Even the birds are wet
Outdoor Ontario

Even the birds are wet

Shortsighted

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Even when it looks like it finally stopped drizzling I can see that it still has not stopped by looking at the surface of the water in the bird bath. The blue jays and downy woodpeckers that visit the feeder look miserable. The House wren keeps hauling twigs into the bird house such that some of them are sticking out the hole. It lands on the front perch with a twig too long to get through the hole, tries forcing it through and then throws its away and then takes off in search of something more appropriate. Some of the garden flowers are so heavy with rain water that they can't support themselves. Also, the moisture brings out colours rather nicely.


Soaked Chipping sparrow


Wet Downy woodpecker


It don't fit!

I need more, more .... more!

Maybe I should build on an addition to the house.


Raindrops on leaves of Solomon's Seal


Raindrops on foxglove


Rich colour of hybrid Yarrow when wet


Ally

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You have so many birds and plants!! Love the photos so much.


Shortsighted

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I don't have as many birds as I used to because Saul (my neighbours cat) sits under the feeder, staring up at it until he must have the equivalent of warbler's neck. I also don't have that many flowering plants although there is room for many more since the whole backyard is mostly under-utilized flower beds. There is no lawn at all, and no deck, but there is a lot of work staring me in the face when I look out the window. I pulled out four wheelbarrows full of weeds early this morning. They grow back faster than I can pull them out.


Primrose



Echinacea


Gallardia







Ally

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Shortsighted

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Shortsighted

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I really don't know. It's a rose, its pink, it's surviving despite neglect and perhaps will do even better now that I've torn out all the invasive Nepeta that was growing around and within it. Some compost would be good but I don't have any. I was going to buy some today, along with a bag of peat moss, but that didn't pan out. Maybe tomorrow. Roses are prone to aphids and powdery mildew but I haven't seen any so far, but that may yet occur later in the summer. Gardening requires time and money. I've now got some time but there is never any money. Also, when it's hot and humid I have absolutely no interest in gardening, or doing sweat-producing work of any kind. So far, I'll go out back to garden early in the morning until I'm dripping in sweat and then I quit. If and when the mosquito issue flares up ... I'm outta there! Tonight should be cooler, maybe down to 14 degrees (which is still too warm for me) so I should be able to do some garden work tomorrow morning and keep Saul company. Didn't see the House wren all day today although I recall hearing it singing at 6:30 a.m. By the time I got out at seven o'clock it was gone. Oh yah, a juvenile Downy woodpecker was sitting on a perch near the feeder watching the adult woodpecker having its way with the chopped peanuts. The juvi was bigger than the adult with paler colouration. It's head was quite large. Not exactly Hydrocephalus, but I would not be remiss to call it a fat-head. It had a bland, spaced-out look, as if it had just smoked a reefer.