________

p.s.   They've moved around to a basket 

on top of the shelves on the side porch!

The Earliest Tulip

Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder'

ditto

 

The Bees in the Willows

On a warmish afternoon the pussy willow is abuzz.

The honey bees seem to love it as much as I do.

Look how full the pollen sacs on their rear legs are.

It's a pity there's another bit of wintery weather forecast.

 

 

 

Happa asks....

"You think bars can hold me ?"

Vernal Equinox

It's time to pet the pussy willows.

Salix chaenomeloides

Salix chaenomeloides

The Japanese species is bursting with stamens.

Salix discolor

The native species is a bit behind.

Snow-rain-wintery mix is forecast for the next four days.

Happy vernal equinox!

Happa Says....

" Feed me a bit of fresh spring grass,

And I'll let you scratch my head."

Crocus

When the crocus bloom, spring can't be far behind.

I love the contrast of the orange stamens and stigmas with the purple petals.

Happa Says....

"I am Destructo Bun."
 

"You didn't really think a little bit of plastic tubing
 was going to stop me from destroying this lamp cord, did you?"