Crumbly Acres deer fence

We've still got at least one pregnant doe!

Joe helped me put the deer fence up. I used my dad's heavy mallet to punch the stakes into the ground. I use the staple gun to attach the netting to the wooden stakes. Note to self: wrap it up differently next year. It was tough to untangle.

I spotted it at Lee Valley Tools and snapped it up. They warn that deer can't see it at night. Thing is, we have three deer that have been visiting, and they will see it in the day. 

It's a great fence, and necessary if I want to see any lilies in bloom. I learned that lesson. It is simply netting attached to tall wooden stakes. 

You can see the fence in the night but not so much in the day. It's been wonderful. People often complain about the deer, but we moved into their territory, and planted yummy flowers. 

Barely noticeable mesh! 

Can you see red squirrel?!  I've put all the bird feeders away. It is time. I don't need to attract Butch Raccoon or Junior Bear. Then, there are the ubiquitous Grackles, Red-wings, and all.

This is a plant I found on the other side of the driveway. I don't maintain that garden anymore. iPhoto says it is Japanese Quince, or some thing!

People have mentioned this 150th Anniversary of Canada tulips. They don't always keep their colours. This one has survived. I usually plant in clumps, so its siblings are gone! 

I've another video of Winnifred and her kit. Yes, more names will be required. This one is a hoot as Momma grabs the kit on the hind end and drags it into the burrow! 

The garden grows...

 Friday was a hoot. We lost power for a half hour. I did some vacuuming later – after the power came back! Then the storms rolled in after I squeezed in some weeding. A massive storm with much thunder and lightning. 

🎾We sat down to TV, after JB brought home groceries, and the TV satellite went down. So much for tennis! 

The rain gauge over flowed as the tube holds 1". We had 1.75" and the goldfish pond overflowed. 

We have veggies! Not ripe yet, but you can see them growing. Cheery cherry tomatoes. With all our critters, this is the safest way to grow them. I water them daily, which is handy, as well.

The horse chestnut tree has finished blooming. Little chestnuts are forming. 

The Clematis looks amazing behind the deer fence.

This was a find, this plant. An Itoh Peony (Paeonia 'Bartzella' ). It was too hot beside the dark brown walls of the house. I transplanted it and it is thriving. I think I counted 9 buds!

They are tricky to photograph! They keel over with the weight of the large blooms. The plant has doubled in size since I moved it.

 

The pink peony blossoms after the more fragrant white:

The milkweed are more than knee-high, waiting for Monarchs. I either saw one, or spotted a Viceroy. Too far way to tell. Either way, we are ready. 

Heading down to the trailcam, it scurried up the tree in fright.

A sweet little sapling in the sun.

Fred continues to build a nest in the burrow. 

Backyard birding

 We have our exercise routines. Here is Joseph Brian doing his! 

Nothing better than backyard birding! I was out Tuesday at 7 a.m. and Wednesday at 5 a.m. (couldn't sleep Wednesday)! I've been using BirdNet, but I switched to Merlin. It highlights the bird singing in real time. And shows which have been heard. 

 

 

birding from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I put up the deer fence with JB's help. We seem to have just one doe hanging about for the past few days. Although, there was a buck a week ago. 

I arrived home Tuesday to the doe on Oliver's Lot.

This is my purple pencil. I had to cut off a section of it off the bottom, it was rotten, and reattach the bolt. One lag bolt was beyond redemption. I faked it. Then, a new paint job! 

This is a favourite spot for Phoebe to perch!

The phoebes began to hatch on Thursday, May 22. 

All hatched by the 23rd. 

phoebe babies from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We rested on the lower deck and a centipede millipede ambled by! You are right, Cloudia! 

After the frost...

It was cold in the morning, but warmed up to 17 ℃ by the afternoon. I was watching carefully!

 Taking advantage of the sunshine, I had a new idea for cleaning up the fountain. This is how it looked before and after during. Usually, the algae dries up over winter and falls off. I've been scrubbing like stink. 

I tried a shower brush, (ineffective), then wire brushes (my dad's, better), and ran out of elbow grease. 

My t-shirt was covered in little green bits.  The videocamera wouldn't fit in my pocket and I figured out why. In another "don't tell the kids" moment, I realized I had my sundress on inside out.

The idea of the handy attachment for the drill popped into my head. I think the drill bits were my dads. There are three of them. I was bad to not clean the fountain before covering it up for winter, but you do the crime...  I bitterly regret not having a backup battery. I used to, but it pooched out on me. I worked until 4 and gave it up for the day. A shower was quite welcome.

I wanted to get an image, a reminder for the fall when I put it away again.

drill from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I went out to work during my second wind, and frightened Fred. He was poking around the wood tarp and scared me! He had an old burrow there, here is #1b, under the wood pile. I filled that one in.

I think they have a burrow in the middle of this garden beside the flag pole.

Can you see in the hole? There is a paver they have dug under, and I hope my hydrangea lasts. Now that we have two, I'll bet there will be more.

The little twerper has created burrow #5 in the garden! It's great and rather hidden. Burrow #3 has dried, it was filled with water, spring melt. 

Back out front, I found the first lily bug of the season. Oops, time to find the Neem Oil.

I thought I'd take a photo of my tulips. You never know who will take a liking to them! Both deer and cottontails like them. 

I tried a snazzy photo of the Lenten Rose, but it wasn't focused properly. It could have been great!

Barbara asked about 'Labbit' but it is just a name  Well, we still use pet names for critters. Back when we'd see a bunny, one of the grandies would call it Labbit. That term stuck. So cottontail or hare, they are all Labbits, but, as I've been told, not all bunnies are rabbits! Now we've two, I am sure we will have more fun.

@tz_garden asked about the deer fence. I ordered netting last year, and JB picked me up some stakes. It worked really well. This is what we can look forward to later in the summer.