Ok, technically me blowing(highest gust 10 mph) on it and then using the cordless drill on it(highest gust 48mph) -- speed.
I'll stick it outside tomorrow
Posted on 04/01/2024 6:23:19 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
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I read an article last year where the DNR was actually setting up traps to catch the cow birds in an area in Michigan which is populated by the Kirkland Warbler. That didn't make any sense at all. Catch then kill them is what they should have done.....
For some reason Nature has built parasites and other weird critters into her system.
WHY do we need ticks and mosquitoes? Cockroaches? Fire Ants? Scorpions? Democrats?
It’s above my Pay Grade, LOL!
I've also noticed that the cowbirds seem to be hanging out with the red wing blackbirds.
Ok, technically me blowing(highest gust 10 mph) on it and then using the cordless drill on it(highest gust 48mph) -- speed.
I'll stick it outside tomorrow
“I’ve also noticed that the cowbirds seem to be hanging out with the red wing blackbirds.”
And the Grackles. They tag team the birds we WANT in our yard/garden! Jerks!
Why Garden Toads are Valuable in the Backyard
https://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/backyard-wildlife/toads-valuable-garden/
When you think of garden wildlife, it’s likely that birds, butterflies and bugs come to mind first, but if so, you’re missing one of the most charming of creatures: the garden toad. Not only are they cute—in a lumpy, bumpy sort of way—they’re incredibly valuable in the backyard.
Frog or Garden Toad?
Toads are amphibians and closely related to frogs. There are about two dozen toad species in North America. Unlike aquatic frogs, toads are adapted to live in drier land environments. They have dry skin, rounded bodies, blunt noses and short legs that they walk on as often as hop. Most have tan, brown or gray coloration to blend in with soil, fallen leaves and rocks. Toads also have bumps on their skin. Contrary to myth, these aren’t warts. They are called paratoid glands and they produce toxins that protect toads from predators.
What Do Garden Toads Eat?
Toads are strictly carnivorous. They feed on beetles, slugs, crickets, flies, ants and other invertebrates. Larger toad species even eat small rodents and snakes. All toads will try to eat anything they can pull into their mouths and swallow. When it comes to natural pest control, you can’t do much better than a healthy toad population on your property.
Environmental Indicators
Toads, like all amphibians, are highly susceptible to environmental toxins. Their skin readily absorbs pesticides, chemical fertilizers and other
pollutants. If exposed to unhealthy levels of these things, amphibians can’t survive. If you have toads in your yard, it’s a good indication of a clean environment.
Attract Toads to Your Yard
Although garden toads don’t rely on plants for food, they do benefit from them. Native plants offer habitats to natural insect populations, which are a toad’s main food source. Plants also provide toads with cover to hide from predators. A bare lawn won’t help attract toads, but natural garden beds filled with native plants will.
Create a brush or rock pile and leave a layer of fallen leaves to provide hiding places. Also, eliminate the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which can kill toads outright and eliminate their prey. A clean water source is also necessary. Toads lay their eggs in shallow ponds, and without water, they can’t produce the next generation. In most cases, a water garden a foot or more deep will suffice. Place a small tree branch in the water, as well as aquatic vegetation, and let some leaves accumulate. Toads attach strings of their eggs to twigs and branches, and their tadpoles use the vegetation as hiding places. Start welcoming toads to your yard and enjoy the magic of listening to the trilling mating calls of male toads on warm spring nights.
3 Ways to Create a Garden Toad Abode
Build toads a space of their own. Place your new toad home in a shady spot near a water source.
Half-bury a large flowerpot on its side.
Tip a flowerpot upside down and prop one side up with a few rocks to create an entrance.
Gather flat rocks and build a toad-sized house with them.
Good Morning. Did Yard Work all day yesterday.
Today, it’s POURING.
Just lovely, Diana.
Briggs’ Roses - The Rose of Tralee - Nightnoise
https://youtu.be/PImQUXp-KpI
Night Blooming Cereus - Photographs by Paul Kosinski
https://youtu.be/z-Gq2wqmrak
I had a couple of busy days this week, so couldn’t get to morel hunting (round 1) until yesterday. Pulled on some mid calf rubber boots so I could cross over to the other side of the creek. Alas, no morels. I will keep hunting periodically.
I did find some neat mosses, ferns, and IDed a couple native wildflowers that I didn’t know the names of, the Mayapple and Bristly buttercup.
Also used the sound ID feature of the Merlin bird ID app that I have. It’s so handy! Besides the birds I see and hear everyday (cardinals, titmice, wren, jays, etc) I discovered there were Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Pine Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, and White-throated Sparrow in the area. I thought I heard a Red-headed Woodpecker too, but it wouldn’t ID that. When I got back to the house, I saw the Redhead (I’ve nicknamed him/her Rudy) head to the suet feeder at least a dozen times.
That’s excellent on the chickadees! I hope they found that you’ve made a comfortable home for them. I hate cowbirds with a passion. I’ve seen wrens and cardinals raise those stupid cowbirds. It’s shocking.
Don't forget gophers and voles. I've taken to leaving a little food out during the daytime for the neighborhood cats. Hopefully they'll put their visits to good use. :-)
I did a bit of Spring cleanup this week. Apparently I got a little aggressive with some of the heavy weeding. I realized my forearm near my wrist was hurting, and finally took a good look at it last night. It’s a little swollen, and one move in particular is painful, so I think I’ve sprained a muscle or something. Of course, it’s on my dominant hand, so this will either get better in a day or two, or get worse if it’s not rested. Hoping for the former. Most of the mulch has been laid, just one section left to do. I’m thinking of getting a new potting bench. The one I have currently I found at a resale consignment store years ago, and it’s starting to get wobbly on me. Any suggestions are welcome.
I wish the hawks and owls around here would do a little more hunting of the chipmunks. We have a plethora of them.
We have a very small drainage ditch that runs VERY close to the garden. It just drains rainwater from the hill so it’s clean. I have seen toads and frogs in my garden numerous times. We’ve even found a couple garter snakes.
I finished planting all my onions. Have hundreds of them between the red and yellow ones.
We’re expecting a few cold nights so Ill have to put the frost protection into operation. Mostly old sheets and a couple old mattress pads.
The forecast is for in the upper 20’s a couple nights this coming week so it will require some more diligent methods but I have straw and blankets and tarps.
It’s so good to see how well the garden is progressing so early in the year. The hardest part of gardening is waiting until the first harvest can be brought in and that’s usually late May for lettuce and asparagus.
I started a few more seeds for basil and lavender. The lavender is so stubborn about starting from seed.
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Brown Butter-Sunchoke Soup With Bacon
Ingredients 6 tablespoons butter 2 pounds sunchokes (also sold as Jerusalem artichokes), skin-on, scrubbed, and cut into 1/2-inch disks 1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, split in half, washed and sliced into half-inch pieces 1 medium onion, finely sliced (about 1 cup) 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons) 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves 6 cups low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken broth 2 bay leaves 1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Dash sherry or white wine vinegar 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, split in half
Directions Swirl butter in a large Dutch oven on med-high til deep brown w/ nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add sunchokes and stir. Cook/stir til sunchokes are well browned on all surfaces, starting to lightly char, 10 min. Add leeks and onions; cook/stir/soften, about 5 min. Add garlic and sage and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, a minute. Add chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until sunchokes are tender, about ten minutes. Discard bay leaves.
While soup simmers, cook brown and crisp, 10 min. Liftout to bowl, leaving fat in the skillet. Set aside.
Batch blender on high til smooth, about 2 minutes per batch. Strain through a fine mesh strainer if a smoother soup is desired. When all batches are pureed, s/p. Whisk in vinegar, a teaspoon at a time, until desired flavor is reached (tbl total). Keep soup warm.
Garnish----Reheat bacon fat on high til sizzling, then add a garden goody or halved brussels sprouts, cut-side-down. Cook without moving til well-charred, 3 min. Toss and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and well browned, 6 min total. Return bacon to skillet and toss to combine. S/p, and a dash of vinegar. Set aside offheat.
Serve garnished with garden goody (or brussels sprouts), bacon, drizzled with olive oil.
Bump for later YT binging. :)
I grew up in northern Michigan and once in a while would hunt morels with my grandfather. He always knew where they were.
As a side note, my old home town up there hosts a morel mushroom festival every year on the weekend after Mothers Day.
https://www.bcmorelfestival.com/
Great birding! We have a pair of the Red Headed Woodpeckers - and they are NOISY! It’s fun to watch them; they’ll come to the platform feeder, grab a shelled peanut piece and head back to their tree in the woods...and do that all day long.
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