I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder

for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden,

and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance

that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.

~Henry David Thoreau

I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder

for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden,

and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance

that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.

~Henry David Thoreau

Birds dotting the yard with heads down and tail feathers up, flashes of color flitting through the trees, a cacophony of chatter and songs. It can only mean one thing… the bird buffet is open! Our yard is a combination of snack bar and meeting place for a variety of feathered friends; many of which enjoy a “mixed diet” of seeds, nuts, fruit and insects. Did you know that identifying the birds frequenting and/or taking up residence in your yard reveals a connection to the pests in your garden?

Everything in nature is balanced. Birds are natural pest control! Like picky children, different varieties of birds prefer a diet of specific insects. This spring we have seen blackbirds in the yard nearly everyday, though never in our yard before. The recent appearance of crickets has caught their eye. With a neighborhood population explosion of those destructive pests, the blackbirds have arrived to relish the fine dining experience.

Slugs in the lettuces? A downy woodpecker’s delight. Ants and ant eggs are a garden feast for sweet nuthatches, brown creepers, titmice, flickers and chickadees. We don’t have chickens, but juncos and and towhees fit the bill of free-range ground insect foragers, snatching grubs and other pests from the soil. Our yard, graced by bluebirds and catbirds, is also home to grasshoppers for them to feast upon. It’s really quite amazing!

Of course in order to keep the beautiful and beneficial birds coming back to our yard and garden we aim to keep our “garden restaurant” open year round. We’ve planted native trees and shrubs for food and shelter and have several water sources available all year. Nesting houses encourages diners to “stay a while.” Providing for a few simple needs will keep our feathered friends gracing our backyard dining hall for years to come…and our gardens pest-free! Happy gardening!

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~Soren Kierkegaard

I don’t know why I let it happen every spring, but I do. The beautiful sunshine beckons me outdoors where I’ve longed to be all winter. Sowing seeds in warmed soil, relaxing outside with a book [...]]]>

Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.

~Soren Kierkegaard

I don’t know why I let it happen every spring, but I do. The beautiful sunshine beckons me outdoors where I’ve longed to be all winter. Sowing seeds in warmed soil, relaxing outside with a book and delighting in the longer days that will soon seem endless. My mornings are filled with birdsong, the days with sunshine and everything wonderful about spring. Then I look around.

The shrubs need to be pruned, the weeds pulled, the compost turned and the beds cleared. The perennials need to be divided, the seedlings transplanted and the fence mended. A trellis is leaning, the grapevines falling and the grass is littered with debris from winter winds. *SIGH* So much to do! All at once I’m hurrying. There’s not enough time to stand and enjoy the sweet scent of soil in the air or notice the buds swelling each day on the trees. I have work to do! I’m very busy!

I was in the middle of listing today’s garden chores when the phone rang with an offer so sweet I had no choice but to accept. Our eldest daughter needed to pick up her wedding gown. I sat looking out the window while we chatted, suddenly I wasn’t so worried about getting everything done.  After all it’s only March, spring has only just begun. The garden will get planted, the yard cleaned and straightened just as it does every year. Life has a way of interrupting my haste and reminding me “Don’t hurry, don’t worry and don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers.” Today I did just that…after we picked up her dress.

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~Bill Rodgers

The rains have moved in and happy outdoor seed sowing days have come to an end for now. It was wonderful to be out in the sunshine (in short sleeves no less!) turning over the winter rye and marking furrows for tiny seeds. The warm [...]]]>

I like rain, actually.

~Bill Rodgers

The rains have moved in and happy outdoor seed sowing days have come to an end for now. It was wonderful to be out in the sunshine (in short sleeves no less!) turning over the winter rye and marking furrows for tiny seeds. The warm breeze whisked away the winter chill and rippled the sheets on the clothesline until they were dry. The sunshine and hazy blue sky erased every memory of longing for spring…even if just for one day it was here.

Funny though how the rain is so much more delightful to me when seeds are in the ground. Every plop, plop, plop sinking down to the peas as they plump and swell. I imagine the lettuce and spinach seeds waking and stretching to the surface ready to pop forth in a wave of green at the next hint of sunshine. Oddly, I feel productive knowing the day isn’t wasted because of inclement weather but rather the garden is busy at work waking and growing. As fickle a month as March may be, the seeds will press onward and upward knowing their time in the sun is close at hand.

For now I’ll rest, sitting by the window with a hot cup of tea and listening to the raindrops fall. Tree buds are swelling, birds are nesting and the snow has vanished completely. Garden life is reawakening and a rainy day is the perfect time to appreciate all that’s changing.  It’s also a good time to rest sore muscles that have forgotten last season’s work over the long winter. I’m sore! No complaints, though. Spring is returning and all is right with the world.

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Winter returned last night and sighed its snowy flakes over the yard. I’m tempted to grumble but can’t seem to muster the strength. It’s too beautiful. The birds this morning are unfazed, even excited as they flit from branch to feeder and then off  again. Watching them this morning I made [...]]]>

Winter returned last night and sighed its snowy flakes over the yard. I’m tempted to grumble but can’t seem to muster the strength. It’s too beautiful. The birds this morning are unfazed, even excited as they flit from branch to feeder and then off  again. Watching them this morning I made an interesting discovery… their favorite gathering spot! Nestled together against the frigid winter gusts they faithfully line the top of the garden bench by the garden gate while chattering up a storm. No matter the time of day or the changing weather, the bench is the place to be!

How like the birds we are! No matter the size, location or design we like to revel in our gardens and it’s all the more merrier when our friends join us. Gardens are just more fun when others delight in them too! Great garden designs include a focal point that will “draw people to a destination” in the garden. In our yard I’ve found that a lawn chair paired with a tall glass of iced tea works quite well. Many times over, hubby and I have sat down at the end of a long gardening day, exhilarated, to be joined in short order by friends and neighbors gathering to celebrate our hard day’s work. Inevitably they’re drawn to the gardens where they wander among the rows and beds commenting, questioning and encouraging us in our efforts. As toads trill good night at the pond’s edge we’ll return to our seats and while away the sunset in friendly conversation.

Whether an ornate bench in a hidden spot or a rustic chair set next to the edge of the vegetable plot; when the garden beckons a place to sit is essential. Not only to delight in the blooms, fruits and fragrance that beg us to linger, but to witness life of the garden itself. Bees, birds, butterflies and bugs all busy about their daily duties… garden moments otherwise unnoticed without a place to pause and observe.  Take time to celebrate growing, add a spot to plop down and relax for while. You’ll see the garden isn’t just about what you’ve created, but what you’ve provided… and don’t be surprised when others join you!

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