Who are your garden helpers?

Love the cats. What a yawn.

Love the mule story.

Thanks but Isis is the one with the big mouth. Can't make her be quiet sometimes. Especially if she's trailing me around the yard and I go too fast. LOL

monty is what i call a CAT. major cat.love that nose.

Thank you! LOL Here's my favorite pic of him.

Now that looks like a contented kitty!!!

If I slept as long as a cat, could I have more lives, too? LOL

That is a fantastic picture and an awesome cat,

Ginger

Well, Susan, that doesn't mean the mule couldn't have done it if they'd given him half a chance!! I would love to have seen him swing the cat around by his mouth.

Kwanjin, love your kitties. You have some very nice pictures of them.

king of his domain for sure. that nose is so cute form any angle. quite a cat you have there....

Thanks Rarejem!

Kathy, what I meant about being corrected was where it happened, not that the mule couldn't have done that. They are strong animals and probably don't really know their own strength.

Susan105

My little girl doxi is getting her teeth cleaned and the old man [variegated one] just sits and moans and barks at every noise.

I had seen the mule story before and then read on snopes that the mule didn't really kill the cat, just picked it up and swung it around after it was dead - just thought you all should know that. So many of those emails that are going around take "tiny" liberties with the truth. A cat-killing mule would at least have some scratch marks on him . . . methinks.

I had to find a place to put these, so I think this thread is proper. This is our zoo. I had to take the photo through the glass, so there is a glare, but these are the ducks that visit just about every day. They've given up on the pond, but they still patrol the area. The squirrels put up with them, and the woodpecker doesn't care as long as the suet is fresh.

Not exactly helpers, although maybe they keep the mole population down, but these two barred owls visited the yard last night as we were standing outside chatting with a neighbor. We were just ecstatic until we realized the cats were out. You've never heard anyone call 'Here kitty kitty!' in a stage whisper before, have you? Fortunately the owls were not interested in the cats, or else they weren't going to chance it with us standing there. They were just beautiful birds. We've been hearing them at night, but to see two of them fly down low and land in the tree is astounding.

After hanging out in the birch tree for awhile, they moved to this fir tree. I managed to get this photo as one was taking off. What a thrill!

This has been a big year for birds of prey in our yard. The other day there were 5 eagles (5!!) circling above the yard and calling to each other. They were back today. I've also had a merlin in the yard several times, and now the owls.

Incredible pictures Pix!! What a treat for you to be able to see that.

Pixy, Love the multicultural feeder photo! I agree with Lynn, there is a lesson there! I also really like your owl pics! We have a nesting pair that have been here for several years, and it really is a joy to listen to them talk to each other. I actually got a nice photo of my male this spring which is the first time I've had a camera in my hand when I've seen him...wish I had a better camera so I could have gotten closer up, but you could actually see his little face! The eagles are exciting too! I can imagine all of those hunters might make a kitty momma a little extra careful though! :)

Those are great shots, Pixy! We have an owl somewhere. We can hear him but we've never seen him.

Great owl pics. Love the blue and black.

The group out in the sunshine today. The big one is Max. He is here for three days

And the fourth member. Being different as always, Shadow.

And her close-up.

Amber's close-up

And Mindy as close as she would get.

The Lingularia is up and growing quickly

And one tiny tulip

And one more to plant.

Willow, Looks like your helpers are enjoying the nice day with you! Wish I could be doing the same. Is your last kid to plant a jacobs ladder? I drooled over one with the red leaves this year, but decided that I woulnd't let myself buy it until I found a way to allow my varigated white one to survive the slugs. It almost bloomed for me last year :(

Awwww - I have a couple who get nervous when I point that scary camera at them, too. Isn't it fun to have your garden companions out with you when the weather is like this?

Yes RJ it is a jacobs ladder. I have a varigated one, and a blessingham purple also. I really like them. I keep them in containers and the slugs haven't bothered them. Course I bait all year round in the courtyard.

Willowwind. Enjoying your pictures. Your poodles are so cute & your Kitty too!
The slugs here do not eat the jacobs ladder ...so far!! Guess they have many selections to choose from in my garden.

This one is getting huge and had its first bloom today.

The marsh marigolds are blooming like crazy.

Willowwind, I think my Wallace like to have his picture taken. When ever I grab the camera he comes and sits down in front of me. See what I mean. He is such a ham.

Awwwww - I want a Wallace. He is too cute!!

Willow--My slug problem is awful, especially in the shady areas. I bait quite a bit too, but our ground is so wet throughout the winter that "not affected by rain doesn't apply. More like "not rendered totally useless but might only kill one or two if it rains". I do try to make an extra effort on my varagated JL, but it seems to be a tasty plant!

BeaHive, I really have to quite being jealous of how far your world is ahead of mine. My JL are still teeny little slug chewed nubs, yours is beautiful! I have never seen a white one before. Very nice. I admired your marsh marigolds in another post. Looked like you had them in pots? My guess (not educated mind you, but purely because they reminded me of buttercup) is that they might be invasive if planted? I loved the bright yellow around your edges...would be a wonderful addition this time of year IF it behaved!

Gourdbeader, Wallace sure is a ham! Be happy to have a ham like that...most of my kids will pose for a pic, but then make the wierdest face right as the camera goes off..the pic I posted to start this thread was a once in a lifetime everyone looking at mom and not doing something unphotogenic moment!

Rarejem. I have not found the marsh marigolds to be invasive. I have most
around or in the pond. I have have them in pots and growing directly in the ground. I also have a few bare root in rock crevices at the ponds edge.
They bloom and the folage stays through most of the season...dies back during the cold stuff and it is one of the first things to green up and bloom in the spring.

Wallace reminds me of our Frisky when I was a kid. Cute!

Rarejem,
you have got some really sweet little kids. They all seem to be smiling for the group photo.
I have really enjoyed this thread. Isn't it funny how some threads just take off on a dead run. It just goes to show how many of us at Dave's have gardenhelpers around us.
Jan

I will have to get a plain green JL. I like the white flower and the marsh marigolds also.

I don't have my JL's in the shade. They are facing south in the courtyard. Steve says they do really well in Montana so I don't think the sun is a problem for them.

Wallace is so sweet looking. What a face.

My boss got a new piece of property that is very wild. Yesterday he brought back a Trillium (?) in a cup with a bunch of moss.... IT is such a unique flower/stem/leaves set. I love it.


Ginger