Hydrangea, Weigela, Hummingbird,

It's Monday morning. Garbage day. It started a bit slowly, as I'd forgotten I'd noticed that the wheels were flat. Ain't old age grand? Me, no worries. 

I had a nymph in my navel Sunday morning. It was a bit strange. Itchy, I scratched at it and removed it. I had to fetch my reading glasses to check it out before I put it in rubbing alcohol in the tick jar. We haven't had many ticks this year => 🕷️TICK Totals . That has been a blessing. You can see how many we used to get. 

This is empty nesting box #1, the box to the right of the central tree. All of the saplings are grand habitat for ticks. They climb up and jump off from there. 

I am happy to report that the blackflies have lessened. The mosquitos aren't as bad on the back deck. Skin So Soft works, now. HOWEVER...

I had my first deerfly bite gardening Sunday, June 5th. I feel badly for the critters. 

Hydrangea

Our white hydrangea seems not to be growing from the middle. "Since flowers are produced on new growth, you should prune hydrangeas once their blooming has ceased." I am not watering it enough, nor fertilizing it. I don't know whether to trim it or no. 

I don't know if it blooms on new wood or old. This is how to know to cut it back. Going back outside to examine it more closely after my research I found my answer. It is growing from both new and old stems.

Down in the meadow:

I wanted to document this little plant (below). It was tricky. Caitlin's iNaturalist app nailed it. Ribwort Plantain!

It is known by the common names ribwort plantain, narrowleaf plantain, English plantain, ribleaf, lamb's tongue, and buckhorn.

The video shows it better. They are scattered amongst the Blugloss and the Devil's paintbrush.

 

ribwort plantain from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Also in the backyard: Weigela. It is so pretty. The deer love it in the fall and winter. It doesn't have a great shape for that reason, and I pruned it last year. I was trying to photograph a bee in 2021, and totally missed it. (Photo, left!)

I was staring over the deck, whilst barbequing dinner, and saw the hummingbird. It was tricky getting it in the photo. I had to crop it to show you! 

I was set to BBQ, and spotted my little friend. It has been hanging around the upper deck. Usually it likes to hide in my Muskoka chair. I pulled the chair out the other day, surprising both of us, it both peed and pooped on my chair! 

The Hops vine is growing. It has reached the top of the railing. I am looking forward to the butterflies who like it, both Comma and Question Mark species lay eggs on it.

My Maggie Magnolia is done blooming. It was a really good year for it. We must celebrate it! She is getting tall.

And, finally, geese heading north!

canada geese from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.