Garden tales

 Things have cooled off some. Outside chores aren't as onerous. A bit of rain fell this morning. The garbage was put out at 6:15, it was a lovely morning. Not as many bugs. You could smell the petrichor. (I learned that word from Gaelyn Geogypsy!)  

Petrichor is the earthy scent often associated with rain falling on dry soil or rock. The term was introduced by Australian researchers Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Grenfell Thomas in a 1964 paper in Nature.  Wikipedia

I saw something move. A large toad! I haven't seen one in a long time. The 2 x 4 is there to stop The Freds from going inside the drain pipe. The toad could get out, I suppose, but I have covered it up. 

We had a chat, but it was somewhat disgruntled. I set it free to eat those bugs. 

Daffodil garden repair

Of course, the daffodils are done, but there are other flowers here. I've written about our massive July 1st and 2nd storms. The bushes on the right were half flattened. They are tall, wild, woodland sunflowers, I think!

I straightened it and tied it once, but the thing fell over again. 

This time I used a strap from a no longer functioning trailcam.

 

The fox likes to circle this garden. I figured out she is hunting for leopard frogs in the grass. I often have to avoid them when I mow the lawn. 

 

The lilac hydrangea is doing well beside the sunflowers. 

Another natural plant, Burdock. 

Sadly, it is only the beginning of August, but my cherry tomato plants and my zucchini have just about given their all. 

miniFred smells the roses

I am rethinking putting the goldfish outside. We haven't had much rain, until this week. I use the water barrels and eaves overflow water to fill it up. If we are getting a drought, again, hmmmm, must mull it over.

Out filling the water fountain, I found a teeny toad hopping in the plantain.  

I do like toads! 

Our lawn is covered in this plant. It is called ribwort plantain. The lawn is covered in it. I hesitate to mow it. The miniFreds like it.

There were two kits out eating. The first

Then I spotted four kits on the deck, all at the same time. My only conclusion is that the groundhog taken was our Momma Fred. They don't last long in the wild. She's done well. Yesterday's post showed the video where she is whistle-warning the kits that danger was near. 

Phoebe, chipping sparrows, vireos and a toad!

 Things are pretty busy out there. The chipping sparrows  are so cute. They are eating bugs like mad!

A phoebe visited us on the back deck railing. It was going after an LDD moth. Bless its little heart. I think it was one of the babies, as the adults never did that. (archive photo)

Everyone loves the lilac tree. I've noticed red-eyed vireos in it, as well. I figured out why. Saturday, I could hear a noise from the catalpa tree beside the house, just around the corner. 

I poked around a bit, and found a red-eyed vireo  nest. I could see a bird hopping around it. Sure enough, a little fledgling!

 

More critters... I was fiddling with the kiddie pool on the middle deck, it got wet and I'm trying to dry it and put it away. We'll be at the beach this week. I moved it, and found a toad. We moved here in September, 2010, and have not seen a toad here. What a lovely surprise!

On the front deck, the monarch has broken out of its chrysalis and flown away! One more still waiting. 

I hope the chrysalis ecloses when the girls are here, later today. We've a hostage exchange at noon. The driveway should be cured, and we can park in the garage. I took out the garbage in the sturdy green wheelbarrow at 7 a.m., and hope they stay off the end of the driveway.

Docktales! What is at your dock?

Docks are important to cottage life.  I wrote a post illustrating with photos about boathouses, last March. CBC features a show on the long weekend in August, and this struck a chord for me.

DOCKS

You jump off of it. Lots of critters use our docks. We park at the dock. Beavers may chew it.
We tie things to it. We fish off of it. For those who have boat access only cottages, it is crucial.

Fishing, with my dad,  on the dock
–circa 1965.

Fishing off the dock (where we would swim!)

Jumping off of the dock

  They tie up airplanes at the dock

Critters on the dock

–both two- and four-footed critters, large and small, in all seasons!

 

There are large and purposeful public and private docks

Islands need docks!

Then there is Andrew Cumming who has a 9 m (14') monster on his Lake Muskoka dock! You can see this monster on Baxter Island. (SEE MAP: Just to the left of the "E" in Eilean Gowan Island.) He seems quite proud of it, despite some controversy.   Cumming's been handing out press releases about his sculpture and doing interviews. I wouldn't want to see the monster in the fog! It doesn't seem to fit in with the peace, tranquility and beauty of cottage country. But that is just me, and my memories of cottaging in 1960 - 2010 in Muskoka! Cottaging sure has changed over my lifetime.