Gardening . Nature . The General
Room for Wrent
On August 6, 2016 by Speranza
I bought a bright red petunia in a hanging basket earlier this summer and noticed recently that a tiny nest had appeared in between the blooms – it looked just like an upturned half coconut.
Shortly before making this exciting (to me) discovery, I had already heard a feisty, stripey little bird singing his heart out every morning (and throughout the day) in three distinct places; the highest peak of the garage, the fence, and just beside this plant. I consider myself a bird enthusiast only so I had to look at him very closely and do a bit of googling to identify him as a Marsh or more likely, House Wren.
Introspection . Nature . Poetry . The General
Some Keep the Sabbath going to Church — (236)
On May 15, 2016 by Speranza
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church –
I keep it, staying at Home –
With a Bobolink for a Chorister –
And an Orchard, for a Dome –
Gardening . Nature . The General
Skunk-A-Rama!
On April 18, 2016 by Speranza
Today I got up especially early, almost dawn, poured myself a cup of steaming coffee and went outside to do some serious gardening; just picking up sticks and clearing away leaves and winter debris, (what my British father used to call “pottering”) but it’s very meditative, mind clearing, solitary work.
And I look forward to doing it.
I’ve never had good luck with Columbine planting although I try each year (I especially love the deep black ones and in this regard, my good friend Jinny is my dealer, since each spring she cheerfully provides me with a few more, judgement-free, from her own pristine garden).
I’m also not the most skilled at remembering exactly where I planted them either but last year I made a special effort to make a Columbine ‘grove’ near my back deck which would be hard to miss.
Nature . Travel
Pelican (Brief!)
On April 2, 2016 by Speranza
Okay this is the last in my series of posts about Puerto Vallarta and celebrates one of my favourite birds – the Pelican.
(I am not a nerd even though this is already starting to sound like an earnest Grade 3 essay.)
With their endearing pouchiness and slightly dour demeanor, to me, they are the flying curmudgeons of the sky, most often seen soaring in military trios, looking for all the world as though they should be wearing tiny Civil War hats. Their eyes also remind us that yes, birds really did evolve from raptors and there is an intelligence behind that steely gaze that commands respect and keeping one’s distance.
I did not pay close enough heed to either of these thoughts when I took the above photo of a previously blissed-out pelican, (reading glasses possibly pushed up onto his forehead as he dozed) and I thought I’d get a really good close-up shot of him in repose.