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| It's the Slice of Life challenge all month! Two Writing Teachers |
Sure - there will be rain and cool temperatures and mud ... lots of mud.
But I'm excited to get the garden ready for growing vegetables and native plants, trim the prairie grass, and spread some fresh mulch.
We are focusing on fixing up the backyard this year: build a new shed, fix up the deck, and create a walkway to the shed.
I'm ready to get started!!!
Any big plans for spring at your home?
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| Read and write with us all month! Two Writing Teachers |
We have two feeders, but right now they are empty and in the garage. After a summer of dealing with a raccoon family living under our shed and chipmunks digging under our brick driveway, we are taking a break from feeding the birds. As much as I want to feed the birds, we need to be seed-free in our yard.
Even though we aren't feeding them, we enjoy watching and listening to all the different birds enjoy our neighbors' seed and birdbath. They gleefully ZIP and ZOOM through our yard, diving into the evergreens or landing on the fence to wait their turn.
Unfortunately, last weekend a hawk figured out that our backyards are full of sparrows, juncos and some cardinals. I noticed the quiet outside and spotted the hawk on the back fence. The hawk dived toward the neighbor's forsythia hedge and came out clutching a sparrow in its talons. I know it's the natural food chain, but I hope the hawk will find another place to dine!
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That's what I get when I follow the hashtags #butterflygardening and #raisingbutterflies.
Too bad I live in Zone 5b and we still have snow on the ground. Plants are still frozen and brown and crunchy.
When a coworker asked me about raising butterflies today, I got a little hopeful.
I explained how I have swamp milkweed plants where the monarchs will lay eggs.
I went on to talk about how I collect the eggs to raise in little containers so they have a better chance to survive. I babbled on about how my neighbor has common milkweed plants that come in handy when the eggs have grown into full, fifth-instar caterpillars that eat through a large leaf in one day.
To feel better, I came home and ordered more swamp milkweed and coneflowers that will arrive when it's warm enough to plant them.
Back to the Instagram feed to feel a little more hopeful for spring's arrival, as I wait for the butterflies.
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