Do You Know What This Monday Is?

It is the day after Superbowl XLIX  (Why the Roman numerals? A historian says the fancy numbering made the game seem more important.)

But more importantly it is February 2nd.......GROUNDHOG DAY !!

A little history:

Many German settlers ended up in Pennsylvania, where they found groundhogs instead of badgers. Here, the tradition began to use groundhogs to predict the duration of winter. If the day was cloudy, the groundhog would stay above ground, meaning that winter would soon be over. If the day was sunny, the groundhog would grow scared of its shadow and return to its burrow, meaning six more weeks of winter. It gradually evolved into an observance in the late nineteenth century and is closely associated with the Candlemas, a Christian celebration, the second day of which falls on February 1st.

Now a little more history:

 In the years following the release of Groundhog Day, a 1993 film starring Bill Murray, crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney where the ceremony takes place.

Where exactly is Punxsutawney?
Punxsutawney is located in Western Pennsylvania, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

How did Phil get his name?
The groundhog's full name is actually "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary." It was so proclaimed by the "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" in 1887, the same year they declared Punxsutawney to be the weather capital of the world.

Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 97 times, has not seen it 15 times, and nine years are unaccounted for.

The National Climatic Data Center reportedly stated that Phil's prediction's have been correct 39 percent of the time. This number is in conflict with Phil's club, which states he's been right 100 percent of the time.

According to the funny website groundhog.org, there's a legend that during Prohibition, Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink.

Though groundhogs typically live only six to eight years, Groundhog Day lore suggests that Phil drinks a magic elixir every summer, which gives him seven more years of life.

OUR CONTRIBUTION

Just in case Punxsutawney Phil doesn't make his annual appearance this Monday, we have asked our local resident visitor Pest, Pikesville Phil, shown below,  to do his own prognosticating of which the results will be posted sometime Monday.

 I say Pest because our guy loves to eat the plants in the garden.  He has pulled down 5' tall sunflowers and filled his belly......he loves hostas, gailardias, and most any plant we find attractive.  He makes his appearance in mid to late summer and hangs around till late fall.  He is very shy and runs when he sees us but soon returns to continue his destructive ways.  He enjoys the birdseed like his relatives the squirrels.

In my eyes he is nothing but a huge hairy rat.
Here's hoping one of them doesn't see his shadow!

BIRDS......Watching and Feeding

My namesake:  a BlueJay

ADDICTIVE
EXPENSIVE
INTERESTING
FASCINATING

ALL OF THE ABOVE!

That's bird feeding and bird watching.  I guess I am addicted.  I have at least 10 feeders filled with various varieties of seed, and that's year round.  Of course, come springtime the hummingbird feeders go up and that adds another 5 or so  (that's a whole other blog post to come).  My wife Karen and I are fascinated watching the birds and spend lots of time enthralled by their antics.  She takes most of the pictures....I keep the feeders filled.  She keeps the camera focused.

They are so interesting, some are unpredictable and
some have definite habits.  The cardinals are here just
before dawn, stay all day, and are the last ones to leave at dark.

Male Cardinal

The nuthatches and chickadees swoop in, grab one seed and off they go to the safety of the trees to crack open their prize and return just as quickly.

The yellow American goldfinches eat their seeds upside down.  Highly unusual.  Specific feeders and seeds satisfy this peculiar feeding regimen.  The black juncos, who are only here in the winter will only eat off the ground.  They do not perch and depend on spilled seeds to fill up on.

Nuthatch

Female Cardinal

House Finches

I feed my visitors a variety of seeds.  They love black oiled sunflower seeds the most.  Almost everyone will eat them.  Safflower seeds are great for the cardinals and many others and although most people say the squirrels will not eat safflower seeds, no one has told my squirrels this fact.  These fat hairy rats will eat ANYTHING!  I try to discourage them but it's almost a lost cause.  I do have several http://bromebirdcare.com feeders that are virtually squirrel proof. These feeders are expensive but last for years.  They are available at www.amazon.com 

American Goldfinch

Summer visiting CatBird

Other seeds I use are nyjer seeds (thistle) for the goldfinches.  These are tiny seeds that fit through the small openings in the upside down feeders especially designed for the finches.  I buy blocks of suet that really appeal to the woodpeckers who appreciate the fat for protein.  Of course every other bird loves it too.

Water is another requirement for birds.  I have a fountain/birdbath by the feeders and they also love to drink from the waterfall at my pond.  Of course the squirrels drink too.

Keeping an eye out

The birds require protection from predators and they flock to the evergreens and tree branches as soon as they are spooked.  Our visiting hawks love to hunt for their meals at our feeders and unfortuantely they prefer bird to seed.  It is nature and we have learned to deal with it.  The feral neighborhood cats are always on the lookout for a slow bird and occasionally are successful.  Again, sad but nature.

Hawk on watch

We've also had visiting Great Blue Herons (loved the goldfish in our pond), and a huge barred owl stopped by on a Labor Day a few year's back and made itself comfortable in a tree for hours and hours.  Of course we made ourselves comfortable on the deck and watched him for hours and hours.  Only time we've ever seen one here.

Also had a really rare visitor who came several times a day for months: a pet parakeet.  He was beautiful and loved the seeds and seemed to get along with our regulars.  He must have escaped his cage and stayed until we went on vacation and when we returned, he was gone.  The spring brings a few migrators that stop for a meal but don't stay.  Each year we get grosbeaks for a week or so then they are gone.  The catbirds and cowbirds arrive early summer and stay till fall as well as lots of robins. We do see some robins periodically in the winter but not in large numbers till spring.  This year we attracted more cardinals than ever before. They do live in groups and we seem to attract approximately 15 to 20 males and females.  The bright red males look outstanding on the grey days and against the snowy background.

Early arriving robin

 Did I mention how expensive this hobby is?  It is a real commitment but I think it is really worth it.  I could have worse hobbies!  I don't even know how I got into this.  Not sure what my first feeder was or where I was living.  I never fed the birds when I was growing up, except for the occasional stale bread.  But I am really happy that I discovered this hobby.  My wife Karen has taken some fantastic pictures of our visitors and we could put together books of photos.  Many of these pics on this page are her work.  She has a great eye for shots and waits patiently for the best picture.

We have approximately 10 birdhouses on the property which have been
used predominately by the wrens and chickadees for breeding.  More of that in a future post.

If you have any questions or thoughts about birdfeeding, shoot me a comment.  If you have some space and a desire to be a part of nature, I highly recommend this hobby.  It doesn't have
to take a lot of time or money and it can be extremely rewarding.

Grosbeak, passing through

Hairy woodpecker

Red bellied Pecker

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Spring visiting Grosbeak

Thanks for reading.  And come on spring!!!!!

WINTER VISITOR

THE FOX

It Could Have Been a Lot Worse

WINTER

We dodged a bullet here in the Baltimore area.  Actually most of the East Coast dodged the same bullet.  I say it every time but I have to say it again, I can't believe how wrong the weather forecasters can be.  It seems that the more technology they have, the more they screw it up.  I know New England is getting hit really hard but New York?  That is amazing....the largest city in the country shuts down hours before the snow starts falling, and very little snow falls.  Next time no one will pay attention.

I know most people hate winter.  I can't say I love it but it does have it's good points, here in the garden.  It gives me time to contemplate all the changes I am going to make this spring.  At least I plan to make.  The winter gives me lots of time to look the entire property over in a different perspective.  It's mostly bare, lots of brown, and very little evidence of what it will look like in just a few months.  All my plant markers in place look like a cemetary with lots and lots of tombstones.  Once the garden gets growing, they will barely be seen.  I have labeled almost every plant in all my gardens so as I get older, I will know what they are as I am sure I will forget.

In these cold and sometimes gloomy days, it's so reassuring to see a few signs of life in the garden.  I have Helleborous (Lenten Rose) already putting up some green shoots.  These hardy beautiful flowers will actually be in full bloom by the 1st of March and will continue their show through the spring into the early days of summer.  They are an expensive investment but do so well in the shade and look so nice in bloom.  Pictures will be forthcoming.

Also showing signs of life are the daffodils.  Already putting up an inch or two of green foliage on the way to their late March bloom.  Many of the plants I have don't even die off in the winter.  I actually continue to see green stems and some leaves on many of my rose bushes.  Hardy plants for sure.  Many other perennials are hanging in there:  the lamium are still green, the ivy of course always stays green, the yarrow still sports a lot of healthy foliage and much of the bronze ajuga still looks decent.  Of course there are also shrubs that maintain their good looks through the worst of the winter.  I have American Beautyberry bushes that continue to hold onto their purple fruits through the worst, and a become a true favorite of the mockingbirds who enjoy the berries this time of year.

During these winter days, I walk around the yard with my paper and pen and make notes (actually lists) of what I need to do as soon as the temperatures are bearable.  I systematically walk by each garden (I have several which I will detail in a future post) and jot down suggestions of things that will need to be done.  My neighbors must think me weird but when all is bloom and they are enjoying it, they understand.  Of course alot of these things don't HAVE to be done, but it's my hobby and it's what I do.  I hope to be doing my thing starting late February.  There's always things to do.

So as winter drones on, I look forward to the warmer days ahead and the miracle of garden rebirth.  It is so amazing to see my "babies" all start their life cycle all over again and make me proud of what I have done and more I will find to do.

Come on spring!!!!

Welcome to my garden blog

This is something new for me.  I've never blogged before so I thought a snowy day here in Baltimore was the perfect time to start a blog......a blog about my garden, my observations, and my thoughts............ about my garden, and of course other people's gardens.

You'll have to bear with me as this is all new for me. But hopefully over time, it will get better and even more interesting.  Right now, I'm testing the waters, or more appropriately today, the ice.  So after I post this and see what it looks like, I will start.