After doing our good deed for the day, I had to roll up my sleeves and get the pepper seedlings repotted. I repotted all 36 cells (2-3 seedling per cell) in the time it took WS to clean up BIL's bike and put it up for storage. Well, it took me about 15 more minutes than that, but who's counting?
Something I have noticed over the last couple of years is naming convention. It seems if the name conveys size (super heavyweight, Goliath, Giant) or implys size (Jupiter, King of the North), then the seedlings are smaller than the other regular seedlings. Sweet Banana, Tobago, Auto Pick, and Cadette were all much taller and wider than any of the "supers". It isn't availability of water as all were on self watering systems, used the same soil, and got the same sunlight. It happens every year too.
While I was repotting, I enjoyed the companionship of the new crop of birds to show up at the feeders. Last weekend I put out the hummingbird feeder (even though it has been cold, and dark, it is time for them to be around). We immediatly got a hit - WS saw a hummer Sunday morning at the feeder. Also new for this week is the rose breasted grosbeak (2 males so far) and chipping sparrow. WS thought he saw a flock of about 20 female cardinals at work the other day, but upon further investigation, he really saw a bunch of Cedar Waxwings (I am so jealous!).
This has been a cold, dark, wet spring so far. We have had the woodstove going more evenings than not. But, gardening and wild birds go on as if nothing were unusula and we all just hope that the warmer weather comes to stay soon.
Bogie--How hilarious are the names the geniuses come up with. Funny!
Good birding, Sweetie. Your dad thought that a flock of Cedar Waxwings were Tufted Titmice. I might have believed him had we ever had more than 3 TTs hanging around; but, as we had not, I took a look. (Usually, your dad is correcting me since he pays more attention to detail than do I.) Yesterday was my first day watching out the windows/in the yard since I had left Derby on April 26th for KCMO. The Harris's and White-Crowned Sparrows are gone, the baby House Finches had Fledged and Mama Finch had laid the first egg of her next brood, a Red-Throated Hummingbird and a Yellow Warbler had arrived. I've not seen a Cedar Waxwing, here, since returning.
It is anything but cool/cold, here. Lowest it got last night was 66 degrees. It was a hot walk that I took this morning. (Your dad loved it for his run!)
Posted by: Cop Car | May 08, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Saw a female rose breasted grosbeak last night - WS pointed her out.
Posted by: bogie | May 09, 2011 at 05:04 AM
It's only fair that WS pointed her out to you since you had to identify the one that I had a couple of years ago. I swear to you that the nesting bird on our wind chime is not a female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Bogie!
Posted by: Cop Car | May 09, 2011 at 07:02 AM