Giving it back to nature, even though nature sucks.

[leene_chan]

So...after spending a lovely five minutes this morning picking raspberries off our bushes, I'm starting to feel a little better about gardening. I think I learned a useful lesson, at least. Next year, I'm not going to fuss over any annual I can't eat. You can rig up any ugly contraption to protect fruits, vegetables and herbs. I'm just going to have to rely on pest-free perennials for my summer and fall color--daylilies, anemones, coreopsis, etc. At least I still have my potted flowers! I have to keep them all on the top of my cellar alcove door, though. It's the only place safe from the groundhog.

In an attempt to protect the raspberries from pecking birds, I've put up two bird feeders in opposite sides of the yard. The bird net seems to be doing its job, but I thought it might be fun to watch the birds at the feeders, anyway. So far the main visitors have been tufted titmice, those cute little crested gray birds that always hang out with chickadees. I was kind of hoping to see some goldfinches, but beggars can't be choosers! I'd like to keep the feeders up year round. I hear they sometimes attract bears, though...:O

Comments

[tsubasahome.livejournal.com]

There are quite a few reports of bears wandering around residental neighborhoods in Connecticut. Usually in northern CT. We're supposed to call animal control or something when they show up, and if they don't leave, they have to be tranquilized and dragged off into the woods. :D Coyotes show up from time to time, but we're just supposed to ignore them unless they appear to be rabid--animal control won't do anything about them.

In our yard, we just have groundhogs and the occasional red-tailed hawk. A few years back, we had a pair of mallard ducks that visited our yard, and when I was lamenting the fact that I hadn't seen them in a while, I almost got knocked down by a wild turkey. They are big, ugly birds.

[tsubasahome.livejournal.com]

If a bear wanders into our yard, we'll be on the news. :D