2018 Gardening, Landscaping, and Plants

[22-rimfire]

He'll want to migrate into his cage-home next winter rather than wasting all that energy flying south.

 

[taldesta]

What? Right I can barely hear you - there's a buzzing in my ears.

Males migrate South first and I plan to be camping ALL fall 2019 ... longer if that's what it takes!

Busby's skill set and instincts seem perfect for a good outcome this summer.

 

[eisman]

I really hope the little guy makes it through the winter! Thanks for the update. Amazing recovery, but how are you going to have a room enough for him to fly? The guy in W&C who rescued an owl chick lets him use the whole house.

 

[taldesta]

Thanks, eisman

I was pondering a larger enclosure ... yet he is hovering and flying constantly - hence the buzzing in my ears. No straight flight path for this little guy; it's all up, down, sideways and backwards which will strengthen his wings. I place flowers on the roof of the enclosure and he hovers to take nectar from these as well as when he takes 'bug dust' sprinkled on the foliage. Often he prefers to hover when feeding from the medicine droppers. All the activity of squirrels and birds outside his window keep him interested and in the air most of the day. Strength for distance flying is a priority over the next 5-6 months though and I am thinking about that too.

Freedom of the house would be great if it weren't for the two dogs and the woodburner, door opening to winter all the time ... I'd worry with such a fragile life on the loose.

 

[eisman]

Heated hummingbird feeder arrived just in time. I was worried they wouldn't come under the cover to get to it. That's not a problem, but fighting over it seems to be. Down into the 20's at night now. Cool and clear.

Have you considered giving him some nesting material?

Not the best picture but I can't get the phone to focus on it very well.

 

[taldesta]

Glowing, red ... now that's a hummingbird beacon if I ever saw one!

No, I hadn't even considered nesting material. Appreciate the mention. Something I need to research at the library apparently

 

[22-rimfire]

I'm impressed Eisman! Ours are long gone. They must winter in your neck of the woods. Are these Ruby Throated Hummers? I have read that there is one species (Rufous) of hummingbird that sometimes winters in my next of the woods. Don't think I have ever seen one personally.

 

[22-rimfire]

This is my little pansy and kale bed in front of the house. These were planted late season. Coldest morning of the season at 23 degrees F today.

 

[taldesta]

This forum always amazes me in its contrasts ... while pansies, the cool weather thrivers that they are, bloom in TN ... they were also the last blooms here before winter freeze set in for keeps.

Also, Eisman on the W coast has hummingbirds at 20 F .... while at the same time I am enjoying a wonderful sunny day but stogging the woodburner to keep toasty indoors (where Busby is grooming happily watching the late afternoon bird visitors out his window) -10C (14F) here at the moment.

Goldfinches, chickadees, nuthatches, hairy and downy woodpeckers, some jays and evening grosbeaks ... red and black squirrels drawn out by the warmth of the sun.

So, always one who enjoys the before and after images ...

Summer NW corner of the porch ... shaded from the brutal heat and uv of the sun in the West by a canopy and vines



Today ... inviting the warmth of the sun's rays from the West - under tarp is the BBQ for winter cooking and of course a snow scoop, two snow shovels, the snow broom for the van and an ice chipper




Here's to the seasons of contrast

 

[annr]

taldesta
Brr. You are giving me the chills. I like to shovel, but I can wait a bit longer.

What do you drive? With all that snow?

 

[taldesta]

taldesta
Brr. You are giving me the chills. I like to shovel, but I can wait a bit longer.

What do you drive? With all that snow?

annr, I drive a 1998 Toyota van, front wheel drive. Winter tires. This year the snow removal contractor's price went up to $50 CDN per clearing and said he couldn't do the job for $500 CDN cash up front. I declined. He said to call him of I changed my mind. I said he could call me if he changed his mind Age lends a wonderful attitude, perhaps unwise but feisty.

Say, 20 ploughs, that's $1,000 CDN

Last year, newly relocated here, I did use a contractor ... but the 7 years prior to that I cleared a long country lane myself with a small Ariens snowblower that I can drag around when necessary. I have cleared this lane once this year so far and it didn't kill me ... so I guess I will rely on my frugal attitude to keep me on the job until I drop ... or until they drop their prices, whichever comes first ... and I think we know that outcome.

 

[annr]

annr, I drive a 1998 Toyota van, front wheel drive. Winter tires. This year the snow removal contractor's price went up to $50 CDN per clearing and said he couldn't do the job for $500 CDN cash up front. I declined. He said to call him of I changed my mind. I said he could call me if he changed his mind Age lends a wonderful attitude, perhaps unwise but feisty.

Say, 20 ploughs, that's $1,000 CDN

Last year, newly relocated here, I did use a contractor ... but the 7 years prior to that I cleared a long country lane myself with a small Ariens snowblower that I can drag around when necessary. I have cleared this lane once this year so far and it didn't kill me ... so I guess I will rely on my frugal attitude to keep me on the job until I drop ... or until they drop their prices, whichever comes first ... and I think we know that outcome.

I hear you on those prices. We had a huge blizzard and used a landscaper/snow removal guy. It was 200–300$ for one job!! (We have a VERY minor amount of area to shovel.) That was the last of him.

I lacerated my hand in September and just got the okay to shovel. Yippee! The difficult thing here is the city does a lousy job plowing the roads which compounds over time turning the roads into narrow paths that do not permit 2-way traffic. Also, cars park on the street making their job impossible. On occasion, it is impossible to back out of the driveway due to lack of plowing by the city.

We live on a hill, and almost without exception everyone goes 4 wheel drive after the first winter. (2 late model Toyotas here). Sometimes the snow is so high that you can’t see to turn around the corner or enter an intersection. I can wait.

 

[taldesta]

I hear you on those prices. We had a huge blizzard and used a landscaper/snow removal guy. It was 200–300$ for one job!! (We have a VERY minor amount of area to shovel.) That was the last of him.

I lacerated my hand in September and just got the okay to shovel. Yippee! The difficult thing here is the city does a lousy job plowing the roads which compounds over time turning the roads into narrow paths that do not permit 2-way traffic. Also, cars park on the street making their job impossible. On occasion, it is impossible to back out of the driveway due to lack of plowing by the city.

We live on a hill, and almost without exception everyone goes 4 wheel drive after the first winter. (2 late model Toyotas here). Sometimes the snow is so high that you can’t see to turn around the corner or enter an intersection. I can wait.

Sorry about the hand ... I had a camp knife do some damage a few years back (personal stupidity alone) and a plastic surgeon put the finger, blood vessels and most nerves back in order ... and I can say that nothing brings the hand back to use as fast as using it. Yes, shovelling, hard work.

On my laneway hill here, I have learned over many years (in past living here) to gauge the snow, the stickiness, the traction .., the temps and the depth ... I lived here for fourteen years before so the navigation is so much easier for me now. Gravel. I find asphalt hills a lot too slick in winter in wet snow conditions if that's what you're dealing with.

 

[22-rimfire]

I'd say find someone else and limit the amount of plowing to what is absolutely necessary. You have a pretty long lane to move snow off by hand. There is always the kid next door approach to make extra money. I would do some scouting around to see who has tractors and potentially could do a rough job for you for cheap.

My amarylliss are starting to put on leaves. Thinking that they have not had a long enough rest period for them to bloom this month or next as is normal for forced blooming. We'll see...

 

[annr]

I find asphalt hills a lot too slick in winter in wet snow conditions if that's what you're dealing with.

Yes! Asphalt it is. I’ve seen people abandon their cars on the lower leg—which would probably be drivable if the city salted, sanded, and cleaned it adequately

 

[taldesta]

I'd say find someone else and limit the amount of plowing to what is absolutely necessary. You have a pretty long lane to move snow off by hand. There is always the kid next door approach to make extra money. I would do some scouting around to see who has tractors and potentially could do a rough job for you for cheap.

My amarylliss are starting to put on leaves. Thinking that they have not had a long enough rest period for them to bloom this month or next as is normal for forced blooming. We'll see...

I've priced the competition - which is virtually non-existent - I believe they carve out their territories to keep competition at zero. The job is a two hour, behind the blower minimum and it would be great to find a country neighbour kid to run it but all seem far too young around me here - nonetheless a solid avenue to pursue and thanks. In the meantime, I look at it as earnings, not too shabby, for me as a retiree until I drop of course!

 

[22-rimfire]

There is a fairly steep hill to climb from the main road into the development I live in. When it snows much at all, you simply don't make it up that hill with 2wd. There is a church at the bottom of the hill and that's where people park that got out and couldn't make it back up the hill until conditions change. The local news people use our hill to show conditions which I find humorous. I think as a result, one of the county snow plows hit the hill after all the high priority snow work is done. Just the hill.... every now and then, they will go a little further into the development as there are steeper areas.

I normally shovel my driveway. But it isn't that long... probably about as long as an 18 wheeler.

We have to make a 3 hr drive north to attend a college graduation tomorrow and this big storm is blowing in. The forecasts are constantly changing from rain to freezing rain to snow to back to rain again. I left the decision to go up to my wife. I'll get up plenty early to leave in the morning if she says "we go". I don't want to get stranded hours away from home and I certainly don't want to drive 20 mph on a normally 3 hr trip. If that happened, we would miss it anyway.

 

[taldesta]

Safe travels if that's the decision. Those in between conditions can be the worst to navigate.

 

[eisman]

So here are the three current feeders that are getting a workout (not counting two for the hummers). The suet is two styles, one with heavy nuts (supposedly for woodpeckers) and the other a more conventional blend. The loose seed is in the lantern shaped feeder. The jays don't have room to land on the lantern, so it's mostly smaller birds using that. Jays like the conventional suet, and my Flickers and Red-heads like the other stuff. Strangely, some of the smaller birds seem to prefer the woodpecker mix too. I'm thinking some raisins may need to be added, but I'm not sure how to hold them.

If you look close you'll see two of the posts have slinky's on them to try and eliminate the squirrel and other rodents. We have mice and rats, but not too many. We have a number of cats, some feral, who like the fact I have birds and no dog. I get Ravens too, especially one pair, and they keep the crows away. The bowl is a cover from a plastic terrarium. It seems to work.

I've moved one normal type feeder for the hummers in under the eaves for my hot tub gazebo; the steam keeps that area fairly warm and hopefully it won't freeze. I worried the birds wouldn't see or use it, but no worries now, they do. The heated one is very well received, even though it's also closer to the house and under cover.

I'm really glad there's no snow here. I'm working down on the docks for the next two weeks and that's bad enough when cold and wet. Expect I'll spend Christmas with something warm and dry, and the fire rolling, but have to get there first.

 

[22-rimfire]

North Carolina is getting dumped on pretty good with storm. I love the snow but I hate to be forced to drive in it. I have gotten rather protective of myself. I don't view myself as indestructible any more like a lot of us do as young folks in our teens and 20's. I think that perception hit me at around age 40 with certainty.

The trip went well. A winter storm advisorary was issued for the early evening hours there and we left to return before that time with temps at that point still around 39-40 degrees F. So, no problems. This morning, they are getting weather but nothing like what North Carolina is seeing. So far, all rain in my neck of the woods and a pretty fair amount of it at that. When I see snow, I get the itch to head to the Smoky Mts. But they close all the park roads and don't plow them except around the visitor centers which are on the fringes of things. Yeah, technically you could hike in....

The road into Cades Cove is temporarily closed (probably ice?). It is hard to get in there if it snows at all as the park simply locks the gate. With snow, it's would be a wonderful opportunity to take interesting outdoor woods pictures including whitetail deer.