cwhitt said:Still a bit cold here for the bees, but warming up. Living in a condo, we don't have too much for the pollinators, but I have an end unit and have been planting the last few years for them - have made great progress for the bees. Now working hard for the butterflies - in my limited space. Some forward thinking person found a small area by our parking lot and planted milk thistle - and the condo complex has left it alone - I think the grounds crew does not know if that area belongs to us or the adjoining company - a plus for the bees and finches who LOVE it.

Wow, Christie, you just totally described my life! Except for the milkweed. The board here has no concept. We have a high maintenance lawn, it gets sprayed with weed killer all the time, and kids roll around and play in the lawn immediately afterward while their parents sit next to the warning sign staked in the ground.

I'm also in an end unit, and so I can plant a tiny garden. I'm trying to grow herbs indoors this year (can't grow them outside due to all the spraying ). But due to my love of butterflies (I love bees too), I bought a few butterfly feeders! I put the first one out today--we'll see if it works here. This is what it looks like.

Wow - have never heard of a butterfly feeder - will need to check those out!
Those rocks at the back of your photo look just like the ones by our pond - at least maybe we have a few fish here. We do also have geese and ducks. The geese can be messy, but I suppose all that goose poo is good for the grass? (which, like yours, they also treat). I have tried to make the best use of what space I have: sunflowers along my condo, green beans in front of them, zinnias, marigolds, onions in the third row at front. And then a lavandar plant and just planted a milkweed plant towards the end of the row at the corner. All of that just along the side of my townhouse - other stuff at the front and back of my condo.
Have you tried your herbs in pots? To keep outdoors in the summer, and then bring inside during winter? I do that with my chives. They have been happily living in that pot since 2003.

Butterfly feeders are news to me to.

They were new to me when I went to visit the nearest butterfly conservatory. They sell them there along with instructions for making the "food," keeping ants away, etc. Here's what they look like at the conservatory.

Trying to organize photos from last year. Came across this one that I liked:

Beautiful!!

skink , welcome and pretty staple resident spring thru fall



(rat?) snake , fairly rarer sightings and prefer they stay to the outer edges of the yard

We have a resident male five lined skink that has returned twice now. It has been interesting watching him grow up.

He appeared a couple years ago and last year "matured." I was taken aback at first when I saw his brown body and orange head. Then one day I spotted him with his girlfriend.

He can't fit into the hole on our front patio anymore, but he apparently still visits (he left me a nice size poop to clean up).

That looks like a rat snake to me too. We had one of those last week, it scared the crap out of me. I came around the corner to our house only to spot something fly underneath my car and across the yard. I was curious, so I followed it to next to our trashcan. I have to be careful with the visitors in the backyard, as our dog likes to smell everybody and I don't think it's appreciated.

having a sip of raindrop

Great guests everyone!

Due to the stormy weather, there hasn't been much butterfly activity for the last few days. A brave little Skipper appeared,



along with a lone Monarch.



The only other "guests" were deer, foxes, and a goofy squirrel.













Tomorrow the sunshine will return.

@GrammaChar, you sure got some great pictures!

joannakat said:@GrammaChar, you sure got some great pictures!

Yes, really nice!

Char, I agree, such nice photos! And it's as if they are all posing for you!

Char, are you a Disney princess? Birds sit on your finger to sing don't they?

Too funny, Uncle Will! I'm just lucky to be surrounded by a lot of wildlife. In return for providing a safe habitat, they reward me with endless entertainment. I love all of the creatures, great and small. Wait....wasn't that a book title???

GrammaChar said:Too funny, Uncle Will! I'm just lucky to be surrounded by a lot of wildlife. In return for providing a safe habitat, they reward me with endless entertainment. I love all of the creatures, great and small. Wait....wasn't that a book title???

All creatures great and small, all things bright and beautiful. Wonderful books. TV show was okay, but the books are great.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312965788/

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

I've been strolling through the gardens, enjoying the sunshine, and accomplishing absolutely no real work at all! The butterflies are out, so that's my excuse. Plus it's just too pretty to be indoors!













The tassel flowers (Irish Poets) continue to attract Monarchs. Now that I know they're so popular and so easy to grow from seed, they'll be a must-have from now on.



Early this morning, I happened upon this little hummer. He was very still, which is unusual, perhaps chilled from last night's low temperature. Good opportunity for a photo or two though.





One of the squirrel's is curious,



and the foxes are playing in the plants.



Fun times!

Wow, Char, more great pictures! That last one almost looks like it was taken in a museum. You're making me want to move to Texas!

Oh, Joanna - careful what you wish for. My daughter from Boston was visiting last week and the heat was making her miserable. And it's not even HOT yet! I don't use that word until it gets over 100.