Kaseys Korner

where is a bull snake

when you need one??  and you know you need one when you find out your "mostly indoors only cat" has lost his mouse hunting 101 skills.  Well, not completely, he DID find the mouse and one step further, he brought it to me (who trains them to do that??) but he sure didn't finish the job.  You should have seen me jump when I saw what he had in his mouth ~ and that's amazing considering the hour of the morning!  See the coffee cup ~ I had been sitting on my front step as I often do first thing in the morning (with my camera in hand) when this whole episode occurred:

Just so you know, while I was photographing said mouse, it escaped because my cat became distracted by a Miller moth!  egads.  How's that for attention span?  I hope the mouse doesn't tell all his nest mates ~ I'll have a house full of mice this winter because they now know my cat isn't much of a threat!

To help me not perseverate on that last thought, let's look instead at what's new in the garden.  Lobelia x 'gerardii' has begun to bloom by the pond:

That's a nice and much more beautiful subject to focus our attention on, right?!   It was bought as a companion to Lobelia cardinalis which you can see in the background of the photo below has not yet begun to bloom:

Close tho.  You might remember I finally had success overwintering several 'cardinalis' plants last year so I'm hoping I have the same luck with 'gerardii' too.  I think it's all about "location, location, location" especially during rough Colorado winters.

The first tomato has also been harvested ~ although I may have jumped the gun by a day or so in my eagerness:

 

I'm very excited about having homegrown tomatoes ~ I hope I can harvest thru September if we don't have an early frost.

The same day I harvested the tomato, I'm happy to tell you I almost stepped on a baby toad.  Wait, that came out wrong.  I SAW a baby toad which made me happy because there have been very few toads in my garden this year ~ I definitely did NOT want to step on him!  Notice how tiny he is (about the size of a quarter) ~ for scale he is nestled in some vinca leaves, which many of you grow, so you know a size comparison:

Cute little fella, isn't he?  I hope he has siblings although I haven't seen (or stepped on) any yet. 

I also managed to work up a sweat in the hot sun trying to snap two butterfly photos for you (and me), one of a tattered Painted Lady:

and the other unknown to me and not the best photo to boot: 

It did not appear to be a Monarch to me although it had an orange and black color combination ~ the markings just seemed different??  Maybe it will return so I can try again for a better image?  or maybe one of you knows off the hand an identification???  That would be fabulous.  Just as I hope your weekend is....

for you, Dad

and you too, blog readers ~ I would never mean to leave you out!  I titled the post as such because of a conversation with my Dad where I was relating to him how the orioles "line up" to use the grape jelly feeder.  Sometimes two and three deep.  He asked if I could photograph that image ~ so here's one with three orioles:

There seems to be a pecking order as to who feeds first but after that scuffle is settled, they patiently wait their turn.

 

Something you would never see during nesting season ~ a Blue Jay & Bullock's Oriole on the feeder at the same time:

The Blue Jays won't tolerate the Orioles AT ALL while young are in the nest or while they're incubating eggs. 

Interestingly enough, I haven't seen an adult male Oriole for three to four days.  They are always the first to start migrating south ~ I guess that migration has already begun.  It seems like it was a quick season and it really is ~ arriving in May and leaving the end of July thru the middle of August.

Makes me sad for it's another indication the summer is wrapping up.

wait, it's a hummingbird!

I whispered excitedly, just as I my daughter and I were heading to the lake.  Out of the car and into the house I leaped, focused on retrieving my camera as fast as humanly possible.  That "Herculean" effort paid off for he was still there when I returned ~ on the best hummingbird flower I have ~ Scrophularia macrantha:

It's only the second time this season I've seen one in my garden.  I think I've shared with you before that we only see hummingbirds from the middle of July until the first part of September.  Hopefully I will have many more photo ops.

 

These images were shot in auto "sports" mode, for those of you interested.  

ps  If you don't currently have any Scrophularia in your garden, I highly recommend it.  It's a terrific plant that's absolutely been a magnet for hummingbirds since I added it to mine four years ago.  I hope to add a few more plants this fall ~ its that good.  Now off to wring out swimsuits....

if you're a praying mantis

the best dining spot in the garden is not really in the garden but underneath a light at night.  I found that out this morning as I was watering my viola basket (which sits underneath my back door light).  When I turned the spray on the basket, up popped a praying mantis:

Smart guy.  I haven't seen him there before, but it's a terrific spot.  The light attracts tons of insects at night so he'll eat well if he stays put.  They must have good hearing ~ the first click of the camera caused his head to turn in my direction:

I'm more convinced than ever that the E.T. character was based on them!

I resumed watering my other containers and when I finished, I looked for him again.  He had disappeared from the top of the basket but a keen eye spotted him, in a "ready" position, clinging to a viola bloom:

Never fear.  I won't "out" you ~ stay as long as you want.  It's a good deal for both of us.

For another winged visitor, apparently Verbena bonariensis is the best place to dine.  Planted to attract bees and butterflies, to date it's only drawn in Tachinid Flies:

Lots of them too.  I counted seven flies this morning on just this group of plants.

I'm not sure how I feel about them in the garden.  Knowing they parasitize caterpillars, my first instinct is to exterminate them.  I know they have some beneficial qualities tho and considering I've been warned to tread cautiously when it comes to "policing" nature, I'm leaving them alone.

The weather was perfect for photography this morning.  Overcast and cooler, with rain in our forecast for today.  The western horizon looks promising:

so it just might happen.  I better get my gardening done before the drops fly!

pretty flowers

in a row, that's how the garden grows...

I think I messed that up but it was the first thing that came to mind when I uploaded my latest images.  They are nothing very exciting, just easy on the eyes and the newest blooms in my garden.

Cosmos 'Sweet Sixteen' ~ started from seed:

I want this one to bloom and bloom then seed itself about everywhere (I might even help it do the latter).  It's every bit as pretty (aside from the insect eaten petals) as the seed packet picture portrayed it to be. 

A single Liatris spike caught my fancy last evening:

See why?  It looks like it has a spotlight directed upon it.  So cool.

I finally planted the pink 'Zahara' Zinnias rescued from the clearance bin.  No attempts were made to be original either ~ they were mixed with some softer-colored lantana because I can't seem to get enough of that pairing.

A gorgeous and economical container ($7.00 for the flat of zinnias and $1.00 each for two lantana!!)  Wish I could say all my containers were so reasonably priced!

More lilies opening every day.  The newest is 'Stargazer:'

 

To be followed shortly by 'Black Beauty' ~ do you think they will cover up the 'Chaters Rose' double hollyhocks, or just frame them nicely?

 

Finally, your last "pretty picture" for the day, a baby bumble caught napping on Dahlia 'Karma Thalia:'

It's going to be close to triple digits here again today so maybe I'll follow his lead and look for a cool spot to escape the heat.  

"Bee" back soon!!!

shopping continues

made downright irresistible by rock bottom prices (now I know how "Black Friday" shoppers feel ~ I'm just as euphoric about greenhouse sales!!!)  With incredible prices like 4" pots for $2.00 and anything smaller, $1.00 ~ how can the offerings not be checked out?  Of course, I did more than check ~ I came home with a gorgeous new pink Dahlia 'Karma Thalia:'

Seen again, nearly translucent in the morning sun, next to another new acquisition ~ Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) 'Ice Ballet:'

'Ice Ballet' was purchased as a replacement for my orange variety (Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly weed) which, unfortunately, did not return this season. Although I had never seen Monarchs on it, I knew I "needed" another.  Maybe they will like the white variety better??

There were several more purchases (you knew there had to be more, didn't you?!) which will be planted and featured in future posts.  But now there are also new blooms in the garden that I thought you'd enjoy viewing as well.  Like Oriental Lily 'Dizzy:'

Three bulbs were planted last fall but only one grew.  I can't say I am surprised.  I have been really short of bed space and cramming things a bit too tightly. I hope I have the energy for a bed makeover this fall ~ so many plants could use dividing and that would create a bit more much needed space (to once again cram full!!).

For the second year in a row, an Amaryllis has decided to bloom while summering outdoors.  Last year it was 'Red Lion,' this year the bud belongs to Cybister Amaryllis 'Night Star:'

 

There must be something to the fresh air and fertilizer that stimulates blooms out of season?  or maybe it happens when they don't bloom during "season" which 'Night Star' did not?   

The bees continue to give Veronicastrum virginiana a work-out:

 

Good thing it's more than happy to oblige. 

Lastly, look what showed up in my window well today ~ a bull snake:

He doesn't look very big here ~ I had guessed 3 to 4 feet until we tried to remove him ~ when he uncoiled he was more like 5 or 6 feet!  In case you're wondering what happened to him upon removal, he was set free to eat more garden pests (hopefully the furry variety).  Too bad I can't train him to leave the toads alone...

touch of fall

in the midst of summer ~ a floral creation I couldn't wait to assemble, inspired by a new (to me) website called Twigery:

 

I knew just the place to harvest the cattails too:

fields and fields of them surround the perimeter of a lake very near our home. 

A beautiful evening, with beautiful (coveted) light, in an exquisitely serene spot at the base of the Rocky Mountains:

It doesn't get much better than this...

Dusk descended softly after we harvested our cattails.  I turned the camera in the direction of our house and captured what I could.  

Least you think I live in the country (like the photo above eludes), one quarter turn to the left, reality hits:

If I didn't work from home, I wouldn't be opposed to working here (once construction is complete).  You can't beat the surroundings even tho it's sad the area has to be developed at all. 

Besides the cattails, there's an abundance of milkweed too:

 

I was happy to see so much but couldn't find one caterpillar or chewed leaf? 

All too soon, it was time to leave ~ a final parting photo before heading home:

On this night, in the midst of this spectacular scenery, I couldn't think of any where else I'd rather be. 

Be sure to remind me of that sentence come winter!

perfect summer day

85 degrees,

Sunny,

Swimming in the lake....

Aaahhhh.  These are the days we live for all year.

Hope the livin' is easy where you are too....

tidbits

a smattering of this and that today because I can't seem to focus on a single topic.  I think the summer heat has fried my brain??? 

First tidbit:  as I was watering/fertilizing the containers this morning, I decided I AM unhappy with the overall appearance of the "Birdhouse Container" (I had previously been vacillating about it.)  I'm not sure why I struggle to find a happy mix of ingredients for this container every year??  It should NOT be that difficult.  The focal point of the container, Clematis 'Josephine,' seems to resent being fertilized ~ she is turning brown at the base ~ and while the rest of the plants are green and growing, they otherwise don't look very cohesive.

I believe an overhaul is in store, after all, we still have two months of summer left, right?  Might as well try and get happy.  :-)

One combination I am loving (and will keep) are the 'Pretty Much Picasso' petunias and Alternantherea (Joseph's Coat):

 

I think I got that pairing right?  I have never been a big petunia fan but I do really like the new mixed colors and will probably buy more next season.  (I'm hoping to find the black/yellow variety).  

Underneath the Aspen trees I discovered Allium flavum beginning to bloom ~ I had forgotten I even planted these bulbs!

I don't have any problem "owning" my thing for dangles!!  A girl can never have enough.  ;-)

I also wish I had enough time to Photo shop ALL my images before posting them.  They would be so much more impressive.  See this macro of lobelia:

It's okay, right?  But in real life, the color is deeper/richer etc., so I played around a bit last night ~ adjusting the color balance, the contrast, the light, etc., and check out the difference:

That is more like it.  What a difference some tweaking makes.  Alas, I cannot do this for you each and every time.  So sorry.  But I know you understand the time restraints!  However, this winter, it will be fun to go back and play with a few favorites and see how much better I can make them...

lots of orange

showing up lately in the garden. 

Tiger lilies kicked off the show:

 

They are planted by the pond where they don't really get enough sun but are still about six foot tall:

Not to be outdone by the Tiger Lilies, hollyhock (Alcea 'Peaches & Dream') began to open (remember seeing this one last year?)

I left it to seed in the front garden (hoping for many plants) but it seems to be a preferred food for baby bunnies so I have none left there.  The one pictured above was moved to the back garden when I realized their very existence was in peril.  So far so good (since the backyard is fenced) but there are only two spindly stalks ~ at least the under-performing foliage hasn't affected the luscious blooms.

On an impulsive greenhouse stop last weekend, a new orange found it's way home with me ~ Helenium 'Mardi Gras:'

 

Can you see why???  This will even make an orange lover out of my Mom (who swears she can't stand the color!)

Echinacea 'Summer Sky' is also lighting up the north corner of my front yard:

'Summer Sky' is supposed to be bi-colored (pink toward the center) but it appears solely flame orange to me.  No complaints tho ~ who could find fault with such a vibrant color? 

I know I need to revamp this corner since there are too many daisy-like blooms here.  Somehow I ended up with Sunflowers (not yet in bloom), Heliopsis helianthoides 'Loraine Sunshine' (shown below with Echinacea 'Summer Sky'):

and Rudbeckia 'Green Wizard' all smooshed together in this one area:

Bad design/planning on the part of the gardener even tho all the plants seem to be thriving and happy. 

"The gardener" did, however, inadvertently discover something exciting this morning.  She moved a rusted obelisk out of another site and left it sitting in the center of the back yard.  It just so happened to be perfectly framed by the arbor making her realize what a great focal point it would be:

Don't you think so too?  I wonder how "said gardener" should proceed ~ create a garden bed here or use it in a container??  I wish one of the super talented awesome designers we have in the blogging world would pop over here and give me some ideas.  (hint, hint)

p.s.  I saw the first hummingbird of the season this morning ~ I'm off to charge my camera battery so I don't miss any photo ops!