I'm hoping that the freezing temperature didn't kill the buds on many of the plants that are farther ahead than normal.
I'm pretty sure the tulips will be fine. I was surprised to see so many buds on these. I did notice that several of the ones I planted this past Fall have flower buds that look brown and mushy. Not sure if it's the weather or disease that caused it, I've never seen that happen before.
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) 'Ludwig Spaeth' is way ahead and I'm concerned that they are so far along it won't take much to damage the buds. I sure hope it'll be okay, it's covered with flower buds this year.
Pear blossoms are getting closer to blooming.
I'm always surprised just how friendly the Black-capped Chickadees are. He's sitting in a Snowball Bush (Viburnum) that is covered in flower buds.
Juncos are continuing to be the most common bird in the yard.
This male House Finch looks innocent enough...
until I realized he was picking the flowers off and dropping them. It didn't seem like he was eating anything, just picking flowers and dropping them to the ground.**Update Wendy @ Muck About posted this comment to explain what this guy is up to. "Loved the photo of the "picky" finch. I asked our local Audubon member/bird expert what he's doing and here's her response:
"The birds, house finches and purple finches in particular, are after that little bit of sweetness in the blossom. Think it's like a spring tonic for them and they can really make the blossoms rain down some days! I always hope they stay in the top of the plum trees where we can't reach the fruit." Joan Carson
Thanks for a great photo and a great mystery!"
Our newest addition to the family is Cookie the male Holland Lop. Hopefully he can handle the name Cookie, since the Littlest Gardener was the one who picked his name. I guess it's better than Princess or Strawberry Shortcake.We had rabbits growing up and I always pictured we'd have one someday. He's just about 9 weeks old and very sweet. Sweet Pea has taken him outside to hop around in the grass on the warmer days we had on the weekend. The Littlest Gardener is looking forward to feeding him lettuce and carrots from the garden, we just planted the seeds last week.
Oh my...what a beautiful post! Congrats on Cookie..what a sweetheart! I love the chickadee..but the most amazing photo to me..is the bird with the flower in his beak..I am enchanted by this soul! Wow!! WHat a romatic little creature! Thanks always for creating your lovely posts..they spark my day!
ReplyDeletekiki~
That interesting show by the little bird will open to interesting questions.. like; is he doing preliminary sexual show to the lady birds?... is he doing it to propagate the dispersal of seeds?... or is he doing a favour to tiny friends and crawlers on the ground for something nice to bite for lunch?
ReplyDelete~bangchik
I have had this mushiness happen with daffodils and tulips.
ReplyDeleteThe lop eared rabbit is adorable. We are going to be in the 60's today with snow still on the ground!
Eileen
Cookie is so sweet! I love the bird picking flowers! I am waiting for it to warm up a bit here to get out in the garden, but I think I'll just bundle up and forge ahead!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cheeky little finch! He looks rather cute with a flower sticking out of his beak. Maybe he's trying to impress a lady finch? :P
ReplyDeleteCookie is adorable. He looks so soft, it just makes me want to pick him up and hug him!
Wonderful post, I'm sorry you had some snow, we just got some too *just* after everything had melted. Your new addition is ADORABLE, and his name suits him. I'm sure he will love the vegetables you grow for him, I hope to see more pictures of him! :)
ReplyDeletePrayerfully your plants will do just fine...do you cover anything? I probably would since they are so far along. We had a bunny that was litter box trained in the house...she just liked to chew on the would funiture.....I love bunnies...stop by later this afternoon for the header challenge and see my "Oldest Big Kid."
ReplyDeleteCookie is adorable. We had rabbits growing up, too. I loved how the babies would bury their heads believing if they couldn't see us, we couldn't see them.
ReplyDeleteYou have tons of things budding around your garden. It will be so delightful to see it all open up. I've been away from the garden lately, running around with the little guy. Glad I didn't start any seeds yet, with this cold snap we've had. Brrr!
Oh what a cutey. I am Sure the littlest gardener will enjoy it so much.
ReplyDeleteHate to hear that the weather has gotten colder. I hope it does not ruin any of your blooms.
Lona
Ludwig Spaeth is my favorite lilac. I only have one but I love it.
ReplyDeleteThat is the cutest bunny. We had them as kids too but not like yours.
Marnie
Oh boy....I have a feeling there will be some interesting Cookie posts in the future. Is he cute or what?
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice looking bird feeder. Yes, the Chickadees are very friendly. There was a time when I'd stand outside with seed in my hand and they'd land there to eat.
Raining here today and we're all very happy about. It's washing away the dirty snow.
donna
Oh how sweet Cockie looks! I'm sure he won't mine. One of our rabbits was called a girls name all his life =)
ReplyDeleteWe also have a rabbit called Astrid (after Astrid Lindgren who wrote Pippi Longstocking) but she's eight years old now. About that ladybug in our greenhouse, it's not sitting in the snow, it's sitting on one of the white boards I use as isolation for the potted plants.
What an adorable newest addition. Am loving your blog, you have the most amazing photos. I've been wondering if this winter is normal or not, guess not?
ReplyDeleteI too hope a deep freeze doesn't get you all. We had that happen in 2007 and I for one will never ever forget the devastation. Trees are still dying from it and the subsequent drought. Cookie is a sweetie. We have two bunnies here and they are invaluable for their-ahem-contributions to the gardens.
ReplyDeleteCookie is adorable and I bet Littlest Gardener will have her spoiled too.
ReplyDeleteWow your little birdies are busy there. Great bird shots.
Hope your plants are going to be alright. Like Darla said since they are so far along you might want to cover them.
What gorgeous shots of the birds! And what a little rascal that House Finch is! I wonder why he was picking your blooms?
ReplyDelete:)
Catherine, our temperatures have been so moderate for over a month and with everything popping out, I have feared that we might get a freeze. I think the lilacs should be okay and praying nothing affects our fruit trees.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the male finch was taking flowers to his sweety. ;) Speaking of sweet, the bunny is beautiful.
I have to say that your bird photos are stunning, to say the least. Living in California I don't know how you could endure below freezing temps at night. It has been in the 40's here in the evenings and we are freezing. You are a hearty bunch :)
ReplyDeleteThe buds are looking good. Love the bird photos, and Cookie is so cute.
ReplyDeleteMy cousin had a couple of rabbits when we were little, and they sure multipled - I dont know how many she had before her parents took control! I love them, so cute.
The photo of the bird picking flowers is gorgeous. I wonder what he was up to? There has to be a reason he was picking the flowers, right? Congratulations on Cookie. Such an adorable bunny!
ReplyDeleteWe had some faux spring days around here a few weeks ago. Even though I know logically spring hasn't really arrived, it's still hard to believe that the next week will most likely be cold and rainy. Must admit it's good for business - I always get more inquries about garden design when the weather's nice!
ReplyDeleteCookie is just adorable...
ReplyDeleteHow interesting that the finch was picking off the petals of your tree? Maybe he was bored?
I hope your freezing temperatures are over :^)
I love that little black capped chickadee. What a cutie!
ReplyDeleteGreat shot of that little bugger house finch destroying your buds! Ha ha.
That's the cutest bunnie! He looks like a "Cookie".
Catherine, What a delightful post and I have to say I love the flower picking bird! What a stinker! Cookie is adorable~The kind of bunny you don't mind around the garden. gail
ReplyDeleteomg, that is the cutest bunny ever. I think his/her (??) name is perfect. I've never had a bunny as a pet. We had long haired guinea pigs as kids tho and they loved their lettuce and carrots too. I'm sure your girls (and you too?) will have a lot of fun with Cookie. I wonder what your sweet doggie thinks of the bunny?
ReplyDeleteI hope your lilacs don't freeze! Yikes. You were worried this might happen. I've had several years where we never got blooms for this very reason. Crossing my fingers for you.
Great bird photos. Interesting about the finch plucking the flowers ~ I wonder what's up with that?!
Cookie is so cute!! Great picture of the Chickadee.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, I had to laugh about the rabbit's name. My younger sister once named her new kitten "Angel Dust," a name that later became a great embarrassment to her when (a) she realized that this was a nickname for an illicit drug, (b) the cat turned out to be male, and (c) the cat, which clearly had some Maine coon cat ancestry, grew to be the size of a small collie!
ReplyDeleteCatherine, I do hope all your buds survive. Your photo of the chickadee in the snowball viburnum reminds me of two things I miss dearly from my old Zone 7 garden. Your little Cookie is adorable, and I think it's a great name. Always let the kids choose pet names! That's what I say. We too raised rabbits when I was a girl.
ReplyDeleteLoved the photo of the "picky" finch. I asked our local Audubon member/bird expert what he's doing and here's her response:
ReplyDelete"The birds, house finches and purple finches in particular, are after that little bit of sweetness in the blossom. Think it's like a spring tonic for them and they can really make the blossoms rain down some days! I always hope they stay in the top of the plum trees where we can't reach the fruit." Joan Carson
Thanks for a great photo and a great mystery!
Wendy - Thanks so much for helping to solve the mystery! I'm going to add your comment below the picture so other visitors will know too. I also saw you another PNW gardener!
ReplyDeleteCuuute fuzzy little chickadee!
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny about the house finch picking off the flowers! I love the bunny pic! So cute! I've been wanting to get one as a pet but I don't think Ellie would appreciate it... she's a jealous little doggie!
ReplyDeleteCatherine~~ Your photo of the bird picking the flowers is just adorable. I bet it's gratifying knowing that not only are your feeders and birdbaths tending to nature but your flowering trees too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the tulips. I hope you get an answer to this quandary as well.
Catherine,
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see those tulip buds, and I look forward to seeing them in bloom. Interesting that the birds enjoy the nectar in the blossoms, as I had no idea that they would pick flowers like this. "Cookie" is beautiful, and I am reminded of a lop-eared bunny I had as a kid. I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend!
Well, hello Cookie! May the lettuce and carrots satisfy your cravings...
ReplyDeleteLoved the shot of the finch with the blossom in it's mouth...we saw a bunch of Cedar Waxwings eating almost every apple blossom off our trees one spring too...it was alarming. ha
ReplyDeleteWeird about your tulip blossoms rotting, for me it's usually rotten bulbs and no blooms or bulbs are fine and so are the blooms. I hope you figure it out, that sounds frustrating! Funny about the finch, I've never seen that but will know what it is now if I do. Chickadees are just the cutest and yes, so unafraid of us. Great shots!
ReplyDelete