Jayla's Backyard Blog

Santa Caught Red Handed

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

I was a bad girl this year (I only posted once to my blog), but Santa paid me a visit anyway. I left out the bait, and sure enough there was a picture of Santa on the camera trap Christmas morning! Apparently he had already sampled a lot of cookies around the world, because he didn't finish the two we left for him. Next year I think I'll leave out something for Rudolph.

Cutest Toad Ever

2011-07-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

I just got to hold the cutest toad ever. I moved a potted plant out from under the eaves of the house so it would get some rain, and there was a small toad that had been hiding there. Luckily it didn't get hurt as I dragged the pot. I love holding toads. Of course it peed on me, but an inch big toad does not pee all that much. I put the pot back where it was, and put him back, but when I returned with my camera, alas, he was gone. Oh well. I've see toad abodes for sale, but I wonder if toads really would move in. I think it's worth a try.

The Night Before Christmas (A True Story)

2010-12-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

This is my version of Clement C. Moore's "The Night Before Christmas".

'Twas the night before Christmas
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, except for a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

My child wasn't nestled all snug in his bed,
Television was on, Dino Dan danced in his head.
And I in my kerchief, my husband in his cap,
Made room in our tummies for an apres dinner snack,

When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter.
Away to the hall I flew like a flash,
Tore open the baby gate and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the old fallen snow,
Gave the luster of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature Peromyscus so tiny and dear,
With an orange old cat so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he had caught St. Mick.

More rapid than eagles my little son came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name,
"Now, Phineas! Now, Patty! Now, Daddy and Mom!
The mouse is loose! He's at the top of the wall!"
Now dash away, cats, dash away all!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the housetop the dwellers we flew,
With a shoe box, gloves, and St. Mickey Mouse, too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of more mice on the roof.
As I climbed up the chair and was turning around,
Down into the shoebox St. Mickey came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his coat was all tarnished with dust and with dirt.
A bunch of wet marks the cat left on his back,
And he looked scared like burglar caught opening his pack.

His eyes, how they twinkled! His whiskers, how merry!
His cheek pouches were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the fur on his belly was as white as the snow.

The stump of a seed he held tight in his teeth,
And his ears encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a pointy face and a little round belly
That shook when he trembled like a bowl full of jelly.

My husband spoke not a word but went straight to his work,
And put on his coat, then turned with a jerk,
And laying a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, the back door he chose.

He sprang to the shed, to the mouse gave a whistle,
And away the mouse flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim as he scurried out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Trick or Treat?

2010-10-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

Our yard has no shortage of spiders. Our basement has no shortage of spiders either, for that matter. In the spirit of the Halloween season, I give you this spider web, a trick for those of you who are afraid of spiders, a treat for those who can appreciate a nice web. Happy Halloween!

Intruder Caught

2010-10-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

Recently police have been warning county residents about a serial burglar who enters through open garage doors or open doors and windows. I forget the total number of burglaries but it's enough to make you a little on edge. Today I noticed the garage door light flickering on and off, leading me to believe something was in the garage. Turns out its that dirty groundhog again! He was right under the door sniffing a banana peel I had carelessly left on top of the full compost pail. I guess that's what I get for failing to dump the kitchen waste in a timely manner. The other day my husband opened the door to put something in the compost pail, and sure enough the groundhog was right there. All it takes is one time to forget to close the garage door, and sure enough the intruder will take the opportunity to check out the premises and help himself to whatever he wants.

Mystery Solved

2010-10-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

During the blizzard, something dug a big hole under our house. Turns out it's a groundhog. We haven't had one for years. It must have moved in from across the street. It also has a hole under our porch. One day I was trying to get a picture when it was under the porch, and a few minutes later, it appeared on the other side of the house. Either we have more than one, or its burrow goes all the way from the front of the house to the side. I hate to think what it's doing under there, but actually I don't really give it much thought. What's worse is that it eats everything I plant. About the only things I can grow are hostas and mums, both of which it likes to dine on. I just planted a mum covered in flowers and then it ate about half the flowers off. I affectionately refer to him (or her) as "that dirty groundhog!".

Butterflies and Bees

2010-10-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

I'd like to say these pictures are from my yard, but they are not. They are from a local garden. I did buy a butterfly bush so maybe it will attract some butterflies next year.

Hummingbird

2010-10-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

This is not a good picture, but hummingbirds are fast. We finally had them coming semi regularly for about a month or so, when before they would only pass through. Next year I will be more diligent about putting out the feeder for them.

Bucks

2010-09-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have not posted lately. The mosquitoes limit my outdoor activity to only as long as I can stand being eaten alive, which is about 5 minutes. Stupidly, I only tend to go outside during peak mosquito activity. I did get these buck pictures. I also have more to post, some animals you have not seen on my blog yet. So stay tuned.

Two Worms Are Better Than One

2010-06-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

How to Play with Worms:

Step 1. Find a good location.

Step 2. Poke worm with stick, until it becomes two worms.

Step 3. Grasp worm tightly.

Step 4. Enjoy!

Return of the Massive Frog

2010-06-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Just Hanging Out

2010-05-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

Fox Born This Year!

2010-05-28T19:10:00.001-07:00

Tonight we saw a slightly mangey fox. It stood on a log in the distance for a while before disappearing. Then it reappeared, running along our walkway, followed by the cutest baby fox! Well, it wasn't really a baby, but it wasn't full grown either, and must have been born this year. It had a distinctive dark spot of fur above its tail. I've never seen a fox with an unusual pattern like that before, so he will be easy to recognize. Then I saw it run under our deck! It came back out, hiding in the ferns, while I ran to get my camera, but I was too late, as it ran off into the park. Unfortunately, I took my camera trap inside since it hadn't taken any pictures lately, but I'll put it back out when I confirm it still works.

Something of the Canine Variety

2010-05-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

When I checked the LCD of my camera outside, I saw what looked like a coyote. I thought, "Nah, how could we have coyotes in this area? It's probably just a dog." But I was excited at the prospect of it being a coyote because it sure did look like one. I thought this is either gonna be really good, or really disappointing, but not terribly disappointing since I've never gotten a picture of a dog before. Turns out, it's a coyote! I showed Camera Trap Codger to confirm the identification. Makes me a little uneasy knowing coyotes are around, since my toddler runs around outside all the time, sometimes getting out of my view before I can catch up to him. In the first shot at 10:39 p.m. on April 28th, you can see the glowing eyes, and only 33 seconds later he is right up close. Occasionally, you do hear stories of a random coyote showing up at a 7-11 in downtown Chicago, but you never expect to see one in suburban Virginia. In all my years of living in Virginia, I don't recall ever seeing one. So this is about as exciting as it gets.

New Camera, New Location

2010-05-05T18:45:00.000-07:00

My old camera trap stopped working so Camera Trap Codger swapped it for one of his extra camera traps. He managed to get the old one working, and I eventually got the hang of using the new camera trap. I put it in a new location and was pleased to finally get some pictures of this young buck.

Black Snake in the House

2010-05-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

I'm a little behind posting. Back in the beginning of March, we found a snake skin in our house, wrapped around some pipes in the basement. It measured over 5 feet long. Our guest bedroom is in the basement, but I figured what our guests don't know won't hurt them. We never did find the snake so we assume it made its way back outside. The other day while I was moving some bricks around outside, I found a small ring necked snake. It kept finding its way under the bricks so I had to gently nudge it with a stick. I've also found several salamanders hiding under logs and bricks recently.

Great Horned Owl

2010-04-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

Last night at about 1 a.m. I heard a 4 note owl call, 14 times. At first it was very close, and it quickly sounded more and more distant, til I drifted off back to sleep. At least, I think it's a great horned owl, since that's what Camera Trap Codger thinks, and also I found Owl Pages has a clip of a "pair calling" which sounds pretty similar to what I heard (although what I heard didn't seem to be a pair). The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has a web page describing the four types of owls found in Virginia.

Rat Caught on Video!!!

2010-02-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

The rat had been eating sunflower seeds in the garage during the blizzard, but I had been remiss in feeding him recently. The store was totally out of birdseed today, so I put on the porch some of our dwindling supply of sunflower seeds. I caught a glimpse of the rat going onto the porch and then it disappeared, but it kept coming back getting seeds and going back under the house, where a groundhog once lived. My digital camera was too slow to even get a picture of it, but I did get a short video. Not sure what my son was trying to say, probably something like "There it is!". I'd say it's a pretty cute rat, wouldn't you?

Glacier

2010-02-20T18:24:00.000-08:00

We now have a glacier across our street, which will probably be there for some time. For several days after the most recent blizzard, truck after truck came and dumped load after load of snow. They must have gathered up all the snow in the county. It's about twice as tall as I am, and that's only one of the glaciers they created. I'm wondering if it will start to move when it melts, destroy everything in its path, and leave behind a huge pond.

Desperate Deer

2010-02-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

I had just put my son down to sleep, when I come out and see a deer eating birdseed off our windowsill (the same window where the squirrel had been eating bird seed in an earlier post), with one of our cats right in its face, only separated by the glass. That's something you don't see every day. The poor deer are desperate and it's snowing AGAIN. We're due for another 10-20 inches with sleet and freezing rain. Last night we threw out lettuce and a cherry tomato off the front porch, but the deer didn't eat it. I guess they prefer bird seed. Good thing we bought more at the store today. I counted 9 deer in our yard. Usually we only see them in the back yard, not on our front doorstep. This is getting ridiculous. I guess that's what I get for attracting them with my compost pile. The picture is pretty bad, but you can see the deer's ears, and the blob in front is our cat.

Signs of Life

2010-02-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

The foxes left their tracks in the snow. They seem to have taken shelter under our deck, headed for the woods, and decided to turn around and come back. They checked out the pond (now just a slight impression), and went along the house towards the wood pile. There was a set of smaller prints which may have been a rodent of some kind, light enough to not sink into the snow. Lots of birds visited our feeder, including juncos, titmouses (or titmice?), cardinals and nuthatches (which we don't normally see at feeders), and finches. A couple unfortunate birds hit our window, probably blinded by the snow. I also saw a hawk chasing a smaller bird. Haven't seen any deer. There are also signs of a rodent in our garage, which has been elusive so far, but I'm trying to get a picture.

Second Blizzard of the Season

2010-02-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

On February 6th, we got dumped on again. I measured 14.5 inches, but that was near the house. In places it drifted to over 25 inches. The weirdest thing was that in my footprints, the snow looked light blue, like blue glaciers and ice bergs I'm sure you've seen pictures of.

Birds

2010-02-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

I'm losing track of the various snow storms. This was a minor one. Pictured here is a cardinal and a wren.

My Photos on Imagekind

2010-02-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

I decided to upload some of my photos on a photography selling website, only to discover most of them don't have high enough resolution. Not that I'm all that great of a photographer, but occasionally I do get a good one. Plus I figure this is a better way to make money (not that I really plan on making any) than from Google Adsense. I tried it a while back and it selected ads for exterminating bats and things like that, which goes against what my blog is about. (What's up with that, Google? Sheesh.)

Video of Fox Barking

2010-01-18T18:35:00.001-08:00

No sooner did I post fox sounds, did we get to hear a fox barking and we got it on video! The narration is by CTT (Camera Trap Toddler). Translation follows:
[fox barks in distance] "Fox!"
[fox sniffs ground] "Eat nut."* (4x)
[fox barks, imitates bark, laughs] "Oh no!"
[fox goes under deck]"Oh no!!!"
[Knocks on window] "Where'd he go?" (6x)
[unintelligible]
[fox comes out again]"Fox!" (3x)
[fox stops and stares at us]"Oh no!"
[fox sniffs ground] "Eat nut."*
[fox leaves] "Where'd he go?"

* eat nut => He thinks foxes eat nuts because he saw squirrels and deer eating acorns.

Brazen Squirrel

2010-01-15T08:41:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I didn't think of putting bird seed on the window sill sooner. No birds came to the window, only this brazen squirrel. I don't know if he is just dumb and doesn't know he should be afraid of cats, smart because the cat can't get him through the window, confident in his abilities to out-run a possible cat and toddler attack, or just plain hungry.

2010-01-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

What Does a Fox Sound Like?

2010-01-09T17:32:00.001-08:00

This time of year we sometimes hear foxes, which is always exciting because it means they are in the area. I saw what looked like fox footprints in the snow today. (Our second snowfall was only about an inch or two). Camera Trap Codger's recent post on coyotes gave me a good idea. (Thanks, Codger.) You can listen to several fox vocalizations at Soundboard.

2009: A Year in Review

2009-12-31T18:33:00.000-08:00

As the last hours of 2009 wind down, I feel compelled to do the usual review of the goings on in my yard. 2009 stands out for the following reasons:
-I set the camera trap in a new location by a new compost pile.
-The yard attracted the usual cast of characters: foxes, deer, raccoons, squirrels, and frogs.
-Three species returned that had disappeared--the chipmunks (which disappeared after a snake was seen), the bat (which only briefly stayed in our window, but then was seen frequently flying back and forth at night), and a toad (which had been absent for years).
-We had a record snowfall in December, a whopping 16 inches!
-I discovered three new species! A salamander, a humongous polyphemous moth, and an owl (only heard, not seen).
-My blog gained a whopping 8 followers! In my wildest dreams, I hoped for 5, and wound up with 8. Could more be in store? You know, I never wrote my blog expecting anyone would read it. (Can you tell?)
-My new obsession with wreath making began, using homegrown invasive Chinese wisteria vines.

Happy New Year!

When Mother Nature Hands you Vines, Make Wreaths

2009-12-23T22:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, I finally found the perfect solution to my invasive vine problem. I identified the vine as Chinese wisteria. I now get satisfaction out of cutting out the vines, because I can turn something ugly and out of control, into something controlled and festive. Happy Holidays!

Blizzard of 2009

2009-12-23T21:59:00.000-08:00

We received 16 inches total. Must be that crazy El Nino.

2009-12-23T21:57:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of the camera trap. I took it inside so the snow wouldn't cover it.

2009-12-23T21:56:00.000-08:00

First Snow of the Season

2009-12-15T13:03:00.000-08:00

Mr. Fox

2009-12-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Fox

2009-12-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to get pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Fox, who came and scent marked a couple azalea bushes. The female came first, giving a come hither look behind her, and left. Then came the male, who also rubbed on the bushes, and ran off.

Ma and Bambi

2009-11-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

2009-11-24T19:02:00.000-08:00

"Ma!"

Proof Deer Can Fly

2009-11-24T18:59:00.000-08:00

"Hey, wait for me!"

More Buck Shots

2009-11-24T18:53:00.000-08:00

The Bambis Are Growing Up

2009-11-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

2009-11-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

The Caught in the Headlights Look

2009-11-24T18:30:00.000-08:00

The Buck Stops Here

2009-11-24T18:19:00.000-08:00

Raccoons Visit the Compost Pile

2009-10-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

2009-10-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

Mangey Fox Jumps Into Woods

2009-10-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

Foxes Visit the Compost Pile

2009-10-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

2009-10-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

New Species!

2009-10-22T17:51:00.000-07:00

I was just pining for a new species the other day, and I got what I wished for. Our yard has ugly black plastic apparently used as a weed barrier that shows when the dirt washes away. I bent down to rip off the plastic, when I saw something that at first I thought was a worm. Its head was buried in the dirt and it tried crawling under a stepping stone. I tried scooping dirt off with a stick to get a better look. Just then I noticed a deer, that stomped at me, like "Hey! This is my territory.". After my new species disappeared, I stood up and the deer made its alarm call to the other deer and ran off. I think the new species was a salamander. The closest thing I can find on the internet that looks like it is the Redback Salamander. It had a reddish brown stripe down its back, sort of the color of the clay around here. I never did see its head, but now I know its hiding place.

The Surprise

2009-10-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

When your husband brings you home a surprise, and it's a toad, would you be excited? I would! I love toads! This toad didn't even pee on us! What more could you ask for in a toad? The poor thing almost was going to get hit by a car in the road one night, til my husband happened upon it and rescued it. I released it in the backyard.

Fruits and Nuts

2009-10-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about Californians. Here are those persimmons I collected, and some walnuts and hickory nuts. I was thinking if I had to survive in my own backyard, what would I eat? I came to the conclusion I'd have venison with a mushroom walnut sauce, poke greens, and persimmons for dessert.

Persimmon Is Correct!

2009-10-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

A year ago my father pointed out the persimmon tree in our neighborhood. About the second week of September I noticed it had persimmons on it. By the third week, they were littering the ground. I couldn't resist collecting them. I took them home and tasted one, which wasn't half bad, but it was mostly seeds and not much was edible.

Guess What Tree This Is

2009-09-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

Miniature Watermelons

2009-09-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

After the gargantuan moth, it makes sense to have a picture of miniature watermelons. These weren't in my backyard, but within walking distance. I had seen blossoms, and then noticed the small fruits, probably less than an inch in diameter. I don't know what they are, but they look like watermelons to me. These also sat on my kitchen counter for a week, and then I threw them away. Too bad I didn't think to cut one open...maybe there would have been pink flesh with tiny seeds inside.

Gargantuan Moth

2009-09-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

This is the largest moth I've ever seen, except I forgot to measure it. I took it inside to take pictures (it was dead), and then after it sat on my kitchen counter for a week, I decided I better throw it back outside. Its wingspan must have been at least 4 inches long. After some googling, my guess would be that this is a polyphemus moth. It brings back memories of my first (and last) summer job, which involved collecting "frass" (look that one up) of gypsy moth larvae, collecting squirming pupae, and measuring the wing spans of the moths. I don't know what was worse, feeling the pupae squirm, or clearing the frass catchers after the rain, which was achieved by blowing on the mesh covered tubes with our mouths. Nevertheless, I still somehow have a fondness for moths I guess, which was an acquired fondness, I must say.

Mystery Mammal

2009-09-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

This animal showed up 17 seconds after the raccoon, which at first made me think it was a raccoon, only where is the mask? Could this be something else? A new species (for my blog) perhaps?

Raccoons

2009-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

These look like youngsters. I like the last shot where the raccoon is watching the headlights of a car.

Stray Cat

2009-09-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

Fox

2009-09-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

2009-09-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Mamma and Bambis

2009-09-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hunkering Down During a Middle of the Night Rain Storm

2009-07-31T18:12:00.000-07:00

I like this picture because the dark background makes the tree overhead stand out and contrasts with the other green vegetation. We did have some bad storms recently, which was a good thing because it was getting to be drought-like. The poor deer look like they aren't enjoying the shower, the way their heads are down. By zooming in, I see momma has a good supply of milkie, so I'm sure they nestled down somewhere and tried to get cozy for a while.

Who Says Raccoons Are Dirty Animals?

2009-07-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

I'd say this raccoon is pretty smart and clean. The compost can get pretty sloppy, put this coon is smart enough to keep his rear up on the stumps out of the muck while he forages for some tasty vittles. Actually, he'd have to eat one handed if his legs were on the stump the whole time. His back end could have just been on the stump for the instant the camera took the picture, but I'm trying to improve the reputation of raccoons around here.

Running Fox

2009-07-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Judging from his body language, with ears perked up, and going at a good pace with his front paw off the ground, I'd say this fox is about to cross the road. At 10:30 p.m., it's likely no cars were coming.

Bambi Chews on Leaf

2009-07-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

Look at the pattern of her spots. Isn't she just lovely?

Bambi Explores New Smells

2009-07-27T17:55:00.000-07:00

Red Shouldered Hawk

2009-07-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

I've seen a red shouldered hawk twice in the past couple of days. The first time it was late afternoon and it was flapping around in the woods. I didn't see what it was after. Early this evening it was sitting on a fence and preening its belly feathers.

Not One, But Two Bambis!

2009-07-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Bambi Returns

2009-07-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

Apparently the compost pile is like a rest stop on the interstate, for Bambi and Mom. You can see him leaping over the logs surrounding the compost pile.

Mamma and Bambi Visit Compost Pile

2009-07-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

These pictures were pretty exciting. I'd say I hit the jackpot with the picture of the spotted fawn. In the first picture I thought the doe's tummy looked kind of droopy, probably from giving birth recently. Is that spotted fawn the cutest thing you've ever seen, or what? Also visible is the doe's teat, which I'm sure the little guy appreciates having nearby.

Raccoon Visits Compost Pile

2009-07-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

I expected raccoons, of course. I think this is the same raccoon in both shots, based on the time the pictures were taken. It looks like a young male to me.

Compost Visitor Number Three

2009-07-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

At first I thought this fox had pounced on something, but it is just standing on the logs leaning down.

Another Visitor to the Compost PIle

2009-07-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

This is probably one of the best squirrel pictures I've ever gotten. So I'm rather pleased with my new camera location. You'll soon see why...

New "Set"

2009-07-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

I purposely put my new compost pile near a tree so I could see what's eating the kitchen waste. Here's the first picture I got.

Tree Identification

2009-07-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

Our yard has so many tree seedlings that I've considered going into business selling them-mostly oaks, a few maples, a couple hollies, and magnolias. If I don't know what something is, I let it grow until I figure out what it is and whether it's a good thing or bad thing. (In the case of our invasive vines--bad thing). Now that we experienced a tree nearly smashing our house, I'm more prone to wanting to cut down the seedlings before they get too well established. I noticed a bunch of new seedlings popping up, and decided to figure out what it was. I found a good website which leads me to believe this is a tulip poplar. The VTreeID website says these can grow to be over 100 feet tall. I don't think I like the idea of 100 foot trees growing within 20 feet of our house.

Invasive Species or Dinner Side Dish?

2009-07-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

We have plenty of poke in our yard. Last year I let it grow out of control, noticed it had red berries and thought maybe something would like to eat it. Then after the winter all these dead branches were left which weren't too visually appealing and not very fun to get rid of. Camera Trap Codger identified it as poke. This spring I decided I would stomp on them so I wouldn't have to remove the branches later on. Well, that got old as the days wore on because they just kept growing back and after finding a deer tick on my toddler, I didn't really feel like traipsing through the pachysandra anymore. I had a vague recollection that my dad said they were edible. So I googled it and found this link. Apparently cooking it up like greens can cause "bad guts". I think I'll pass.

Will You Accept This Rose?

2009-07-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, so that's a joke for any of you Bachelor or Bachelorette fans out there. ;) This rose has unfortunately been accepted by Japanese beetles, which explains why the leaves are holey.

What's Growing Out of Control

2009-07-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

Most of our gardening woes are due to our yard being under attack by invasive vines. We recently had a bunch of vines removed, and these (insert expletive) grow back at the rate of like 6 inches a day. The vines are all criss crossing over and under the ground, and if left to grow at their own devices, will take on a jungley appearance up in the trees. Using the heavy duty clippers is enough to give me achey shoulders for a week, and the ticks love to hang out there in the jungle. Maybe in the fall we'll be able to get this under control...until next season when it will surely assault our yard again and gain new territory.

What's Not Growing So Well

2009-07-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

On the north side of the house, not much grows. I planted a hydrangea which is looking pretty pathetic, and creeping jenny, which looks like something is eating it. So I finally got smart and decided to buy shade loving plants. I've actually tried planting shade loving plants there from seed, which never took off. It's kind of depressing though going to a local garden center, seeing all these beautiful flowering plants, and the only thing you can buy are these rather puny boring looking shade loving things. I bought Irish moss, autumn fern, and a hosta. I am debating whether to plant them in the ground or pots.

What's Growing In My Garden

2009-07-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Finally something I planted from seed seems to be growing. The little buds are wildflowers. Whether they will ever amount to anything by the end of the season remains to be seen. The taller plant is in the general vicinity where I planted the pumpkin seeds, but this looks more like tomatoes to me, which I did not plant, but I do compost tomatoes.

What's Growing

2009-07-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

The berries are starting to turn red. Unfortunately I saw some white powdery stuff on one of the branches, which we've had in the past on various plants which isn't a good thing. The lily looks pretty photogenic although I've never really been that fond of them. The Virginia creeper is creeping nicely over the lattice.

Tadpole

2009-07-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

The tadpoles are coming along nicely, but they are hard to see with all the duckweed.

Poor Fox

2009-07-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

This poor guy looks mangey and skinny to me.

Ginormous Frog

2009-07-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ginormous is a word, isn't it? This frog is too smart and hops in the water as soon as I walk outside with my camera, so another photo taken from inside through a window is better than nothing. This is the hugest frog I've seen in this pond. That's just its head. Imagine how big the whole body is.

More Fox Pics

2009-07-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

These aren't the greatest pictures (taken at a distance through a window), but I keep forgetting to put my camera back out, so this is the best I have for now.

Little Fox

2009-07-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

This little guy just likes to hang out in our back yard. He seems a little itchy sometimes. I wonder if he's looking for a handout.

Little Raccoons

2009-06-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

These look like babies to me. How cute!

My Serendipitous Berry Vines

2009-06-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

My New Compost Heap

2009-06-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

I am building an open roofed three walled log cabin around my compost heap. The logs are pretty slimey disgusting things covered in fungus and all kinds of creepy crawlies.

What is this?

2009-06-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

This was already growing at the site of my old compost heap. It's the most promising thing in my garden.

My Garden

2009-06-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

The rocks are where I planted the seeds in the wooden rectangle, from left to right: green onions, cantaloupes, sunflowers, and pumpkins. As you can see, it doesn't look like much is happening.

Fox Right Near the House

2009-06-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, the fox was too far away to get a clear photo.

Poor Kitty

2009-06-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

This poor cat looks like it's missing an ear and has a chunk bitten out of its neck.

Raccoon Heading Towards the House

2009-06-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

Update

2009-06-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while but I've been meaning to. I made a tiny garden and planted green onions, sunflowers, cantaloupes, and pumpkins. They are starting to sprout but who knows if anything will ever come of them, since I planted them at the sight of my old compost heap which the raccoons regularly raid. I made a new compost heap which I want to eventually be the focus of my camera trap. I moved the camera trap towards the house in hopes of catching the fox which runs down our path to the woods. We also had a bunch of invasive vines removed, which uncovered some planks that I kicked and out slithered a small snake. Oh yeah, I had been wanting to buy a berry plant but lo and behold, a new one started growing with lots of berries on it. I can't wait til they ripen.

Deer Getting Summer Coat

2009-05-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

If I had to name this deer, I would name it Scruffy.

Frost

2009-05-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure what this was at first, then I realized it must be frost. The second picture was taken at around 6 a.m.

Fox

2009-05-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

Too bad this is only the back of a fox.

Fox Sighting

2009-05-08T11:07:00.001-07:00

I was clearing the breakfast dishes when my son (13.5 months old) became awfully quiet in his high chair. When I went back to check on him, he was staring out the window at a fox! It was scratching itself for a while, posed in front of the camera trap, and ran off. Unfortunately the camera wasn't in the case because I had recently taken it inside to download pictures. Oh well. At least I have another pair of eyes to alert me to foxes.