Grackles patrol our yard many times during the day, gleaning.
Month: April 2014
Elder statesman
Kendal, surveying his world.
Garden fencing up
In previous years we fenced off a small portion of the yard for our vegetable garden, using chicken wire. That served the purpose yet was usatusfactory for several reasons. This year we decided to greatly expand our garden and concomitantly use a less flimsy barrier. We agreed to fence off the entire portion of the yard 8′ in from the east chain link fence. This not only encloses our current and expanded garden, it allows for future expansion and protects our compost piles from three marauding dogs named Achilles, Kendal, and Stella.
We bought a 100′ roll of 16 gauge rabbit fencing with a 2″ x 2″ opening size and a few more 4′ steel posts. We put the posts up using orange tape as a rough straight line.
Then I unrolled the fence. We will have two gates, one allowing quick access to the compost piles and one quick access from the house into the garden and the staging area (background, near the shed).
We used one zip tie per post to ‘tack’ it into place while I wired the fence to each post. Faye keeps working in the raised bed as I get the fence up.
Kendal is unimpressed with our work.
Fence is up!
We have more work to do. It includes taking the slack out of the fence, installing permanent gates, roto-tilling after the ground dries a little more, mulching, and relocating the clothes line.
Chocolate Lab, chocolate couch
They make a good pair.
Hold that pose
Our resident Blue Jay tarried just long enough for me to capture it.
Splish splash
I filled the bird bath/water dish for the first time this season, and this male House Sparrow was fairly quick to take advantage.
(almost) nose to tail
Kendal and Stella share a bed on a lovely afternoon.
Sleeping dog
Taken with and posted by the PlayBook
Our challenging, sweet Stella.
Curves
In the middle of the man-made straight lines and angles and curves, the tree trunks’ natural irregularities, there are this grackles’ smoothly curved bill, outline, and rounded eye/iris.
Incongruous
Even after seven years’ living near the St. Clair River, it is still a little odd to watch large freighters juxtaposed with houses.
previouslytexan 