mellow yellows

 It's hard to believe that it's already June!  The absolute best month in the garden.

The yellows are EXPLODING.

I've got yellow loosestrife planted in the front garden, too, and it's just so cheerful!

I'm absolutely thrilled with how this back garden has filled in...and my bee balm and over 75 coneflowers haven't even started blooming yet!

There are at least two song sparrows nesting either in the garden or on the porch, and they sing cheerfully just a few yards away from where I'm working, every single day!

Speaking of nests, earlier this week I found the bluebird house on the ground and all of the eggs but one, gone.  It could've been Claudia.  It's true that feral cats are a menace to songbirds...but it also could've been the Eastern milk snake, who was living in the compost pile nearby.  Sadly, I picked up the nesting box and put it back on another post, planning to secure it with a board later.  That same day, I noticed bluebirds going in and out of it again, and every day after.  Had the female laid another clutch of eggs so soon?!  Yesterday, I found the box on the ground again.  I peeked inside...one baby bird, still alive!  I put the box back on the post.  I was gratified to see the bluebirds continuing to come and go, taking care of the baby.  If that flimsy box will just stay together for another week or so...

Meanwhile, progress on the plowed garden.  Todd shoveled paths between the rows...

...then drip tape went down, three strips per row.

Now we just need to connect the system and lay out the landscape fabric.  It's not a moment too soon.  Despite the fact that we've had ZERO RAIN for nearly a month, weeds are starting to pop up in the newly-plowed soil.  At least I got my vines in the ground and my pumpkins planted...only 22 seeds this time, half as many as last year.

My corn is doing well...

...but the same day I planted 16 specialty tomato plants, they were absolutely destroyed by groundhogs, deer, rabbits, or all three.  Todd is building a cattle panel/chicken wire triangle for protection...thankfully, I've got about 12 plants left, plenty for us.  The peppers and herbs are ready for planting, and every day I plant another tray of seeds.

They need to get a bit larger/stronger before they're ready to be popped in the garden, but some are definitely ready now!  And I have hundreds of sunflower seeds to plant.  The heat is supposed to break for a few days this week and I'm hoping to get a lot done.

Still finding time to pick bouquets...

...and keep an eye out for other garden inhabitants.

Even though they act like it sometimes, our indoor cats are not being neglected!  Barnabas has no trouble letting the guilt flow over his empty food bowl...

...and everyone is enjoying frequent cozy naps on their heated pads.

It will be nice when the garden is done and Todd and I can have some down time, too!

Have a great week!  

In the "Click"

Recently I bought a little bird bath and staked it outside our bedroom patio.

I found it at a charity antique store and I just love it.  On either side of the basin are little metal birds.

I want to put a bird feeder in that area too, but it's hard to keep the chipmunks out.  I told Todd that I was going to grease the shepherd hook pole so they'd slide right off.  I'm still working on that theory!

I've been admiring the ferns, which are full and beautifully bronzed, all around the house.

I planted a few hostas...

...but honestly, it is really difficult to plant here.  I learned in my Master Gardener class that South Carolina once had about 25 inches of prime topsoil, but people planted so much cotton that they ruined the soil, and it blew away.  What's left now is the 'hardpan' that was once deep beneath the topsoil, and it's hard clay.

Digging a single hole and putting a plant in is like sliding them into a tough clay pot - their roots are unable to penetrate it.  You have to dig really wide and really deep so that the roots can spread and become strong enough to go deeper.

Surprisingly, we have some really vigorous worms here that seem to be able to pierce the clay with no problems.

Every morning, I've noticed lots of black beetles on our front porch.  I wonder if they're drawn to the porch light at night.

Oh, and the mosquitoes are out!  This one posed nicely for me.

His feather antennae told me that he was male.

After a recent rain, I found little slugs all over the garden.  This one was climbing on one of my vines.

Slugs' eyes are at the tip of their antennae...just like in cartoons!  ;)

The ladybug larvae are gone, and now I'm starting to see the mature ladybugs.

This one is having a leisurely time, cleaning its wings after a nice rain.

I've seen quite a few spiders, which you'd expect, since we live by the woods.  I think this one might be an immature lynx spider.  They don't build webs, but lay in wait for insects on plants.

They're quite hard to see and I was lucky to find this one.  He was almost translucent in the sun.

Another favorite is the Venusta Orchard spider.  They are quite lovely, with their black-tipped green legs and jeweled abdomens.  They build small webs between shrubs.  Venusta is latin for "charming" and "beautiful", and I would definitely put them in this category.

The most amazing insect I've seen so far here is the Eastern Eye Click beetle.  At 2 inches long and with amazing coloring, he's quite a charmer.

Eastern Eye Click beetles have 2 false eyes on their pronotum to warn off birds and other predators.

Eastern Eye (and other) Click beetles are so named because they are able to bend their bodies and make a dramatic clicking noise.  They are also able to "bounce" about six inches off the ground while doing so, which is another tactic to frighten off predators.

Seen horizontally, the false eyes are still prominent.  The real eyes are quite small and located a few centimeters above the false ones.

I've been thinking about starting an insect collection and this was the most tempting potential acquisition yet, but I just can't bring myself to kill insects for the collection, which is a pretty crucial part of the process. 

I hope to see more of these and other insects as summer progresses!

Speaking of summer, Todd and I have started eating supper exclusively in our little sun room.

Regretfully, these photos were taken on a cloudy day...but at least you can see the basics of it.  We have shades that pull down over the screens to keep the room cool.  One bamboo couch...

...one small table to eat on, and another for work (both built by Todd)...

In the corner, another door opens into our kitchen and living room.  I keep a big fern here, and I like to keep the doors open for nice ventilation.

It overlooks the little pond behind the house, and we just love it.  It's pretty sparsely decorated, but that's what we like.  We don't plan on adding any additional furniture.  The animals love it too, and they are often found sniffing the breeze through the open screens...or catching a few rays behind the computer in my office.

I hope you're enjoying the warm weather.  Have a great week!

More Spring in Your Step

I love spring.

I love the colors of spring flowers: deep purple, vibrant red, bright orange, and electric yellow.

I love spring bouquets. I bring home armfuls of clearance flowers from the grocery store and set up vases all over the house.

I've pulled out my vintage mason jars and put them to work! Ahhhh...happiness.

I've finally gotten out in the yard, under the watchful eyes of Tabitha and Bosewichte.

Joy! The lilacs are budding out.

My achillea (yarrow) is popping up all over the yard, the little fern-like leaves filling in over the faded grass and patches of dirt. Soon I'll have maroon, white, and yellow yarrow all over!

The daffodils have made great progress.

Feverfew is spreading...

...and the tulips, with their pink-edged leaves, are unfurling in patches all over the yard.

Here come the irises! My great-grandmother had over 100 varieties of iris in her garden. I only have three...but just wait until we move and get settled somewhere!

I look forward to the brilliant green of my false dragonhead plant. It is otherwise known as the Obedient Plant, despite being very disobedient in the garden by spreading mercilessly. Thankfully I have a messy, easy-going garden that doesn't mind a little disobedience!

This wild ajuga is a welcome sight. It's considered an invasive plant, but it's a nice ground cover with deep green, almost purple leaves. It keeps down the grass a bit, so we don't have to mow as much.

Lo and behold, the first insect of spring!

To continue my theme of bringing spring indoors, I've ordered some vintage insect prints. This page was taken from a 1903 book and shows a variety of butterflies that are common in this area.

I love the detail! I've bought a large wooden frame for it and just need to cut the matte.

I sewed a series of bunting flags for a back wall of the sunroom. I can't believe what a difference a bit of cheerful fabric makes!

So, although it's 38 degrees outside, and pouring down rain, and everyone feels more like this:

...we'll continue to celebrate these little bits of spring in our lives!

Of course the kitchen is a great place to bring out the flavors of spring. I made a light, tasty cake last week that was absolutely delicious and a perfect end to a day spent in the dirt. It's part yellow cake...part cheesecake...and part crumb cake. How can you go wrong?

Lemon Fruit Crumb Cake
Recipe from Beth Hensperger's "The Best Quick Breads"
Makes one cake

Cake
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen fruit

Cheesecake
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 egg
1 tablespoon flour

Crumb Topping
1 1/4 cup white flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter, diced

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If you don't have a 10-inch springform pan, you can use a regular cake pan, but the presentation isn't as nice. Whatever you've got: grease and flour it.

First make your cake. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth, and add the eggs, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and add that to the sugar and butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until combined, but do not overmix!

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it around a little. Sprinkle your fresh or frozen fruit on top, making sure that you've got an even distribution. Set aside.

Make the cheesecake! Beat the cream cheese until smooth, and then beat in remaining ingredients, combining well. Pour on top of the fruit layer of your cake and spread it around!

To make the crumb topping, combine all ingredients but the butter, and then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Sprinkle evenly on top, pressing it gently into the cheesecake. Careful...those handprints will bake into the cake top!

Bake for 55 - 65 minutes and let it cool. The cheesecake layer melts into the cake layer, making it even softer and more delicious. The lemon in the cheesecake gives it a nice fresh zing, as does the warm fruit. I highly recommend this!

I hope you have a nice, bright spring day, no matter what your weather's like. Enjoy!