Morning Musings

 Bird, insect, and mammal activity in the garden has increased dramatically with the flowering season. 

It is not easy to get a photo of a hovering hummingbird, but I got this one. Yes, it does have wings, but they are moving so fast as to seem invisible. It loves the lantana nectar.

A deer wandered through the other night and ate almost all the remaining blooms of my favorite day lily. Luckily, I had already taken 4 or 5 chunks from it and planted them out back. At least I don't have to spray Deer Away on it every night now. I forgot that night as I was at a wake for a friend's Dad and got home late.

I harvested my garlic crop yesterday and will let it cure for a couple of weeks before I hang it out in the garage. It keeps very well in there throughout the winter. Last year's garlic lasted right through June, though I still have some roasted garlic cloves that I froze. This fall I need to remember to plant about 60 cloves to get a solid year's supply.

Roughly 45 garlic bulbs and my green bean and basil crops in the Earth Boxes.

I was sitting in the garden with my coffee when a blue jay stopped for a drink at the bird bath. It then flew into the tree above me and proceeded to check me out or get into position to make a drop on me. I didn’t wait for that and got out of the drop zone.

This blue jay was definitely lining up a shot.

The bumblebees are so docile that they let me pet them. I can’t help myself when they land on flowers right next to me.



Yesterday when I was cleaning out Calendula the caterpillar's jar, I found another tiny caterpillar. My daughter was amused and happy. It must have come from an egg I didn't see - they are incredibly tiny, about 1 millimeter wide. So now I'm responsible for two little lives. I could just put them outside on some milkweed, but there are predators out there! 

It got cool enough the other night to enjoy a lovely mocktail in the hot tub with my daughter. We were enchanted by all the bats flying about as well as lightning bugs.

I was emptying out my emails from long ago and found this picture from a conference I attended in Boston twelve years ago.

Fun times at the Scholastic booth.

You never know what silliness you'll find at science teacher conventions.

I bought a new (to me) car yesterday! I never buy new cars so I found a 2 yr old car which should see me through the next 8 years or so. I'm giving the old one to my daughter, which still has plenty of life left in it. 

After a year of thinking about it, I just went out and bought it.


Daughter is off visiting her Dad, so I went to see The Odyssey with friends yesterday afternoon. It was very well done as far as movies go. I've never read The Odyssey, but remember many of the stories from the Ulysses movie when I was a kid. I certainly didn't remember how it ended which made watching it even better. I don't think I've gone to the movie theaters but 3 times in the past five years, and two of them were in the past month. I'd much rather watch a movie from the comfort of my couch.

The temperature and air quality is much nicer today, so I joined the hiking group for a 27 mile bike ride on the Harlem Valley Trail, followed by lunch at the diner. I didn't take a single picture because there isn't much new on that trail and I spent the whole time chatting with friends.

I don't think I'm ever going to not plant zinnias. I grew these from seed and they are just what I need by the door to greet me every morning. 

I did have a mishap in the garden. The wind knocked over my two cherry tomato plants, breaking one off at the base and bending the other. They were loaded with cherry tomatoes which I was really looking forward to. Lesson learned - tomato plants are just too big and top heavy for the Earth Boxes. Luckily I have a few more in large pots which will provide me with tomatoes. 

I invited AmyJean and Geri to lunch tomorrow as AJ just lost her Dad and had a lot to deal with at the end of his life. She said she needs a debriefing, and a hot tub, so that's what she'll get. It is supposed to rain, so I'll put up my tent over the hot tub and hope there is no lightning.

Comments

  1. MargaretJuly 22, 2026 at 2:09 PM

    That's a great looking car (what is it?) and how nice to give your old one to your daughter! It sounds like you're having a great visit together. I'm glad the weather and AQ are better; we're now fighting mid-90s and moderate AQ. I don't mind the latter but don't want to do much in the former. Since I just got back from the much cooler coast, I would rather stay comfortable in the house. I do need to water though. Perhaps I could also water myself to stay cool? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maureen MJuly 22, 2026 at 3:53 PM

    It's a Mazda, the same as the older one. I've had good experiences with them.

    ReplyDelete

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