Camellia Visitors

We were trying to figure out who was eating the Camellia bush so I set the camera to capture the culprit. I don't suspect the cat roaming around at midnight or the giant crows after the recent snow. We'll see who shows up in future pictures.

Camellia Bloom

Last fall we planted two Camellia bushes. They have had buds since day one but we didn't get our first bloom until last week. Just a couple of days earlier, the bush was weighed down with snow and then the red flower popped out. After closer inspection, we are lucky we got this bloom because something has been nibbling on the bush. The ground around the bush is littered with broken stems and buds that will never bloom.

2nd Snow Storm

After the inch of snow a week ago, we had another storm - this time heavier. This storm was 3 inches of wet and heavy white snow. The 40 foot tall Bamboo were bent down to the grown because of the sticky snow. We were lucky to get some sun the next day which allowed the Bamboo spring part of the way back. It won't ever get back to where it was before the snow. The second picture show the solar panels after I started clearing the snow. It was made harder because the snow was so wet and heavy. Can't make any electricity with snow covering the panels but it sure is a pain to clear it.

Butterfly Bush Haircut

If it is February, it is time to cut back the Butterfly bushes that surround the deck. During the growing season, they grow to 10 to 12 feet tall crowding the deck seating. Every February we cut them back to about 2 feet and the growing process will start in the spring. In the first picture is our compost ball that is turning food scraps and leaves in the "good" soil. We roll the ball around every week to mix up the ingredients.

First Snow of 2012

Our mild winter ended quickly last weekend when the overnight temperatures dropped to about 20 degrees. With the cold temperature came an inch of snow that created a winter wonder land while not being too dangerous. The sun came out the next day and the daytime temperature hit 38 so the snow melted.

Owl is a Giants Fan

The truth is out; the Owl is a Giants fan. Here we see the Owl celebrating the Giants winning touchdown with perfect touchdown signal form. He could be an official in the NFL.

Late Night Visitor

It seems like its been awhile since i snapped a picture of the Owl fishing in the pond. Here he is late at night coming in for a landing on the Styrofoam. I can't tell if he has a fish in his claw so maybe the fish lucked out this night. Below is a good sized Black Bird surveying the pond. Occasionally we are visited by huge flocks of Black Birds that land and take off with a loud whoosh noise. Maybe this guy is a scout for the larger flock.

Hawk Caught With Goldfish

Here's a great picture of the Hawk fishing. I suspect he saw the Goldfish from above and hit the water with his wings spread and grabbed the unlucky fish. The second picture is just seconds later where the Hawk is on the side of the pond with that poor fish firmly grasp in his right claw foot. He then flew away to enjoy his feast. This shows the Hawk is pretty good at getting though the Styrofoam and fake rock defenses.

January Hawk Visit

We enjoyed a relatively nice December with only a couple of really cold days and nights. But January came in with cold. December 31st the daytime high was 60 while January 3rd it didn't break 40 and was in the low 20s overnight. Our local neighborhood hawk didn't slow down. He seems to like the floating rocks in the pond that we use to offer some protection for the goldfish from hungry hawks. We are slowly replacing the Styrofoam pieces with the better looking floating rocks to improve appearance while still offering shelter.

Black Magic Hates Frost

The time has come to store the Black Magic plants for the winter. The first picture shows one of the Black Magic about a month ago with large healthy leaves. The second shows the same plant this week after several freezing nights - totally killed back. We removed them from the pond and put them in the greenhouse for the winter. This year, I am going to let them dry out over the winter instead of keeping them damp. It remains to be seen if this is a good process to over-winter the plants.

So Sad Elephant Ears

We've had several nights in the high 20's and as a result our Elephant Ear plants are looking really sad. Remembering back a month ago, these plants were beautiful with huge rich green leaves. I'm still considering whether to dig up the bulbs and store them in the garage over the winter or just leave them in the ground and hope they revive next spring.

Crape Myrtle Fall Change

All of the sudden 10 days ago, the Crape Myrtle leaves turned from green to yellow, red, and orange. Here one of the three trees is holding onto it's green leaves a little longer. The second picture shows some of the seed pod bounty produced by these prolific trees. It won't be long until the trees drop all of their leaves and the wonderful bark is fully exposed.

Two Camellia Bushes Replace Dogwoods

We finally gave up on our Red Twig and White Twig Dogwood trees. While interesting, they have been decimated every year by caterpillars. The leaves get stripped leaving just the stems. We replaced them with Camellia bushes. If they work out, they should get pretty large and provide some beautiful flowers in the fall. It will be a couple of years before we find out if these plants work out.

Sad Looking Beauty Berry

While we haven't had a hard freeze yet, some of the plants are looking pretty sad. The leaves of the American Beautyberry which were looking good a couple of weeks ago are now drooping badly. Just across from the Beautyberry is one of the bunches of Elephant Ears where some of the giant leaves are turning yellow. Once the freeze comes these plants will die back for the winter.

Moved Plants Just in Time

We moved the plants into the greenhouse just in time. The last two nights the low temperature was 33 degrees so we just missed the first freeze of the season. Many plants moved into the house with the rest squeezing into the greenhouse. The greenhouse seemed big when I built it but it seems small after filling it with plants. After moving the plants, the small pond looks plain and lonely. Of course the problem is this gives the neighborhood predators a clear shot at fresh seafood.

Seasons are Changing

The time has come to say goodbye to mild temperatures since November 1st is just around the corner. Since I made the mistake some years ago by not bringing the crotons in before the first frost, I always bring them inside before November 1st. These plants have done extremely well outside with gorgeous colors. I hope the colors don't fade too much in the house this winter.

Oak Leaf Hydrangea Fall Colors

One of our Oak Leaf Hydrangeas is showing bright red colors on some of it's leaves. The picture doesn't show how beautiful this red is next to the green leaves on the rest of the plant. On the other hand the other Hydrangea is going from green to brown so isn't shining as brightly as the one with the red color.

4 AM Owl

The camera captured a picture of what looks like a baby Owl at 4 am. The camera takes pictures in groups of three but this guy was only still for one picture so maybe the flash sent him flying. While I can't be sure, he looks much smaller than the adult Owls we have seen in the past. In the second picture is a squirrel hanging out on a plant in the pond. He is very well camouflaged in the greenery. I suspect he is one of the critters eating the pond plants for dinner.

Grill Frog Returns

It has been several years since we had a visit from the grill frog but he was back night before last. I don't know if it was the cool evening that encouraged him to hop up on the grill's control panel. I let him stay while I cooked the steaks but he decided I was too close for comfort and left for an undisclosed location.

Copperhead Snake

Today I was cleaning up weeds around the cisterns and came upon a snake hiding behind one of the cisterns. I grabbed my trusty "snake stick" and the snake stayed put long enough for me to capture him. My wife got the camera and took some pictures of this critter who I guess was 3 to 4 feet long. I thought this was another water snake and took him to the farthest point from the house and tossed him over the fence. After more research, my wife and I decided this was a copperhead. I would have been a lot more nervous if I knew that when I captured this guy. Hope he keeps moving away from the house.