Winter

Winter

Monday, June 27, 2011

This Morning in The Garden



I finally have some sunflowers to show you pictures of and
I don't have to keep digging up last years shots. I am forgiving them
a bit now that they are acting like sunflowers are supposed to and stop
all of that lollygagging along. I don't think I have ever had a orange one before.


These are my transplants. I had them growing out next to
the boysenberries but when we expanded the berries these guys
had to go, so I dug them up with a shovel and moved them in the yard
in my flowerbed. They seem to like it better. The conditions aren't so
harsh.

See that little orchard bee on the flower? I stood and took
pictures as she was stuffing her little pollen sacks until there was
no more room. She would stop, and use her little legs to try and pack
the pollen a little tighter. She was buzzing quietly like she was talking
to herself and then she would work a bit more. The leaf underneath this
flower was just yellow with pollen that she had knocked off. She was
starting to get uncomfortable with me standing there watching so I
walked on, but it was really very cute.

A new pumpkin. The pumpkin patches are just filled with
flowers and new little green pumpkins. You know after my bees
went AWOL I was afraid of not having enough bees to pollinate.

I notice lots of different kinds of bees now, I guess it is because I am
looking. We have huge amount of these green looking bees that look
large like a meat bee but aren't. They dig little round holes in the sandy
soil and if you watch them the dirt goes flying like when a dog digs.
They all live where I have my green beans planted and I was afraid
they might sting me but they don't really pay attention they buzz
pretty loud but they are mainly concerned with what I think is there
own little hive. I have seen them sting a grass hopper and then drag
in in the hole and then wall up the entrance. So I imagine they lay
their eggs on the grass hopper and that is what the babies eat after
they hatch.

They are really fast so I haven't been able to get a close up of them.
We found a hummingbird nest in a cottonwood tree, the mama is sitting
on it. That is when I wish I had a telephoto lens. She just sits and watches
in her teeny tiny nest. I would love to see hummingbird eggs. I don't dare
get that close though.

Thanks for taking a walk with me. It was a beautiful morning.

~Kim~

15 comments:

Kessie said...

Those green bees aren't meatbees? They're sure weird. I think it's funny to watch them dig. I'd love to see one drag off a grasshopper. I also love the orchard bee trying to pick up as much pollen as she possibly could. :-)

Debbie said...

i have been seeing lot's of bees also!!

i thought the pumpkin was an onion or scallion, shame on me!!!

love the new header photo!!!!

Kim said...

I thought the pumpkin was an onion too. I guess I'm not a good farm girl! Lol
Pretty sunflowers. My sprout is growing :)

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

There is nothing that you can't try to grow, is there? It fascinates me. I would LOVE to watch a garden full of stuff we can eat, growing and thriving. It still sounds like a dream to me. I am a hopeless city girl, but not in my heart!

xo

Julia said...

Your sunflowers are so cheery. I've noticed that there are a lot more bees and birds since they banned pesticide on lawns. I have some small sand bees that buries in the sand and they kind of hover.

And to think that you have seen a humming bird nest is awesome. I always wonder how high they build their nests.

I once held a small humming bird in my hand after I removed it out Kitty's mouth. It had flown in the hothouse window that was attached to our house. The kids had left the door opened.

I yelled at Kitty and she just held the bird gently and never hurt it and just had this guilty look on her face and let me take the humming bird out of her mouth and I examine it briefly. It wasn't hurt and gave it back its freedom and it flew away like a flash. It weigh as much as a feather, it was so light. JB

TexWisGirl said...

love the story of the little gathering bee, talking to himself (i'm assuming it's a he?) while he worked. :) envious that you get to see a hummingbird on her nest!

Bonnie K said...

Great sunflower. I wish I could grow sunflowers. The second they get a few leaves the chipmunk harvests them. Your garden looks great. I too loved the bee story. She looked busy.

Miss Debbie said...

Sorry you hurt your back, but glad you got to rest by the pool and study rug hooking! :-) Thanks for taking us on your walk.Sunflowers are lovely. Wow! A hummingbird nest...what a treat to see one of those.I imagine they are tiny. A bee was buzzing around me while I painted yesterday. We managed to share the space without anyone getting hurt.ha!ha!

Sue said...

Love this walk Kim, and I adore sunflowers, My sunflowers have almost played out, butI have enjoyed them so much.
Yesterday as I went to pick blueberries, I walked past the corn,and heard all of these bees buzzing in the patch. It was full of bees, I mean it was so noisy, made me so happy. It looked and sounded like thousands of bees, I called to my dh to come and see,he said he had never seen anything like this. And like you I have seen many species this year. I get to stay in and putter today, dh will be gone. Enjoy your day.
Hugs,
Sue

no spring chicken said...

I feel like I just paid for a narrated garden/nature walk! I love all of these details. You're so knowledgeable! Couple that with the fact that you pay attention... I can't even imagine seeing a hummingbird nesting! Thanks Kim. And I for one will be praying that you get that telephoto lens. It would be wonderful seeing even more of your world!!

Blessings, Debbie

deb said...

LOVE the sunflowers.....I always planted them but now Im in a new house and I have none, so it was nice seeing yours!!!

Lynn said...

It sounds like you have lots of interest going on in your garden. I am always surprised at how every year is different -- guess it depends on rainfall, cold, bees, etc. This year it doesn't look like we'll have many peaches, but I'm sure something else will surprise me with its abundance. Happy gardening :)

Anonymous said...

My sister's garden in ID, she too has surprises and wonders keep happening each year for her too. Hummingbird nest -- lucky you I've never have seen such a thing..as a humingbird nest -- other bird nest but never a humingbird nest.. - cool and I wished you had a lens to zoom in..too..

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Sunflowers are SO cheerful; I just love them. My garden is beginning to look flush...about time too -grin-. Yours is looking great!

Cathy Kennedy said...

That's so cool to spot a hummingbird nest. I think it's just neat to see hummingbirds. What wonderous little creatures!