I can't wait till my garden looks like this again!

I know katie, it's supposed to be a whopping 55 hear today, no snow though thank goodness. The high on the passes today is supposed to be 28! WHOOHOO!!! When will summer get here? GOOD QUESTION!!!
In answer to your question, we only use the Hops for an ornamental vine. I've had those 2 plants for about 4 yrs and by summer's end the whole arbor is green. My mom picked Hops when she was a teenager as well. I don't know about your mom, but mine HATES them now! LOL!

Laurie, don't worry, if it does snow the flowers will just be insulated from the cold. They aren't predicting snow here though just in the mountains (works for me)! The wind has been blowing like crazy, 20-30 mph with gusts to 35-40 mph. My poor hanging baskets! They're getting the brunt of most of the wind but are still hanging in there! (no pun intended) LOL!
Susan

This message was edited Jun 10, 2008 11:29 AM

I think they said white pass was supposed to get 12" of snow over the next few days.

I had lots of wind last night - several huge branches down from the maples (they're not used to this much wind when they're leafed out). I kept worrying about my poor little robin babies.

I checked on them yesterday. One (the guy on top) is opening his mouth as strongly as he was last week. The second seems weaker, and the third, who is on the bottom, is still growing, but he would barely open his mouth. And then the wind and rain of the last few days. Poor things.

This morning I could hear crows in the trees near them. I couldn't see them. Threw a rock in their general direction, but didn't have any activity. I'm almost afraid to check on them tonight.

I rescued a baby robin from some crows last year and ended up taking care of it for a long time.
At least digging worms was easier that trying to take care of the baby swallows the year before.
I was running around with a butterfly net every fifteen minutes. They made it to day 9, before dieing.
They got a bit chilled one night, even tho in the house, and died the next day. I told my husband if he ever
saw baby swallows out of the nest again, don't tell me!

The robin, "Sparky" became quite the shadow, following me all around the yard. He would wait patiently
while I dug, then run in and grab the worm. Thank goodness for compost bins!

Riding DDH's shoulder

Helping me mix peat and soil for blueberry containers
and hoping for a worm. . .

Hanging out inside

and what did the cat think?
nothing. she just sat there. she only chases bees per our prenups.
No bird chasing allowed!

Sparky finally flew away. So raising baby robins is possible, just will take a lot of work if
they accidentally come out of the nest.

BTW, this is what he/she looked like at one week after rescue.
I think it was six weeks before finally flying away.
Having a baby bird suck on your finger is a unique experience!

Kathryn,
Great story with pictures....I love it! I wish I were still working for the school district, that would be the perfect picture story to share with the youngsters.
I was out yesterday making sure the sparrows were okay. For the first time a mating pair took up residence in one of my birdhouse before the wasps could take over, I am loving it. That daddy bird sure works hard for his babies....making a perfect nest can be a full time job. I think we startle each other once in awhile because we all forget we are sharing the area...lol

Kathryn, what a delightful story - you really could do up a little storybook for kids (and their parents!).

Fun idea about a book, hadn't thought of that.
I have a ton of images from day one. I was out watering, just minding my own business when I heard a commotion down the street. I saw crows after something, and just knew it was a baby bird. The clue was all the robins attacking the crows. I made a quick weighing of the consequences, than ran down the street and picked it up. The robins all flew away, and if I put the baby down, the crows came back. So at that moment I knew I was a proud mama. ;)

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww . . . truly - do think about a book.

The kindergarteners would love it, for that matter many other ages too! I was just thinking kinder. because that age is so willing to sit and listen to stories. What a wonderful story to share!

And the big kids love it, too. There are many here who would have done exactly the same thing (that's why I love you guys), though none could do it quite as well as you did, Kathryn.

What a great story!!

Checked the nest tonight when I got home. At least two are awake. The one on the bottom didn't open his mouth, but he continues to get bigger and they've all changed position. I marvel at the beauty of a bird's nest.

Thank you katie, et al. I am from the South, so we are born storytellers. Apparently the reason is because historically there was a large population of immigrants, largely illiterate. So because they could not read, they told stories.
I think storytelling is deeply rooted in my genes! The reason I had time to devote to raising and photographing a baby robin was because I had been given a sabbatical from teaching. The robin story got added to the presentation I had to make to the faculty body on how I spend my summer sabbatical.

The one shot of the robin on my hand is my favorite. Ever since I was a little girl, the need to be Snow White, with all the animals around, and birdie sitting on my finger, has been a unspoken goal. So when it happens, I whisper, "Snow White" quietly to myself. :)

Enough of that, I have hijacked Gardener105's thread! Mercy.

Kathryn - regarding your second paragraph, I'm right with you. I wanted to be (thought I was) the lady in the Disney movie, "The Nine Lives of Thomasina".

My kids have called me "Snow White" for many years - it started when a goldfinch got caught in the house and finally landed on my finger and let me take it outside. I've never had one quite do that since, but I'll never forget that.

Once upon a time when my daughter was about ten, we were camping in the woods by a stream and a butterfly lit on my finger. I told my daughter to go into the camper and get some honey. We put it on my finger and the butterfly stayed until it ate all the honey. He was a big yellow and black one. It was a great experience.

Thats really cool all, the only experience I had with a bird, Is Tilly caught it and I got it away from her, I caught it to but it back outside, and it bit me, but it flew away on its own. LOL

What a wonderful story and images of the rescued baby robin. Heart warming. Thanks.

Hi Margaret!! Thanks for stopping in. Didn't you guys have a tornado or something in Perth recently? Hope you and your family and friends weren't affected . . .

Hi Katie, I only discovered this thread on the day I posted a reply and haven't yet read all posts, but what I have read is really great. Hope it continues.

Yes, Perth did cop a tornado a couple of weeks back. The area that was hit is about 40 kilometres south of Perth and seems to be particularly vulnerable, almost like a mini tornado alley. One guy who lost his roof in a tornado a couple of years back lost it again in the recent one. My Dad's house is right on the coast at Bunbury, close on 200km south of Perth and he scored a direct hit in May 2005. I'll attach an image of his house the day after. However, the tornados here are nothing like the ferocious monsters that wreak such havoc across the American mid-west.

Sheesh Margaret ~ Looks like it wreaked havoc enough! That's quite devastating!

Yes, Margaret, that looks like it was awful. I can't imagine how scary they must be. I had no idea Perth had tornadoes.

So, what are the winter temps there now? Is it dry or do you get rain in the winter?

Dated a guy a few years back who was originally from Perth. Pianist - Ken Grant.

It certainly did wreak havoc. Poor Dad was home at the time, it was still dark, but he was in a bedroom downstairs. It was the top floor that copped it. The attached image was taken several days after the event and believe it or not, quite a lot of cleaning up had occurred.

Perth seems to be having an increasing number of tornadoes. Winter temperature are really quite mild. I'd say VERY mild by your starndards. At a guess I'd say our winter maximums are approximately 17 degrees Celsius (roughly 64 degrees Farenheit) and minimums of between zero degrees Celsius (33 degrees Farenheit) although this only occurs a dozen or so times a winter. Average winter minumums would be between 4 & 10 degrees Celsius (38 - 50 degrees Farenheit). However, we have extremely hot, dry summers.

Don't know your pianist friend, Katie. Perth's pretty big now. I think over a million people sprawled out over a large area.

So the high and low temps are pretty close to ours - maybe it's the effect of the ocean. But our summers aren't so extreme, of course.

So glad your dad wasn't hurt. What a mess to have to clean up.

Had to give it a shot about Ken. How wild would that have been had you known or heard of him?

I'm off to hit the sack. Thanks again for popping in. Hope to see/hear more of you. I love that our little forum has an international flavor!!

Hi all. Well, I've just read through the entire thread and viewed all the images. Wonderful journey, Susan. Thanks. I loved the sparrows in the Rosa Woodsii. I can only imagine the noise a hundred of them would make (not that I know what they sound like, but I'm familiar with noisy birds). What did you decide to do with the seed in the milk can?

You certainly experience the full cycle of life, with very definite seasons. Even though your winters are harsh, your appreciation of spring and summer would be far greater than for those of us who experience each season slowly melding into the next without any really distinct changes. The photos showing the comparison between being covered in snow and now is graphic. (I've never seen snow). You were wondering if you should enter the image of your garden in its winter coat - yes, do it. It's beautiful. You must post a pic of your rose hedge when it blooms. Any sign of this yet?
Also, it's just as well I'm where I am or you might find a milk can (or two) missing.

Katye, your vehicle sounds a little like mine. Mine's a Toyota Rolux.

Katie, it was indeed worth a shot about your pianist friend. Even though Perth has grown in size, its social circles are still quite parochial.

The attached image is of African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata - I think) flowers. Each is about 4-5 inches long. The tree was at its best at the time I took the shot. It is struggling a bit now, and only had two or three blooms last summer.

Margaret, thank you for the wonderful compliments! I am however in the dark about the seed in the milk can? I'm not sure what you're talking about. Please enlighten me! As for the rose hedge, no it won't bloom for about another week or two and yes I will post a pic or two. I know how you feel about the milk cans, I love 'em. Here's a pic of my Peonies, Lupine and the arbor this morning. The light was perfect.
If you've ever heard a chick peep and know how loud it is, just imagine 100 of them! That's the only way I can describe the sound of 100 Sparrows!
Have to go switch irrigation lines.
BBL
Susan

This message was edited Jun 16, 2008 8:05 AM

This message was edited Jun 16, 2008 8:35 AM

Must be my seeds in the can. I have cleaned the garage but haven't done anything with the seed yet. They will be gotten out somehow and go the the garbage. Then the can will be painted and put outside somewhere. And hello to you and glad you have joined us.

Hello Susan, I'm not surprised you didn't know what I was talking about regarding the seeds in the milk can. It was Willowwind who had the congealed grain. Willowwood,if the seeds aren't spoiled, only set hard, couldn't you chip away at them with a hammer and chisel in the garden and see what grows? Susan, your garden looks so beautiful - like something from the film set of a romantic movie. And again, consider putting the other image into the competition at the end of the year - you may win a milk can as a prize. I look forward to seeing and hearing more of your garden, which is so different to gardening in our part of Western Australia.

Hi Katie, there is an interesting article about the effect the ocean has on temperature and why, at the same latitude, the temperature ranges in the northern and southern hemispheres are vastly different. It's somewhere on the DG site and was displayed about 3 weeks ago. I wish I knew where to find it as I'd like to have another read of it myself.

Thanks for pointing it out Margaret - I'll see if I can't find it. There is a search function on the site.

Here's a pic of the garden after 15 days.

Here's the arbor 8 days later.

Sighhhhhhh . . . how absolutely gorgeous - seems to exude a feeling of quiet, calm.

Ditto! and I love how you set the camera up at the same place each time. Would make a nice power point presentation with the images fading into each other progressively through the seasons.

Thank you both very much! That's an excellent idea neofarmer, just wish I knew how to do it. I'm waiting for the shade to hit the Woodsii Rosa hedge so I can get a pic of it in bloom. When the sun shines on it you can't see the blossoms so will have to wait for about another hour. Will post it after I get it.
BBL
Susan

Here's a pic 5 days later, the Rose hedge in the background is in full bloom! And my Rugosa Roses are starting to bloom as well. Some of the Mini Roses are starting to bloom too.

That is lush and beautiful.

Wow! That's an amazing transformation from just a couple of months ago. The rose hedge in the background is sensational. Looking forward to more.

It is an amazing transformation - like two totally different places.