Early today and last night, we had storms and a lot of rain. After the rain stopped, I went outside. I just can’t stay inside this time of year, so I was out the door as soon as it stopped.
I took a walk in the yard, but I broke one important rule that I made many years ago for the safety of our children. – Do not walk in the woods after heavy rain.
While in the woods, I heard the typical crash and thud of a large falling branch. I finished my walk soon after that. While outside I took some pictures.
The daylilies started blooming today. These are typical orange daylilies. I have had them for over 25 years. They were planted at our first house under a tree by me. Later when our son was old enough for an outdoor baby swing, I placed the swing in the tree over these daylilies. He loved that swing. I brought the plants with us when we moved here 18 years ago. They are planted along one side of the garden.
The grape tomatoes are doing what they ought to be doing. I have never grown grape tomatoes before and I hope they are good.
We had a few puddles in our yard; some places were just plain ole standing in a thin layer of water. This puddle had bubbles. What is up with that? It had two places that bubbled. The bubbles would come up, then nothing, then after a couple of seconds, the bubbles came up again. Sometimes my yard worries me. What is under there?
Now I enter the wooded part of the yard. The forbidden area when wet. Pictured below might be one reason I went there – the wild blueberries, when I see them, I eat them.
Another fruit living in the woods are the wild black cherry trees. This year they are dripping in cherries. Did you know that wilted black cherry foliage is toxic if eaten? I was going to make this my tree of the year, but I don’t have time to do that this year.
I came across a leafless small tree full of little drops of water. My daughter likes this picture.
We, the kids and I, used to climb down via this root. Normally, this stream has very little water. This is one of our many places where we spent time exploring and finding things to study.
When we receive a lot of rain, this place in the yard collects water. I think something is in the water.
This is the Southern Magnolia Bunny Tree. It’s in the front yard and it has been blooming for a few weeks. The blooms have a lemony fragrance. We call it the bunny tree because I buried a bunny at its base when the tree was just a little tree 13 years ago. We rescued the bunny from being eaten, but it died a week later. The children were very moved by the experience and drew pictures to commemorate the bunny. My daughter used to think the new growth on the magnolia was fuzzy because of the bunny.
Later I went outside to feed an azalea and a dogwood tree with coffee grounds and heard a big ruckus. It sounded like agitated cardinals. Then I saw it. A red-tailed hawk was in the woods perched on a branch around 6 to 8 feet off the ground. It flew out of the woods and was followed by around half a dozen cardinals. They looked tiny compared to the hawk. I didn’t have the camera with me.
Appliejuice says
Your walk was lovely. I wish I could have gone. 🙂
That is funny about the Red Tail Hawk and the Cardinals. I always think it is funny when I see small birds chasing out a larger bird. 😆
I am forcing the kids outside this morning for a walk, maybe I’ll find something interesting to take a picture of.
Elaine says
I’ve seen a bunch/flock of seagulls chase off an eagle before, very interesting to see.
When I planted my flowers and tomatoes I put coffee ground in the soil before planting but I didn’t know that I should also be feeding them the grounds after planting as well. ❓ Could you share more about doing this and what the benefits to the plants are with the grounds.
I use good coffee , not the canned stuff, so hopefully the plants are enjoying it as much as hubby and I did.
Elaine says
😯 I almost forgot but I thought that in the stream it looked like there was something large in there. If you lived in Florida or Louisiana I would say it was an alligator but I don’t think you have those in Tennessee except maybe in the zoo.
Donna Young says
Elaine, coffee grounds are on the acidic side and can be pour around acid-loving plants such as azaleas, blueberries, tomatoes, and dogwood trees, (etc.).
Elaine says
Thanks Donna, that is what I was coming to your blog for today, trying to find where you mentioned this. I’ve got my church saving coffee grounds for me, I forgot to pick the bucket up last night 🙄 I figure that between what I’m getting here at home and what I can get at church I’ll have lots of grounds to feed my tomatoes.
Donna Young says
😆 That’ll be a lot of coffee grounds!
Tressa says
What a nice walk you had! I have to admit the bubbling place in your yard is a little crepy. If you were at the beach I would say that it was a clam or something, but I don’t think you have any clams in your yard.
I like the lilies too. 18 years. Wow! Loved all pictures. 🙂
Ginger says
I love the pictures. I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite but I like the water droplet, the magnolia, the creek and the blueberries. I’ve missed coming out but planned on catching up with what every one is doing….
I wish we could put in a garden like this…it just isn’t feasible at this time….I have live vicariously through y’all’s gardens…:-)