Sunday, April 4, 2010

Where oh where have my bluebirds gone?...

It's been over two days since I've seen the bluebirds. It doesn't mean they won't use this nest box, there have been times when I've not seen them for days before they build the nest. Still, I worry. They always cause such a swelling in my heart when I see them, a feeling of peace and excitement at the same time. I feel the same way about eagles. They are also heart-poundingly beautiful.

It's supposed to be a pretty day today so gardening is in order. We've cleaned the raised annual bed and added compost. We moved last year's compost pile over one bin. Set one mole trap (we have little piles of earth all over our yard and hundreds of "trails" in yellow dead grass). They have even gone through the flower beds, it might possibly be the worst year for moles we've ever had. Today we will clean out the top pond, put the waterfall pump back into the skimmer and start the waterfall so we can add the UV clarifier. Several years ago I had a serious outburst of algae - it grew so fast it took oxygen out of the pond and a lot of the fish died. The clarifier will kill it if we get it in the pond fast enough. If there is time, we'll clean the garden around the pond - lots to cut down and rake there. We can't do that in the fall because so many of the plants we grow have seed heads for the birds. The birds feed on them most of the winter. Then, we only have six more gardens to clean, weed and compost. Every year it gets a little harder to keep up with all the work. I foresee a day when we will have to either hire it done or let it go.

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