We had a mild winter here in Michigan with very little snow cover and only a few days below 10 above. Plus March was unusually mild; we normally have one or two March days in the 50s or even low 60s but this year we had 50+ for several days. Trees are budding and spring is coming! That changed … [Read more...]
Heather So Tough and So Pretty – Blooming in Snow All Winter
One of the puzzling landscape features we inherited with this house is a big round garden-ish spot in the middle of the drive. It is divided in half, with black lava rocks on a mounded area and granite rocks on a flatter half. I suspect there used to be more plants as the ones there now are a bit … [Read more...]
Remember Woody Woodpecker? Pileated Woodpecker in My Yard
The other day a big black and white bird flew among the trees by the side of the road. At first I thought it was a magpie - not a Michigan native - before spotting the crested red head. It was a pileated woodpecker. If you're the right vintage you may remember Woody Woodpecker cartoons. … [Read more...]
Blue Jays, Cardinals, Chickadees Oh My – Suet Mixes to Attract Birds
We feed the birds sunflower seed and suet year around. The previous homeowners did not and it took some birds a couple years to get used to coming here for lunch. Cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers, sparrows and finches showed up immediately (along with squirrels and chipmunks) but blue jays are … [Read more...]
Rainbow at Sunset – November 18, 2015
We had a spectacular sunset here. First rainbow appeared right at the eastern horizon, not a full arch but a huge, wide prismatic glow of colors. I could see where it touched the earth on the hill across the river. By the time I got outside with the camera the rainbow was arcing … [Read more...]
Grow Up Little Tadpole and Frog Away!
Our tadpoles are finally growing up and turning into frogs! I wrote about our tadpole guests last spring when we rescued several hundred from the pool winter cover. (You can read that post here.) In June through mid-August Dave fed them cooked up shredded lettuce, but they weren't getting … [Read more...]
It’s June and Peony Time in Michigan
I love peonies. They are beautiful, lovely vibrant colors in pink, rose, carmine and white, huge and fragrant. As a bonus the plants have lovely shapes and foliage, making them perfect plants to use as the foundation for your garden. I don't know what variety this one is. It's frilly, and … [Read more...]
Saving Tadpoles from the Swimming Pool
Our pool was full of gunk this spring above the winter cover. You name it, we had it floating in the rain and snow melt that accumulated on top the cover: bugs, hydrangea flower heads, leaves, pieces of plastic from the roof repair, assorted garbage blown by the wind. It doesn't look too bad in … [Read more...]
Misty Mornings Mid May in Michigan
Yesterday morning I looked out the back window and saw this beautiful view of mist raising from the Kalamazoo river valley a mile away to cover the trees and most of the field behind our house. The spiderwebs sparkled with raindrops and the faint misty sunshine. Everything looked shrouded in … [Read more...]
Cold Spring in Northern Michigan – Ice Melting on Little Traverse Bay
We live in Southwest Michigan, where spring comes about 2 weeks earlier than it did in Midland and about a month earlier than further north. This weekend we went to a trade show in Petoskey, which is right on Little Traverse Bay (part of Lake Michigan) and about 70 miles north of Traverse City … [Read more...]