Signs of New Life on the Farm, a Consequence of Heavy Ice and Snow, and Some Contemplation

This winter has been a rather brutal winter; to put it mildly. For those of you who don't know Middle Tennessee (and other parts of the south) have endured storm after storm of mainly ice and freezing cold temperatures. Such was the case last Sunday when a big storm came in and dropped 4-6" of ice pellets, snow, and sleet. This in and of itself is not too awfully unusual, but what made the storm extra bad was that the temperatures stayed quite cold for several days. This resulted in iced over roads and it was a brave soul indeed who ventured out onto the roads. While the county highway department did the best they could to clear the roads; it was a very large job and many of the back roads did not get cleared until around Thursday.

I was fortunate in that I could pretty much stay at home while my family members worked. I was seriously stressed about their welfare on the roads; especially when I ventured out on Wednesday to feed a stray dog I care for in an adjacent town. I wound up getting stuck but that is another story. Fortunately all family members stayed safe on the icy roads around town. 

While I was home bound I enjoyed watching the birds. I have never ever seen so many birds and so many types of different birds visit my feeders. All of the snow and ice sure brought the birds to my back door. I happened to venture outside and enjoyed getting up close and personal with a few of the brave souls who chose to eat the black sunflower seeds I offered up to them. Here a towhee along with some finches is enjoying the food. Surprisingly enough as soon as the snow left so did most of the birds. I have not hardly seen a grackle or European starling or towhee since the snow melted. They are most likely enjoying the new buds on all of the trees surrounding the area.

Mr. Fix-it and I finally made it out to the farm as well. While I had been by there I did not dare stop my car and get out on the snow as I feared I would not get going on the iced over road again. Yesterday was a beautiful day to get out and about and most of the snow is now all melted. Our little vernal pond is showing signs of new life in the form of frog eggs. We are always delighted to spot these masses in our ponds each spring. It seems like it would be way too cold for frog eggs, but the frogs don't seem to mind the cold. Now that the snow is melted and the ice is gone it seems that it is business as usual.


The above frog eggs are located in this tiny vernal pond created by miners back in the 1800s when they hand dug this pit looking for iron ore. I had the great idea to build a little bridge across this pond so we could enjoy being over the water and not just beside it. It was Mr. Fix-it who spotted the frog eggs while standing on this bridge.

The pond is fairly clear but it can be hard seeing to the center of this pond from the sides so a vantage point of being overhead works well for us. This little pond is surrounded by several mature hardwood trees. As such those trees drop a lot of leaves and debris into the pond. During the summer when this pond will most likely dry up, I like to go into the pond area and scrape up the organic material for use in the gardens as a great garden amendment.

I transplanted several scilla to the edge of the above vernal pond last spring. I was delighted to see them breaking ground this year. Moving a large garden is quite hard and while I have a process, I am not so sure the plants are agreeing with my process. Many plants resent being disturbed let alone being dug up, thrown into the back of a truck, and transported fifteen miles to another location with completely different soil and growing conditions. The garden move has been a lesson in patience and humility. I am no where near to being in the spot I thought I would be by this time. It has been a little more than one year since we bought the farm and while we have come a long way in that year I am humbled to remember it takes a lifetime to build a garden. In my case not only am I building a garden but I am dismantling a garden and this is not a fun thing for me to do. At any rate I revel in the small treasures I have placed on the land that decide to grow and gift me with blooms and greenery.

On the other side of the scillas next to the little pond there used to reside a lovely little shelter covered by a gazebo metal frame and canvas top. It was Mr. Fix-it that discovered that the gazebo top was no more due to all of the heavy ice and snow we received last weekend. I was really upset this roof caved in. I had expected to replace the canvas with a hard metal roof at some point simply because canvas is not a durable material when situated outside all year long, but I did not expect it to be so soon. This canvas top had withstood windstorms that blew down trees and ripped off roofs, it never sailed away or collapsed in any way. I always thought it would be blown away so I was quite shocked to find out it caved in. There really was nothing I could do about the situation and although I should've taken off the canvas cover at the start of the winter, I really thought I was home free by March! Next weekend it looks as though I will be working on a new roof for this shelter. It will be a more permanent roof of metal but I am not sure how I will design it. I've never put on anything but a shed roof so building  this roof will be a lesson for me. The frame of 4" x 4"s is still intact so that is a good thing. We simply must have a shelter to keep us out of the sun and sometimes out of the rain, and to be able to relax while we are working on the land. We will soon begin building our home so it is also important this location is comfortable and workable for us to take breaks under from time to time. I can't wait to get started on it and get it done! 

I know I have not been posting all that much lately as things have gotten so busy for me sometimes that my mind is in other places than on this blog. I do enjoy talking with all of my blogging friends and sharing things going on in the garden but I am just not dedicating as much time to blogging as I used to do. That does not mean I will stop blogging. As I've always said the main reason I blog is to document things going on in my garden and life in pictures and words so that I can easily look back on the articles. It is a kind of a scrapbook for me. I am especially grateful that I have documented my current garden on this blog so well as I am trying to design and create a new garden I do not want to forget my old garden. My old garden is where my heart has been for many, many years. All of the thousands of bulbs, and hundreds of perennials, shrubs, and trees are all a little bit part of me. It is almost like giving birth when you plant a garden. You are responsible for that plant and can watch it grow to maturity. Many of the plants and trees I have planted will long outlive me. This part of gardening is fascinating to me and the fact that gardens are alive and ever changing is probably the number one reason I garden. As long as I garden I will endeavor to blog as well....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

A New and Amazing Pond Resident

We've had an exciting but elusive friend living in our koi pond for several months now. This elusive friend is a green frog (I'm pretty sure anyhow!) It is finally getting accustomed to us so much that it is allowing me to take several pictures and also allowing visitors to view it. Two nights ago when my daughter was here she spotted it under the rocks and told me to put my finger down by it. Uh-huh!! This frog is as big as my hand when balled into a fist and these kinds of frogs can eat fish and other prey and my finger just might look like a good snack. Instead I brushed my camera strap by its nose and this finally prompted it to jump into the pond and swim across it to its hiding place amidst the rocks.

When the weather first warmed up in the spring we kept hearing a huge kathunk from a frog or two in the koi pond right outside our living room windows. The noise was so loud it almost overpowered the television but we sure enjoyed the sound. After some investigation online we found the call to sound just like the one in the video below. 

So when this frog began being more friendly and not jumping and swimming away upon our approach to the pond each day, we were pretty sure we knew what kind of frog to investigate. But boy oh boy I never knew these kinds of frogs would live in a small 750 gallon koi pond! In the past we've had pickerel and leopard frogs take up residence in the ponds and while I don't have any problem with the situation; I worry that over the winter the frogs will not have a safe place to burrow due to the vinyl liner in the koi pond. Last spring when I was setting up this pond I decided to divide a water plant from the bathtub pond and when I opened the pot up there was a frog hibernating! This is probably not a good thing for the frog. Lucky for it last spring was rather mild. I guess this year I just need to beware and not mess with the aquatic plants until the pond warms up because I don't guess the frog will be so stupid it will not find a safe place to hibernate over the winter. It's not like I can catch it and relocate it so I plan to enjoy it. 

 I think this frog looks kind of like Kermit the Frog. A day before my daughter came for a visit this frog jumped into the pond and then surfaced and stared at me. I actually thought it was fake because it looks so unreal and was so big floating above the water, but isn't it handsome?



in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Spring Peepers are a Peeping!

If you are new to Tennessee or do not live near a pond it is possible you do not know the sound of spring peepers. They are, for me, one of life's most magical sounds because they tell me spring is near and all is well in our world. 

I don't remember ever hearing peepers before I moved here in 2001. In February of 2002 the chorus began and thus began my love for the sound of our friends, the spring peepers. I found a YouTube sound bite that can make you think you are outside listening to the very frogs I hear each evening. Listen to their music and picture catching fireflies and running barefoot through a fragrant field of grass....

in the garden....

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Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Glutton for Challenges

By SKEETER
The bees/wasp are gone from the Planter in my Georgia Garden. Look who moved into the hole they once occupied. This toad is a welcome sight and can call this hole home as long as it likes.
The Onion in this planter fell to the ground from being top heavy. I decided it was time to pluck it. The Saint is showing you how tall this onion grew.
And it was a Spring Onion that went wild!
For the next 12 days, Zip doggie will be our house guest. The Bathroom/Closet renovations continue, The Drought continues and now we add Zip to the fold. I am a GLUTTON FOR CHALLENGES, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Wild Kingdom

By SKEETERPrimrose thriving from self seeding in my Georgia Garden.
With the missing Oak Tree and lack of shade on our patio, we erected a Canopy. We used this canopy in our German Gartenplatz while living in Germany. It has been in our storage shed for the past 9 years. Finally, we have a use for it. I am not too happy with the blue color as I would prefer green. I believe it would blend in with nature better then the bright blue. What do you think?
It did not take the squirrels long to check it out. I hope they do not rip a hole in the canvas with their sharp claws. Grrrrrrr, go to a tree you stinker!
I spotted our first Snake of the year last week. A Rat Snake so I did nothing more then snap a few pictures of this creature. Notice the raindrops on its head.
This Snake was keeping an eye on me as I in return. Even though not a poisonous snake, it has teeth and will bite for defense. Ouch, stay clear...

Here is a video of the snake roaming in the Butterfly Bush Island.This snake is welcome in my garden as it eats rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels. I am not happy that it will also eat eggs and baby birds, sigh. The Rat Snake is also known as the "Chicken Snake" because it eats chicken eggs and chicks. I do not like the idea of this creature being under my house! Snake skin found in the crawl space during bathroom renovations. Yikes, I hope it is not under there now. A Deer and Rabbit eating corn together in my gardens.

Such harmony between the two as if long time friends. Stay away from my flowers you cute little cottontail!Renovations continue in our house. Plumbing and Electric to be tended to then we can start the building process! Exciting but scary taking this on our self.



Sheba has enjoyed all the boxes we keep bringing home during this renovation process! In this video, she is chasing her tail while in her latest box. She is a mess and keeps me laughing every day with funny antics.




Lastly, Video of a little tree frog going to bed for the day. We have half screens on our windows and I keep them raised on windows we do not open for a clearer view outside. The frogs take advantage of the windows and sleep during the day behind the tracks.

Flowers blooming, House Renovations and WILD KINGDOM, In the Garden...
I have never loaded 4 videos at once and I hope they all worked for you today...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Bathing Beauties in a Bathtub, Puddle and Farm Pond

From In the Garden

Bathing beauties in a bathtub, puddle and pond? Let me explain. Two times a year Mr. Fix-it and I must tend to our swimming pool. Once in the spring to open it up, and once in the fall to close it down. Part of closing the pool requires draining some of the pool water. The excess water drains onto the lawn where it can pool and form puddles like it did on this day. I was struck by how many robins were taking advantage of the puddles formed from the pool water to bathe. They looked like they were having fun as you can see below.

Then I looked just outside of our fenced backyard and saw Mr. C's cows bathing in the farm pond. These cows are raised as beef cattle. After talking with Mr. C. he says he raises them until they weigh about 1200 pounds then he sells them to a distributor who then ships these gals out west where they are kept in stockyards and fed well. Once they reach a weight of about 2400 pounds they are then processed and sold as Angus. Sorry if I offend anyone but this is life and I found this information interesting. I knew the cows were beef cattle but had no idea how the process worked in this area. Now I know.

Well there is but one picture left of a bathing beauty isn't there? And it is the one bathing in the bathtub-believe it or not. The first picture shows one of the residents of my bathtub pond. The frog is a Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris) and is usually camera shy. On this day it just must have known it was a 'bathing beauty' day because it stayed put and let me snap quite a few photos. You would think that pot of stones, horsetails and lilies was placed in the bathtub pond just for this frog! Note: Pickerel frogs emit a secretion from their skin that can be irritating to humans so I was most happy we did not handle this frog....

in the garden....bathtub pond.

We Were Overrun....!

This tree frog obviously liked our tall windows on the covered porch. He was a joy to see and the Jimster had fun playing with him. He is one of the largest tree frogs I have seen here.

Disclaimer: No frogs, toads, skinks or bugs were harmed in the making of this post, though one egg did perish.

What kind of bug is this? Hint: It is a favorite of kids in the summertime!

This is an update of tad. They are all doing fine and growing up very fast. As of the publish date of this post, all have 'flown the coop'.

Mr. Fix-it was helping me to dig out a clump of grass from a large wooden planter when we came upon a funny looking organic pea sized 'thing'. What could it be? Actually there were many more than just this one. We had no idea what they were so I squeezed one just to see if it was a seed of some sort. It squirted-oops!

Upon further investigation and digging we found the mama responsible for laying the lizard eggs-there she is above. We felt really bad for disturbing her and gently placed her back in the pot after we planted a little redbud. Seeing this part of Mother Nature was really cool because neither one of us had ever seen lizard eggs.

Our dozens of resident bull frogs LOVE our swimming pool. Poor Mr. Fix-it spent about four weeks trying to replace the liner and skimmer in our pool. It took a while because he only has time to work on these things on the weekends. All the while these bullfrogs were croaking and swimming-even with the pool pump running!

Here is another one I got up close and personal with. Their throats expand so much you can see through the skin. They are not bothered by people but only come out at night.

Here is another one floating on a noodle. They were literally ALL over. I think the rains this spring made a bumper crop of frogs and toads and lizards. What do you all think? Even as I write this the bull frogs are still croaking by our pool, though I hope they are not in it anymore since the pump is running.

This is some kind of tree frog. He was in the way of progress during the liner change out. Tree frogs are fairly common if you know where to look for them!

This last little toad/frog (not sure which) might be kind of hard to see. He is located in the middle of the picture a little below the midpoint directly under the middle purple leaf of the upper leaf. He is brown and blends with the leaves. Geri could not believe how many of these buggers we have in the garden. They were EVERYWHERE during the first two weeks of June or so! I don't see them as often now. But we do have huge toads. I know where most live and am going to begin naming them soon. Any suggestions for names?

in the garden....