Springing into Action

Well, that wasn't much of a winter.

We had maybe one serious snowfall--other than the infamous branch-breaking snow last October. (If you're interested, check out my two posts from last year: 'Snow Kidding and Snow. Fall.)

And we had very few days where the temperature dipped below freezing.

Not that I'm complaining. I'm not much of a fan of cold weather.

But all that warm and unseasonable weather has messed with Mother Nature's clock. Here in New Jersey, everything is about two weeks ahead of itself. Plants are blooming early. Spring is popping out all over, and way too soon.

Bloomin' Crazy
Though you may not have heard of New Jersey's Cherry Blossom Festival, there's one every year at Branch Brook Park in Newark; the park features 4300 cherry trees, 600 more than Washington D.C. This year, organizers were worried that the trees would be finished blooming before the festival even began. (Though they made sure everyone knew there were enough late bloomers that there would still be some blossoms to see.) They're talking about moving next year's festival up by a week or two.

Not that I'm complaining. I love seeing the first touches of green, telling me warm weather, flowers, hummingbirds and butterflies are on their way. But there's a cost--or at least a risk.

You'd think that warm weather is great for our friends the honeybees. But apparently if it doesn't get cold and stay cold, the bees stay active. And when they stay active, they eat. And they didn't really plan on eating all through the winter. So apparently, many honeybee hives have been lost as the poor litttle pollinators starved to death when they ran out of food. 

And on top of that, last week, we had a hard frost, a killing frost, that could have decimated the orchards of the Garden State. And all those early buds and leaves could have left us gardeners with blossom-less bushes, or worse, dead plants.

So in addition to figuring out how to protect my tender spring shoots from rampaging dog paws, I had to figure out how to protect my early rising plants and leaves.

Not that I'm complaining. Sometimes the fun of being a gardener is taking on the challenges thrown at you, and even sometimes succeeding.

Spring Preview
Below are some pictures from my early spring garden; here's hoping everything survived the hard frost of last week--and the few cold nights they're predicting for this week.

Hellebores: a recent discovery, these have quickly become favorites of mine. They are the very first to bloom, they don't care about the cold, they love shade, and the best part: they are absolutely deer proof!

Crocus are another favorite, as they bloom early, creating small spots of color on the ground. On a warm day, the first honeybee of the season came by for a nibble. I'm happy to see him, and hope he eats his fill.

Running through my crocus, Jasper demonstrates why I've had to be creative in protecting my plant from marauding paws.

In addition to the stick fence I have around my perennial garden, I also put up these (admittedly ugly) wire barriers throughout my garden beds. They create a series of obstacles that make it less fun for dogs to barrel through. It seems to be working.

Forsythia: supposedly deer resistant, but not in my neighborhood. Here it is deer candy. I use a special minty anti-deer spray that seems to hold them off--as long as I spray often during the spring.

Lilah traipses by grape hyacinths and daffodils. The rock border is another arrow in my quiver of tricks to protect my plants from pups. The dogs jump over the small barrier, and go right over the plants. Susan: 1, Dogs: 0. Usually. Except when there is a particularly intense chase. Or a squirrel. Then, all bets are off.

The magnolia, in full bloom, adds a touch of early color to my home.



I love the simple perfection of a single magnolia blossom.

I have several varieties of hosta in the shadier parts of my garden. Hostas only were able to join my garden when we put up a deer fence.

The leaves of bleeding hearts capture droplets. Sometimes I'm amazed at how the structures of leaves on so many plants come up with different solutions to gather and flow water.

Preparing for the freeze, my garden looked like a dumping ground. Under those garbage bags, tiny sproutlings were huddled, hoping to use the earth's warmth to avoid the killing frost.

While I think most of my plants survived, many were damaged. Here, black leaves signal cell death on one of my hydrangeas.

This is the second time I've tried Jacob's Ladder. Yet the first time it came back. So I'm hoping it survives.

I'm a big fan of vines like the clematis shown here, and honeysuckle. I've been training several varieties to climb the deer fence. That said, I try not to plant too many things right next to it; if I leave a trail for the dogs to run along, they're less apt to charge through the center of my garden bed. Usually, the only reason they're in the garden is because there's a Deer or a Squirrel on the Other Side of the Fence and it Must Be Attended To. The path allows for that.

A variety of honeysuckle, about to bloom. This one features gorgeous pinky orange blossoms.

Virginia Bluebells, a New Jersey native. I've lost these nearly every year--to overly aggressive landscapers. This year, Brian (and my daughter's boyfriend Luke) did the spring cleanup and the result is the bluebell display I've always wanted.

Bleeding Hearts in my front yard are already setting up blooms. These have to be sprayed to prevent deer nibbling as well.

There are several varieties of ferns in my front yard. They have a unique way of curling up out of the ground.

The redbud is unusual in that the flowers bloom directly off the trunks and stems; in full blossom, the tree is limned in color.

And of course, my own weeping cherry tree puts on an early spring show.

For the Birds

I like watching birds--though I'm not a bird watcher.

To explain: I'm not the kind of person who goes on birding treks to find exotic species. Instead, what I really enjoy is sitting in my family room--or outside when it's warm--and just simply watching birds.  To paraphrase Opus the penguin, I'm talking about "plain Jane, home grown, bare bone, two-part, Kmart, no frills flappers." Generic birds that don't mind hanging out in my back yard.

Some folks like to keep an aquarium and to watch the multicolored fishies swim 'round and 'round; I enjoy looking at pretty birdies as they fly, hop, flit, jump, eat, drink, bathe and fluff their feathers. I love watching them build their nests. I love watching them court, whether by singing a special song, offering gifts of food, or pecking on our gutters first thing in the morning. (Though Corinne hated that when she lived here, as the gutter of choice was by her bedroom, and mere inches from her head as she slept--make that attempted to sleep--in her loft bed. )

I love watching birds choose a nest site, move into our bird houses and set up housekeeping. I love watching them bring their young ones around in the spring. I love watching the "teenagers" still beg for food from their harassed parents.

At any one time, I may have as many as a dozen different types of bird feeders stationed around my patio. I could sit and watch my winged visitors for a very long time. Though Dawn and Athena could probably watch even longer. The window is like Kitty TV for them, always tuned to their favorite channel.

Athena and Dawn watchin' birdies.

From the inside, looking out.

Lilah and Tucker are also bird watchers. Though I think Tucker is more interested in the squirrels.

I am also a fan of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and have in the past participated in their Project Feederwatch, as a citizen scientist, counting the birds that have visited my yard through the fall and winter. Every year in February, the lab also supports the Great Backyard Bird Count, where, along with other organizations, they encourage anyone who can to simply count the different bird species that visit their backyards. As little as 15 minutes of bird watching is all you need to contribute. (Though I'm sure more is appreciated.)

The information participants gather is pulled together and analyzed to help scientists understand all kinds of things about our feathered friends. And I'm happy to help.

So, in honor of the GBBC that will be held this upcoming weekend, February 17 to 20, here are a few pictures of some of the birds I've seen at my feeders this winter.

Male and female house finches belly up to the bar to feed on shelled sunflower seeds.

A male Downy Woodpecker (you can tell he's a guy by the red spot on his head) hangs out on branch.

Nuthatches tend to skitter down a tree trunk head first. This white-breasted nuthatch is feasting on suet, which also attracts woodpeckers.

A yellow-shafted northern flicker--a type of woodpecker--sits on the ground below the suet feeder, pondering his next move.

Woodpeckers also eat seeds, like this red-bellied woodpecker who, along with a gold finch, is enjoying a sunflower seed snack.

Northern cardinals--a familiar sight in many northeast US birdfeeders--really like this type of feeder, as they prefer to feed head-on, facing the food. A house finch has his back to the camera.

A duller-colored female cardinal eyes the sunflower seeds spread out before her--sure to chose just the right one.

Unfortunately, it's not just featured creatures who like sunflowers--and I often have to devise ways to discourage the squirrely thieves who eat way too much.

While some of our feeders are squirrel proof, this one is not. Birds that like to eat from the ground--or on flat surfaces--love this hanging seed tray, so I make sure there is enough food for feathered and furry diners.

Many beaks--in this case all house finches--can sup at this feeder at the same time.

One of my favorite feeders, this one is made from old traffic light lenses. Female house finches dine beneath a green roof--that used to mean "Go."

Gold finches, wearing their dull winter dress, love this squirrel-proof feeder. And it truly is squirrel proof; anything heavier than a cardinal will cause those little perches to tip down. And squirrels are definitely heavier than cardinals, as they all learn when dumped unceremoniously on the ground. Some squirrels need a few lessons to really get it.

Blue jays are one of the few birds large enough--and sassy enough--to chase away the squirrels. Most of the other birds, too, will give way when they hear the noisy squawks as they come in for a landing. Jays will also harass any birds of prey that come by; mobbing the predators until they leave.

It's difficult to get a picture of a tufted titmouse on a feeder. These birds always grab a seed and quickly fly to a branch where they eat it.

Black-capped chickadees are tiny birds with a distinctive call that gives them their name.

A trio of mourning doves huddles on my garden wall, facing into the wind. When it snows, I often spread seeds there for the ground feeders.

Lots of sparrows come to visit, particularly after a snowfall. They can be a little tricky to tell apart. This one is a song sparrow; the black spot and streaky breast are clues.

A white-throated sparrow grabs a seed that has fallen from one of the feeders.

A ground feeder like the sparrows, the dark-eyed junco is also a common eastern visitor.

Though this little Carolina wren looks a little irritated, he's probably quite happy to eat the seeds scattered on my patio.

Even though it's still officially winter, you can tell spring is around the corner when the Canada geese start to fly north.

Another sure sign is the sighting of an American robin, this one taking a drink from a puddle on my table cover.

As the weather starts to turn warmer and the days get longer, fewer winter birds appear at my feeders; the spring and summer species begin to show up. The first songs of spring come bursting forth in the morning. Male goldfinches trade in their dull feathers for their dress-up bright yellow. Woodpeckers knock against our gutters, making as much noise as possible in the hopes of attracting a mate and scaring off competitors with the size of their sound. Hopefully, a few birds will like one of the birdhouses we've placed around our yard--and maybe they'll move in.

And I'll be enjoying the show.

Something About Snow

There's something about snow that brings out the bounce in every dog I've ever known.  And my three are no exception.

When the white stuff is on the ground, Jasper forgets he doesn't like wet feet and bounds through the snow like a long-legged deer.

Lilah loves sticking her face in a snowpile; when she lifts her head up, she looks like she's been powdered with confectioner's sugar.

And Tucker the terrier, well, he just gets terrier-er.

There's chasing and pouncing to be done, snow holes to dig, sticks and dirt clumps to discover and play That's Mine and You Can't Have It.

In short, my canine companions frolic.

And while, as an adult human, I get to join in some of the fun, sometimes the best gift is watching my dogs play with joyous abandon.  There's nothing else quite like it.

The first snow of 2012 came this past weekend, and while it only deposited a few inches, it was more than enough for a few happy dogs to enjoy.

Below are some highlights.

Anticipation; the dogs can see the snow and can't wait to get out there.

Let the winter games begin.

Lilah after a snout/snow encounter.  A side benefit to snow--for me, anyway--is that Lilah loses her Stealth Dog abilities. It's only on snow-covered ground that she's actually visible at night.

Tucker pondering; should he chase Lilah or Jasper?

In Pounce Position, Tucker has his eye on Jasper.

Jasper makes a run for it.

The chase goes all around the yard.

Tucker goes for the grab but can't take Jasper down.

Not one to favor brother over sister, it's time for Tucker to chase Lilah. Even though he practically flies over the snow, he'll never catch Lilah--unless she wants him to.

In between chase scenes: a touching moment between Lilah and Tucker.

Ah, payback time. Lilah and Jasper team up to get Tucker--and he loves every minute.

Meanwhile, inside the house, Athena supervises Brian as he shovels the deck.

Back inside, a happy, cold and snow-sprinkled trio waits to get dried off and warmed up. A treat or two makes it worth their while. 

A few days later and all that's left is a tiny patch of snow from the pile Brian created when shoveling off the deck. But it's just enough for Lilah...

If you want to see more fun in the snow, check out my Welcome to the Winter Games post from last year.