0506/13th June, 2021
Lately it’s been the lifting of dark that has woken me.
And the chattering birds calling for their feeders to be hung.
5 am is early enough, but this morning…
It was 4 am, and it certainly wasn’t daylight or cheerful birds calling out. Not even the cats get the blame this time.
Indeed, the cats vanished to their various hiding spots as thunder rumbled and grumbled, dumping heavy rain that beat upon the roof and wetted a cat bed by a window, carelessly left open.
When daylight arrived it revealed a grey and damp day but the garden appeared re-energized, everything seeming to be standing to attention!
The milkweed crop has not only survived, but thrived. Surely, there will be Monarchs this year?
Milkweed wasn’t planned, but with the promise of butterflies, I was happy to let it stay. Clearly, my garden is never going to look exactly manicured.
Though, in a way, that’s exactly what it is.
See my nice Shasta daisies, almost in bloom?
Apparently the wee beasties don’t like them
That bed used to look really neat.
But you see what happened…
The phlox, groundhog’s favourite, refuses to die. I really have to admire that plant.
The Gaillardia with the yellow and red flowers, was less popular but it seems they only last two seasons.
So I planted seeds. Which is a fat lot of good when creatures dig them up or lie on them, I’m not sure which. Each morning there is a rounded hole…
But how do you get mad at these?
They are just wee babies, after all, finding their way in the world 🙂
Not the only babies, either. We saw a few fledglings asking their mums for food:
Tiny little scraps were looking quite dazed “where’s Mum?” they asked
Grackle baby had better luck…
There was another baby visitor, too. It came by the other night and made an unlikely acquaintance:
It was getting dark, so the images aren’t great. The little skunk raised her tail and made it go all floofy, but baby raccoon said “I’m lonely, can’t I hang around with you?” and she seemed to have agreed, as long as he didn’t “make a nuisance” of himself.
Later on, though, as I read my book before putting my light out, my nose began to twitch as it always does when one of the cats has made a deposit, but I realized that this was not that kind of odour.
A window was open to let in fresh air but I didn’t really need that kind of fresh….
Presumably the little raccoon went home smelling a bit stinky.
He’s not been seen since, but the skunk comes by nightly now, sniffing and snuffling and I think it may be she who’s sleeping, or digging in my flower bed.
Grant is doubtful, but the hole is always skunk-sized!
Whatever the case, I am happy to see her pretty face any time!
Oh my gosh, so many cute critters in your garden!