Come along with me for a walk around May Dreams Gardens, where the temperatures are above freezing today.
Over by the side of the house, there’s a hole in the grass. Where does it lead? How deep is it? Who dug it?
Voles? Perhaps. I’ve had voles before and know how destructive they can be. I should explore this further, maybe tomorrow.
Nearby, tucked in an out of the way spot, the prickly pear cactus, Opuntia sp., displays the muted colors of Christmas.
These cactus will look worse before spring, but are quite hardy in my Zone 5 garden.
As I walk back toward the vegetable garden birds scatter from the feeders and fly up to the highest tree branches.
I don’t think they like having their morning brunch interrupted.
I did get a book on birds of Indiana for Christmas, so now I have no excuse for not figuring out what kinds of birds are coming to my garden. I’ll have to look at this bird picture more closely to see what these birds are.
I don’t need a book to identify this squirrel that has taken up residence near the vegetable garden.
Now I know where all those walnut tree seedlings that I found last spring in the garden came from! Go away, Mr. Squirrel, nothing to see or eat here!
It’s too wet and cold to do much in the garden, other than walk around, but I did want to find a good place to mount all the components of my new weather station.
I’ve put it together inside, and everything appears to be in good working order. It shows that the temperature is a balmy 70 degrees inside the house, with 39% humdity and no wind.
That’s all very nice for this first amaryllis blooming the day after Christmas.
This is the lovely ‘Green Goddess’ purchased from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs. It has two bloom stalks so I should have these blooms to enjoy for quite awhile.
Thanks for coming along on my walk. I hope you had a good holiday and can find some time to walk around your garden today. If you do, take us along with you!
Yes…check out the hole tomorrow. Today is a day to take it easy!
Indy, Voles generally leave a trail, like a tunnel just at the surface of the soil. You will see it…much to your dismay.
Leslie, yes, I am taking it quite easy today. That hole will have to wait!
MA, I’ve seen some trails, too, and I am dismayed. Those voles can tear up a garden, and I’ve had them get in my garage, too.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Your weather station looks very official and complicated. It will be fun to see how your weather station compares to the “official” readings in your area.
The top right bird in your tree is a Dark-eyed Junco. I am sure you know this or could figure it out. Lots of people call them snowbirds because they winter here. Most don’t notice them unless there is snow on the ground because they blend in well with their surroundings.
It is good to see that you are relaxing and play with, I mean putting together your new toy, I mean weather station.
How nice to be able to walk around the garden. Warmer here today but the snow is still knee-high (at the very least) throughout the garden. And the icicles are so bad by the back door that it’s currently dangerous to use that exit! Ah winter in Wisconsin. Can’t wait to hear about your weather station — looks very exciting!
Nice to walk with you this Boxing Day morn. I think Lisa has i.d. your bird. Love ya, Dee
I enjoyed our stroll — can’t wait to see your weather station set up!
OH how lovely! I am hoping that someday soon, my amaryllis will begin to bloom.. It will be a Red Letter (as opposed to scarlet) day, since they haven't bloomed in well over .. hmmmmm ten years. My Auntie developed them sometime in the 60's, gave some to Grammy, who planted them in a particularly lousy spot, and I brought them with when I moved.. And then, to carry on the tradition, I planted them in a particularly lousy spot.. NOW they are all crowded up in a huge clay pot inside. I have, like that silly ol' ant, high hopes.
A lovely walk in your garden, Carol, that you for bringing us along!
>^,,^<
Your weather station looks great – very exciting
Your weather station looks like fun!
That looks a little more extensive than a compost thermometer! You must have been a very good gardener this year.
Jenny
Thanks for the walk. Yesterday we almost reached 70! You never know what you are going to get here…18 one day – 65 the next, which keeps the shrubs in a constant state of confusion.
That’s a pretty dark-eyed Junco at the top (only here during winter months) and probably a few house sparrows behind.
Enjoy your bird book!
Sounds like you got some very fun gifts for a blogging gardener.
Which Indiana Bird book did you get?
Never mind I just clicked on the link you provided and saw it. I thought the link lead to the original discussion on bird books from several days ago.
Philo and I are coveting your meteorological present, Carol – it’s way too cool! He’s also wondering if you’re going to set up a Weather Underground Station.
That Green Goddess is just about the prettiest amaryllis I’ve ever seen.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
The hole looks like something an armadillo would dig. Do you have armadillos there?
Great, now I want a weather station. I didn’t even know it was a possibility:)
I managed to get outside during a break in the rain. Yes, it’s way too warm here too.
You’d better keep a close eye on that squirrel, they get up to all kinds of sneaky trouble. The Walnut seedlings are only the beginning.
Prickly pear cactus grows wild in my area, in zone 3b/4a! People are often surprised to come across a native cactus here. I know a spot nearby where there’s a large patch, and would like to visit again during bloom time to see if there are any flowers.
Amy
No walk around the garden today as it rained all day and it is supposed to be in the 60’s tomorrow so a walk might be in order. Enjoyed the stroll and that is one big squirrel!
I enjoyed the walk around your garden, Carol. My walk here will have to wait though until the weather improves. Although it reached the 60’s today and the ground has probably thawed out, it’s under water at the moment!
Hope you had a great holiday. Did you get the compost thermometer you wanted??
You will have to tell us more about the weather station. It looks really interesting!
Wow, you are going high tech with that weather gear!
After seeing so many posts about Christmas cacti, I found one today, called, “Naomi”, a pink bloomer. I was tickled to get a nice sized plant for $2.00.
Now, I keep seeing people’s amarylis plants, and think I may see about trying one of these.
Thanks for the garden walk.
Dying to see the weather station all set up outside, as I know it is by now.
Nice tour. My garden is buried under a thick layer of snow, but it is melting fast as we are now getting rain.