The 2019 Garden, Landscape, and Other Stuff Thread...

[taldesta]

Haven't been here in a while, in the process of buying a place in Eugene on 1/4 acre. So I'll be planting trees and bushes in the spring. Now it's just grass, two HUGE doug firs and a walnut of some kind.

A move - that's always an exciting time - best of luck with it. And, what the heck is that on your avatar's shoulder (if I may ask)?

 

[Rose and Thistle Custom]

It's my mom's new dog which is about half as big as my wife's new cat.

 

[LEGION 12]

View attachment 1241841 View attachment 1241843 View attachment 1241844 It's my mom's new dog which is about half as big as my wife's new cat.

 

[22-rimfire]

Nice shots of pets.
We had a good rain yesterday evening and finished up this morning. The drought is largely forgotten in my area as we have had two months with total rainfall over 6 inches each and the yearly total is above normal overall even with the drought period this summer and early fall. Windy here and the red oak leaves are dropping fast. My yard is covered again with new dropped leaves. This should be the last of the big leaf drops although there will be some for the next month. Will deal with them later on this coming week if the weather warms up a bit. I'm not planning on posting kitty pictures.

 

[Rose and Thistle Custom]

When I was out at the coast yesterday I was surprised to see several plants still blooming!

 

[eisman]

The birds are hitting the feeders hard now that it's getting cold. I usually "spill" a little for the ground feeders. I get a few wild dove which I love, and lately Starlings which I'm not fond of. One thing about the crows and ravens, they don't like starlings much either. There are two types of blue jays here, and I see both, but the main guys are the Stellar's like this guy:

My old lilac surprised me today with this visitor, a red breasted sapsucker. I usually see them up in the Norwegian Spruce, but never this close to the house. They are pretty shy.

Mid-30's and raining today. Not cold enough for snow, but too cold for much outside work. It should warm up a little, but we're due for a couple weeks rain. Snow levels will be down and skiing open in the pass.

 

[22-rimfire]

The birds are hitting the feeders hard now that it's getting cold. I usually "spill" a little for the ground feeders. I get a few wild dove which I love, and lately Starlings which I'm not fond of. One thing about the crows and ravens, they don't like starlings much either. There are two types of blue jays here, and I see both, but the main guys are the Stellar's like this guy:

My old lilac surprised me today with this visitor, a red breasted sapsucker. I usually see them up in the Norwegian Spruce, but never this close to the house. They are pretty shy.

Mid-30's and raining today. Not cold enough for snow, but too cold for much outside work. It should warm up a little, but we're due for a couple weeks rain. Snow levels will be down and skiing open in the pass.

Never seen a Stellar's Jay. The blue coloration is quite stunning. You take those pictures through a window?

 

[eisman]

Sadly, yes; if I go out they tend to take off. Now if I'm already outside they don't seem to have as much of a problem, but I can't get anything done in the yard if I tote a camera around.

 

[22-rimfire]

Sadly, yes; if I go out they tend to take off. Now if I'm already outside they don't seem to have as much of a problem, but I can't get anything done in the yard if I tote a camera around.

My older brother seems to have good luck taking bird pictures from inside his house (through the glass). I suspect he has many duds and I just never see those. He must have very clean windows and pay careful attention to getting the lens flat to the window pane. Every time I have tried it, I get that little haze look.

Yep... tote a camera around in the yard and you're pretty much just taking pictures.

 

[taldesta]

I'll say that keeping the dog nose prints off of my main bird-watching window is a never ending job with Dez and Daisy on guard for killer squirrels. And shots can be spoiled if the lens or objects behind are reflected, but my sense is that the haze may often be just light dispersed by the depth of the glass. Simple software can remove it. I don't adulterate pics I post, but I will clear this haze using auto-correct when I compress them for uploading via dialup. Case in point ...

Fisher at composter through the window spring 2018



Same pic auto corrected

 

[taldesta]

Well, the snowblower had its first outing yesterday - yup, it's here to stay ... the white stuff. It's hard to gauge whether to clear the snow before the cold of winter truly hits because the snow can be 'clingy', difficult to work, and the ground may not be frozen hard enough to keep the stones and stuff out of the impeller. I waited one day until the night temps were -1F and tackled the job early in the morning when the snow was crisp. It was plenty deep enough with mild weather expected, possibly rain ... and if these conditions hit a deep snow the lane and yard will turn into a rut-filled mess. Prevention.

The tall grasses (hardly grass when it is 5' tall) laid low by snow along the laneway were pulled into the impeller and that had to be cleared once. Otherwise all went well.

Before snow clearing - it is pretty. Bee balm - winter garden



I see I forgot to take down Busby's wind chime in the maple ...

 

[22-rimfire]

taldesta I think the county or province should plow driveways over a certain length for senior's.

I see you're back and the Fisher picture is mighty cool! (Big Weasel's )

Not sure if the auto correct option doesn't just increase the contrast?

 

[annr]

taldesta
Picturesque! And serene! The hallmark of a professional: "effortless effort."

 

[taldesta]

taldesta I think the county or province should plow driveways over a certain length for senior's.

I see you're back and the Fisher picture is mighty cool! (Big Weasel's )

Not sure if the auto correct option doesn't just increase the contrast?

Point well taken re: snowplowing - but, alas, we seniors with long laneways are far too plentiful here.

The unprintable curse I utter when I check with binoculars to see how high the municipal plow has heaped the end of my laneway ... shall remain unstated here. But you can imagine!

The fisher has not returned, having found the composter frozen fast to the ground, un-tip-able and with a secured lid. He tried hard to crack it, but thankfully failed. Not a pleasant visitor. Mini-me black bear, but far nastier.

My experience is that the contrast, at least in my graphics software, is a far more blunt option than the auto-correct. The lights and the darks both lose detail when using only contrast adjustments I've found. I must say that I truly have never dug into it. I go by my visual preference but, admittedly, should delve further.

 

[taldesta]

taldesta
Picturesque! And serene! The hallmark of a professional: "effortless effort."

Well, I did have to step into my high winter boots to wade through the snow for these shots, but in all humility, my surroundings speak to your description all on their own - serene, picturesque ...

I do admit I am a professional enjoyer of time in my surroundings - thoroughly so . It makes living in all seasons and in general worthwhile. Time is the gold I spend on living happy.

 

[taldesta]

OK - I headed to town first thing this morning because of the weather forecast - had to beat the snow before it filled in the laneway.

I sprinkled some seed on the ground for the small seed-eating birds first. Let them tank up as they know the storm is coming in. They don't need a weather forecaster.

Yesterday I wrapped the maple against sun scald (winter burn) as it showed signs this past spring - exposure to the S sun in winter that heats and liquefies the tree sap which then freezes.





Seed on the ground was covered in a few minutes - so I filled one feeder for the birds who survive on them. Snow accumulating.



Seed catalogue arrived today! What timing ...

 

[annr]

I don't see any hummingbirds.

60 deg F yesterday, then snow into this AM, stopping about mid-day, and melting...just a tease.

 

[22-rimfire]

My wife told me that we got a slight covering of snow and sleet yesterday PM. I missed it.... the first true sign of winter! I was in Naples FL doing a little job. It was about 90*F there. I had time to do some cruising around and saw a bunch of alligators and even a manatee. I'm sure there were hummingbirds, but I didn't see any.

 

[taldesta]

annr I can just see Busby in my dreams ... tracking a tasty bug breakfast under the warm rising sunshine ... way, way South of here

22-rimfire Alligators in December! When I saw my first one in Florida I thought they were statuary placed in oft-visited locations to impress tourists. They just float motionless forever ... waiting, waiting. I am lucky I did not lose one of my pups on that first trip, I was so unfamiliar with landscape that would devour pets plus. Go on, suffer away in that heat

Today the forecast calls for another snowfall like yesterday ... so double what is on the ground now. Then blustery winds that will keep the fluffy white stuff moving. This pic for comparison to last one of birdfeeders - the morning after.

 

[annr]

taldesta and she probably misses the Ritz-Carlton room service and friendly housekeeper.