This window box had become the perfect deer salad bar. Just the right height for a deer to pick and choose it’s favourite colour. After many years we have learned that we can fight nature or else find a way to learn to get along with it. This means our yard has a bit of a prison yard motif with wire fences and protection over anything we really cherish.
After reaching my photo-a-day anniversary last week I started feeling that I need to take a bit of a blogging hiatus. Feeling like I’m getting a little mossy in the photo department and I think quality should be more important than quantity. So, I want to get together a fresh collection of photos and post when I feel comfortable with them. Stay tuned!
I‘ve been out doing a lot of yard cleanup the past week and our two chickens, Beulah and Penelope like to help so I let them run free. Unfortunately they tend to spend most of their time with me, usually right under my feet where ever I go. They took some time off today to preen and have a dirt bath so I took some shots.
Penelope, the Rhode Island Red. The adventuresome one and a true survivor.
A rescue chicken who came to us after escaping from her former home three times.
Checking her undercarriage.
Beulah, the Plymouth Barred Rock. The thinker of the pair.
A glimmer of chicken intelligence behind those eyes I think – just waiting to get out.
Bath time – always best in the full sun.
Bathing entails a lot of dirt throwing, rolling and shaking. It helps control mites and somehow must feel nice.
Periwinkle (Vinca minor) and Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon variegatum). Yellow Archangel is quite an attractive ground cover but must be kept under control and is now considered an invasive plant.
These birds are almost always around and seem to have their favourite trees – in particular the walnut tree and a very large cotoneaster. They will circle the trunk of the tree making small holes just through the bark and eat the sap that flows from the holes. They are also insect eaters and possibly the sap attracts bugs. Their call sounds like a squeaky toy and they can be quite vocal when competing for a dining spot. As with most woodpeckers, you can see it using it’s tail for support and balance while pecking.
Sapsucker’s have been ‘working’ this cotoneaster for years without any apparent harm to the shrub.
Sapsucker on a cedar which might indicate the presence of powder beetles.
A common and noisy visitor around here
This little jumping spider was out for a stroll yesterday. There are about 5000 species of jumping spiders worldwide of which British Columbia has 45. Always a favourite of mine with it’s big eyes (all 8 of them) and the ability to track my movements by swivelling it’s head.
Hard-To-Come-By Lifestyle 