Hello Spring

I am having a writer's block as I didn't write for so long and thus got out of practice. Last year, I could not pay attention to my garden as I was involved in lots of voluntary work, teaching programming to kids or helping non-profit organizations along with my own work and research. Even my neighbors told me that he missed enjoying all the sunflowers that grow along his side of the yard, and picking up big pumpkins. All these neglect has resulted in a yard that requires too much work, de-weeding, pruning and planting. And, I need to complete all these in between my work and travel. But, at last, I'm glad that I can do such thing. We had our last snow (hopefully fingers crossed) on March 31st. It was a very strange snowy-day as it started with rain-snow (or snow-rain whatever you want to call it) which was very strange to watch. It was raining but the rain was not water but wet-snow. So, if you looked outside, you will see a curtain of rain but thick curtain of rain (thus you won't be able to see much further out as you can easily do even in big downpours); however, it was not a curtain of snow. So, you have to use all your imagination to understand this strange-looking weather-phenomena.

But since then spring is trying to come back here with all its vigor. Though the night temperature is often falling below freezing but the days are usually gorgeous with bright sunny, fluffy white clouds on a blue sky, and temperature hovering between 55 and 60 F (between 13 to 15 degree C). Finches, American Robins, Doves and Canadian Geese are back. Air is always filled with songs and whistles of our various feather-friends, who I also see tugging into my dried/dead lawn grass, leaves, twigs and branches to find materials for their homes. Crocuses are blooming; daffodils, hyacinths and spring bulbs are out. And, I am busy planting, pruning, buying and ordering more bulbs, seeds, plants and trees. This year I am focusing on flowers/plants which not only attract bees but also butterflies, moths and hummingbirds.

Nature's Note -- Can I dream of Spring?

Since Saturday (March 8, 2014), weather has been lovely here with temperature rising as high as 50 degree (10 degree C). Morning skies are spectacles to be behold; later in the day the skies are becoming bright blue with puffs of white cotton floating around here and there. Sun is shining brightly, temperature is warm and people are wearing shorts/t-shirts/light-jackets.

Robins are back. I spotted the first robin last Monday (March 3, 2014). As I was watching the birds and enjoying the nature from the kitchen window, I saw a red-something fleeting across the bush in the neighbor's yard with a mocking-bird following it. Was that a cardinal? Could be. But, why is the mocking-bird chasing a cardinal? I have never seen such a behavior! Could it be....noo..it's too cold; the ground is frozen solid covered with about two feet of solid ice. It will starve to death...it shouldn't be here now...but, sub-consciously I was wishing it to be true. Let it be true, let me have some optimistic feeling that spring will indeed come, that the ice will melt, please let me look forward to the future....So, I waited patiently, straining my neck to catch a glimpse of what was going around in that bush, behind it, with something reddish flying around and the mocking-bird giving it a chase. And, then it was that euphoric moment...Lo and Behold! The Robin is Here...I indeed felt like Moses seeing God and receiving the Ten Commandments on the mountain-top.

I had to run for my camera and take this shot through the window. I dare not open the window in case it flew away. It was sitting there with its chest puffed and enjoying the sunshine. The mocking-bird still didn't leave it alone and it was sitting nearby. Any idea anyone why mocking-birds would chase around robins? Perhaps they want to steal the food that the robins dig out? Then, I saw it again on Tuesday but not since then. But, I am worried about what it will eat.

It really brought the spring with it. As I told above, the weather has been so lovely and the sun has been so hot that all the ices are melting fast revealing huge patches of ground where the grasses are waking up. Their bright spring green is indeed a site to cherish and enjoy after the brutality of the winter. But alas, it might not last long as another winter-storm, Vulcan, is supposedly coming up on Thursday (March 13, 2014). What will the robin do in the storm?

Besides robins, I am also seeing an increase in activity among the deer population here. They are always very active during the night. But, I am seeing them around the neighborhood even during the middle of the day. The juncos have not left yet but I think their winter population here is dwindling now as fewer and fewer of them are coming to the bird-feeders. The varieties of bird-songs, during the day, are also increasing. Many different types of finches can again be seen as they are coming back to NJ (they are here during spring and summer but they leave at least this part of northern NJ during winter). I am also getting busy like my feather-friends. In between work and as time permits, I am taking the opportunity of this gorgeous weather to start doing the spring cleaning, designing, planning, re-potting plants and putting in more seeds. And, of course I am taking every opportunity to enjoy the nature and see all the critters.

These beautiful deers were seen today in front of our house. I am linking this post to the wonderful Nature Notes meme hosted by Rambling Woods .

Summer and Spring....Life and Death.....

This post is for the meme Seasonal Celebration that Donna of Gardens Eye View is hosting, and Nature Notes that Rambling Woods is hosting.

Summer and Spring is both here at the same time. The temperature shoots up to about eighty or ninety degree Fahrenheit (27 to 32 degree C). Dark ominous clouds gather at the horizon. Rains pour out in bucket loads, drenching the earth. Temperature drops below fifty degree Fahrenheit (below 10 degree C). Mother Nature is very confused this year; she is vacillating about whether spring should continue or summer should come.

I am cowering and whimpering in fear about the climate change and its eminent danger, but the plants are dancing in glee. They are slurping up all the rain water like thirsty dogs and then rising upward to embrace and kiss the sun. Weeds are having a field day. I declared a war on them, one day; got drenched in green sap as I pulled, maimed and killed the weeds, but accepted defeat soon. Where do all these weeds come from, like an army of fire ants?

So, summer is a time for me to rejoice as much as in birth, life and beauty as in death. The potato plants and Jerusalem Artichokes have grown like jungles. The Asparagus have developed such big fan of fern-like leaves. Lettuces, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, onion, garlic, potatoes, cabbages, collards, radish, turnips, beans are thriving. All the seedlings are developing strong limbs. Summer is the time to work around in the garden, and when hungry, snack on the juicy strawberries and luscious snap-peas. The blueberry plants are full of blue-berries; I have covered them up in fine deer-resistant mesh in the hope of protecting the berries from the birds. The red strawberries are peeking out, from here and there, in the bush. The wild raspberries are indeed growing wild. I am now waiting eagerly to pick my first watermelon as I have planted six watermelon plants. the birds are building nests and chirping loudly. The squirrels are active. The chipmunks are back, dashing here and there.

I am already having much of the lunch and dinner by picking either salad greens or other greens, onions, garlic scape and peas from the garden. I can't wait to harvest more of the other vegetables, and pick more berries.

The seedlings from Donna's bee-garden seed packet is also growing up fast. The flower garden is in full swing; the rose bushes are covered in roses; gaillardia, sages, foxgloves and lupine, dianthus and saxifrages are profusely blooming; many of the other plants like lily-of-the-valley and other bulbs have spent flowering; now their green leaves are soaking up all the energy to bloom again next year. Many of the other plants are full of buds to be blooming soon.

Amidst all these beauties and happiness lurk some disappointment and sadness. The American Melon seeds have not produced any seedlings. Perhaps I need to sow more seeds. I feel immense pain and sadness in pulling out the weeds. After all, they are life forms and I am killing them because they are happen to be growing in human beings defined vegetable and flower beds. The bees are also absolutely absent this year. I am really worried. Last year also, this time, the air was buzzing with wasps and bees. I had to tread carefully on the ground as the bees would hover above the low-creeping ground flowers. Not only bees, but even the wasps are hardly there, this year. I can count how many I am seeing.

Summer is also the time of hard work and self-restraint. Almost every day, I have to do some kind of work in the garden -- clear a patch, dig it and make it ready, plant something, provide fertilizer-food, arrange, weed, hill up the potatoes, look for pest attack, trim and the list continues. As I visit the various garden-centers, a favorite summer past-time, I control myself from buying plants; they are just as enticing as all the candies, ice-creams and cakes. It is also the time to experiment growing pineapples in water.

Summer is also the time to sit in the patio in the twilight, contemplate and watch the birds fly to their nests. It is the time to go out in the dark of the night, with a flashlight, to catch the slugs and snails from ravaging the plants and get immersed in the musical cacophony of the crickets. It is the time to play in the soil and observe its microcosm -- the various ground spiders running around with its eggs, the earthworms wiggling, the ants making lines and nests and other insects scurrying around. It is also the time to already start making plans for the fall-garden and growing things during the fall and the winter, about how much money to save over the year to buy certain plants in the coming years, grow and store food for the winter and above all spend time with friends and families, vacationing, visiting and barbecuing.

Summer is indeed that time of the year when there are so many things to do that one blog-post will not be enough. Thank You The Long Winters of NJ for making me welcome, enjoy, endure the heat and appreciate the long days of summer.

Spring is Here

Spring is arriving, though we are supposed to have frosts again. But at least it's arrival is being announced by all the new growths on ground and the new buds that are appearing everywhere. Also, the air is fresh and fragrant, vibrating with numerous bird songs.