First Daffodils Bloom

Here it is the last day of February and after two nice days with highs in the 60s, the Daffodils thought it was time to bloom. They are nice to see with everything still brown but, they are wrong- really wrong. The single is next to the frog pond looking pretty but lonely. The bunch of Daffodils are behind the shed and are perfect for cutting to brighten the house. The Daffodils aren't the only ones that are confused. Today I saw an early bird frog swimming around the small pond - he woke up way too early. Why you ask? The weather report is highs in the 30s the next couple of day with rain and a possible six inches of snow tomorrow night. Keep you fingers crossed.

Fountain Joins the Pondscape

An interesting fountain sculpture has joined the pond area. My wife bought it at Home Depot. She hasn't decided how to place it but the pavers in the picture should play a role. What is most ironic about this fountain purchase is this whole pond thing started 5 years ago when my wife and I were shopping for a fountain. We visited a bunch of different garden shops and stores but none of the fountains struck our fancy. Finally we stumbled across a 90 gallon pond kit at Kmart. It looked like fun and now we have the 90 gallon pond, a 750 gallon pond and a 125 gallon pond. Maybe with the fountain, the ponds will stop multiplying.

Full Moon Rises Over the Pond

Last week something triggered the camera and it captured this shot of the full moon rising over the pond. It was early evening just before 9 pm and the moon was rising quickly. A few minutes later it had risen out of the picture. The pond is really quiet in winter with the Goldfish sleeping on the bottom of the pond and not a frog to be seen or heard. The plants have died back to nothing though I have noticed some small green leaf tip appearing in the pots. And the Daffodils are already an inch or two above the ground. The Daffodils better watch out because we have six more weeks before the danger of hard freeze is gone.

Now You See Them, Now You Don't

It's that time of year again. Every February we severely cut back the Butterfly Bushes around the deck. This year the weather cooperated in the annual ritual. We lucked out with a sunny day and 70 degrees so the chore was not too bad. One year it was about 40 degrees with a light shower - we were just about frostbitten when we were done. The Butterfly Bushes aren't much to look at in the winter but in summer the flowers are great and the Butterflies are a joy to watch.

Midnight Pond Splash

An interesting light show in the pond area early the other day. Looking closely at the first picture, the scene is filled with dots of light probably reflected off drops of water. But unlike rain the detail indicates the lights are moving up not down. With this as the only clue, I suspect something splashed into the pond causing a spray up into the air. Was it a predator diving into the pond after some Goldfish? I'll never know because the second picture taken almost immediately after the first shows a clear sky with just a hint of fog around the Redbud tree.