New Blooms and Promise of More

Stella d'oro day lilies.

Sundrops

Lavender

Snap dragons preparing to bloom.

Other day lilies.

Yarrow will bloom this week.

Alexander McCall Smith

If you've not heard that name then you haven't read any of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels.

I've just read the latest in the series "Tea Time for the Traditionally Built". Another marvelous picture of human nature with the backdrop being Botswana.

I recommend this series to you.

What is it about birds ...

and windows? We even have decals on every other window that are supposed to keep them from meeting their death by hitting the glass.

Last evening about 7 o'clock I was on the telephone with my mom and heard the thump of a bird and glass. I was in my studying so I was looking out and thought I saw the bird fly away. Checking to be sure I soon discovered that the bird flying away was not the same one that thumped. A thrush lay on its back on the deck and as I was recognizing what it was, it was dying before my eyes. I went outside and touched it with my shoe but it had passed already.

I seem to only hear the thrushes singing in the evening or see them dead on my deck. I keep a list in the bird book and this makes the third one. Others on the list: '05 - cedar wax wing, '06 - falcon, cardinal, grosbeak, unknown gray bird with mottled breast, '07 - thrush, '08 - thrush, and now in '09 - thrush.

To prevent more deaths, I've got to find more effective decals.

State of the Veggie Garden

My two raised beds are crammed full with peas, spinach, lettuces, and four tomato plants. Above is the view of the one with the four tomato plants. I just put the cages on and hope that the netting will fit over top.
This one has the lettuce varieties I got from Emily. Below is the back view with the mesculun growing well.
There are tiny buds on one of the tomato plants.
Here's the back view of the other bed with the spinach. It's growing back after the haircut I gave it earlier.

The peas are blooming. With the net on will they get pollinated?
My onions are growing in the perennial bed. I have two short rows. There's dill and parsley coming up behind the onions.
Here is the garlic I planted last fall.
Here's one of the six hot peppers I planted. With the warmer weather they should do better.