James A Stewart
@jamesastewart
Came here from the other place to follow the people who inform or entertain me. Interests include sports, gardening, photography, genealogy & more. Follows are fine although my posts will be infrequent. Please don’t be offended if I don’t follow back.
Orange flowered variety of Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia alata) growing against my fence next to the gate.
Rudbeckia ‘Viette’s Little Suzy’. Approaching one year in the garden. Underneath them a couple light purple flowers from the surrounding Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and, in the background, the white flowers of Bobo Hydrangeas. 🌱
Nasturtium ’Alaska’. Talk about a spiller, it has been an excellent container performer for a couple seasons now. I’m thinking I might use it next year to fill some holes between other plants. 🌱
Liatris spicata and coneflowers, lots and lots of coneflowers. 😁 🌱
Not an original thought on my part, but Roch Cholowsky is the most Chicago name in the Draft. Go White Sox! ⚾️
Typical “gift” from the neighborhood squirrels. I always find at least one tree seedlings every time I weed. This one appears to be a Swamp White Oak. 🌱
The all-volunteer coneflower army have this hydrangea surrounded. Too hot right now to do anything about it. No worries, they’ll all be okay until I’m able to relocate some coneflowers. Speaking of volunteers, can you spot the Verbena bonariensis seedlings in this photo? 🌱
Spotted this tiny Mantid in the bright mid-day sun on my house siding. Approximately 2 inches long. 🌱
Wish I could keep them out of the bird bath as I’m only able to rescue about 1 in 10. I’ll be damned if, after drying off on my hand, some of these little guys fly right back into the drink! 🌱 🐝
A grocery store garden center Dahlia underplanted with yellow French Marigolds in a container surrounded by perennial Salvia. 🌱
I have so many volunteers from the Powwow Wild Berry Echinacea that I’ve already given away five. Many more to relocate or share. This one is coming up next to, too close to, one of the original Powwow White Echinacea. Ironically the White variety has not reseeded.
Today in the House Finch nest. The size difference is alarming. You can understand how the larger Cowbird hatchling can out-compete the Finch hatchlings for food. Also concerning, there should be four Finches. Where are the other three? Is the Cowbird smothering them due to its sheer size?
BREAKING: A couple of the eggs in the House Finch nest. One of them is a House Finch and one a Brown-headed Cowbird. 🦉
Update: There are now four House Finch eggs in the nest to one Cowbird egg. Hopefully the 4:1 advantage enables the finch hatchlings to compete for the food the parents bring.
A 3rd egg has appeared in the House Finch nest on my porch light. I suspect the speckled egg might be a brown-headed cowbird egg. They are known “brood parasites” laying their eggs in the nests of other birds who then unknowingly raise the cowbird’s young. Experts please feel free to comment.🦉
This is why I don’t cut my Joe Pye Weed to the ground after it has gone dormant in Fall. I leave about 24-inches standing so that insects can overwinter in the hollow stems. The dried stems are very easy to pull up once new growth appears in Spring. 🌱
Is this a new trend at BP stations? I didn’t notice until I was in the middle of filling my tank the other day. Do you see the problem? Misleading and borderline dishonest if you ask me. #BP
Azalea ‘Karen’. First Spring in my landscape. I think it’s a keeper. 🌱
Reading materials will be provided in each bathroom courtesy of management.
Actual cost per gallon today $4.40. The pump price shown is after a 40 cent per gallon discount using my grocery rewards. Who do I blame for this? #GasPrices #ThanksTrump #NoWar