Bird and Garden Diary - May

May 5 : I have a crabapple! Laurie brought one over this noon, and even planted it for me. It is flowering, and the lilacs are flowering. The tulips are done, but most of the daffodils still look nice. I saw a rose breasted grosbeak! And a hairy woodpecker made another appearance. I bought a mini petunia basket for the front window, and some foxglove.

May 8 : My hummer is here!!! My hummer is here!!! The rose-breasted grosbeak has been around every morning. I bought more plants for the garden : pansies, osteospermum, some brunnera, and some tiny pink and white geraniums.

May 12 : My oriole has arrived, and announced his presence in no uncertain terms! LOL! First he climbed all over the hummingbird feeder, then flew to the jelly feeder. But apparently that wasn't what he wanted. Next thing I knew, he deliberately flew at the window, tried to hover and glare at me, but can't manage that the way the hummingbirds can, so he kind of slithered down the window and flew away. Hahaha.

May 22 : The first iris has opened. I didn't think they would bloom this year, since I dug them all up removing rocks last year, but they are looking good. I still haven't had time to plant all the new plants. Rick has tilled the front walk and I need to add some of his good compost to the soil. I bought more plants from Muoi down the road - a river birch, a number of lilies, and a spirea. Will get some phlox from her this coming weekend.

May 27 : Still haven't gotten anything planted! Hopefully tomorrow. This past week a raccoon has been coming around. Has emptied both suet feeders, broken into the block feeder, and knocked over the birdbath twice. I am not putting out any new suet or seeds for awhile. Or if I do, I will bring the feeders onto the porch at night.

May 29 : The birdbath was knocked over again last night, and the hummingbird feeder was also knocked down. It looks like I may have to start taking every thing in at night for a week or so. The iris is blooming on both sides now, and looks beautiful! I wish it didn't have such a short season. The new foxglove has begun blooming already. I got NO planting done over the long weekend. I spent all day yesterday digging up the bed on one side of the sidewalk in order to add compost to the soil. It is heavy, wet clay and full of rocks. As usual, I have greatly underestimated the amount of work involved. I have only finished amending about 8 feet (out of 42). Then I still have the other side to do. So it looks like the garden planting will be very late again this year. The vegetable garden needs to be started soon, too! Next year I think I should take the last week of May and the first week of June off work, so I can get everything done before half the summer is gone!