Today is cloudy and warm.
I fed the birds. I've seen several sparrows and house finches, a catbird, and a blackbird.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I put out the flats of pots and watered them.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I planted the '
Poquito' orange anise hyssop at the base of the barrel garden. I figure the hummingbirds will like it, since I couldn't find a jumbo salvia this year.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I planted the iris '
Aureovariegata yellow' at the base of the barrel garden. Its leaves are creamy green with wide yellow streaks. :D
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I moved the 4 big smooth pots from the top of the new picnic table to the ground along the south bench. This makes room for the remaining 3 fluted pots to be added later, and gives me 3 tiers of planting space on the side.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I filled a big fluted pot with half compost and half potting soil. I planted a
'Chocolate Sprinkles' tomato in it. These were a big favorite last year, so I bought 2 of them. Regrettably I'm out of marigolds. I may just use seeds in that one. I put the pot on top of the new picnic table.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I potted up the second
'Chocolate Sprinkles' tomato the same way.
I've seen a male cardinal.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I potted up a '
Carmen' Italian sweet pepper in the last of the big fluted pots and put it on the picnic table.
I've seen a brown-headed cowbird.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I took several '
Ambrosia' melon plants that came in the same small pot, and put them in a much bigger pot which I moved to the new picnic table. The fruit looks like a cantaloupe but is actually an exotic melon.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I took some pictures around the yard.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I sowed seeds for
goldenberry and 'Aunt Molly's' ground cherry in large pots on the patio.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I planted coreopsis '
Permathread Red Satin' and yarrow '
Firefly Red Pop' below the barrel garden.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I planted a '
Husker Red' penstemon in the wildflower garden. A spike of white flowers is blooming there, something I don't recognize, but very pretty.
The first purple-and-ivory iris is blooming in the wagonwheel garden. The first two dark purple irises are blooming in the tulip bed.
I've seen two brown thrashers, a lady cardinal, the black-sided skunk, and a fox squirrel.
EDIT 5/14/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I watered the newly planted things.
I brought in the flats of pots, now down to 3 partial flats.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.