Weather update here. Winter mix has arrived....

Today we had a nice winter day, however this evening and sleet and ice/snow mix arrived. It looks like it will be with us throughout the evening and into the morning hours.
It is a good thing I had a change the cover and prepare the plants in the yard. Winter is a tricky time in this area. Sometimes the plants get the wrong message, and think spring is coming.
Writing about the yard and garden in the winter month can be challenging. However I love to plant winter plants. So the next few week I will be blogging about some winter choices in landscaping. For now the Evergreens are swaying in the neighborhood. I think one strong storm wind will bring them down. We had ours removed two years ago, due to this purpose. It was very scary to see it bend in the wind. Now looking at the neighbors, they are almost touching the house tops. I will keep an good eye on them. Stay tune to the winter post.
How are the trees in your neck of the woods?

Earl is out to sea....

Yes that's right I was right! No Hurricane or Tropical Storm winds for us. We got no rain for Earl. It is a bit windy today, the gust are a little like the start of the fall season. Temps are in the upper 70's. A great day for working out in the yard. I will be sprucing up a little this morning. Hubby is working for a while and daughter is at a friends. So that gives me time to work out in the fresh air. we are going to Longwood Gardens Later on Some I will have some great photo to display Next week.

Animals in the Yard!

The Animals in the yard are coming out.....
Lets see there is:

The Rabbit....
He loves to hop around early morning and evening.

A closer view...

The Squirrels..
they love to play throughout the day and......
sometimes come into the gazebo!

The Frog...So Tiny yet loves the water and Gazebo.

His real size!

The Groundhog...Oh yes they are back...

And Finally Critter in the Pool....
Isn't he cute? He's a keeper for sure.

Dad's Pond

I really Love going to Dad's. He has a fish pond. We (Dad and I ) put the pond in. I remember the fun time we had doing it. Let's see that was about 10 years ago. Made different updates to it since the first time. Now Things are falling apart and Dad stated he did not want to continue it. his word were" When the fish die that will be the end of the pond.". He had not been the same since Moms death Two and a half years ago.
I thought I would post a video and some pictures.
The photo to the left above can be click on for a closer look. it is Dad's reflection in the pond. He is looking at the fish, I took this and then turned it around so one could see dad's reflection.

This is the Frog fountain I bought for their Pond some years ago.

He had many fish in the pond.
These are the ones still there.
Mostly Coy fish now.

I remember years ago he had some Coy's. One year they all disappeared. We thought a cat got them. Because, the Neighbor stated a wild Cat was attacking his.Dad wanted to check this our before getting any more. I was out looking at the Pond and swore I saw a dark one swimming in there. Mom and dad were sceptically due to the fact they had not been feeding any for a long time and dad never had any dark ones. Well that got my daughter searching for it. Low and Behold there was one. It was not one that Dad had put in the pond. Our guess was that the coy fish had babies and this one survived! It was a Black Coy we called it Shadow, because it really did look like a shadow in the pond. Shadow grew to have some color on him, making him look gold. Shadow died last year, he was always a favorite of the family's.

Here is a video of the sounds and views of Dad's Coy pond.

Aloha fridays & Friday follow- A Question

Last night my neighbors had a party in their backyard. Sometime ago they put in a stone patio. I really haven't seen them use it much. Occasionally the kids have a group over, and they have had a couple family get together's. Last evening they had their fire pit going and candles burning all over the patio. the laughter and smell reminding me of Fall. I know that's crazy...It's Spring!
Your Question:
How often do you use your backyard for get-togethers, and what do you do?



Visit One 2 Try, Hearts Make Family or Midday Escapades to link up for Friday Follow. there is a liky there with over 200 names all new for today's FridayFollower it will be opened for one week. You can Link up there.

Visit An Island Life for more Aloha Friday

Being Earth Day I have been working out in the yard. We had rain for two days and my 50 gallon Rain barrel filled up. So, today I set up the fountain and filled it with the rain barrel water. Also filled the bird bath with it. This is a Good thing, for I did not use reservoir water to work the yard. Hubby purchased another rain barrel for the front of the house. Although I just might put it in the back, haven't decided yet. I use the hand loppers to trim the bushes back. Great exercise for the upper body. In all, today has been a very Earth Friendly Green Day. The fountain is running on Solar power now, as well as our home. The meter is showing we are still feeding the grid. Mr sun is shinning great today and meeting all our electric needs. Oh, and in case you haven't been on my Living Healthy Blog, I am planting a tree in California at the Plumas National Forest. You can too, it really doesn't cost a thing find out how visit my Living Healthy with Auntie E blog. I got an email from Christin Gericke that there are still some available. You can still do something earth friendly today. Happy Earth Day Everyone.

Our Snow is Gone- Tracks Left?

Went out to survey the backyard and found this track.Hubby thinks it's a mouse getting around under the snow. I thought maybe a snake. The track went under the deck and then out the back side. Ending in the Rose bed. I never thought of those little critters needing to get around in the 70+ inches of snow. Guess they needed to find food also.

So what do you think it is?

A closer look..

I had bunny tracks in the snow, they just jumped around. They had an entrance under the deck by the Pellet stove pipe. I would see them on the deck a lot. I know spring is coming the bunnies are out more and more. We will probably have babies running soon.

It's March -Wind Chime Time

With March comes March Winds. The sounds of chimes blowing in the wind. I love my Chimes, have several different ones in my yard.
Note:the blogger screens are black at first, press play button and the video starts immediately.

This one I got From my Sister-n-law many years ago.
Play time 18 seconds


While at Virginia Beach I purchased this one.
Play time 25 seconds


I have had this one for a long time, can't remember where is got it. It's old and rusty but, stills makes a sound.
Play time 14 seconds


A few years ago this butterfly came in the mail. Still flies in the wind.
Play time 9 seconds


Now play them all at once starting with the longest to the shortest playing time. You will hear what I hear in the March winds.

Ruby Tuesday- Sign of Spring

See more rubies at Work of the Poet

I was doing laundry.

Looked out the window, birds everywhere....
this one seems to be saying
"I'm ready for Spring"

Snowbound Brushes.

The Japanese Maple

Then......

Now...

With the two blizzards our bushes are buried. Today is a good day to dig them out. If you have evergreens, azalea or small trees, they need to be dug out the cleared down to the ground. The weight of the snow and the ice that forms under them can cause root and limb damage. It's like siting your indoor plant in water for weeks, the rot will set in. If you would to set a paperweight on the top the limbs would crack and break. More important in the spring the insects will set up home in the cracks. Then after the thaw the bushes could be lost. I have several expensive trees and bushes that need to be dug out. So now the digging begins. My rose brushes, lilacs and Japanese maple are the first to be dug out. with the 80+ inches of snow and about 30+ that has buried the bushes I will be busy for about two weeks working every day. So let the fun begin, now where will I put all that snow?

Blizzard Number 2 -In the Same week!

Can you believe it, Two blizzard in one week! Yes that is what we were hit with. The first one dropped 38.3 inches of snow. The second one give us 17 inches more with snow drifts of 6 foot.

This is in the morning at 9:00 when it was blowing.

this is one hour later,10:00...
the Adirondack chair is completely buried..
Only the back shows because it is next to the house.

Now a video of the Blizzard, Taken in the front yard because I can walk out there! Our backyard is under the 50+Inches of snow, compacted it is about three feet deep and I can't get around. I will try today to get out the back doors. That will be a huge job to undertake, and where do I put all that snow? We have another storm coming next week so I need to get out and start digging us out. This video was taken at about 10:30am,we still had 11 more hours of snow fall and blizzard conditions. Today we are suppose to have some gale force winds. Although it is pretty calm right now at 8am.

A Beautiful Sight.....

This morning when I awoke I saw the most Beautiful scene.
Thanks to the cameras I can hold onto them.
Enlarge the photos for a closer view.

My backyard view...
Sitting at my computer.

A closer view of the trees....
Love the blue sky against them.

This is our Dogwood tree...

It has only been 3 hours and the trees have already lost their snow coverings. The sky is not as blue. Clouds have rolled in and the snow is falling off the trees. As once was said "The early bird catches the worm". In this case "The early riser caught Natures Beauty!"

It's Friday; let get ready.....

It's Friday, a sunny day today and warming up. Heard we are suppose to have a winter storm this Sunday. You know how it is, great weather before the storm . Now is the time to do some outside work. The pool top needs to be drained, the water/ice in the fountain needs to be removed. Decks and patio due for their brushing and the gardens raked. The pellet stove pipe will need to be cleaned out. Oh yes I do make these a must in between the storms. I feel is makes it easier when the spring comes. I can enjoy the season better. All the animals have been digging for their stashes. So, I need to straighten up a bit. How is the weather in your neck of the woods? Nice enough to grab some sun?

Our Arctic Freeze Winter

We are in the winter months here and the Arctic Freeze has visited once already. It is returning for the week. Last night it Snowed about 2 inches. Now the freeze is coming behind it. We heat our Solarium and Laundry room with a pellet stove. I put it on low and closed the doors last night. This morning when I went out to check the pellets. it was 80 degrees! Like Florida inside and Winter wonderland outside. Boy does that stove heat. During the day I leave the doors open to the kitchen. The first floor gets the heat. Our heat pump doesn't even come on! It will be curious to see if that will be the case with the arctic freeze.



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Aloha Friday-The Winter Yard

We have for years decorated our yard for winter. The Snowman, Deer, Blowups and Snow machine are among our favorites. This year we will be doing the back yard only. That way I can see it every day and enjoy the winter scene. Here is a Question for you.

What Winter Lawn decoration do you like to see?

for more links visit An Island Life.

Ruby Tuesday-Red Leaf Bandit

This is a Ruby Tuesday Post
To Participate or see other Ruby Tuesday Post click on theRuby Tuesday red Link above.

We had beautiful weekend weather. The kind that speaks to you saying"come out and rake me". Since the leafs were dry, they were ready for the task. My daughter started to rake when she realized that the leaf blower will cause some particles to embed in her nose and hair. So this is the protection she donned on.

The Red Leaf Bandit

Now the leaf blower in use by the Red Leaf Bandit.
Our leaf blower in sucker mode, which mulches as it sucks them up. We like this because it makes a good winter mulch cover for the garden. Also it breaks down faster, making the soil more enriched.

See the Zipper on the end of the bag?
Once the bag is full just unzip and empty it at your desired location.
The Red Leaf Bandit did a wonderful job.

Ruby Tuesday -Yard fun.

This is a Ruby Tuesday Post
To Participate or see other Ruby Tuesday Post click on the
Ruby Tuesday red Link above






While at the Renaissance Fare we purchased a Macrame swing. It can hold two people. We thought we would use our Swing set as a base. You know once the kids get older the swing set becomes less used.


There are many yards that have unused play sets. We are finding another use for it.

The swing set.

Teen(15) and Critter(5) Playing

A time for sharing.

Night Sounds.

Here I am sitting in the solarium listening to the crickets. It has just rained and the critters are out, There are fireflies, bats, tree frogs, and the crickets. I took a walk out in the yard, the smell of the rain and the sounds are a most peaceful feeling.
Now the sound of a Train whistle and the droning sound of the wheels on the tracks. We have tracks across the street, you can hear the freight and Amtrak train in the yard and in the solarium. Our sky is quiet no planes using our flightplan tonight. What a most glorious Night. Venus is bright and the Moon looks surprised at 3/4 full, probably because of no airplanes in view, although I am now beginning to hear them off in the distance. The airport is not far away. This city/county living is full of nature and man made things sharing the sky and ground. So, no photos to show for the darkness is too serene to disturb and the bats are too hard to capture with a Lens. So, I just continue to watch them fest on the mosquitoes and rejoice in their work!

Nature In My Yard

We have 2 Bird houses. Both are active. The first one was here when we moved in 9.5 years ago. Birds occupy this one all the time. It seems that different birds use it though out the Spring and Summer. Robins, Chickadees,Sparrows and Wrens are among the Nesters. The Robins start out in the house then move to another location once the birds outgrow the house. Watching them building a new nest is fun. I have never been able to catch them moving the chicks. It isn't long before another family occupies the house. A chickadee family has moved in to set up house.
This one is the home of Sparrows. The little one are now ready to began flight. The parents kicked them out and now are watching them. See the one in the picture perched on the side? It just did not want to fly. We watch it for a while and the parents were yelling at it. It just sat there. Earlier hubby found it in the shed, we kicked it out. Now it is still in the Bird house home.

Here it is on top of the house just a few minutes later. It wasn't long before it was in the house.

This is the older birdhouse. Can you see the little peeps beaks? What a riot, they made a lot of noise. These were robins, they are now in flight, out of the house.
We have a bird that visits the fountain daily. It likes to take a bath in the top under the fountain flow sprayer. I managed to take a photo, although I had to take it from behind glass. He comes back several times. I just could not get over the tenacity of that bird.


Now to the rabbits, we have quite a few. Here is one for your viewing pleasure. I enjoy watching them on the deck and in the yard. Earlier in the spring we had a family killed. Managed to safe a couple of the young babies. Released them into the Known Rabbit hole. So one of the bunnies comes up to the glass doors and look in. I think that might be the one we had to feed for a couple hours. He was so little and size of my palm. We later released him into the Rabbit Hole.We have other critters in the yard. As I catch them on camera I will post more through out the summer.