I was not happy when I realized there was a Great Blue Heron
in my goldfish pond helping himself to my fish.  Now I have
to keep a net over it because I'm afraid he might
com back and get the rest of the fish.

This picture is taken through the patio door in my family room.  When
I saw my cat watching something, I checked it out.  She was watching the
heron like it was an everyday thing.

The heron was helping himselt to my beautiful goldfish. This one
was my favoriteand was so pretty.

I wasn't able to get a good picture, but you can see that
the heron had a large goldfish in his mouth.

Flying Flowers

Moonflower

I love the night blooming moonflower.  I planted it from seed so I was glad to
see the first blooms.  I finally learned how to get the seeds to come up.
I cut a small slit in the seed and soaked it overnight before planting it in a pot in my
small greenhouse in early spring, then moved it to the yard after danger of frost is over.
The blooms are very fragrant but I'm glad I didn't try to smell this one.
It was dark when I took this picture and I would not have seen the ants.

Blackie Sweet Potato Vine

This  is the first time I have had blooms on a Blackie Sweet Potato Vine.  Love the lavender color. 

Bees in the garden

en

Hosta

This is my favorite hosta bloom and the only one that I don't remove the blooms.
It has large blooms and is very fragrant.

My Cat

My cat loves to join me when I am working in the flowers.



I am having a terrible time with voles eating
the roots off my plants.  There are holes
everywhere.  My cat is sitting by the
hole waiting but so far she has not
caught one.  I set 4 traps under buckets
but didn't catch any.  Wish I knew
how to get rid of them.



Wren

Every night for about a week this wren came about
dark and roosted in the corner of the awning
on our porch.   He would nestle into the
corner and tuck his head down in
front of him.  So cute!

Bluebirds

I could watch the bluebirds from my deck as they were
building their nest and when they were feeding
their babies.  I love this picture of the
baby bluebird waiting for mama to feed her.
This was the second set of babies in this
house.  I wonder if it was the same male
and female there both times.

I noticed this morning the bluebirds were
very active in the nest and often
stuck their heads out the opening.
I was hoping to see them fledge but
the next day they were gone.

The male bluebird is busy helping with the feeding
of the new family.

WOW, the mother is feeding her young well.

Budlea "Butterfly Bush"

Spirea

The spirea is a beautiful welcome to spring.

Bees

There are lots of bees in the flower gardens and they

especially enjoy the zinnias.  Sharing doesn't seem

to be a problem with them.

"Birds and Blooms" Magazine article



Milkweed Tussock Moth

One of my favorite magazines is "Birds and Blooms".

This month there was an article about milkweed and the insects

that are drawn to this plant.  They discussed the Milkweed Tussock

Moth and the Milkweed Bug.  I had never seen the Milkweed

Tussock Moth my Butterfly Weed so I decided to take a look.

There it was!  You never know what you might see

when you look close.

Milkweed Bug

Rainbow in the Garden

I really enjoy it when a rainbow shows itself
when I am watering the flowers.  I consider
it my own personal rainbow.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

The Hummingbird Moths were a constant in my yard as long

as the beebalm was blooming.  I couldn't get enough

pictures of them.