Fledglings

Design - "Bumblebee"

Magazine - Just Cross Stitch Magazine - June 2017

Designer - Needle Bling Designs

Fabric - unknown

Fibers - Classic Colourworks - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 6 June 2017

Completed - 11 June 2017

Some species of birds have finished up with nesting and the young birds have fledged and are out on their own.

This is an adult Oregon Junco.

And here is a newly fledged Oregon Junco.

It looks very different from an adult bird. 

I saw several young Juncos this morning. They were eating plantain seeds.

This time if year can be challenging IDing birds, as the young birds can look very different from the adults.

This is true of Towhees as well.

Here's an adult.

And here's a newly fledged Towhee.

No red eye, no black head or beak, no orange and white breast.  

Just the general size, the long tail, and the sharp beak.

My Gardening Efforts

Design - "Bumblebee"

Magazine - Just Cross Stitch Magazine - June 2017

Designer - Needle Bling Designs

Fabric - unknown

Fibers - Classic Colourworks - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 6 June 2017

Completed - 11 June 2017

A finish!  A finish!  Happy Dance ensues...

I think this bee is dancing too.

I received an email from Emma Farmer.  She's started a small Etsy shop.

The designs are very inexpensive and would be fun for younger stitchers too.

Take a look if you are inclined: DripDropPolkaDot.  

I devoted a fair amount of time in May and early June getting things organized in my gardening world. 

Let's take a look. 

First - the back patio.

My mom likes Agaves so we have a collection of them.

This row of plants all have orange colored blossoms. 

I'd hope to attract orioles, so far the hummingbirds are loving it.

This nook gets intense late afternoon sun - so sun-lovers like geraniums and gerbera daisies live here.

All these rather exotic succulents over-wintered in my green house!

Score!

My strawberry pot collection.  The soil on the concrete is the action of chipmunks.

More sedums.

Most of these exotics over-wintered successfully too.

On to the front porch.

With the deer fence, for the first time ever I don't have to worry about the pots getting eaten just as they come into full bloom.

Hostas and ferns to right...

Close up.

Can you tell I like blue pots?

Does this prove it?

And to the left I have more hostas, coleus, and fuchsias.

The chipmunks are digging in all the pots - so that's going to be an issue this year.  We will see how it goes.