The weather here has been so boring lately--just infinite displays of gray shades...with and without fog, with and without precipitation of various degrees of solidity. The sun had barely shown its face...Its enough to get a gardner down. Yes, it sure is...but I am not easy to get into the dumps. I just keep going out to the lotties to feed the birds and check up on everything. --The eternal optimist. The other day I stopped by my best mate, Pim to see how the work was going on at his little import shop down in the centrum of town. Well, it was shocking to see--there were several rooms in his building that had been broken down to the dirt! Have a look at this: Gad! I was more than a little shocked. He said that the work would be extensive, but this?! He reckons another 5-6 months before everything is completed and he has reopened his shop for business. The work will encompass his shop space, an extended shop space for his son-in-law's business and extensions to his daughter's dwelling. Its going to cost a fortune. Oké then, back out to the lotties-- There's no need of showing pictures of the various plots, its too depressing to look at. Well, it isn't 100% bad though, if one only looks closely. Take this--My neighbour, Willem's Forsythia. Can you make out the little buds? Its loaded with them. Over in the new lottie...I walked out to the far edge of the plot and saw these two swans floating by. Here appearance of the swans here are sort of like the swallows coming back to the mission of San Juan Capistrano out in California. Well, I am happy to see them, but I do not want them on my plot. Huhh-Uhh, no sirree. Back over in the old flower garden I still have an unknown beast squatting on my land. This hole was filled up a few days ago and is again open and heavily travelled. This hole is going under the fence between Willem and me. There are several holes...and not being content with all that digging it has now found my compost bin and dug into that. You can see the pile of pure compost where he had scratched his way into the bin. Well then There really isn't much more to do when I go to the garden except feed the birds, which I do with regularity. Week before last was the national bird counting in gardens. I participated and here is what I counted in thirty minutes: My total-- Ekster 2 Gaai 1 Heggenmus 2 Houtduif 1 Kauw 3 Koolmees 6 Merel 2 Pimpelmees 3 Roodborst 2 Staartmees 3 Turkse tortel 1 Vink 5 Winterkoning 1 Zanglijster 1 If you want to have a look at Top Ten results, the bird counting website, here is the link: http://www.tuinvogeltelling.nl/index.cf ... aten.tonen Sadly they do not have this translated into English. I think that the bird counting took place over in England this past weekend. I wonder how things went there. This past sunday as i was sitting in the lottie and sipping on my tea, a flock of 8-10 long-tailed titmice flew in. They perched just a couple of feet from me, but I did not have my camera at hand. Tch! What a pity, they are such cute little things. This was a high point for me, as I have never seen more than three at any one time, although they always travel in flocks. Finally I was good and cold from that motionless sitting so I headed back home to my soft chair and warmth. I just want to show this Phalaenopsis orchid. I got it three years ago for my birthday and it has bloomed for the first time since. I have not done much for this lovely plant except water the wood chips, but I have been rewarded with four flowers. I am well chuffed! Not much more to report at this time. I did get one of my seed orders in, but it is too early for planting just yet.
Sjoerd are there any tracks near or around the hole to identify the animal? You could soften and smooth the dirt around the hole and get some good tracks for identification. Jerry
Thanks for the update Sjoerd. Ever though things are inactive outside, you still manage to find interesting things to report. I'm very interested in what is digging into your garden. You must keep us updated. My appetite is whet! Well done on the orchid. Looks great.
JERRY--Thanks for your reaction. The paths right around the hole and leading up to it are hard and beaten-down I looked over in the place by the compost bin because I thought that ther soft compost would reveal a track--but no, that was well beaten-down as well. I conclude that there are either several beasts or one that is a very active creature. I shall soften the dirt around the hole when it stops raining and freezing here every day. When there was snow on the ground, it was also active, but TOO active, in the sense that there were so many tracks that it was beaten-down just like the soil. When all this began, I felt sure that it was a rat, and I set these large rat trasps that snap shut. Whatever the creature is, it doesn't like peanut butter or seeds though...and it never touched the trap at all. Thanks FRANK--I am way more curious than alarmed at this stage. The beast does not show any interest in bird seeds or fat balls...so I am leaning away from rats at the moment. I am thinking more along the lines of a stoat, weasel or something like that. I have spent countless hours sitting there silently watching birds at all times of the day and I find it curious that I have never seen the animal during daylight hours. I may look into an infrared camera kit to try and get a foto during the night. I would have to find one to borrow because buying one for only this project seems a bit silly.
Sjeord I know this may sound silly but have you sniffed around the holes in your lottie? If it's a mink, weasel or stoat then you should be able to smell a musky smell coming from the earth at the entrance to the holes. I hope you find out what your mystery beast is as it has us all intrigued. I hope it's not rabbits excavating on your land!!
Hi Sjoerd...good to hear from you. Its been pretty quiet here on the Stew. Sounds like you have a case of "cabin fever" too. I was in a slump for a few weeks with the gray days of winter but a few mild days of sunshine and some fresh air was energizing. Its Feb 1...one day closer to Spring! Are you having as much snow as last year. Maybe that hole in the lottie was the Groundhog looking for his shadow? Your orchid is beautiful. I am not patient enough for orchids to rebloom.
Won't be long before you have forsythia to look at! Your orchid is truly lovely, and for it to bloom on your birthday, how nice.
Beautiful Orchid. I grew a couple when I lived in south Florida in a previous life.... but not since. Since we are just now getting some winter, I am not ready to give it up yet.
EILEEN-- No!--That is most certainly NOT a silly suggestion, in fact I have thought of doing just that. However, it is in a very difficult place to reach and when the ground is drier and I can creep in on my knees I will take a sniff. There is more than one hole, but typically, they are all in out-of-the-way places. Thanks for helping to think-along on this mystery. Hiyah GAIL--No, we are not having as much snow as last year...but there has been freezing rain day after day. BAH! A groundhog hole ---you mean the groundhog that comes out on groundhog day, right?--chuckle Good one! Glad you liked the orchid blooms. MG-- Thanks for your comments. I am looking forward to the new yellow flowers. I wonder how many more days. Thanks TONI--It is a pretty thing, that orchid. So you grew them in a 'previous life', eh? heh heh heh. Enjoy your winter while it lasts.
[quote="Sjoerd" Thanks TONI--It is a pretty thing, that orchid. So you grew them in a 'previous life', eh? heh heh heh. Enjoy your winter while it lasts.[/quote] My previous life isn't as mystical or off the wall as it sounds, even though that other concept does answer some questions . My now life seems to be broken down into 4 parts...so far. Up until I was 18 living at home, 18 -31 in my first marriage, 31-34 as a single Mom, 34 to the present married to Randy. My orchid growing time was technically in my 2nd life. My mind sometimes works weird
Chortle--Well, that makes it clear. I reckon that the florida climate is pretty good for those orchids. I don't know alot about orchids and even less about 2nd, 3rd and 4th lives. You are an amazing person, Toni.
I thought winter might be giving up here since we had four days of sun and 70's but it came back with rain, ice and wind. Lots of below freezing days now. But Saturday and Sunday it should go back to being nice. dooley
