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We have a diverse critter population
We have a quite a large crop of red back salamanders in our yard. I discovered this fact after a heavy rain last night that brought out various denizens of the yard and garden. Seems we have a good eco system going here. The only things we’re missing are frogs. Yes, I do miss my bullfrogs.
One of my favorite things to do is to take a flashlight and go out into the yard at night. You see so many different small creatures during this time that you don’t often see during the day. I refuse to go wandering about the yard at night without some sort of light source. It’s no fun to step on a snake and jump out of your skin when it wraps around your foot—yes, it’s happened to me. Thank goodness, the only snakes we have are harmless garter snakes.
Nighttime is also a great time to rid the garden of pests. I bet my regular readers remember how I went out picking cucumber bugs off my cantaloupe and watermelon vines.
Garden news
Today a neighbor stopped over to check that three quarters dead branch on the magnolia tree. He used to work for a landscaping firm that did a lot of tree trimming. He says he can remove the branch for us no problem. Sometime after his 17 days of day shift or over a weekend, he’ll take care of it. That’s one weight off my mind. I had visions of that branch, heavily loaded with snow, crashing down on our shed this winter. Now I won’t have to worry.
We’re still picking tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. There are two different varieties of sugar baby watermelons and each have one fruit on the vines, I hope they ripen before the first frost.
The cardinals had nested in the magnolia the parents and several now fully-fledged young ones hang around the feeders most of the day. It looks as though two of the youngsters are males and three are females. We have a family of Downy woodpeckers that hang around in our yard and G’s.
I had to fill the hummingbird feeder today so even though I don’t see them often they are coming around. The small flock of goldfinches is enjoying the Echinacea seeds every day.
The cannas are continuing to bloom and they are now quite a bit taller than I am.
On leaky pond
How does one find a leak in a pond? I know we are losing water somewhere but I have no idea where. It could be around the hose connected to the waterfall, the waterfall itself, or maybe in the liner. Yikes!
We need to find it before winter. This is going to be one of those (not) fun projects. What I wouldn’t give to have a strong-backed weak-minded helper. Nope, don’t have one of those—DH doesn’t count. His back is weak, his balance sucks, and he’s sharp as a tack.
It wouldn’t be so bad if the pond were spring fed but mine is hose fed and I have to pay the water bill. Yikes! Therefore, while we sit beside our lovely pond and enjoy its serene atmosphere I wonder how much water I’ll have to add by the end of each week.
We have a month or two left to locate and fix the leak. This means muscling big rocks and lifting a heavy pond liner always mindful of the fish, moving a cement and fiberglass waterfall to look beneath it, checking hoses…any volunteers? I didn’t think so.
In the garden with DH
At dinner last night, I told DH that the large cantaloupe has suddenly begun to ripen. “Another day or two and we’ll have some for dessert,” I told him.
Despite the heat, DH came out later to join me in the garden. He climbed onto his mobility scooter and went to check out the melon patch. “That melon sure looks good. It’s much bigger than the other four.”
“I lifted it and it is hefty. I can almost taste it.” I walked alongside him, and pointed out to him which tomato plants were which—Beefsteak, Big Boys, and the heirlooms.
He drove over to the back porch and checked out the potted plum tomatoes. “Think I can pick a few of these for my Mom?”
“Those aren’t ripe enough. I already picked some for her they’re on the kitchen counter. Just the plum tomatoes and the Beefsteak mind you, don’t you dare take my heirlooms.”
“She likes the plum tomatoes the best.”
“Good, that means you can leave the Beefsteak too.”
He laughed. “You are bad.”
“Yeah, but can I help it that I love tomatoes?”
Doggonedmysteries 