Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The Maple Hill Hop 130



Maple Hill Hop


Welcome to 
The Maple Hill Hop.
This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.
Feel free to post about anything that's going on
OUTSIDE
in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.
(Please share only outdoor posts.)
*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

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This week we have a bits-n-pieces post.
 A bit o' this, and a bit o' that.

But first, let me convey to you the most exciting thing that happened on Sunday morning!
Before heading over to Faye & Lynn's for Farm School,
I was checking on a couple of plants that had been recently transplanted in the back bed.
I saw a blur out of the corner of my eye.
Right there in front of me,
hovering in mid-air mind you,
was a hummingbird!
Not 2 feet away from me!
OH.  MY.  STARS.
It stopped for about 3 seconds there
and then soared off for parts unknown.
My heart was racing and I was absolutely gobsmacked!
You see, I have never witnessed one in person,
and it was totally humbling and I truly felt that
It Was a God Thing.
I am trying to be more congizant of these events.
Miracles are always around us.   
What a rush!       



In the last week or so,
I've watched this mystery plant change before my eyes.
(It's only a mystery because I forgot what I bought.
Does that happen to anyone else?)
It's always had interesting leaf structure,
but the branches carry thorns.
I found that out the hard way!




The buds started forming for the first time since I've had it.



It has bloomed into beautiful cylindrical red blossoms.
I'm thinking it must be a hummingbird attractor.
Maybe that's what our visitor was after.
I'll have to research and see if I can identify this beauty.
Any ideas out there?



Our sweet potatoes have been cured
and some will be readily consumed this week.




Over at Faye & Lynn's, this cutie greeted us as we began our work
transplanting some odds and ends.
Funny how it doesn't go for the lettuce that's a few feet away.
Hmmm...



In this picture, can you see the nest to the left of the white board?
It's the home of two Carolina wrens and their four hatchlings.
Faye & Lynn have been monitoring them for the past 2 weeks.
It seems that they return every year and construct a nest
right inside their garage door.
The constant cheeping is priceless.



Back at our place, these two have been frequenting our garden.
They have made themselves at home
and we are fortunate to be able to study them daily.



One day, the female (we think) came by herself
and we were concerned that something had happened to her mate.
She sat in the shade and looked kind of lost or out of sorts.
Thankfully, the next day, her better half was with her again.
What a blessing to be witness to such graceful creatures.




We still have quite a bit of caterpillar action going on.
So far, our milkweed has stood up,
and we relish the monarchs floating through the garden with ease.

That's some of what's happening around our Central Florida garden.
What's going on outside where you are?
HOP on!
   

   



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