Sunday, May 25, 2008

A Walk in the Woods and Beans

Today I took a walk in the local conservation area. It is a beautiful little woods, only about 200 acres, but with paths wandering all through, a nice pond and a little stream that dries up in the summer. It is as enjoyable seeing what flowers are blooming there as in my garden. Today I was extra thrilled. I not only saw many pink lady slippers (the photo was taken by my husband a few years ago as I always forget to bring a camera when I walk) but the Jack-in-the-Pulpits were also blooming. As a child I thought they were sort of freaky plants and because of that I loved them. I still love them in all their strangeness.

As I was watching the plants I heard a loud bird call. I couldn’t believe that the birds were still there. This year a couple of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers have decided to nest. I’ve never seen them before and they are kind of hard to miss with their distinctive call and mostly red head. At least the one I saw had a mostly red head. I’m assuming it was the male. He would swoop out of his hole in the tree and quickly find food and swoop back. Supposedly they don’t live here. They are a common southeastern bird, not a northeastern bird. Or at least they were.

After my walk it was time to water the garden. We have had less then a quarter of an inch of rain this week and my lettuce is looking limp. The squash are wilting. This is probably the last time I’ll water the whole garden by hand. I’ll bring out the sprinkler next. But right now I have too many things under protection and the sprinklers can’t get to it well. It is amazing how quickly a plant will perk up with a little water. Now the lettuce looks happy and the squash are happier. Though one squash is still a little bit wilty. I hope he is ok.

Yesterday my direct seeded cucumbers finally peeked their heads out. Now the beans are finally showing themselves. I have one yard long out of the soil already and a couple of others just showing their necks. These next couple of days ought to bring all the warm weather seeds out as it is supposed to be in the mid to high seventies (F). Today is absolutely lovely, which is good since I’m off to a barbeque.

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