Visiting Squirrel & State Of The Garden
Yesterday afternoon I happened to look out the patio door in the living room and saw this visiting squirrel.
I didn’t realize that the squirrels have been drinking from the bee and butterfly water dish. He/she must have seen my movements.
It looks like he/she is saying: “What are you looking at? I need to stay hydrated as much as the next guy.”
I’ve noticed that they sprawl out on their stomachs across the yard and the rocks during the worst heat of the day.
“Poor squirrels!” I said to Ivy.
Then I went about getting more bowls of water to put out for the squirrels and rabbits. I filled them with stones to keep them from possibly falling in.
Bowls Of Water For The Outdoor Critters:
So much attention is paid to keeping the birds fed and watered. But the rest of the wildlife need the same. So I’ll try to keep the water topped off and fresh for them.
Liriope In The Concrete Blocks:
Isn’t the liriope in the concrete blocks really taking off?
The liriope plants at both ends are much taller than the ones in the middle. Must be the shade from the tree making the difference.
There’s still sticks and leaves in the yard I have yet to completely pick up from the storm. I do a little at a time due to the dreadful heat.
The Fern & Purple Lobelia Pot:
My fern pot with the purple lobelia is looking a bit bedraggled. I need to get out there and plant the lobelia seeds I ordered to rejuvenate the pot.
However the fern is looking quite healthy.
A new neighbor is moving in below the Asian family. It is a single woman I believe. I’ll have to welcome her to the neighborhood.
I noticed when I was out watering this morning that she’s already placed a pretty yellow and white rug on her patio. Along with a perky red chair. It looked nice.
Local Metal Artist Sculpture:
I’ve always loved this metal sculpture I got from Tulsa’s Garden Deva quite a few years ago. Probably at least 15 if not more years I’ve had this one.
The metal lady looks like she’s overwhelmed and raising her arms to let everyone know about it!
I can’t believe that in the almost 12 years I’ve lived in Tulsa, I have yet to visit the Garden Deva. I’ll have to see if Steve would like to go with me.
Hobby Lobby Sale:
Hobby Lobby has been having their 66% off sale on their spring items here. I picked up salad plates the other day and plan to do a summer tablescape.
Maybe they’re having this same sale at your local store.
I’ll plan to focus on green for the tablescape decor. Green is fast becoming my very favorite color.
I’m waiting on a Walmart grocery delivery, so I’d best start watching for him/her to get the groceries in before my ice cream melts.
We have to be very careful in Connecticut about mosquitoes in standing water, so we change water & flush out our stones to clean them often. It’s been very dry here lately so wildlife needs help. Good job all!
I keep a very large shallow plastic saucer (bottom of a big planter, purchased at Home Depot) filled with fresh, cold water in my back yard. It not only attracts birds who drink and bathe, but I’ve seen squirrels and chipmunks drink from it, too. So cute. I need to scrub it out this weekend with vinegar though. It gets dirty and grimy easily.
I love dishes, but I certainly don’t need anymore! I have found the best place to pick up beautiful dishes are thrift stores. You can find the good quality ones (not made in China) and they’re so inexpensive. Plates are 99 cents – $2 each. All my dishes – sets from England, Germany, USA and Mexico – have come from thrift shops. I was just at a thrift store in a neighboring town today and they had two long rows, three shelves deep, of dishes and glassware.
I would so miss the squirrels, chipmunks and birds who visit me daily if tyey stopped coming. The squirrels jump right up to the rims of the bird baths in one effortless “spring” from the ground and take very long drinks. I also put out plastic containers on the small retaining walls of the garden beds. The bird baths and the containers are very popular and I put in fresh water at least 2x a day. We’ve been under “unhealthy air” warnings here for nearly a week as smoke from the Canadian wildfires has been blowing over the Great Lakes region. It is also unseasonably hot and humid with no relief in sight, in addition to what appears to be our new normal – drought all summer when for 50 of my 71 years it used to be the norm to get a good inch of rain every week. I cut my back yard grass this morning between 8 and 9 a.m. before it really started heating up and I had 2 showers: one from sweating like I had a hose over my head outside and one in the shower stall inside the bathroom after I finished up in the backyard!
I read that it’s called “sploofing” when squirrels lay all sprawled out flat on their stomach.
I just read that the term is “splooTing.” I was a bit incorrect in what I thought the term was.
Glad you got some goodies at Hobby Lobby. Fun place to shop especially when you get a great sale. I always enjoy your plant and animal pictures and stories. Went to the grocery store late this morning and boy was it already crowded. But we have everything we need until after the 4th. It is so nice to be retired and run errands during the week days. Although there is a lot more traffic now compared to years ago during the day. Stay cool.
Brenda, your garden just keeps evolving into such a charming and welcoming space. Love your idea of water for the other wildlife. Wonderful pictures…..stay cool, I can’t imagine those scorching temps…..
Putting liriope in the holes of the concrete blocks was such a good idea! Liriope likes to spread so it needs to be contained. It will be so pretty as it fills out over the next couple of years.
Ah, squirrels are such fun creatures to watch!! We fed them along with birds when we had a house and deck. They made such a mess of the deck, so I got a funny curled in a circle, kind of looked like a slinky toy but heavier, and hung from the tree beside the deck. It was just the right size to put whole peanuts in…wish I had the ability to film a lot of those antics!! They seem to love challenges and spent much time there every day until every single peanut was gone. Water is a good thing to have for them too…such a cute idea too, using things with stones in it to hold water.
How thoughtful, and such a good idea, Brenda, to put out little water dishes filled with tiny pebbles. I bet you’ll have more than one squirrel pay you a visit. They are so much fun to watch, like circus clowns. In our yard they act goofy most all the time.
I, too, like your metal lady, and
how the red flower behind her, looks like her heart. perfect!
Your garden decor is so pretty, looks like it has always been there. You sure did a wonderful job arranging it all.
Stay cool, and have yourself a refreshing drink …and a safe 4th of July.
I had thought that you must have decided to take some time off Brenda and then yesterday I went into my other e mail and there you were! How that happened I don’t know but today you are back on the rightful e mail.
Your garden is delightful, I absolutely love it and the cute pictures of the squirrel. I always put out water for wildlife and this year I bought a large bird bath which the robins seem to have taken over. They certainly don’t like to share, I see them chasing others birds away.
Your garden looks fabulous, Brenda. I, too, noticed the red bloom behind your metal lady sculpture where the heart is. Perfect!!! I’ve always liked her.
A couple of weeks ago I heard someone or something tapping on my glass sliding door. I took a quick peek and noticed it was a roadrunner up on the small table. It happened a few more times and finally I decided maybe he or she might be thirsty. I put a bowl of water out there and there’s been no more tapping. LOL
Oh, I do hope your new neighbor is as delightful as you are. A quick hello and welcome is definitely in order.
I’m glad to see that you’re out and about Brenda! Try to stay out of that heat and stay dehydrated! I hope u and your friends and all your reader friends have a great weekend!
Look how a red bloom is peeking thru your garden lady, just where her heart would be.