Spring Projects

To prove that I don't just wander around the farm taking photos of flowers and birds, here are a few of the projects that I've been spending most of my time on.

A big one was clearing out the winter-killed bamboo from the too-thick clump behind our house. The new shoots were coming up so I needed to clear the dead canes out before the new ones made that impossible. The clump looks bare now, but it won't for long!

I should have taken a photo of my many piles of bamboo stakes, sorted by length. The short ones are plant stakes for the garden. Then come the tree stakes of various lengths and finally the tall gourd nest stakes. Most went into the back of the carriage house to await use. But the smaller ones for garden stakes live in the garden shed. I had to clean out the old garden stakes to make room for the new ones. That led to cleaning out the whole disastrous mess of a garden shed. I did not take any before pictures because it would be too embarrassing. Now everything is organized... or everything that's left: we tossed a lot of stuff!

Johnny tilled the garden and I have planted a few things, not yet up. Earlier I planted potatoes in the old manure spreader. They are doing well.

I also planted lots of early seeds in raised beds: I don't try to fight the gophers for root crops. Here are radishes and beets coming up in one bed. Johnny made the openings to fit window screens so the plants get a head start on birds and chipmunks.

The onion sets are growing fast. I just yesterday interplanted them with carrot seeds because I was running out of room in the other boxes.

Of course, I do still find time to take photos of birds and flowers.

The hummingbirds are back after wintering in southern climes.

The Golden-crowned Sparrows that winter here were still here a few days ago. Then, quite suddenly, they were gone...  

 ...replaced by summering White-crowned Sparrows.

The California Quail are all year residents.

Each day, it seems, new flowers open in the beds so, of course, I have to preserve them in pictures.

The peonies are just beginning to bloom.

Along with purple and white iris.

Upstairs, by the computer, the Hoya is dripping its sweet nectar all over the floor.

And in the greenhouse... well, I'll save those flowers for another blog entry.


It's a busy time on the farm, but never too busy to notice birds and flowers... and take their pictures.