I remember as a child sticking my head out of my dad's car window to take in the fragrance of my grandmother's lilac trees as we drove up her gravel driveway. It was a sure sign of late spring, almost summer, when these little purple beauties made their debut. The large bush was on the left of the entrance and a tiny one on the right. The old clap-board farm house was filled with their scent as it drifted through the kitchen windows and little vases full of these pretties took center stage on the tables. I loved them and still do.
A tiny bush on the other side of the entrance.
Today, those very same lilac trees are blooming just outside the mouse-house. There are not nearly as many blooms as I remember from long ago but what is there still fills the air with the lovely lilac scent. We read that we should trim the tree and add bone meal to see if we can encourage more blossoms.
It smells heavenly at the mouse-house.
There are some white lilacs to show you right after the rain stops.
I just discovered this year that another lilac tree is just outside our fence on our side of the ditch. This photo was taken from the road.
You can see the mouse-house behind.
I picked a few today and brought them inside. Annie is my flower fur-child and was immediately drawn to them.
She had a sniff and then lay beside them enjoying their fragrance.
"Oh, that face." xo
And how are our resident birds, you ask?
Our sweet little Tree Swallow is three weeks now on the nest.
I would love to take a peak in there but I wouldn't dare disturb her. She spends most of the day watching me at the garden, the green-house and feeding the birds and chips. And the male is never far away. She leaves the nest throughout the day feeding on insects on the wing. Tree Swallows lay 4 - 7 white eggs that will be incubated up to 16 days.
The little mama watched the retired-guy till the veggie garden all Monday morning. So...I named her Tilly. ;-b
More bird excitement happened just this week. We have a third house now occupied by another house wren. The singing around here can be deafening. :)))
Spring is showing all her glory.
hugs, Deb
Today, those very same lilac trees are blooming just outside the mouse-house. There are not nearly as many blooms as I remember from long ago but what is there still fills the air with the lovely lilac scent. We read that we should trim the tree and add bone meal to see if we can encourage more blossoms.
There are some white lilacs to show you right after the rain stops.
I just discovered this year that another lilac tree is just outside our fence on our side of the ditch. This photo was taken from the road.
You can see the mouse-house behind.
She had a sniff and then lay beside them enjoying their fragrance.
And how are our resident birds, you ask?
Our sweet little Tree Swallow is three weeks now on the nest.
The little mama watched the retired-guy till the veggie garden all Monday morning. So...I named her Tilly. ;-b
More bird excitement happened just this week. We have a third house now occupied by another house wren. The singing around here can be deafening. :)))
Spring is showing all her glory.
hugs, Deb