2025

Wow! A Frolic of Pink!

Ever more dying Douglas Firs up here. It's depressing. Climate change and the summers are too hot.

The Acorn Woodpeckers are a little too far away.

Oh well.

I did not sleep well and feel pretty blah this morning.

And I guess to try to force myself to feel better, by doing an extensive Tiny Clean. I worked in the porch corner for about 15minutes straight.

Yeah, that's not a normal 3 to 5 minute Tiny Clean. And it didn't make me feel better, it just made me annoyed.

*laughs*

Well. A walk will def make me feel better, so let's head out!

The sun is shining and it's 61° (16°C) already... a little bit too warm for me, even with the breeze that's turning into a wind.

There's no humans around today, and I take a moment to study the Flicker's dead tree carefully! I want to make sure I'm looking at the right hole for sure this time! Bahaha!

Oh hey, Mama!

You want to show off your beautiful baby?

What a Cutie!!

Haha... the refections make it look like the baby is breathing fire! *giggles*

*laughs* Okay, they are super cute, and I am moving on now!

Huh. Okay...

∞ May is Bike Month

Well that's fun!

But I like to walk. :)

Oh hey!

I thought this was No Patches for a second, but I think this is someone new, again.

I think just about all the Herons at the creek this year are new. ... Or maybe they've molted into new feather configurations that I don't recognize!

I'm swinging around to see the Honey Bee nest!

Definitely not so busy and frantic now! :) The Bees are just getting to work!

Oh wow. These Columbines are delightful!

And another glance up at the quiet Flicker nest on the way home!

Last night I had the bedroom window cracked a bit to let in fresh air. Rain woke me, pretty early in the morning and I had to close the window because of the chill.

You'd think that by May I'd be able to keep the window open all night. But nope.

I got the camera out while I was fiddling with my Tiny Clean in the porch corner. Unfortunately, these Before photos are too hideous to show! *laughs* It's a good thing I've finally figured out how to clean!

But all the veggie starts I've bought at last weekend's Saturday Farmers Market are here in the porch room as well. Soaking up the little bit of mid morning sun we get...

*** Why, yes. That _is_ a clean porch door! ***

That's a Ring of Fire Sunflower, and clockwise from there is some mixed Lettuces, Sugar Snap Peas and Beets, that you can't see much in the back.

Except for the sunflower, these are all cool season crops that I can't plant yet because it's so wet. The slugs own the garden when it's wet and nothing would live past their munching!

But it's Saturday yet again, and today I'm going to buy more and start planting!

Partner drives, and it's nice to walk with him thru Saturday Market. We get our plants and he drops me off at the garden with a couple of them.

I start my work in the back, by putting some of the compost dirt around the Strawberries that survived the winter.

That's Kevin's potatoes in the raised beds. Someone had offered free seed potatoes a while ago, but I wasn't interested.

I've brought a Sungold to plant... The slugs won't bother a tomato plant! We do have a couple of chilly nights in the forecast before the overnight temps get more reasonable, but Sungolds are tough. I think he'll be fine!

And then I've got a Green Zuc. This thing is NOT going to live. I know that! But I really, really want to get the garden started!

I usually start planting at the beginning of April! And here it is, the beginning of May and I want a garden, damnit! *laughs*

Yeah. There's much to be done!

As I look around, I'm noticing that the squirrels have missed a LOT of nuts!

Ha! I pull up a couple baby trees that have started growing!

As I'm heading out, oooh! This black thing!

Aw, it's the Wood Ducks again!

It would be so nice to see baby Wood Ducks at the creek! Only having Mallard ducklings... is not every exciting. heh!

Oh, oh, oh!! DANGIT!

Foo! The female Flicker was poking her head out of their hole but the stupid wind was moving the leaves all over the stupid place... and I completely missed the shot.

I'm bummed I missed her! But after so many days of quiet here, I'm glad to know there's still something happening up there!

Partner saw the ad in the Eugene Weekly last week and really wanted to take me to the very first Eugene VeganFest!

I looked it up and I wasn't sure... 10$/person just to get in the door, was too spendy for me. What if it was too crowded and I wanted to leave right away?

But Partner was saying, oh they just want to make sure the bills are paid! And if this one is successful, the VeganFest will be bigger next year, and maybe it'll only be 5$. And yeah, it's important to support good things like this!

So we went. I didn't take the camera, I get so self-conscious taking photos around humans and I just didn't want to deal with it. But I missed having the camera, once I was there! ha.

It was fun. Pretty crowded, mostly you could move around but sometimes it was about the same as a Saturday Market.

We went thru the building and looked at all the different Vendors. There was some art, some sanctuaries, some places giving out food samples. Just all kinds of stuff.

Out back there were some food trucks. We should have gotten some lunch, but the line was long on the one that Partner said was the best.

And then they also had some presentations as well, in the other building, which we didn't check out.

One of the vendors was Cottage Crafts by Erika who had cute little amigurumis... Crocheted stuffed animals. I loved her little Triceratops, but Loved her adorable Axolotls even more! I nabbed a green and purple one!! (I'll post a photo at some point!)

And Partner bought a chocolate bar! They had samples... very very tasty!!

So it was good. And I'm glad we went!

The quiet Flicker nest.

At the Community Garden, I have a quick stroll up and down the aisles. Oh good! Someone has finally covered up the Lesser Celandine plot again.

Probably too little, too late. Stupid Lesser Celandine.

I'm at my plot and... Aw, Dang it... How cold was that night??

I planted this zuc with the assumption that it would be munched to death by the slugs. And that is slug munchings on the right leaf.

But the true leaves have been killed by cold. I look it up...

omg, it was 33° on sunday morning! oh... no...

WAILS!!

Aw, my Sungold! oh. The bottom is still alive, but damnit! This is a terrible beginning to the gardening season!

Well. The poor thing will probably live. I'm glad I didn't pull off those bottom suckers when I planted it on Saturday!! And the main stem is still green and might be able to make some new branches.

But... just... Dangit. The forecast said 39° (4°C)! Thirty-nine would have been FINE! Why?! Why did the weather forecast have to lie to me?! Six degrees colder than they said it would be! SIX! GAH!

Sighs. Okay. Well, I've got work to do today.

I'm going to spread out the piles of compost dirt on the left side of the plot.

This is last year's Tofu Patch where everything I planted was stunted and pathetic. So I'm going to kind of leave this fallow...

I've kept the leaves in place. Since I'm watering it now, they will continue to break down and add organic goodness to the dirt.

And I've thrown down some wild flowers and a variety of cover crops. I don't expect much to come up, but meanwhile I'm also going to be throwing down fertilizer as well.

Hopefully I can get the dirt back up to normal so I can grow stuff here next year!

And the work I've done here has adjusted my attitude... Not everything in the garden is dying! I can focus on what's living in the garden!

One Fava plant got thru the winter. It's a little bit slug munched, but it's regrowing and there's a chance it will flower and make some seeds.

And the big Strawberry plant is making flowers.

Someone has some hothouse Dahlias. That's nice and cheerful!

And heading home.

oh! haha!

He's so close, I could reach out and touch him. And for a second, that's what I really want to do! But, haha... look at him!

He's thinking about jumping on me! And that's not going to end well! *laughs* So I take a step back so that we have an understanding!

He runs off, and I realize someone else was watching that play out...

Remember Falkor? This crow and their partner, up a little bit to the left... they are both staring at me so hard that I'm absolutely positive that's who they are!!

But then this third crow flies right at the partner crow who is out of frame!

The partner screams ACK! in surprise and flies off!

But the third... who is this? A child who's living with the parents? Maybe jealous that the pair were staring down at me?

*Laughs* Our child is still angry! They go to stand on a branch and are mad for a moment... Look at those fluffed up feathers!

They slowly calm down. Feathers settle.

And everyone flies away.

I look up at the Flicker nest... all quiet.

... And since I'm thinking about nests, I also look up at the Barn Swallows nests.

It's empty... Last year the parents returned on May10 and built up that beautiful top half of the nest. I'm looking forward to seeing them again!

I spend a few minutes with the new Leaning Tree Saplings.

The west tree isn't as healthy as the other two, it's got some dead branches.

I hope it lives!

And I wonder if they knew they were planting the saplings in the exact configuration as the original Leaning Tree... One trunk to the west and the other two trunks pointing north and south.

They must have known. Why else have three trees here.

So that's nice... someone who cared about the Leaning Tree got these little ones in it's memory!

Ducklings!

Just the two. And here's proud Mama, watching out for them.

I go by the wisteria, on the way home. It's got some blooms above the fence now.

*laughs*

That's my shadow! I'm taking the Sunflower and Brandywine to the garden today... and the Sunflower is too tall to fit in the backpack! So I've left it unzipped with the top of the plant looking over my shoulder as I walk!

And the Oak catkins are starting to fall.

As I'm passing a tree on the corner...

It suddenly strikes me that these flowers look exactly like the Wisteria flowers I photoed yesterday!

Except they are white instead of the Wisterias purples... and this is a tree instead of the vine of the Wisteria.

I look it up when I get home. Black Locust!

And yep, it's related to Wisteria. And in fact has the same rather invasive style of life! ha! This Black Locust is under power lines and they just cut it down to the ground every couple years. And it just keeps coming back!

I'm glad I learned something today!!

Okay, let's get this show on the road!

This is the back right corner of the plot. Last year it was the Squash Square, and this year it's going to be the Tomato area.

I moved the trellises and scooped leaves out of the way and then spread the compost dirt... I put it out pretty thin, but it went farther than I thought!!

I planted the Brandywine a good ways away from the poor almost-killed Sungold. And made sure the strawberries got a good amount of compost dirt too.

The Brandywine looks happy.

And the Sungold looks pathetic from it's adventures with near freezing temperatures... but it's def going to live!

And the big Strawberry plant is looking awesome. I'm watering it along with the seeds I threw down in the new Fallow Area. The dirt is really hard here.

I've moved the big trellis into the place where I want it... it's a few feet closer to the front of the plot from where I had it last year. Just want to give the Tomatoes behind it some extra room so i can walk around everything.

And I put the Ring of Fire Sunflower just under the trellis!

And then I placed the smaller green trellis for the Lemon Cucs.

And now that I'm looking at it... it seems a bit crowded! I might have to put some zucs in the Fallow Area after all.

And speaking of Zucs... Yeah, this one is dead.

Oh well. It served it's purpose, I guess.

I hope the new leaves coming in don't get totally in the way of my view of the Flicker nest!

And I still haven't looked up the incubation time!

As I'm looking up, I realize this climbing rose vine is almost exactly in front of the Flickers' tree.

I could tell any passers-by that I'm taking pics of the roses, instead of mentioning the Flickers!

Then again, it's not like I can stand here for any length of time... Birds get nervous when you're staring at the place where their babies are!

Uh oh! There's a fire!

I can hear sirens of emergency vehicles coming from several directions but it seems like it takes them so long to get there! But I see a firetruck go past at the next street... and really it's just been a few minutes.

I hope everyone is safe.

Another quiet day at the Flicker nest.

And we had another colder night... but not down to freezing again, thank goodness. It was 39° last night, chilly but the Brandywine is still fine...

And the Half Dead Sungold is probably wondering why life is so freaking difficult here. But it'll be fine, I'm sure.

And the Sunflower is fine as well!

Okay. Today I'm going to spread out the compost dirt in the front garden square.

I had to move the small trellis a little, it was sitting right on the Sunchoke roots.

I thought I wanted to keep the Sunchoke... it's a pretty plant and keeps loads of birds and bugs happy throughout it's life. But when I looked at the roots, oh ugh! They were mostly slug eaten! And when I dug down a little to see if any of it was still alive... blah!

Major Slug Factory!

I took what was left of the roots AND the slugs to the compost heap, where they can happily live out the rest of their days. And maybe it's just as well that the Sunchoke was mostly dead, anyway. It's a huge plant, not just tall but wide as well. And I want the Lemon Cucumbers growing here on the small trellis!

Well. Compost is spread out and that looks pretty good!

The big bit of green is the volunteer Elephant Garlics. Most of the smaller green bits are Dandelions, which I never dig up anymore. They are good for the soil and usually have some bugs on them too. Gotta keep the bugs happy!

And then the two plants at the bottom are a volunteer clover that started growing last year, and the single cover crop Fava that survived the winter. I have high hopes for it to bloom and make more beans for me!

Good work done today, and I'm liking how the garden is shaping up!

On the way home, I look at the climbing roses instead of just the boring, quiet Flicker nest! *laughs*

And there's no more smoke coming from that spot to the south.

Hello, my dear!

Good stuff? :)

I'm walking past the wet prairie... no longer ponds any more and drying out and getting on with the prairie stage. Camas Lilies are still blooming as well as the Western Buttercups.

And there are crickets singing!

I love to hear them. I worry so much about our precious bugs. But here at least there's a few happy bugs left in the world!

Haha! There's been a slug or snail wandering around the Flicker nest!!

Okay! I'm at the garden and I've brought some of the veggie starts I bought back in April to finally plant.

Last year the front garden square had tomatoes on the left and the Lemon Cucumbers on the right. And this year it will be Sugar Snap Peas on the left and Beets (and maybe Lettuce?) on the right.

The Sugar Snap Peas have unfortunately gotten tall in the weeks they've sat in the porch room. They are so delicate I'm surprised they made the trip in my backpack without snapping off and I have trouble untangling them. Maybe I should have just dumped the whole pot of them in one hole.

All around, I plant seeds! The slugs will probably munch the veggie starts to death, but it'll be drier once the seeds get sprouted and fewer slugs around. Hopefully some will live, but at the moment these are looking pretty pathetic!

The Beets, on the other hand are looking great.

This was also a tray of six veggie starts. A couple of the six were terribly small and might not live thru the transplanting. That's a bummer, but I'm wondering if I can plant some beet seeds as well.

I always forget how much I LOVE fresh beets and in the past I plant them as an after thought, or not at all. Last year, I only had a couple volunteers! But right now I remember eating them, and yum, so good!

So, yeah. I'm going to look for some beet seeds!

Oh look! Someone has already discovered the poor pathetic peas!

My cute little friend!

And on the way home, Ducklings!

They paddle away with their mama before I can get decent pics. Oh well, I'll catch up with them next time.

I've got the car today, and I'm on my own with the all the places I need to go... So I'm rearranging the usual Saturday order and driving to the Community Garden first. The seeds I planted need to be watered.

Some of the Snap Peas I put in yesterday have perked up. And some have wilted to death and one was munched.

And the two smallest Beets haven't situated themselves, but they are still alive.

Hello Bug!

This is a Spotted Cucumber Beetle. I've never had any trouble with them and they are super cute! Their cousins, the Striped Cucumber Beetles, on the other hand, have killed some plants... but I've not seen any in several years.

This is the Small Strawberry plant... while it does have some strawberries coming on, it's just not growing. The dirt here is kind of dry and hard, so I watered the heck out of it!

Okay, I'm done here. But I glance around and it looks like the other people who were here have left! Having the Garden to myself on a Saturday is not an opportunity to be wasted, and I go wandering!!

Somebody's Chives are looking all pretty.

I've tried several times to get Chives growing in my garden plot, to no avail.

Oh, wow! These Irises are gorgeous!

Against the sky, they are just stunning!

Okay! Next errand is Saturday Market.

I park in one of the parking gargages, on the orange level today and it's such a lovely view.

That's St Mary's and I think that's the one that has bells that chime out the hours. You can hear them for miles.

Mountain View Farm is my favorite farmer, where I buy all my veggie starts.

Today I am beyond thrilled to find an Old German tomato... that was my experimental tomato last year and it was SO GOOD! I didn't see it last time, and this time, there's just two left!

I spend my twenty bucks and more and then it's off to the next errand.

A treat from Sweet Life!

oh yeah!

This is their vegan Chocolate Strawberry Cake and it is Yummy!

Very dreary today and the chances of rain tonight have been bumped up to 100%. Crazy. Apparently the weather didn't get the memo that the rainy season is over in April! *laughs*

There's lots of wind today too. The weather page says 8mph but it seems faster than that.

The wind this year has been so much more annoying than it has been in the past. Am I getting used to it?

I don't know, but it really puts a crimp in the photography... I can't find birds sitting in the trees when the whole stupid tree is waving around randomly in the wind. bah.

There's humans walking by the Flicker nest. I try to kill some time, looking at the Poison Hemlock thats coming up.

The leaves are pretty, but this is the stuff that killed Socrates! It is very poisonous.

The humans aren't getting out of the way, and there's nothing happening at the Flicker nest anyway. So I go on to the garden.

I'm putting down some fertilizer today and I'm not waiting for the rain tonight, but watering it in right now!

But oh shoot! The hose has sprung a leek!

Well that's annoying. But this is the hose I bought at the very beginning of the gardening adventure! I spent a lot of money to get this heavy duty thing and it's pretty unbelievable that it's lasted this long. Especially since it sits out here even thru the winter!

I will have to look it up and see if I can buy the same hose again!

All the plants today are fine, and even the Sugar Snap Peas are strangely un-munched! Are the slugs giving me a break??!

Plus I found this Fava bean germinating in the Fallow Area! Yay!

Happy Sunflower!

Okay, I'm out. The plot on the end of the row is shining with orange. Calendulas, and I think the white flowers are spent Wallflowers?

And some California Poppies.

And heading home, the quiet Flicker nest.

Ha... Yesterday when I was running errands, I apparently got fairly close to this mess.

∞ Eugene hotel standoff ends in arrest of burglary suspects

Some thieves had stolen some electronics and stuff, which had trackers on them! The police closed down the road and there was a bit of a armed standoff with one of the bad guys. But it ended peacefully after they bashed in the door and flew in a drone. No one was hurt!

I got within less than a block, and never even noticed! Which is fine with me!

A bit after midnight I woke up to water battering at the window. It's raining and the gutter must have a leafy clog... instead of going down the pipe, the water is overflowing and hitting the window on the way down.

It's loud, tho intermittent and it keeps me awake for a good while.

I love the rain... but the only thing I'm thinking today is that the garden is NEVER going to dry out! ha!

The clouds break up a few hours after dawn. But the next rain clouds roll on in and it is pouring again as I head out the door!

oh foo! There was a whole pile of ducklings, keeping warm on the bank. And when they saw I was looking at them, they just unbundled themselves and popped down into the water where I couldn't see them.

I didn't get a count, but this is definitely the largest group of babies I've seen this spring... five? maybe six?

All the very small families of 1 to 3 ducklings is probably a response to H5N1 Avian Flu which has killed many, many babies in the last few years. I think it was 2023 that was the worst, where almost all the babies died. It was a little better last year.

It's still raining hard when I get to the park... but isn't it lovely!

There's still ponds on the south side!

Or maybe the main ponds are still there, too, just disguised with the taller grass.

I am happy to walk thru the little bit of forest. But I don't see any birds today.

Heading home thru the city. I suppose these will be the next trees that they chop down. sighs. Climate change is killing our Douglas Firs.

This resonated with me.

∞ Short: Parkrose Permaculture... How do I tell certain people My House Is Safe?

After all the crazy rain we got yesterday -- over ½ an inch!! In May!! Today is looking like a nice day! The clouds are moving around a good bit, it's to be a bit cooler than the normal of 68° and the wind on the ground isn't too terrible at 4mph.

Oh! Duckling!

It's not just the one. I can hear other babies peeping from the bushes behind them. Hurry up and get out of the nest, Babies! :)

Walking right by the Community Garden today. But this one greets me as I go by!

Aw! An older duckling!

So thrilled that this one has lived past baby-hood and probably survived H5N1!

*Laughs* Everybody is so friendly and cute today!

The Leaning Tree Saplings.

This grass is pretty. I wonder if it's an escaped ornamental.

Ha! Well, that's weird!

Oh my, the colours on these Columbines!

The pink Irises are so amazing!

The older duckling is still hanging out in the same place... but now sitting with Mama!

Oh My Gosh! A parent Flicker flew out just as I arrived!! Confirmation that this is still an active nest!! Yay!

Sheesh, that was a lot of photos today! But the cuteness just kept coming! *laughs*

The Rhododendron Garden is a lovely destination for Mother's Day, so it's been on my mind. I decided to visit today!

The blossoms have fallen off the tree!

This is a Clematis vine, draped over an Oak tree... but you kinda just have to be there to see how majestic... and huge! the whole thing is!

There aren't any flowers down low, so this is a photo from a distance!

From the front corner of the Rhododendron Garden, there's a steep trail that goes up to the forest trails. It's so steep, I call it the exercise trail! I huff and puff going up!

And I was very amused that this crow is walking up the trail in front of me! You can fly up the trail, you know! *laughs*

Last year, volunteers cleared the invasives from a good section of the forest. English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry and English Holly. And I assume all these flags are where they've planted new, native plants!

I forgot how many happy Song Sparrows live here!

Thimbleberries on the way!

I should have put my hand down to indicate how big this Banana Slug is! She-he is a good six inches (15cm)!

(Slugs are hermaphrodites, thus the she-he pronoun! They are both!) We mostly only have these brownish Banana Slugs. Very occasionally I'll see one decorated with pretty, dark brown patterning. But I've never seen a yellow one here, like they have up in Portland.

Oh my gosh!

Two birds are having an argument! One flies away with a squawk! And when I try to see where the other one has gone...

They are sitting in a nest!!!

Wow! The nest is only 10feet from the path, maybe. But it's hidden well. I would not have noticed it except that the parents were being loud right when I walked by!

Ha. I wonder if one parent was out too long, and when they came back the other was all... I'm tired of sitting here! I was worried about you! Don't do that to me!

There's all kinds of birds here... singing up a storm. But I barely catch glimpses.

There's a Cherry tree amongst the White Oaks on the knoll.

Coming back down. I find the Robin nest again, but this time I can see I'm making her nervous. So I don't stay.

Good Luck, my dear! I hope everything goes well, and you find many bugs to feed your babies!

oh! Ha! This one was coming up the trail. She calmly stepped off when she saw me.

um. Excuse me? ... Hello? ... Could you just give me a few seconds of your time?

Oh! Hey! Thank You so much! *laughs*

Oh, Wow! This is somebody new!

A Black Head Grosbeak.

And I've been saying it wrong! It's pronounced grows beek.

And... what in the world?

Did... YOU roll up this leaf? Why? What is going on??!

Okay. The Internets to the rescue! A website I found was paywalled but the snippet said When feeding on lepidoptera larvae rolled in leaves of plum tree (Prunus virens), plucks leaf and deftly removes larva, then subdues it by ...

Okay! So there's a bug in there! I love learning these things!

well, shoot. I didn't get pics of him getting the bug.

And no non-blurry photos, either.

That's okay. It's been an awesome day!

Damnit! The stupid wind!! This was the Ring of Fire Sunflower that I bought, and oh, dangit, I am SO disappointed!

sighs. I try to cheer myself up by looking at the plants that are going to live. Like the Big Strawberry plant is pretty happy, little fruits in the making!

And the Half-Dead Sungold still looks pathetic on first glance... but you can see it's recovering and making new branches!

And the Brandywine is just fine!

Okay. I have brought the Lettuces to plant today. I put them in behind the Beets in the front garden square... But, ugh, they look really really pathetic.

I'm sure they will perk up. And I'm sure they will be slug food shortly after that.

Sighs.

I don't know why I even bother with lettuce. Some years a couple live tho, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

And there are just two Sugar Snap Peas left with leaves. SIGHS! But that's what I expected.

And that's why I planted seeds here. It'll be a little drier once they start popping up and hopefully they'll be able to grow faster than the slugs can eat them!

And then I looked over and saw the single Fava that survived is flowering!

That's great! Hopefully I'll get some beans so I can re-plant in the Autumn.

I use Fava as a winter cover crop. You can eat the beans, but I've heard they taste like Lima Beans... yuck! *Laughs*

I'm heading out, but stop to admire the Columbines in the plot at the end of my row!

Oh god.

∞ The Reason Murderbot's Tone Feels Off Martha Wells' book series uses wry humor to tell a story about artificial intelligence, humanity, and free will. The Apple TV+ adaptation tries to do the same - with mixed results.
(Don't bother clicking... Wired has a paywall.)

I am a HUGE HUGE fan of Martha Wells Murderbot Diaries series. I've read the 7 book series countless times. Literally countless!

I was kind of anticipating the show... with excitement ... and dread! *laughs*

And now that it's out... um. I am not sure if I actually want to watch it.

∞ Apple TV: Murderbot

I've brought a couple more veggie starts to plant at the garden... but first, some weeding. It would be nice if I kept on top of the grass, so the powers that be don't ding me on the Compliance Checks... We've got the first one coming up at the last week of May.

I intend to keep my Borage, which is now an illegal plant at the Comm Garden. *rolls eyes* So I need to be toeing the line with all the other rules!

It's still too wet, and I was mostly just breaking off the grass at the surface instead of pulling out the roots.

I had grabbed the biggest veggie start from the porch room, thinking it was a squash. But when I planted it and looked at the tag, ha, it was one of the Lemon Cucumbers!

Hmm. Cucumbers love heat almost as much as tomatoes. We've still got some chilly nights, but maybe it will be okay?

I also brought the Old German...

and the Tomato Patch at the back of the plot is starting to shape up!

The slugs are doing a job on this little patch of volunteer Squashes. But they are so cute, I've decided to try to keep them...

I'm watering them a little and I put a tomato cage over them to keep from accidentally stepping on them since they are close to the middle pathway.

And speaking of watering...

Haha, the hose now has two leaks! And the first leak has gotten bigger and is spraying all over the place!

I've still got good water pressure coming out of the end, tho. So I keep watering and try to aim the two leaks at the Fallow Area. It's pretty awkward, tho!

The Small Strawberry has New Growth! There's a new leaf growing there on the right!

I had put out fertilizer on Sunday! And it's started a new leaf in just five days! Awesome!

And the Big Strawberry has loads of fruits coming on.

I think I need more Strawberries!

And there's some Buckwheat seedlings in the Fallow Area! Yay!

Okay. I'm done here.

Out of the Garden, I decide to walk up to the next bridge to check on the Barn Swallow nest there.

Last year, the Barn Swallows started re-using their nests under the bridges around May10.

But I see no sign of activity, yet. At either of the bridges. So that's a bummer. Is it still too chilly for them?

Coming back past the Flicker nest, tho... Oh My GOSH!

Yay! I'm so excited to see one of the parents here!

This is the Papa Flicker. He's spotted me! *laughs*

So cute!

Oh, hahaha! Is that a Squash Beetle?

The bug is re-evaluating his life choices and makes a run for it.

But Flickers would rather eat ants, so Papa lets the beetle live another day!

This is the view, without any zoom, from the bike path...

That climbing rose is really going to town with all it's blooms! (You can just barely see the Flicker nest hole in that middle tree trunk.)

Partner drove us to Saturday Market to buy more veggie starts. That's always nice because he can drop me off at the Garden and I can get a little bit planted and still have a little bit of a walk to get home!

I found this year's experimental tomato flavor... Green Zebra!

Ha! Isn't that fun! The Internets say it's a small salad tomato with a zing / spicy flavor.

So that sounds like a good compliment to the super sweet Sungolds. I can't wait!

I also planted the first Spaghetti Squash.

The plant on the left there is the Lemon Cucumber I planted yesterday. And middle is the poor stupid wind blown Sunflower. I don't think it's going to live, but it's trying.

The average wind speed in Eugene is 2.5 mph.

Historically, that is. The last couple of years we've been getting ever more wind. And especially this year.

I hate it. Very often the wind is blowing 8 to 14 mph when I go out walking, with bigger gusts. It's impossible to find birds in the trees, so the photography has suffered.

And now the garden suffers as well. sighs.

There's more Buckwheats coming up in the Fallow Area!

And Yay! The first Sugar Snap Pea is germinating!!

But the Lettuces aren't recovering. And they're starting to get munched.

Sighs. This one might live!

And the tomato cage on the right is holding up a couple Sugar Snap Pea transplants who are trying to live past the slugs.

And all the Beets are good as well... even the two smallest ones are perking up now!

This is the patch of Volunteer Squash... Will any survive the slugs?

I hope a couple live, it would be nice to see what they are!

There's a slight chance they could be Green or Yellow Zucs, but I'm thinking they are Spaghetti Squash or Butternut.

Kevin's plot has Breadseed Poppies!

And the plot next to him has these pretty things.

Some kind of Geranium.

And on the way home, it's quiet at the Flicker nest again.

Well, this is a cute little thing. And they've helpfully left the ID tag with it! Tuberous Begonia.

Duckling!

Quiet at the Flicker nest...

*laughs* I was trying to get a photo of all three Flicker holes in this dead tree truck! But the wind kept blowing leaves and roses, and blocking the view of the other two holes.

The hole that's showing is the active nest. And aren't the climbing roses pretty?!

I'm at the garden, and no other humans! Yay, I have a walk about! I've not walked by the plots on the west side in a while.

Comfrey is another plant the Powers That Be have decided is illegal in the Community Garden...

It's such a pretty plant, and it evolved with the European Honey Bees... so those flowers are a perfect fit for the bee's bodies!

Unlike Borage, tho, it truly and actually is an annoying invasive. I let one get big in my garden plot... I loved it, but it was taking up room. (The footprint was probably over six feet square! a very big plant!) and I've been trying to kill it since Autumn 2023, and it still sends up leaves!

What The Fur??!

Whose fur is this?

Hm. Those colours remind me of the Alpacas who live in my parent's neighborhood.

But seriously, this is... really weird! And not vegan, using somebody's fur like this. blah. I suppose it keeps the slugs from eating the strawberry fruits? but, just... blah.

This plot has new decorations.

I like the Meerkat. I do not like the Angel... Weeping Angels are scary!

Okay! I'm at my plot, and oh foo... the top of the Sunflower has died. Well, maybe it can make new branches at the leaves.

But the Spaghetti Squash I planted yesterday is happy.

And the Lemon Cucumber I accidentally planted on Friday is good as well. Maybe it was okay to put it out, after all!

I've brought my hand tools today. And, as I mentioned... this is that Comfrey that I've been trying to kill since 2023!

Oh, good... some Fava is coming up in the Fallow Area!

And the cute little Green Zebra that I just planted is doing well.

While I've been looking around, this lovely Starling has been singing for me from Kevin's plot.

Hello! Will you let me walk around to get a better view? Oh, Thank You!

And as I left, I realized this is a parent!! Both parents were feeding a squawking brown fledgling. No pics, I only saw the family for a moment before they all flew away.

Outside the Community Garden, I'm thinking this is another Black Locust, like the tree near my home.

I decide to check it out.

The wind makes catching the flowers a challenge. But it's definitely a Black Locust.

It's a pretty thing... but HOLY!

Good god, those thorns are huge! And on the trucks of the trees! The tree in my neighborhood doesn't have thorns! Wow. Thank goodness! Just imagine. Yikes.

One more duckling on the way home.

About a million years ago, I temp'ed for an art company that was going out of business. And on the way out, I nabbed a box of markers that they had set out for people to take (any not taken were heading for the landfill).

My Tiny Cleans have finally reached that box in the porch room today.

These are just cheap markers, and I wasn't going to worry if I had to throw out the whole box.

But! I opened a pack, and only a couple markers were dry! Ironically it's the green and the purple markers that are dry, out of the eight colours... my favorites.

But still. I'll be happy to use some of the other colours for notes or whatever!

Also in the pic above... the Monstera! and books on the shelf. Towels on the drying rack! and the Dumb Cane in the lower left corner.

(I actually call the Dumb Cane by it's more beautiful name, Dieffenbachia. But I have to look up the stupid spelling every time, and that's so much work!) *laughs*

It's drizzling off and on this morning as I leave the house. Which is crazy for May... the rainy season goes from October to April. April! The rain is supposed to END in April! *laughs*

Oh, hey. A whole family of Turkey Vultures!

One of the Vultures lands in a tree on the other side of the creek. A crow was mobbing them, and she lands in the tree as well. But there's so many sticks!

Haha! I didn't realize I had been spotted!

I love Turkey Vultures! They are the coolest!!

I'm dropping off compost at the garden, and then I look around a little.

Crum. The slugs have found the Spaghetti Squash.

Are slugs eating the cute little Buckwheat seedlings, too. gah.

Well. The Volunteer Squashes are enjoying the damp day.

and the one Lettuce is still alive too.

And the cute black and white blooms on the one Fava plant!

I am studying my plot neighbor on the right. Last year, they were new, and I called them the Pot People... they had dozens and dozens of potted plants all over their plot!

And look at them now... they've not showed up once this year and the plot is a grassy disaster!

And then the sky opens up and it starts pouring! ha. I guess I will worry about their plot - and the next Community Garden Compliance Check at the end of May - another time!

But as I head out, I have to stop to admire these hot house Cosmos.

Cosmos don't bloom until mid summer and later. So these have been forced in a greenhouse. They are pretty and I'm surprised they are standing up to the cooler temperatures of the real world!

Okay. I am walking towards the downtown neighborhoods!

I've come to look at this ridiculous skeleton again!

Oh, haha!

I suppose those wires mean that the skeleton is lit up at night! ha. too funny!

I don't know what these purple flowers are, in front of a sea of California Poppies.

I just adore this little patch of wildflowers in this hell strip!! Above is Coreopsis, below is Birds Eye Gilias...

Baby Blue Eyes and Fivespots...

Okay! Heading back home... some native Mallows.

hmm. There's a homeless person sleeping right where I need to stand to look thru the tree leaves to see the Flicker nest. I glance up as I walk by... AHH! Papa is there again!!

I walk a few more steps... it's a harder angle, but I can see him!!

I am a little bit... concerned. Except for the very first day, when the parents completed the nest (Apr27), I've only seen the male.

Where is Mama? Is she okay? Or is it just coincidence that I've only seen Papa??

Partner is driving us to the Community Garden today because he got us a new hose!

I've been dealing with the two leaks in the old hose for most of a week, and sheesh, it's irritating.

The new sprayer is really nice... different settings and you can adjust the flow from full to off! So that will be helpful, I think.

Partner hauls the old hose to the car to throw away and I get to work! I am planting seeds today!

The Wax Beans look like pills.

I also planted Beet seeds and a Lettuce mix of seeds, all around the starts...

The Beets are doing great. The one Lettuce I thought would live... is looking a little rough.

I've never had any success planting seeds at the garden, except for Peas, Beans and Favas. Lettuces, especially, just don't even come up. Probably the slugs get them on day one! I don't remember how beet seeds have done in the past.

I water in the new seeds with the new hose and sprayer... and hope for the best!

There are some more seedlings popping up in the Fallow Area: Favas and Buckwheats.

And the Volunteer Squash patch seems to be staying ahead of the slugs.

The new Spaghetti Squash, on the other hand... not looking like it's going to live.

The wind-blown Ring of Fire Sunflower is down to one leaf. If the slugs would just leave it alone, it could probably recover by making new branches. But is that actually going to happen?

The green thing in the background is the Lemon Cucumber I accidentally planted. It's actually mostly undisturbed by the slugs. So that's hopeful.

There are two Sugar Snap Peas left of the six I transplanted, but they don't look so good.

But Look! A beautiful line of Snap Pea seedlings!!

So, that's awesome!

And, with that happy thought, I'm heading out.

You know... a Columbine in my plot survived the winter. I wonder when it is going to bloom.

Since I got driven to the garden, I've got plenty of time for a walk before going home! I stop to watch the Minnows.

This duckling is at that awkward teenager stage... Adult feathers coming in, but still has some baby fluff!

Song Sparrow says Madge, Madge, Madge. Put on your tea kettle -ettle -ettle.

His tiny tongue!!

Oh, sir. You have a bit of a thing on your beak?

It doesn't matter? Oh. Okay.

All is quiet at the Flicker nest. Too Quiet???

I finally look up the incubation time for Northern Flickers.

Um. 11 to 13 days.

oh crap. Eleven to thirteen days has come and gone TWICE over since the parents finished this nest!

Shoot. But I have seen Papa here a couple times.

hmm. Not sure what to think, but my brain automatically goes to Doom.

I'm going to the garden, but I pause at the Flicker nest, and I'm so happy to see Papa there again!

Yesterday my brain was catastrophizing because it seemed overly quiet at the nest. But I'm glad to see something is happening here, after all!

Okay! The Garden! I've brought the first of the Lemon Cucumber starts! And I've brought some Lemon Cucumber seeds as well!

The prices of the veggie starts have gone up again this year... and to save a bit of money, I'm going to try to get some seeds going.

I've never had success with seeds. But never mind that!

I love Lemon Cucumbers with a passion, and every year I try to grow more than I can eat. That's never happened, altho a couple years I have had to Share my Lemon Cucs! *laughs*

Anyway. I usually aim to have 10 Lemon Cucumber plants. So far, this year, I've bought 7... and assuming the seven live, I will fill in the rest with seeds.

Maybe.

If they grow.

So, the three I've brought today are planted under the small trellis. And I've put seeds all around! I will plant the other three, tomorrow, on the other side of the trellis.

We've got rain in the forecast tonight, so that will make these guys happy. And then the temps should be warming up as well... to be 70° on friday and even warmer over the weekend!

Here's the new sprayer.

I really like it! But all that plastic is not going to last out here for years like the old metal sprayer we had before. I will have to remember to bring it home for the winter.

Precious little Seven Spot!

The Spaghetti Squash is getting munched to death...

But on the other side of the big trellis the accidental Lemon Cucumber is just fine!

The patch of volunteer squashes really fascinates me. They are currently holding their own against the slugs! I see a couple true leaves being made!

The big strawberry plant...

Is doing it's thing!!

Okay. Done here and heading out.

I get back to the Flicker nest... Oh My GOSH! There's a parent here, on the outside!!

*laughs* Okay, calm down! Hit the zoom...

and sheesh, take a breath and steady yourself!!

But the parent has gone inside the nest by the time I get my act together. *snort*

But I'm standing here, looking up to see what happens next...

And Oh! Wow! I can HEAR babies!!!

Hear them! We have Babies!!!

I listen carefully. They are not Peeping like normal bird babies.

It's like a soft Whirrrr sound.
Right? Hard to describe!

Papa!

*laughs* Yeah, he spots me right away.

No worries! I'm harmless! :)

I've found a video of Flicker babies begging...

∞ Baby Flickers at Wildlife Resource Center

Those are the eastern race... Yellow Shaft Flickers, with black moustaches. Our western race is Red Shaft, with red moustaches. But I'd assume the babies of both make basically the same sound.

I am just thrilled to bits! I'm a little concerned that I've still only seen the papa. But he's obviously doing his job, getting the little ones fed. So, hopefully it will be okay.

Off he goes!

And one more baby before I get home... a single teenager duckling.

Is she by herself? Nope! I hear her siblings Peeping, peeping further upstream. She's heading towards them!

There's a parent coming in, just as I get to the Flicker nest!

It's the male, again, and he's taking out baby poo sacks!

I wait a few moments, but nothing else happens and the babies are quiet.

Walking past the Community Garden... Are you eating someone's strawberry?! haha!

Today, I keep walking past the garden.

Another male Flicker! He drummed on that, just briefly!

A Point and Click and Hope, towards a Bewick Wren...

Oh, hey! It worked!

Our three new Leaning Tree saplings. It'll be years before they get to a majestic - or more photogenic - size! haha!

How about this angle?

Nah. Maybe I should stick with closeups!

ha. I watched her struggling with this long twig with leaves at the end. She really, really wants it for her nest!

Or maybe this way?

She's able to fly with it to a nearby tree. Her nest is a bit further on tho.

I go past the tree with the Honey Bee nest!

I love the colour of these Breadseed Poppies!

Birds Eye Gilia.

Wood Pewee!

On the way back, I decide to stop at the garden after all.

At least that squirrel wasn't eating any of my strawberries...

Ha, not that I would have objected, if I had any ripe ones. Squirrels gotta eat!

Aw, dangit. That's the end of the Spaghetti Squash.

But just a couple feet away, the slugs haven't bothered the Accidental Lemon Cucumber!

And the Lemon Cucs I planted yesterday are all good.

Oh. Are we going into eclipse plumage? Seems pretty early for that.

The battery on the camera is flashing red, so I don't linger here.

But over here... Newborns!!

I've been seeing a pair? Or maybe it's two pairs, of Scrub Jays at the beginning of my walks.

They don't always pause for photography, but I hope they are getting used to me looking at them.

Because look!

This one's grey head is really distinctive! But when I look it up... oh, ha! She's a Fledgling! That's why her head is grey!

The parents keep bringing food to fledglings, so they'll maybe hang around for a bit longer!

Quiet at the Flicker nest.

Okay! I have brought the other three Lemon Cucumber starts to the garden and got them transplanted into the other side of the small trellis. And the first three are looking good!

I planted more Lemon Cuc seeds on the other side of the trellis as well.

And I planted some Crookneck seeds at the front of the plot.

I don't know about all these seeds. But maybe the Volunteer Squash patch has given me some hope about seeds. ha.

As I left the plot, I noticed that all the Lettuces I had transplanted were gone. Munched to nothing by the slugs. Even the one that was standing up. Sighs.

I'm out. As I walk around the garden, ha, here's another Scrub Jay.

This one has a more Adult blue head!

oh, ugh! These kids are just curious, but jeez, this is terrible!

I'm sorry humans ruin everything. :(

∞ Oregon governor declines to extradite woman accused of embezzling from Eugene Weekly

∞ Extradition Denied Gov. Tina Kotek's office turned down Lane County's request for extradition funding in the EW embezzlement case, freeing the alleged embezzler from jail despite five felony charges

*Screaming*

I have had it with our worthless governor...

I voted for her, and at the time I was excited to see what all she was going to do. I really thought she would be a boon to Oregon.

But since she's been in office, she's done NOTHING.

I am outraged at Traitor Trump's bullshit everyday, but Governor Kotek has done nothing to stand up to the fascism.

And last week, she did do something...

∞ Oregon governor testifies for controversial bill focusing on foster kids The legislation would allow the state to send children in foster care out of state again, a practice Oregon stopped because of abuse
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek threw her weight behind a controversial bill that would allow the state to send children in foster care to facilities in other states and change the definitions around restraints and seclusions.

So this is super disturbing. This is just throwing these poor kids away. And I hate that Gov Kotek is trying to push it thru.

So this thing with denying justice for the Eugene Weekly is the last straw for me.

I am absolutely disgusted at our Governor!

Translation: Gov Kotek,
I am so disappointed and angry that you refused to extradite the person who embezzled from the Eugene Weekly! You don't want to serve justice? On top of that you are not standing up to Trump's fascist regime! I regret voting for you - you are a worthless governor!
DO BETTER!!
Sincerely, rift

I have gotten out of the habit of writing these spontaneous postcards... strongly worded or otherwise. It feels good to get back to it!

Partner is sleeping this morning, so I have to drive myself to Saturday Market. That's a bit of a bummer... I won't get to walk at all.

At the Farmer's Market I handed over 30$ and got 7 plants.

I got another Strawberry plant to expand the patch behind the Tomatoes at the back of the plot.

The Half Dead Sungold is actually doing well, but I got a second Sungold today, anyway. There isn't really room for it in the Tomato area tho, so I've put it at the back of the Fallow Area, next to last years Leeks.

I was leaving this area fallow because everything that grows here is stunted. I've got some summer cover crops coming up, Fava and Buckwheat, but it's not been warm enough to bring them up and there isn't full coverage.

And it shouldn't be a big deal if the Sungold here is stunted, since it's a second one!

I got a replacement Sunflower... I thought I had grabbed a ProCut Plum but when I transplanted it, I realized the tag said ProCut Red. Well, foo.

I put it at the end of the small trellis, with the Lemon Cucumbers...

And I saw one had died.

weird. It's got one slug munched leaf, but it looks like it wilted to death. That's not how they die from slugs. But they had all survived the transplant shock...

hm. I wonder what's up. The other Lemon Cucs are fine.

Well. I'm done here. I grab the rest of the veggie starts I bought, and drive home.

It's quiet at the Flicker nest... and I'm worrying about it again.

True leaves getting bigger on the Volunteer Squashes!

Never mind that Lemon Cucumber that died (out of frame), the rest are doing okay!

There are some pretty double petal Breadseed Poppies in Kevin's plot.

Crab Spider!!

I was able to keep the window over my bed, open all night! That's the second night in a row and I love it! It's chilly enough that I need all the winter quilts and it's so nice to have the fresh air, and be nice and warm under the covers!

Clouds this morning and it's 57° as I leave the house. High today is 69°, but to be 80° tomorrow, blah!

Too quiet at the Flicker nest. sighs.

Aww, cute!

I get to the garden... *Wails*

The precious Lemon Cucumbers! This one has been munched by the slugs, AND it's snapped off at the base! ARG! Was it the wind that did that???

And here's another one that has wilted to death.

I don't know what is causing the wilting! That's the second one that has wilted to death. And I am just so sad, and mad... and discouraged.

But I've got stuff to do. I've brought the two biggest squashes from the crazy jungle that is the porch room. There's a Green Zucchini and a Yellow Zucchini.

I'm putting the Yellow Zuc in the Fallow Area. Ha... I just realized there are so many squashes in the jungle that I'm going to have to spread them out. Hopefully the compost dirt I spread here will help them grow.

The Green Zuc is so big, I'm concerned about wind damage. Especially with that Lemon Cuc snapped off. So here's what I do:

Haha! Complete support!

That should keep it alive from the power of the wind. And, really, this one is big enough that it should stay alive from the power of the slugs! So I'll just have to be careful, and not leave the grids on for too long.

*Laughs* Small... Medium... and Large Trellises!

The Leeks at the back of the Fallow Area are flowering. Well, never mind. I planted them last year and they just didn't get big enough to bother picking. And the flowers will make a wide variety of pollinators very happy!

And the Sugar Snap Peas I planted as seeds are coming up and doing well!! All the leaves are a little slug munched, but they are growing faster than the slugs can eat!

I am so sad about the Lemon Cucumbers... it's just getting so late in the season, I'm not sure I'll be able to buy more.

And I LIVE for Lemon Cucumbers! Like... just... why bother gardening at all, if I can't have Lemon Cucumbers!!

Sighs. Well. They aren't all dead. And I should focus on the good things. The Sugar Snap Peas are happy, and I will enjoy eating them when they arrive.

The little one is still sitting on the same rock!

But where's Mama?

Baby peeps a couple times and Mama replies from down stream!

And still nothing here. Sighs!

Oh Wow! This rose is amazing! Stripy!

With the stupid wind, it's so hard to find the little birds in the trees.

Oh! A Barn Swallow. One of the first ones I've seen this year.

I've been checking both set of nests under the bridges... and neither of those families have returned.

It seems suspicious that both families have disappeared. Did everyone die during the migration??

sighs.

I've arrived at Stewart Ponds... and the ponds are now definitely in the prairie stage of the Wet Prairie ecosystem! I LOVE the colours of the grasslands!!

Not just greens, there's reds and purples!

There's still some Camas Lilies blooming, but most of the purple, now is Lupine.

The white is a kind of Forget Me Not.

I wade into the grass, wanting to get pics of these...

These are Mules Ears, a native wildflower in the Sunflower family.

And wow, these flowers are full of bugs!!

As I wade out of the grasslands, I quickly check myself for ticks!

Haha! It was just so buggy there! I've never had a tick on me as an adult, and I don't even know if we have ticks here.

I suppose we do have ticks, but there aren't any big animals who live here for the ticks to live off of. I've never seen deers here, and even the occasional dog would probably stick to the edges of the prairie. And plus, these are ponds during the winter... I doubt that is ideal habitat for ticks!

I get to the trail, there are swallows swooping over the grass. And then I get to the little forest and there are birds singing like mad!

I pause a few times, but I don't see any birds even tho I can hear where they are.

I get to the back of the park, oh cool!

This is a Red Tail Hawk!! It's been ages since I've seen a Red Tail! Most of the hawks around here are Red Shoulders. She turns and I can see her red tail!

Haha, too bad there was no cooperation from the camera!

Thank You! See ya around!

At the back of the park there's a thicket over the creek, and there's some kind of fruit tree blooming!

Ha! These flowers also have bugs!

So interesting!

I'm taking some plants to put in the garden, and pause to take a picture of my shadow, again, with the plants sticking out the top of the backpack! *laughs* It's silly, and I amuse myself!

Last night was the first warmer night of this year. Maybe it's finally turning to summer.

I walk right on past the Flicker nest. I've given up since I've not seen any action there for a while.

And there should be action... The babies had been born, the parents should be bringing them food like crazy. And the babies should be yelling about every little sound that could be a parent in the vicinity!

But it's been a week of Too Quiet at the nest.

And today, I've walked by the nest without even looking... and I'm surprised at myself for having given up on the Flicker nest! I walk back and look up.

OH MY GOSH!

A BABY!! Resting her chin on the edge and is that not the cutest thing EVER!!!!

And OH MY GOSH! A parent has arrived!!

And OH MY GOSH! It's the Mama!!! I've not seen the Mama here at all, since DAY ONE!

*laughs* wow. This changes everything. My brain had set up a story, and it was just wrong! And I'm so thrilled to bits that we have both parents and we have babies.

Babies! Yes! More than one!

Bahaha... Baby Number Two is trying to get her face out as well!

The wind is blowing the leaves around and sometimes my view is completely blocked. Stupid wind!!

She's noticed me!

OH! Baby Number Three!!

And there's probably more kids down there. AllAboutBirds says Flickers lay 5 to 8 eggs! But how to tell them apart when the others poke their heads up?? *laughs*

Mama flies away to get more food.

How Awesome! And to think... I walked by the nest today! *laughs* Glad I came back!!

Okay. On to the garden!

I've planted the Aubergine at the edge of the tomato area in the back.

And I put the Spaghetti Squash at the end of the big trellis where the other one has died.

The wind is 12mph today and the other small grid I have is not going to work here. So I've put a tomato cage around the squash and hope for the best.

The Zuc under the grid is doing well!

And Look! A Wax Bean is germinating!! Woohoo!

And at the small trellis there are still three Lemon Cucumbers alive of the six I planted here. And the ProCut Red Sunflower seems to be happy as well.

But shoot, the Accidental Lemon Cuc is getting munched.

The little patch of volunteer squashes. They have gotten some true leaves, but I still can't tell what kind of squash they are!

If they start vining they will be a winter squash, either Butternut or Spaghetti Squash. If they grow from a point they will be one of the summer squashes.

Before I go, I stop to admire Kevin's Breadseed Poppies.

They are so lovely, but I'm fighting the wind still.

On the way home, I glance up but don't intend to stay.

It makes the parents nervous to have a human staring at the entrance to their nest. And I don't want to call any other attention to them.

Anyway. The wind is frustrating me again!

ha.

It's misting off and on when I head out today, and with the breeze it's chilly!

I arrive at the Flicker nest.

The baby at the doorway spots me right away!

Baby is just looking around, and I can't figure out which pose is the cutest!

Okay. Moving on!

I get to the garden and there are a couple of Official looking people here. Ugh... they are doing Compliance Checks!

Kevin is talking with the Garden Director in the plot next to mine. He's pointing out the huge patch of Horseradish that I've been battling for years, trying to keep it out of my plot.

Horseradish is an invasive that's on the illegal list for the Community Garden.

Wow, it's so healthy! I can't hear the reply. Maybe we could tell them that it needs to be thinned a little.

They are studiously avoiding looking at me, even tho I could have told them all about the damn Horseradish... and how long it's been there. And I just get angry about the thinning part.

Nobody has to follow the stupid Community Garden rules if the director likes your plot, or thinks you are a real gardener. And they don't like me.

And I'm raging about the unfairness.

And there's nothing I can do about it. If I point anything out, I will just be labeled as trouble and they'll come down harder on me.

So I take a breath and focus on the garden.

I'm delighted to see a Nasturtium coming up next to the small Strawberry!

Kevin had some Nasturtiums back here last year and they overflowed into my plot. I had gathered some of the seeds, too... I wonder what I did with those?

Anyway, I'm glad to see one come back in my plot! I hope it will be happy there, living so close to the strawberry!

And here is the Half Dead Sungold!

You can hardly tell it was half dead, anymore! Except that it's much shorter than the other tomato plants.

I pinched off those couple branches of flowers... I want it to keep growing leaves and roots, it's too early to think about fruiting!

The Accidental Lemon Cucumber is not so good.

Poor thing. But it's still green, so I won't give up!

The Spaghetti Squash I planted yesterday has a broken stem, but it should be okay.

And the three Lemon Cucumbers in the small trellis are still alive.

The Green Zuc under the supporting grid is happy.

But the Yellow Zuc in the Fallow Area is looking pretty rough. Sun damage on one side and slugs on the other.

And a cute little Wax Bean germinating!

So it's good things, and not so good things at the garden, right now. That's okay. Stuff will grow and get sorted out once the weather starts warming up! There's to be a couple days in the 80s this weekend before it settles down to some nice 70s.

Before I go, I admire Kevin's Poppies!

I walk a little ways before heading back.

Bushtits are usually too bouncy for me, but I got a couple in frame this time!

Oh!! I Love Green Herons!

They are shy, so I don't see them very often.

But it's always exciting to see one!

Scrub Jay on a Pyracantha bush. In the winter this will be loads of orange-red berries!

And just passing by the Flicker nest.

And this is a pretty thing. Some kind of Mallow.

*laughs* I've got the exposure set wrong.

I don't stay and I go on to the garden.

I eat the bigger one! I do eat AROUND the slug munchings, tho! haha! It's a little tart, not quite at full ripeness. But really good!

And the cute little Nasturtium with the small Strawberry plant.

I'm glad the Strawberry plant is sending out runners... I want plants all over!

And the Strawberry I bought -- the Seascape -- is doing things too.

The Accidental Lemon Cucumber... still technically alive.

Today, I've brought a Patty Pan and a second Yellow Zuc.

My Summer Squash empire grows!

Well. You know. If they live.

Because the Beans are getting ravaged...

As soon as they pop up, the slugs eat their leaves! Arg. Will I have to re-plant?

Well, whatever! In the Fallow Area, some of the Favas and Buckwheats are growing. Just here and there, not the full coverage that I was hoping for. But, then again, it's designated Fallow because the plants weren't growing right here!

Out! And back at the Flicker nest, where I've got the exposure setting corrected, now!

Just looking out at the world!

Excuse me? Could you tell me how many siblings you have?

Oh. You're just a baby, and don't know how to count yet?

*laughs*

I walk around to see about the other angle.

The nest is further away, and I have to look past more leaves from here. When the wind cooperates, it's okay.

I thought last Saturday would be the last trip to the Farmer's Market to get veggie starts.

But then half the Lemon Cucumbers died.

So here I am again. And again, Partner sleeps and I have to drive myself. That's okay.

I take the new plants to the garden. I've gotten some more summer squashes, a sunflower and three more Lemon Cucumbers. But the Lemon Cucs are so small, I really can't plant them! I'll take them home and they can grow a bit in the porch room.

The summer squashes are a Patty Pan and a Crookneck.

I randomly decide to put them in the Fallow Area, with the Yellow Zuc I planted there a few days ago AND the secondary Sungold. *laughs* So much for the fallowness!

Last weekend, I had gotten a replacement for the Ring of Fire Sunflower. I wanted a ProCut Plum, but had actually grabbed a ProCut Red. They are both pretty, but this time I made sure I got the ProCut Plum!

I planted it at the end of the big trellis. You can see the stick of the dead Ring of Fire on the right, and the green at the top of the photo is the Accidental Lemon Cucumber, still hanging on to life!

When I did research, I am sad to learn that the ProCut sunflowers are pollen-less. That's a major bummer for the Bees.

Well. Live and Learn! I won't buy ProCuts again! I wish the Ring of Fire had lived. sighs.

The three surviving Lemon Cucumbers at the small trellis are good, as is the ProCut Red here.

The Volunteer Squashes are getting munched to death by the slugs. But there are a couple, outside of the main clump, that are escaping the notice of the slugs!!

On my way out, I pause to assess the Beets at the front of the plot.

All six that I transplanted are happily growing! I hope some of the seeds come up and get to grow, as well, but I don't see any yet.

I think about walking out to the Flicker nest... But I've done good work here, and dealing with extra humans has tired me out. So I go straight home.