Some weeks back we saw a pair of Carolina wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) flitting about inside our screened porch. We thought they had wandered in and were trying to get out. But soon it became obvious they knew not one but two ways in and out.
Then we noticed they had built a nest in the pot of a hanging plant. That seemed silly, and they seemed to have abandoned that quest.
But today I saw the mama wren going in that nest. And here’s what’s inside the nest:
Gretchen was working at the potting table under the end shelter when she noticed something odd right by the table. It was Francine, our friend the softshell tortoise, in from the woods, laying eggs in the same under the shelter.
So we fenced the dogs out until she politely asked to be let out. Then I put Continue reading
Did these turkey eggs hatch, or did something get them?
-jsq
Note to self: when using dirt bucket to remove fire ants, remember where telephone cable is buried, or….
Ditch dug, Cable
Conduit in ditch, Cable
Dirt over top, Cable
Fortunately, Gretchen had cable-repair tools.
The dogs did not approve of these shenanigans.
The fire ants are not gone.
-jsq
Snowmaggeddon was a good day to stay off the roads, so I took a kayak on our pond. Saw buzzards, heard some ducks and probably a beaver. Lots of plants looking very strange.
Ice on pond, Put-in
Clear spot under log, Put-in
Frozen, Put-in
Snow behind, The pond
Ice floe, The pond
Two ice, The pond
More ice ahead, The pond
Various plants, Floating bottom
Tree limbs, Floating bottom
Snow drift, Floating bottom
Frozen, Floating bottom
Siberia, Floating bottom
Detail, Floating bottom
Grass, Floating bottom
Heron tree, Floating bottom
Mistletoe, East Shore
Ice mistletoe, East Shore
Slant to mistletoe, East Shore
Water colors, Center
Ice and fluff, Center
Ice tuft water, Center
Floating bottom edge, Center
Lily and bladderwort, Center
Near and far, Center
Movie: Wind and ice (16M), Beaver houses
Video
Beaver mansions, Beaver houses
Closer, Beaver houses
Closeup, Beaver houses
Movie: Icy beaver dam (20M), Between dams
Video
More ice below, Between dams
Along the beaver dam, Between dams
Sky, Between dams
Shiny ice, Between dams
Shiny shore, Between dams
Paddle and shore, Catface
Shore, Catface
Lily ice, Turn back
Lily, Turn back
Ice, Turn back
With banana boat for scale, Big beaver house
East slope, Big beaver house
Top, Big beaver house
Two flowers, Yellow jessamine
Beaver house, jessamine, Yellow jessamine
Ice, East shore
Ice encroaching on lily pads, East shore
Ice pad closeup, East shore
Cypress portrait, Northwards
Far shore, Northwards
Video playlist.
-jsq
Our friends in Waycross will be having a conference in March. Nothing this year in Lowndes.
Focus On Food (2nd Annual Homestead Guild Conference), hosted by Way Green Grassroots Homestead Guild.
When: Saturday, March 17 at 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Where: “More info coming soon!”
What: “Growing, raising, cooking, preserving and using food! Workshops will be announced soon. Vendor space will also be available. Mark your calendars!”
For more information, contact our friends at WayGreen in Waycross
Gretchen
I did eventually break the ice for the dogs, but then they said the water was too cold. Lots of odd stuff during Snowmageddon.
