I had to duck when the hawk dove .. and others things on a Friday

Saturday, February 18, 2012

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  Friday was the end of the Monday to Friday work week.  A time frame that I’ve known all too well.  And one that, thankfully, remains in my past.

Friday was a rainy type of day.  Again, another day that I wanted to focus on my gardening learning .. and .. yet again .. another opportunity to stock up on items needed for the house.

So, after I attended to the morning household chores, I set out on my search for grocery items needed.   Succeeded on some sales (as noted on our weekly flyers).  Bought some needed gas (gas war currently going up and down!)

Visited a lovely garden centre and filled my car with flats of Irish Moss .. beautiful plants.

Home again .. and .. while I was moving the plants to the back yard .. I happened to glance up at the Hawthorne tree.   The one that is planted in our neighbour’s yard .. with lovely branches reaching over to our yard.

After my second trip of transporting flats of plants to the back yard … I decide to just stop and take some photos of the Hawthorne tree.

And .. what do I see .. but .. a Coopers Hawk .. perhaps the same hawk that I’d observed in the wild and crazy tree, in January!

I took some pics, stood there staring, more pics .. and then, he/she.. was ticked off .. and left the  branch, actually swooped down towards me (I ducked) and then the hawk swiftly flew around the house.  I ran to the backyard, but, no sightings.

So, I know now that I am not an ignored species on the ground and I will respectfully leave the hawk alone in the future.  Who knows .. he/she could really  achieve some harm with those claws.

Spent more time researching gardening information online.   And was able to prepare a dinner (not burnt, not too dry) for DH … so, it was a good day.

Friday .. a day to relax .. a marker for the end of the week.  And the entry way to the weekend.

Gotta love that, eh?

 

 

 

 

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Do I have to decide which I prefer .. gardening or bird watching?

Wednesday, January 11, 2011

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Tuesday was kind of slow going .. lots to do and where to start, was how I began the day.

Spent more time entering details of my gardening books into my excel … again, searching the web for unknown publishers … happy to see that many have continued to this day.

Looking at the little paper pockets at the front of some of the books that I’d purchased at the “Friends of the Library” book sales … remembering how the Gayley Bros., of Syracuse, NY began the use of these, using seed packets for this purpose.  They were clever that is for sure.

Thought about going for a walk at Swan Lake .. but then went outside for just a “minute”.

Hmmmm …. the sun was shining …. so I decided to do a bit of yard work.  And this was a good opportunity to use my newest gardening glove acquisitions.  I chose a pair of glove liners & the yellow waterproof outer gloves .. items purchased from our local Home Hardware on Burnside.

These outer gloves are perfect for gardening especially when working near stinging insects .. aka .. hornets!  And .. .a reminder to me to try out that penny & water hornet deterrent this spring.  Just a few more months and then it will again be time to look out for these critters.

My s/i/law had told me of a waterfront restaurant they had visited … nary a hornet in sight.  The owner had rigged up clear plastic bags, filled with water, placed a penny in each bag .. and somehow, they deterred these mighty insects.

I have the bags, the water and the pennies .. so I’m all set for them.

Anyway, yesterday, I finally clipped the branches from our Christmas tree and placed them beneath our “first” Christmas tree .. in hopes of dissuading cats from using this mulched area as their private litter box.

The tree trunk will be used for some gardening project .. so I dragged that to the back yard.  As I was in the process of doing that … I reminded myself to look up at the sky.   Perhaps I’d see a bird.

So I did just that and then I saw the hawks!  One was sitting atop a tall fir-tree in the next block … and a second was sitting about 100 yards away, on another tree.  I was just trying to focus my camera on the first one .. when they both flew off, flying towards an unsuspecting target.

Aha … a parent is teaching the young one how to hunt, I think.

Shortly afterwards, I saw them soaring overhead …. the mature one had a few ragged feathers … this time there were some crows chasing the hawk.  The hawk, of course, was majestically regal … calmly ignoring the frantic movements of the crows.   Very impressive.  Eventually there was only one crow .. who seemed as if he was flying away, but he was merely changing the angle of his flight and made a series of close passes in front of the hawk.  Eventually the crow admitted defeat by flying away.

Sometime during the afternoon, the crows began their daily migration towards some neighbouring oak trees.   Last summer I’d noticed that they started flying overhead about 5 pm … so they are flying earlier during the winter.    They eventually all roost on a little island near Oak Bay for the night.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/crowfaq.htm#roost

Decided it was time to work at the mulch pile .. so I started digging in … moving the leaves from point A to point B.

Darned if I didn’t look up at the sky again!  And now what did I see .. as I ran to collect my camera and shed my gloves.

This time, there were two Bald Eagles flying in graceful circles overhead.  Entranced … that’s what I was .. totally entranced and enthralled by this beauty …seen from our back yard.   I started walking slowly backwards, binoculars following their every movement.   So beautiful.    As they flew farther down the road .. .I ran to the front yard to continue looking at them.

Bumped into a young neighbour who was walking his most lovely little dog, who was recuperating from a doggy cold!    And so we talked about doggy health .. and about the eagles.    Then the eagles had flown farther away than I could see .. so I returned to the back yard.

And I reminisced over the many conversations I’d had  with neighbours, over many years .. as I worked away at the front yard.  Guess I’ve been so busy with the back yard that I haven’t kept in touch.

There used to be a genteel pair of sisters I used to chat with, they had lived in a tiny little house up the street .. then there was a couple who had travelled the world over .. a number of times … she’d bought her hubby a little dog, to help him with his fading memory.. how sad.  She used to race around the neighbourhood in her motorized wheelchair.  Quite an interesting lady she was.

Anyway, I’d met a lot of people and had interesting conversations.  Especially last summer, when I devoted a week to sifting gravel in our front parking area.  Now that was meditative work if there ever was any!

Decided that it was time for tea .. so inside I went, kettle on and soon had a lovely mug of Yorkshire Tea!   Went back to work on listing my gardening books .. but .. hey, the sun was shining and the outdoors beckoned me forth.

Good decision … shoveled some more leaves at the mulch pile .. continuously looking up at the sky for more aerial demonstrations.  Sigh.  Activity ceased for now.  Although now I only rarely  see the young Cooper’s Hawk in the wild and crazy tree.  Now I know that he visits other nearby tall trees.  And when the yard is empty of birds .. then I know that is where he is.

The two hours that I’d spent outside really seemed like 4 or 5 hours.   The total concept of time had disappeared and there only existed a feeling of “now” amidst the wonderment and joy of seeing the beautiful wild life up above me in the sky.

eagles .. hawks … crows. …. seagulls … hummingbirds  .. flying overhead in my own back yard … I didn’t feel so bad, not having visited dear ole Swan Lake.

I question myself sometimes .. do I like gardening because it affords me the opportunity to bird watch .. or do I bird watch in order to be outside gardening?  It’s like a chicken and the egg thing … I guess.

And today .. more of the same!

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The hawk still visits; Once gone, the birds reappear in the yard. Time to relax.

Friday, January 6, 2012

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Heavy rains yesterday … combined with the Cooper’s hawk‘s presence in the wild and crazy tree .. resulted in another day without the birds in the backyard.

I’ve become so used to see them, enjoying all their antics .. and the absence of their presence in the yard is quite a blow.

The hawks nest in the vicinity and although I’ve seen one or two passing through the yard .. I’ve not seen one hang around quite so much.

So towards late afternoon yesterday I was quite pleased to see the return of the little guys .. the Dark Eyed Juncos, the Nuthatches, the Chickadees, the Thrush.

They needed to feed quickly as night was falling, so instead of going outside and upsetting them .. I took photos of them through the rain spattered window .. and they came out well!

I’m slowly making progress, entering the hundreds of garden books into an excel sheet .. and along the way, reading through these books .. gleaning the treasured gardening information that they contain.

I start my Organic Master Gardening Course next week .. quite looking forward to this.  And then there are four other components, which I will take, and these all lead up to a diploma in organic land care .. it will take a couple of years but that is something to work towards.

These “wintry” days are good for us .. a time to slow down.  Relax.  Cocoon.  I know that these chilly days will soon pass, summer will be here and again .. there will be those long long days with many hours of activity .. so I’m taking the opportunity to relax now.  Time to do those “indoor” activities now so I can ignore them once the warm weather arrives.

And I do have so many plans.

For now though .. it’s back to entering all those books and enjoying the time to look through them.

Here is a quote that was attached to a recent e-mail .. I found it to be quite uplifting and want to share this: 

“Each progressive spirit is opposed by a thousand mediocre minds appointed to guard the past.” 

Maurice Maeterlinck

Ok, I found this quote to be quite intriguing, so, of course, I had to look for more information on this person .. and here is a link, complete with a photograph:   http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1911/maeterlinck-bio.html   From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1901-1967, Editor Horst Frenz, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1969

He was born in Belgium.  Looking at his photograph, I see such thoughtful, dreamy eyes .. quite a handsome guy .. and very philosophical.

I find it interesting to see that he meandered to the bees, gardens, mystical things and all those wonderful creative elements of the universe. 

More positivity … sigh

 :)

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Inspiration and Creativity, invaluable treasures found on blog sites!

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Thursday, January 5, 2011

Wednesday .. another on and off again rainy day!  No worries about the plants not getting enough water.

I see that the young Cooper’s Hawk seems quite at home, atop the wild and crazy tree.  Yesterday was day two of his residency.   I can tell when he’s arrived as the yard is suddenly quite quiet.

I’ve seen the quick flash of wings as adult hawks have zipped through the yard .. but this is the first time I’ve actually witnessed one sitting quietly in the tree.

The only bird that I’ve seen that is bold enough to be in the same air space is the little Anna!  She darts around, quite the expert flyer, easily able (thus far) to avoid the killer beak.

I saw one of the Anna juveniles on a branch of the wild and crazy tree .. when the hawk wasn’t there.  He (she?) is quite chubby and hasn’t yet attained the brilliant plumage of the adult.  The male flew in and settled on another branch and his silhouette was quite slender in comparison.

Still plodding away, entering details of my gardening books into a document.  Lots of work and it will take many days before I’m finished.   I’m enjoying taking the time to look through the pages of the books .. such a wealth of information there.  And this list will greatly help me in studying and making notes in the upcoming Organic Master Gardening Course.  Quite exciting times for me .. and I’m so happy to finally follow one of my many dreams.  Step one …

I have purchased many books, some have been gifts, some have been from book sales and some from library book sales (very lucky there!) .  As I’ve been trying to remove some plasticized covers from the library books, I’ve been a little curious about the methods of book covers and labels that have been used.

Curiosity won out when I looked at the inside of a paper cover and noted the words “Gaylord No. 12 .. for books 10 1/8″ to 12″ high” .. now .. as a non-library person, this was interesting to me.

I pictured countless library personnel, toiling away in the long days at work in a side room at a library.  Unpacking new arrivals, choosing the proper paper cover, the correct paper pockets that are affixed to the inside page, choosing the variety of library identification labels and identification codes.

Making lists of items to order for the future.  Verifying that all was correct, before placing the books on a cart and onto shelves for library patrons to choose.

So I decided to search for “Gaylord Bros., Syracuse, NY” .. and what a treasure trove I found.   Here I am … toiling away in our chilly, bare basement .. entering the fabulous world of the internet .. and what words greet me .. when I click on this site?  http://www.gaylord.com/page_manager_st_leftnav_no_ewe.asp?page_ID=gaylord_innovations&LeftNav_ID=901

These words caught my attention right away:  “To continue our story… our beloved brothers, Willis and Henry worked eagerly in a cellar workshop after banking hours, designing a gummed paper with which to repair torn currency.”

Straight away, my curiosity was piqued.  Ok, I was working away in a chilly basement .. and here were these two hardworking guys, after a long day at a boring job in a bank .. well, they were working in a basement also.

They had a clever idea and went with it ….gummed paper to repair torn paper bills.  Their success rate was low, however, they continued and on the way, found more markets and worked hard.  Success found them.  They moved onwards and upwards.  Developing, marketing, always working hard.  They are still successful.

I found this story to be such an interesting one .. full of determination, forging ahead, always progressing .. a success story.  An honest one.  I’ll save this site as a favourite.. a source for inspiration.  They never ever gave up and that’s the energy that I like.

I can compare this to my gardening life .. it’s one I’ve always wanted.   And now I have the opportunity and the means to further my dream.  Inspired and energized.

As I wander through other blogs on creativity and gardening, I’m again inspired by the “stick to it” attitude that I read on various sites.   And the sheer creativity that people have towards repurposing everyday items.  And the generosity of those who share their ideas with others.

It’s a great ole life when we can all share our ideas and projects!

Gotta love it.

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Ah, what a small world this is! Coincidences. And there was a Cooper’s Hawk in the garden yesterday!

January 4, 2012

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Yesterday was overcast and the rains would come and go so I decided that it was a perfect time to finish taking down the Christmas decorations.   Found the few ornaments that were hiding amongst the branches, as always, a Christmas tradition.

Took down the sparkling Christmas lights that encircled the room .. so pretty.  Neatly bundled and carefully placed in those lovely zippered clear bags from the new drapes.

Finally, removed the tree trunk from the stand and the tree made it’s way (with my assistance!) from the living room to the yard.  I plan to re-use the tree in the garden.  I’ll clip the branches and these I’ll just cut up and place appropriately around plants .. perhaps beneath our “first Christmas tree” .. to dissuade cats from utilizing the ground as a litter box!  Yes, I’ll do that!

and then the trunk … I’ll definitely use that to stake up some plants or perhaps I’ll use it as part of a trellis for growing sweet-peas!

Eventually, the house was back in order, containers of Christmas decorations put away downstairs.  Vacuuming finished, dusting finished and our house was back to normal.   This year I’m not so sad at completing the “putting away” process … we’ve had a good Christmas & New Years and now it’s time to get on with this new year!

Looked out the kitchen window .. from time to time .. puzzled by the lack of activity.  Couldn’t figure out what was going on .. the bird feeders were full … as were the suet holders.  Hmmmm.

Finally .. I “really” looked at the yard and noticed a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, high atop the branches of the wild and crazy tree!  Aha!  This was why there wasn’t any bird activity in the yard.

I took my little camera and stepped out onto the sundeck …trying to be as quiet as possible …and soon noticed that the hawk wasn’t fazed by my presence.  He was a regal being and I was beneath his radar, not above it.

So I clicked away … appreciative of the fact that I really was lucky to be seeing this bird in the yard.  I realize that he must frequent the yard often .. and I’m usually away, so I feel fortunate to be there.

The little Anna is completely unfazed … and boldly perches on a branch on the other side of the tree.  Chirping away quite loudly.   He zooms past the hawk several times, as if he is taunting the hawk.

Seagulls fly by … as do some crows.  But no other winged creatures.

I had some errands to do and when I returned, walked around to the back of the yard … the hawk was still there and seemingly content to stay for the rest of the day.   Time was spent grooming his feathers.

Saw a bird feeder had crashed to the ground a few feet away from where I had placed it and wondered ..when had it tumbled to the ground?  Was this the start of the hawk’s adventure this morning?  Diving  towards the feeder, dislodging it and then it fell?  I’ll never know.  But it had to have taken some energy to remove the feeder from the coiled wire that it had hung from.  Mysteries.

Went about my household activities, continuously returning to the window to check on the status of the hawk.  Finally …. saw that the tree was void of his presence .. so I missed his departure.    And I wondered if he’d been successful in hunting down some lunch?

Birds didn’t return till later .. and then they returned in droves .. starving for the bird seed and suet.   The day was ending and I felt so happy to see these little guys back in the yard.   Hopping and flying … filling their little tummies for their long night’s sleep.

Didn’t see the Nuthatches though … although I saw Mr & Mrs on Monday, taking turns visiting the suet feeders.  Mrs lacks the rosy chest that Mr has .. quite a striking colour, though.

Inside, I decided to finally turn a dream into a reality.  Just a small dream, mind you.  One that involved slicing up some triangular ciabetta buns that were getting a little stale.  These were lovely, topped with a variety of grains and I just didn’t want to discard them.

There were just two of these buns left … so I sliced them as thinly as possible and placed them on a cookie sheet.  Into the oven at 300, letting one side toast to a golden brown and then flipped the slices over, to complete the crispy process.

Yea, they looked wonderful .. as crunchy and tasty as could be.   They looked so pretty in the clear glass containers that I placed them in.  So I had to take a pic!

Hmmmm… DH gave me a terrific soup book for  Christmas and I have my eye on a delicious onion soup recipe, these slices will be perfect.  And onions, I have a great supply of in the pantry.  Potatoes and onions .. I have to have these foods in the kitchen .. otherwise, it’s quite an empty place.  These are basics.

And, then, last night .. the time came to head on out to attend the free information session regarding the upcoming Organic Master Gardening course to be held at Royal Roads.

I am not a great night driver and last night the roads were dark and the heavy downpour of  rain made the drive a challenging one for me .. but I drove with caution, determined to attend the session.

Once there, I found a seat at the front of the class … and had time for a conversation with the instructor.  And, what a very tiny little world this is!  We had met at Swan Lake, a year ago!

When I was adjusting to my early retirement, my life newly unconstrained by time limits, hours of work and lunch breaks.  I’d been in the process of creating my Lovely New Life!

So I practically lived at Swan Lake … and went for walks there nearly every single day.

And during the process, I met some very interesting people … birders, philosophers .. it was a lovely time.

And so I thought how coincidental this world is .. if I hadn’t gone for those walks, then I wouldn’t have connected with a great group of people.

As it turns out there are 4 instructors for this course.  We will have lectures, discussions, hands on classes, assignments.  We will learn the symbiotic relationships, communication between organisms and insects soil processes and partnerships, soil ecology, soil testing, soil fertility management.  Soil/water relationships.  Composting .. with hands on assignments.  Water wise gardening.

There will be two classes on diagnosing landscaping health problems.  We’ll make site visits.   Learn how to make strip gardens (I think that’s what it’s called) .. cardboard base then topped with soil/mulch.   We’ll learn which plants need to have cuttings made in the cardboard, to allow their roots to go through.  And which plants are so tenacious that they will do the job themselves.

I’ve used the newspaper layering, then the cardboard, for years.   And although I might know a good bit about natural gardening, I know that, through this course, I will learn much more.  So I’m really looking forward to that.

Lawn care .. ok, so I’m not in love with lawns, but I do look forward to learning about natural inoculants to improve the soil for lawn growth.

There will be sessions on pruning … Tamara went over the basics of pruning, how  injuries to trees cannot be healed by the tree itself, the importance of branch collars.   Information that I’d skimmed over in my books.

I really look forward to attending classes, absorbing all the information, then returning home to make more notes and research from my books.

Also, we’ll have access to Gaia College’s online information .. so that is quite exciting.

About plant names .. those aren’t a priority ..we can easily learn these on our own.  This course focuses on learning techniques that can be applied to all plants.     Eco systems that work.  Alternative construction methods & materials.

Creating healthy, vibrant gardens, focusing on healthy plants.

This course resonates with my gardening self.   It will give me the structure that I’ve been searching for .. in my gardening business.   Everyone involved is focused on natural gardening and I know that I will meet more like-minded people.

And there will be places to go, people to meet, products to try .. ideas for me to experiment with …. all is coming together re my gardening life and I’m ever so happy!!!!

Well .. on with this rainy day .. I’ll be working away with my gardening book data base!  And looking for ideas as I go along!

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