Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 16:52

Hello, friends!

It's been a busy week but I did manage to capture a few delights to share with you! I know many of you are still under snow and ice. Perhaps a bit of spring gardening will encourage you!

The knockout roses are doing wonderful this year. All my lantana came back and most of my milkweed has sprouted. The Mexican Bush Sage which bloomed through the snow we had in December hasn't shown any signs of green yet and I'm afraid I might have lost it.

     

Ready to plant is more Mexican Bush Sage, butterfly weed and two "pow-pow" coneflower plants - excited for these to bloom! I also planted a few pentas for instant color.

The creeping jenny I planted a couple of weeks ago is doing well despite the high winds we've been having. With gusts up to 30mph here lately, you've got to wonder if the experience inside the birdhouse is a bit wilder than being out on a limb!

Carolina Wren

This Woodhouse's Scrub Jay posed nicely for me the other day.  

I haven't spotted any ruby-throated hummingbirds yet. I wonder if they got a memo about the weather y'all have been having up north?  I'll close with this week's shots of the current Yard Boss.

It's easy to see why they call them black-chinned hummingbirds. One of these days I'll catch him with the sun on his chin and you'll see his pretty purple throat. 

What are you seeing through your lens this week?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Bird D’pot,
Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens,
Wild Bird Wednesday, Our World Tuesday,
Community Global, Photo Friday, Little Things Thursday

Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 10:52

Waking up to the rain this morning was truly a blessing. We need it so badly here in south Texas. It should also help clear some of this pollen out of the air, saving me from death-by-sneezing.

The rain comes in perfect timing after the gorgeous weather we had last week. My back tolerated an hour or so cleaning out the flower beds, making room for the new growth that has already begun to sprout.

Butterfly Weed

All the discomfort of being on my knees was worth it to have a visit from this sweet lady.

American Lady Butterfly

My Dreamer was just as busy, mowing and clearing out old growth from around the trees.

I thought this was a neat picture of the old Tico 2 engine my Dreamer rescued from the Randau Oil Lease in Web-county, Texas. Everybody thinks it's a canon.

It was lovely to take a rest after working in the soil, and be serenaded by this sweet voice.

I do love to listen to my house finches!  All is peaceful, until the clowns of the bird-world swoop in and make their presence known.

I took my walk a little later than normal one day, and was able to sneak up on the last few winter hold-outs. It's so much easier to spot them in the green grass. 

Soon, all the Western Meadowlarks will be returning north. You can see an animated map of their annual migration here, if you're interested.

I like this shot because it shows their markings, both back, and a hint of the front, so well. Such a contrast! From the back, you'd never guess the front of this bird was so lovely!

I'll miss the meadowlarks when they go. But their departure means that the hummingbirds and scissor-tail flycatchers will be arriving soon. I wonder how many babies we'll have this year?!

The seasons change, the birds come and go, but I can always count on Kitty to be waiting for me when I get back from my walk.

What are you seeing

through your lens this week?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:

Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Little Things Thursdays,

Bird D’pot, Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens, 

Wild Bird Wednesday, Our World Tuesday, 

Community Global, Photo Friday, Small Wonders

Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 7:52

This week has been all about counting birds and preparing for butterflies!

For those of you who enJOY birding, you were probably aware that this past weekend was the Great Backyard Bird Count. Others of you may have noticed an unusual number of people out-and-about looking up into trees and sky. 

This is no small event, with over 132K checklists submitted, and over 14M individual birds being counted - around the world. The count is over, but you can see the results, and some fabulous photographs, here.

This was my first year participating and I stayed, literally, in my backyard. My count was small, 10 species, 15 birds, and included all the usual suspects. I observed for just under an hour, before the wind chased me inside.

Goldfronted Woodpecker, Western Scrub Jay, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren
Eastern Phoebe, Northern Cardinal, Lesser Goldfinch
Black-crested Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird, White-winged Dove

There has been a lot of talk lately about the declining number of bees and butterflies, due mainly to the use of pesticides. This is a concern for all of us, because pollinators make two out of every three bites of food we eat possible! If you enJOY gardening, even in pots, and want to learn how you can help, Monika's website, Texas Butterfly Ranch, has good information, and great resources.

If you live in Texas, you may have heard that San Antonio has been named the first Monarch Champion city in the country by the National Wildlife Federation. This status will bring a lot of opportunities for learning and will implement ways to help the monarchs as they migrate north through our area.

One of the ways I'm helping to "bring back the monarchs" is by incorporating a monarch waystation, or habitat, into my existing flower garden. 

It's difficult to find milkweed plants at our local nurseries (although I'm hoping that changes with our new Champion status), so I purchased a seed kit through Monarch Watch. This past week I started 150 seeds. The kit included three milkweed varieties, which are host plants for monarch larvae, and six nectar plants. I was delighted (and shocked!) to find that the Tithonia Torch {Mexican Sunflower} and the Zinnias are already sprouting!

Gardening is a lot of work, and I'm praying my back will tolerate it. It will all be worth it to encounter a beauty like this again!

What are you seeing

through your lens

this week?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Little Things Thursdays,
Bird D’pot, Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens, Wild Bird Wednesday,
Our World Tuesday, Community Global, Photo Friday