Like many of you, I was lucky enough to get a new camera for Christmas.  This is a replacement for my 'pocket' camera.  Like my old pocket camera, this one is a Panasonic Lumix.  Unlike my old one this new one has 20 x optical zoom.  My hope is to get some really good closer photos of my feathered friends who frequent the feeders on our deck.   The photo above was taken on New Year's Day, as the sun was setting. I love foggy days, though getting a great photo isn't always easy.

The feeders that hang on the deck will get lots of visitors (though last year the Great Backyard Bird Count Day nary a bird was to be sighted)   Make a note to yourself right now, February 15- 18 is this year's Backyard Bird Count.  You can click on the link or the button with the bluebird on the sidebar and go to the webpage for how and where to submit your bird count.


The perches on the feeder and the seed sack are always full!

On the other feeder is a seed mix that includes nuts, seeds, and pieces of dried fruit.  This is favored by a great variety of birds.  The one who gets ornery when the feeder is empty is this one--- a Red-bellied Woodpecker!  Sorry for the green on the glass, reflections of greenery.


Only the Red-bellied woodpecker visits this feeder, think it is always the same one.  I have tried to capture the other visitor who more than once is on the other side of the feeder with the woodpecker....a Brownheaded Nuthatch.   The Nuthatch finds one seed or nut and flies off to eat it so his time on the feeder is short.

More photos of different visitors to come!



©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

This has been a busy week, sorry for no tree post.  One of the trees I had photos of turned out to be another tree....another one I wasn't sure of which tree it might be.





I have been planting a lot of new plants in the garden.  One of the wholesale nurseries in our area had their yearly end of season sale...

As you can see, I had a couple wagon loads of new goodies to plant.  Some azaleas, heucheras, coneflowers, penstemons, and a Rodgersia- a new plant to me.  The azaleas were planted in spots where I had hydrangeas.  These poor struggling shrubs needed to be moved to get more light.

This is more of a post about CREATURES IN THE GARDEN....
because I was digging and exploring in the garden, I found many little creatures.  Some of these photos were posted on Facebook, but I know many of you are not on FB, so for those who have seen two of these pictures, I am sorry for the repeat.





Digging a hole for the hydrangea's new spot, along the side of the house, where there is a lot of activity....I found this little cutie--

Best guess from online info these are Eastern Box Turtles

After a quick photo-shoot they were returned to the spot in the garden where I found them.  I checked a couple times to see if they were still there or moving about.  After a few hours they were no where to be found, they blended into the garden quite well.  While looking for them there was a lot of leaf-rustling in that area....this is who I found.   A little Fence Lizard, he was probably about two inches from nose to tail.

Planting new plants, one needs water.  After one is done with the water, the hose needs to be put away.....carefully.

According to FB friend Christopher, this snake is all kinked because it is getting ready to shed its skin.  Believe it to be a Black Rat Snake.

Black Racers are fast movers, this one wasn't moving quickly, so my guess is Black Rat Snake.

But wait, there's more.  This is a Virgin Tiger Moth.  Very interesting markings.



A posting on the wildlife in my garden isn't complete without an Egret on the dock photo.  These birds migrate in the late fall and return to the lake in the spring. Our dock is a good fishing spot...for the birds, not so much for us.


We have all sorts of frogs and toads in our area, some are so small.   This little guy waited for a few pictures to be taken before he hopped into the garden.



And finally, one of the reasons some of my plants have been eaten.  We have grasshoppers and this cleverly disguised muncher, a Katydid.


What creatures are in your garden??

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

I wasn't planning on posting again today but since I had my camera with me, I got some interesting photos while  pulling weeds. My first encounter with nature was up by the hose spigot.    As  I was turning on the spigot I saw a three foot (give or take) Eastern Kingsnake.   These are nonpoisonous snakes, but you know, a snake can surprise you poisonous or not.  




He was interesting to watch, but I am not keen on going behind the bushes to turn the hose on or off.   While we were watching it, it slithered along the house toward the coiled hoses.


Maybe  I will stamp my feet and make lots of noise before I enter this garden to turn the water off and wind the hose back in place.
Onward and upward, or downward as the case may be.  I am pulling weeds along the water today.  Keeping my eyes open for snakes and other critters.  I was not disappointed, all sorts of things to see today.
I am happy to report this Lobelia is very happy, blooming non-stop since planted!!  My hope is that it will be reseeding in this great spot.












The water had a lot going on today.  I was happy to see a Great White Egret, perched on a submerged log, fishing.


There were a lot of fish in the water today.  I was surprised to see so many fish close to the dock.  Maybe they were near the Egret a minute ago?

They were circling something, I couldn't tell what or why, just this giant whirlpool of fish.  Once they heard me on the dock they came up to see me (yeah right!) and then they scattered.
Pulling weeds, I dump them into the woods.  As I walk through the edge of the yard, I find a couple more wildflowers.  This blue one is Dayflower, Commelina virginica, I think.  Quick ID, if wrong, please correct me!!
I had forgotten how much lower the water was last year.  There is no walking along the shoreline yet.
Don't forget, Tuesday's Trees!!


©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Some of you know I spent last week involved with 'Mom & Pop Moving Co. Inc'.  Our youngest just moved to Nashville and we brought a truck full of her stuff from here to her new place.  Her sister and new husband helped by driving the rental truck from NC to Nashville.
After a long day on Monday, off loading the truck and putting beds together, Tuesday we had some shopping to do.   Driving into downtown we see the city skyline.  Doesn't the AT&T building look like Batman?



The state capitol building is at the end (or beginning) of the block.  You see the the columns on the right have  dates of the timeline.  The black granite wall tells the story of Tennessee.   I will go back again and again, kind of hot this time of year to read ALL of it.



Time for lunch!!  Love the sculpture of the tomato and corn...the corn is a little harder to see, it is a bike rack.

The Food Court isn't a fast food court like we see in the shopping malls.  It is wonderful small independent venues.  Here is a great write up on the different foods available.  We had BBQ, quite good.  Someone in the group had a patriotic cupcake.  Blueberry filled.

On the Fourth we opted not to go to the fireworks display, still really warm.   We did do a quick run downtown to go by the Ryman, Tootsies, and other great iconic music destinations.
Next visit we will walk around and spend more time taking it all in.

It was time to head home and let her settle into her new place.  The drive home we went through the mountains, past Asheville.  Saw something kind of scary----fire on the mountain side.  Hope the rain that came through took care of it.



When we got into our neighborhood we saw something we don't usually see... a gray fox trying to get to the lake through someone's driveway.   Hope this little guy found his drink of water and disappeared back into the woods.
Really good to be home, nothing feels so good as your own bed.  Time to get out into the garden and do some major weeding!


©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

 Next, another owl sighting.  This was the week in between Christmas and New Year's Eve.  The exciting part of this sighting was he was across the street from our property, next to the septic field/ meadow.    After I feed the dogs their evening meal I take them for a walk.  Since the oldest dog is almost 18, we don't walk too far.  We were at our turn around point and I saw the owl.  Of course I didn't have the camera.  I hustled to the driveway and saw Charlie outside, called to him, and he took the dogs so I could run down the driveway to get the camera.  Yea!!!  The kids came out and saw the owl as well, life in the Wild Kingdom. 

 Another fun adventure was another walk along the shoreline.  The mosses, lichens, and other fungi growing on the exposed tree roots are always cool looking.



Another find along the shore was evidence of our beaver.    This limb was about as big around as my arm and roughly 6 feet long. 
 About 600 feet up the shoreline was a tree whose roots were exposed on the bank.  Apparently the beaver thought that root would be a great addition to his den.   I am keeping an eye on my trees!!!

 Many thanks for coming back to read my postings.  Hear's to a new year and a better blogging habit.


©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.