BACKYARD ACTIVITIES

The weekend weather was perfect! Perfect for puttering in the yard. I staked some yard art that likes to topple when the wind plays havoc. I relocated a hook used for a birdseed feeder to a different location and, on a whim, put the hummingbird feeder on the hook. Within a few hours, I witnessed hummingbirds enjoying the nectar. They are back!! This news made me smile.

Yes, the owl is still in residence. I haven't heard her/him calling except for the initial announcement that the owl box was being used. I have seen the owl sitting in the opening and then withdraw into the box. I've not seen it come or go. It is either sitting in the opening or it isn't. But it's now been about a week since the discovery of its presence, so I have to assume this will be its permanent home for at least a while.

Will try to remember to have my camera at the ready as I continue to putter with the flowers and gardens.

Until then....

NO VACANCY!!!

Last year I was excited when I heard owls near my yard every night. I was more than thrilled when I saw them visit my birdbaths at dusk during the hot evenings of summer.

I practically stay glued to the Owl Cams at multiple locations around the country. The feeling I get while watching Nature undisturbed has a powerful affect on me. So much so, that I began investigating how to attract owls to nest in one's yard. I found many designs available online, each one seeming fairly easy to construct. As I asked family members if they had this tool or that tool available to loan me as I pursued building an owl box, my cousin Mike said he had plenty of wood and the tools, too. I shared the various designs with him and he built a box.

About 2 weeks ago he was ready to mount the box in one of my trees. I'd not heard an owl in the area since late fall, but I was willing to wait.

Knowing that owls lay eggs in March, I also reasoned that it might be too late this year, but perhaps in subsequent years the box would get used by something!!

Tonight I was sitting on the patio after I puttered with the tomato plants. Then, I heard an owl. I thought I heard one the other night, but it was very distant. But this was different. It was very close. So close in fact, that I realized it had to be in one of my trees. Out of curiosity... and ever so slowly... I crept to a location where there was an unobstructed view of the owl box. There, sitting in the opening, was an OWL!!!!! A Screech Owl. I literally got goosebumps at the discovery.

Hurriedly, but inconspicuously, I grabbed the camera and snapped some photos. Here is the new tenant; first with the regular lens and then with the telephoto lens.

 To say I am thrilled is an understatement!!! Thanks, Mike, for making this possible.

Until I settle back to earth....

8 YEARS.... OOPS, MAKE THAT NINE YEARS!!!

Today this blog is EIGHT NINE YEARS OLD!! Looking back, I've shared hundreds of photos, could have shared thousands more, was diligent with my posting, failed to post for long periods of time, and have thoroughly enjoyed having a place to call my own for musings.

So today, to celebrate the eight nine years I've been blogging, I will post yet again.

Life has been a merry-go-round. Or a rollercoaster. Maybe it's been a Tilt-A-Whirl... you know... that amusement park ride that goes round-n-round and then starts going up and down as well. I always liked those better than either the merry-go-round (made me dizzy) or the rollercoaster (didn't mind going UP, but coming DOWN always made my stomach turn).

The weather has been decidedly spring-like lately. DUH!!! It's March 20th, the first day of spring! During my lunch hour at work my favorite thing to do is drive to a nearby park to read or watch the ducks. (I used to walk to the park, but hip problems prevent me from doing much walking of any considerable distance these days).

The other day I discovered a new route to one of my favorite lunchtime hangouts. Thought I'd share.

This is where I would live if  1. I could afford the house, and 2. I could maneuver the 2-stories with my bum hip (and ankle and knee).

Here:

Or one of these...

 

 

Because THIS would be my front yard.... literally......

 

 



 

A rose garden!! I have to admit, Farmers Branch (Texas) has some beautiful parks. My favorites are like this one, tucked away in quiet residential areas.

 

Owl box? On closer inspection there is evidence the box has been used, but whether or not by an owl remains to be discovered.

 

It truly is a "City in a Park".

And if I lived in one of these houses, even Arthur (my yorkie) could venture to the park with me without fear of thirst. How convenient is that???

 

Until another day....



CATCHING UP....again

In looking at the last photos I posted here, I realize I've gotten very behind with sharing my photographs. The most recent photo journey I shared was from May 2013!! It was before I attended my first-ever quilt retreat and drove to the venue so I'd be familiar with the area beforehand.

Since then I've not done much adventuring.. unless you count 2 weeks of vacation in Santa Fe, but I've done lots of yard work and taken many photos of my flowers.

Here is a sampling:

The Dallas Water Department featured a Water-wise Tour of local homes/homeowners practicing gardening with the intention of minimizing use of water. There were some lovely gardens.

Isn't the orange of the poppies striking against the purple and white?

Slowly, my own yard is taking shape:

I never cease to marvel at beautiful sunsets... or sunrises!

Some chores are beckoning to me. So.....

Until I can post some more pics.....

TIME TRAVEL?

Yes, TIME travels...not me!! So many months have passed since I last posted here. Yes, I've taken tons of photos... but failed to share them. Something needs to change!

I will AGAIN make the resolve to TRY to be more consistent in my sharing of my photo adventures. In the meantime I am getting ready for Christmas, doing an online quilt mystery, preparing to take a class from one of my favorite quilt designers, and frantically trying to get my house in better shape before the holidays. So, yes, time continues to travel.... right past me!!

Until I have time to breathe.....

CATCHING UP...

Last weekend I had a new experience. I attended my first ever quilting retreat at a facility in Celeste, Texas. I did not take my camera bag with me because I already had a sewing machine, supplies, and projects in tow. Adding the additional bulk of the camera gear didn't seem too logical. Usually when I make this decision prior to an outing I regret not having the camera with me once I am at the event. However, this proved to be the exception and the cellphone camera saw me through any photo ops with no problem.

However, a few weeks before the retreat, I drove to the venue so I could familiarize myself with a route and the general surroundings. On that occasion I did have the camera and this likely contributed to the reason I didn't feel like I'd made a mistake by leaving the camera behind.

The first stop was in the town of Blue Ridge, Texas. I had never been to Blue Ridge, and was surprised I was unfamiliar with the name of the town nor had I noticed the town on the map during previous ventures to that part of the state. There were several restored, old-model vehicles parked along the side of the road. I couldn't resist the urge to snap a photo or two.

This photo was taken from downtown Celeste, Texas. Nothing says "country" quite as much as a vintage tractor occupying a downtown parking space near the quilt store. This was the location of the quilting retreat. The owner of the quilt store has a dormitory/classroom facility across the alley from the shop. How convenient to have a shop within walking distance when one discovers they left a necessary tool at home. I love this photo!!

After leaving Celeste, I took an alternate route to get back to the highway. I don't remember the name of this small town, but the church and its grounds were charming. It could have been Trenton or Leonard.

The rest of the time I've been puttering in my yard: admiring the flowers, stooping to pull yet another handful of weeds, smiling at the bees and butterflies, breathing the fragrance of the roses, etc.

I am hoping to take a Water-wise Garden Tour next weekend. The city water department has put together a map of homes in the city which garden in a manner to conserve water. You can be sure the camera will NOT be sitting at home for that!

Until the next time....

GARDEN RE-DO...

 

Today I had some chores planned, most of which involved working in the yard. Having recently had surgery, this was a HUGE undertaking and I would never have been able to do it had it not been for the muscle and help of my son, Ross. We worked for 4 solid hours and then I was absolutely wiped-out. I still haven't recovered. Although I am extremely happy to have accomplished something on the to-do list, I am hoping that I didn't overdo by pushing myself too far.

 

Since last year I've been working toward making my yard water-wise; landscaping with native plants which are drought resistant and require very little additional watering throughout the brutal summers for which Dallas and Texas are know.

 

Last year I planted a red yucca which I dug up at my sister's house. It has done very well in this rock garden area by the curb. As you can see, this year it is blossoming. Today I planted a Flame Red salvia greggii (another draw for butterflies and hummingbirds) and some Mexican feather grass to fill in the area a bit more. Will be adding more similar plants as time (or budget) allows. I will also be doing native plant beds/gardens across the front yard so there is nothing but gardens and paths. It is a slow process.

 

Last year I had some trees trimmed in my front yard. One of the red oak trees was planted by a squirrel and was interfering with the growth of another red oak (yes, a native tree) so I asked that it be cut down. Rather than cut to the ground and then require a stump grinder, I asked that the trunk remain about 5-6 feet high. I planted a trumpet vine (hummingbird magnet; native plant) next to the tall stump and will train the vines to cling to the tree.

Now for the real garden re-do. I have 2 new raised beds (again, thanks to help from Ross) that were made with the intention of growing nothing but vegetables. Thinking I knew what I was doing, I bought a load of dirt from a respected soil/mulch retailer in the vicinity. In retrospect, I made a huge mistake. I bought soil that wasn't very conducive to vegetable gardens (despite what I'd read on the website of the soil place) or else when I drove back through the soil lot I ended up with the wrong dirt, because this soil was too sandy and dense. It supposedly had 50% composted material to 50% soil mix, but I think the sand was about 80%.

Beginning in January, I started planting veggies at the appropriate time. January was for onions; March was time for tomatoes. Lettuce was planted in February.

Here we are at mid-April and the tomatoes have done absolutely NO growing at all. I revisited the equally reputable nursery where I purchased the tomatoes to again go over the proper conditions for the plants that I'd been instructed in a tomato-growing class I'd attended. I had protected the vegetation in the colder nights, had fertilized when the initial planting was done, kept the moisture applied consistently, and more.

Yesterday I stuck my finger into the soil to see if the ground was still moist. Oh, it was moist all right, but the sand content caused the soil to be so tightly packed that I could barely get my finger into the ground. Then I knew what was the problem and what I need to do.

The soil was too compacted and wasn't allowing air to the roots, nor was the soil loose enough for roots to spread out. I went to the DIY home improvement store and bought bags of composted material and cow manure. I carefully dug up the plants that were floundering, removed about half of the "bad" soil in each bed, mixed bags of composted soil and manure with the remaining dirt and then replanted the tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, green beans, red bell peppers, and strawberries. I left the lettuce, onions, and chives alone, figuring they would not withstand a major transplant. I am willing to write them off as a learning experience. Here are the newly re-planted gardens.

I added a couple varieties of lavender in the garden below. I still need to plant some squash, but I'm waiting to see if this new soil was the right prescription!

The soil that was removed from the raised beds (the "bad" soil) was put to use in another way. I have been using the old swing-set frame as a holder for bird feeders and hanging plants. If you are wondering about all the cardboard you see, I use that as weed barrier when I plant a new bed. It will eventually biodegrade, but in the meantime, the grass and weeds underneath will not be able to push through the cardboard. (It is also environmentally friendly in that I don't have to use harsh vegetation eradicating sprays that also cost a fortune... like RoundUp). The soil on top of the barrier is about 4-5 inches thick. I sprinkled native prairie grass and flower seeds indigenous to the ecological region in which Dallas is located - The Blackland Prairie. Lots of Little Bluestem, Buffalograss, Coneflowers, Eryngo, Lemon Mint, Evening Primrose, Indian Blanket, Gayfeather, and many more.

To make working in the raised beds a bit easier (and so the weeds and grasses between the 2 beds will not require mowing or removal), I re-purposed .... don't you wonder who came up with that synonym for "reuse"... several stepping stones I had at various locations around the yard. I am spreading decomposed granite between them so the surface is level and won't be muddy. Again, I employed the cardboard weed barrier trick.

And lastly, I saw these Spring Cactus plants at a nursery the other day and couldn't resist their bright colors. I bought one of each and put them in a pot... red, pink, orange. I hope they do well. They remind me of Christmas Cactus, which I enjoy seeing every winter.

That was enough work for one day!!

Until I recuperate from the activity.....

ALL ABOARD.....

Today I chased trains... or I should say chased a train. There is a railroad museum at the Fair Park grounds in Dallas, Texas. Having outgrown its space, a new Museum of the American Railroad has been built in Frisco, Texas and now the contents of the old museum must be relocated to the site of the new museum. You'd think it would be relatively simple to relocate train engines, freight cars, and passenger cars to a new location.... being a matter of hooking the couplings and off they go on the connecting track. WRONG!!

First, many of the cars and engines are not in working condition, having been neglected or out of service for many years. Based on the website[s] I've been following, some of the cars are made track-worthy by repairing the wheels, oiling bearings, replacing minor parts. Other units aren't as easy and must be loaded on flat cars to get them to the new location.

Regardless, the process has been ongoing since late last summer. Then the State Fair of Texas intervened and the relocation activities were halted until after the conclusion of the Fair.

Activities have resumed in recent months and weeks. Of course, the main items that I hope to capture with photos have yet to move.... 2 massive train engines that will not be able to travel the rails under their own power. (They will be transported via flat cars). I am told the 2 extremely large engines will be the very last pieces to move.

Today was a gorgeous day and there were more cars being moved. As I mentioned above, it is not as simple as it would seem. Today proved no exception.

I knew the train was on the move and headed to my "secret" spot I'd scoped out for when the actual move of the 2 engines took place. As I waited, word started coming via Facebook that there were delays. Bearings were overheating on some of the cars and oil was being added. Then there was a crew change. Knowing another location where I could see the train with ease, I headed to the new location in the hopes I'd get lucky. I hit the jackpot! The train was on a siding and would undergo the changes and maintenance as reported, so the time it would be side-tracked would be longer than expected.

Upon reaching the location of the siding, I watched the new crew emerge from a van that provided the transportation. Another truck carried the men with the oil cans and other gauges for making sure the bearings were still working.

Two BNSF trains side by side. The green one on the left is the one which carried the vintage cars. The orange train on the right was actually a coal train and would eventually move south (the direction going away from camera rather than coming toward me). Within about 10 minutes the coal train moved away.

Wait a minute! Here comes another train from the north, also heading south on the track just vacated by the coal train.

Finally there was a clear view of the entire vintage consist.

This Pennsylvania RR engine #4903 has an interesting history. It was an electric engine and was built in 1940. In June 1968 it was used to pull the funeral train of Senator Robert F. Kennedy from New York to Washington, DC. (Google is a wonderful invention!)

The remaining cars were not marked well enough for me to locate additional history. Here is an old engine.

Another old engine in desperate need of paint.

A caboose from another era. In a way it is sad... they are rarely seen today.

A wooden boxcar...

An old passenger car...

These 3 cars remind me of Army green.... transporting soldiers during WWII.

This passenger car (dining car?) was in a major state of disrepair. Hopefully someday it will be returned to its former glory. The curtains in the windows seem to tell tales of long-ago grandeur.

And that is how I spent my afternoon chasing a train. At least it wasn't a wild goose chase!!

Until another adventure....