Pyjama gardening

You know you are passionate about gardening if you have ever done it in your pyjamas! LOL!

This morning I went outside to check my garden with my first cup of coffee in hand, still wearing my PJs.  We have had a fair amount of rain/ rain showers, whatever you want to call them- copious amounts of precipitation from the skies!

The flowers only appreciate so much, then they really need some sunshine to balance out the wetness. Except the dandelions. They thrive no matter what! A sea of bright yellow faces greeted me this morning! Mocking, is more like it! We have been digging them out by the dozens, even (don't tell anyone) zapping some with Killex. We seem to have more and more each day no matter what we do. 

Even the 'zapped' plants were having their last hurrah!  I read on a web site that Killex speeds up the dandelion weeds growth process to the point that it kills the plant, but it also causes the plant to quickly send out long flower shoots that go to seed right away, so in essence, you are killing one plant but in the process, causing it to drop hundreds of seeds of itself in the same location. End result: you will create 10 times more dandelion plants or more!  Except if you pick up all the little puffy white seed clouds nodding their heads all over the yard. And their little yellow brothers are not very far behind in the reseeding department! 

So, with my pyjama legs soaking up the moisture off the lawn, I scooped up dozens of little yellow heads and little white puffs of seeds.  What a way to start your day! Am I getting obsessed, I asked myself. Self didn't want to answer that... 

Hyer Apple tree in blossom in spite of the porcupines' valiant attempt to kill it...

We may get some apples on our Hyer apple tree this fall after all, at least we might if the cute little cedar waxwings would stop picking off the blossoms! I have no idea why they would do that... Are they after insects sitting in the blossoms, or what?  No photo of the cedar waxwings just yet. They always seem to know exactly when I'm going back into the house for my camera. :o

But I did manage to capture the elusive Baltimore Oriole at our feeder the other day.  He has the most beautiful cheery song!

Baltimore Oriole at the feeder by the kitchen window

Another fabulous songster is the bird in the above photo. We think he's a gray catbird. Doesn't look like much, I know, but he has a long cheerful, complicated song. Apparently cat birds (who also give a 'meow' type call) will mimic other birds' songs and incorporate them into their own long eloquent songs. Talk about 'piracy", LOL!

Ornamental cherry tree

Close up of the cherry blossoms