This story starts from back when Frog and I went over to the 1 acre homestead to get strawberry plants, which Chris was trying to thin out from his overgrown bed. Frog was strolling around and found a plastic owl. The kind of which people put out to scare off other birds. She carried it around and was "in love". Chris told her she could have it and when we asked if it had a name...well it started out as "salad". Then she said it was "bouncy ball". Now it is called "salad bouncy ball". What can I say? She's 3.
Well this particular owl was rather old. It had one eye missing and Chris said an eye patch would be good on him.
The owl came home with us and he was promptly made an eye patch in raging pirate fashion.
His new home is on the fence post next to the pole bean patch. Guarding our bean seeds.
Or so I thought...
It has been 2 1/2 weeks since I planted 5 rows of beans. Only 3 seedlings emerged. That is when I became rather puzzled. So yesterday I decided to rake up a portion of one row to see if my seeds may have rotted. And I raked. And I dug...No seeds to be found. In all (5!) rows..Not a single morsel was in sight and I even sifted just to make sure.
I looked up at "Salad Bouncy Ball" and sternly said "What have you been doing up there? Where are my beans? Your good eye is pointed at this patch so you must have seen something!"
So I walked back to the house and brought the last of all my bean seeds to replant. I grabbed some aluminum pie plates and tied them up around the patch in hopes he would keep his eye better trained with the flashy new decor.
As I watered all the freshly planted bean rows, I caught movement by the pond. As I turned there was a crow hopping onto a rock, undeterred by my presence 10 feet away. To add insult to injury of losing my bean seeds to this feathered thief, he swiftly nabbed one of the goldfish swimming around! He flew just outside the garden and mocked me by looking my direction and began to eat that goldfish! I threw my hose down and shook my finger at that owl and said "Now I know why Chris was so at ease to re home you! Your a terrible bird predator!"
The garden is looking rather shabby with my pie plate "mobiles" and the plastic drop cloth covering a portion of my bean row. But I refuse to lose another bean seed or plant to those pests.
In all my years of gardening I have never lost seeds to the birds. I guess it is a good thing I started so many in flats to put in the new garden portion.
Mark my word. I will never trust another one eyed owl again.
I have compost tea to make and Jars of lemon balm and spearmint sun tea to stir before I tend to the Comfrey infusing in Olive oil.
Need to get the summer first aid salve supplies stocked up.
Not to mention till a spot for the tobacco seedlings...I forgot all about them until I put my flats of beans under the lights..
As the Captain likes to say"Less grass to mow" , while he chuckles watching me play Farmer.
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie
The owl came home with us and he was promptly made an eye patch in raging pirate fashion.
His new home is on the fence post next to the pole bean patch. Guarding our bean seeds.
Or so I thought...
It has been 2 1/2 weeks since I planted 5 rows of beans. Only 3 seedlings emerged. That is when I became rather puzzled. So yesterday I decided to rake up a portion of one row to see if my seeds may have rotted. And I raked. And I dug...No seeds to be found. In all (5!) rows..Not a single morsel was in sight and I even sifted just to make sure.
I looked up at "Salad Bouncy Ball" and sternly said "What have you been doing up there? Where are my beans? Your good eye is pointed at this patch so you must have seen something!"
So I walked back to the house and brought the last of all my bean seeds to replant. I grabbed some aluminum pie plates and tied them up around the patch in hopes he would keep his eye better trained with the flashy new decor.
As I watered all the freshly planted bean rows, I caught movement by the pond. As I turned there was a crow hopping onto a rock, undeterred by my presence 10 feet away. To add insult to injury of losing my bean seeds to this feathered thief, he swiftly nabbed one of the goldfish swimming around! He flew just outside the garden and mocked me by looking my direction and began to eat that goldfish! I threw my hose down and shook my finger at that owl and said "Now I know why Chris was so at ease to re home you! Your a terrible bird predator!"
The garden is looking rather shabby with my pie plate "mobiles" and the plastic drop cloth covering a portion of my bean row. But I refuse to lose another bean seed or plant to those pests.
In all my years of gardening I have never lost seeds to the birds. I guess it is a good thing I started so many in flats to put in the new garden portion.
Mark my word. I will never trust another one eyed owl again.
I have compost tea to make and Jars of lemon balm and spearmint sun tea to stir before I tend to the Comfrey infusing in Olive oil.
Need to get the summer first aid salve supplies stocked up.
Not to mention till a spot for the tobacco seedlings...I forgot all about them until I put my flats of beans under the lights..
As the Captain likes to say"Less grass to mow" , while he chuckles watching me play Farmer.
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie
5 comments:
hahaha I laughed the whole way through...salad bouncyball.
He just needs re-trained. He was from a set of three, (himself and 2 crows), that I used for crow hunting in cornfields. Though he's been retired for almost 20 years, he still thinks his job is to bring the crows IN.
Check around your beans for mole holes, I'm having an awful time with them. They're in the onions and potatos already.
when you started talking about that crow i thought that there would be a gun story following.
hat owl is lucky his last portion of the name did not come true.
I have come to the decision you are not allowed to give the kids anymore of your hunting birds.LOL
Karl, I so wish I had the BB gun with me at the time. And again this morning when I did my morning stroll through the garden. That crow walked straight through the fence into a bean row! Arghh!
Tammie,
I just happen to peak at garden girl tv's website and read the feature on you and the interview. So nice to see a famililar face and see that you were publicly recognized for your contributions to the blogging community. Congrats to you!!!!!! I know I only pop in from time to time but I always look back to see what your up to and what I can learn from you. I have sitting beside me here on the table a wire hanger basket that I bought last year and the dollar store. Tomorrow I plan to put together an upside down tomato plant as you previously posted. How is yours coming? Anything you would have done diferently? Take care, Kim
Hi Kim, Thank you for the compliment. I was really surprised they would want to do one on me. I LOVE Patti Moreno's site and what she does. I am always telling people about her and to check her informative sites out when we talk gardening.
What would I do diferent with the tomato planter? Not plant so many parsley and basil in the top.LOL. I planted 4 each of parsley & basil. Now I need to transplant some into the garden. Also- I have noticed a need to check on it for watering everyday. It dries out quicker then regular planters. The tomato plant is still curving up but once the tomatoes start on it or the branches get bigger it will start to straighten. Otherwise I am very happy with it. In fact, I am thinking about using the other hanging basket to grow a san marzano (sun drying tomato) by my the bottom steps or by the garden gate with calendula growing out the top.
I have a new twist to my market canopy to get started on today. I walked into a lumber store and saw their display of this pretty oriental inspired ycanopy (metal framing with a column like legs) And of course my creative wheels started to turn and overwhelm me with the urge to create a similar look. Can't wait till I finish it and share. I am sure it will look so much better then the bucket idea.
Once again Kim, Thank you for the comments. It is always so nice to hear from others that take away from my "crazy and unusual" ideas.LOL.
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