I FINALLY planted milkweed seed. WOOT! =)

Did some work in the a.m., then in the afternoon felt unwell.

DH prescribed gardening.

Who am I to question him? =)

So, planting milkweed seed was priority one.

I weeded this iris plot (protected fm. gophers via that wire mesh)

and got to work.

I took photos 'cause I've learned that where I plant X Y and Z

stays in my brain about 15 minutes.

Next day, it's gone.

SO, I made these! =)

And here's the details, re: the seed packets.

I'd researched it in the past to find spp. native to California

and which help monarchs specifically, butterflies in general.

Note the one above likes to be over 1,000 feet in elevation: we're 3500, so we're a go!

Note: "packed for 2014" means I shoulda planted them 2 falls ago,

but, whatever.

Planted is better than not planted.

Part of learning to garden is learning to quash the perfectionist.

Just. Do. Something.

Also, I paid for these (& a bunch of to-be-planted-in-spring kinds)

versus looking for a free source. 

My priority was get the right spp. for our area & bugs.

Didn't cost much, anyhow. =)

Next, I had to protect our seeds from the HOARDS of hungry seed-eating birds:

Before I learned this trick, I'd plant seed mixes and get almost nothing.

I concluded I was a crap gardener.

Turns out, dark-eyed juncos (& friends) kick through & eat seeds on & under the ground.

So, I protected newly planted areas in the above manner

and suddenly I had LOTS of BABY PLANTS! Total miracle.

=)

Next I need to attach that wire mesh to wood so it's safe for wildlife.

But, now, having followed my husband's recommended cure,

I am now well, AND I've got 3 species of milkweed planted in our garden.

Some of which can grow to 5 feet. SWEET!!

One of the best things about gardening is it gives you things to look forward to.

Like stunning, fabulous flowers attracting stunning, fabulous insect life

that I then get to ogle and PHOTOGRAPH.

Woot!

xoxooxxobb

Uh-Mayzing vid on milkweed, monarchs & more in Yosemite & beyond

 Holy cow.

Another gem produced by Steve Bumgardner.

SO, so great.

Give yourself a treat for 7 minutes. You deserve it. =)

AND a TIMELY REMINDER for me to PLANT

my must-be-planted-in-fall (native to CA) milkweed seeds.

Cannot WAIT to see milkweed in our garden next year--HOORAY!!

Huge thanks to Steve & Erik & everyone involved for this GREAT short film.

*sigh*

xoxobb

ah, the field...

   

First day
Sunny, beautiful clouds, sterling blue sky.
Warm. Lovely breeze.
Windmills spinning.

Second day
MUCH more humid.

Just as gorgeous.
Windmills are a still life painting.

Unaccustomed to the extra weight, the wet air is sluggish. Climbing up and across steep, bumbly hills for hours, we sweat ferociously.

Our reward? Wildlife encounters. And wildlife rescues. (Well, that and a paycheck.)

Yesterday, approaching a board we know a rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus) frequents, we find our sunbather.

Later that day, a baby rattlesnake rests on a dirt road (check out the flower for scale--red-stemmed filaree). Despite it's youth, it already has that impassive, steely gaze.

And this species has mastered motionlessness. Spectacular stillness.

I can't even begin to imagine being like that--I'm a rather antsy sort. Or, as a Scottish friend once pronounced, I'm "a fidgety bugger."

Today, we enjoyed some quality time with an amenable gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer), ably handled by a co-worker who's done wildlife work around the world. He's our gopher-snake-finder-and-handler extraordinaire.

They have the most amazing skin/scales. Feels SO cool. Snakes really are awesome creatures. And, no doubt, they were diggin' the toasty weather. And the 50 million voles we see every day. =)

And, what post would be complete without a bug picture?? This looked to me like a crane fly, but was HUGE huge huge. The biggest I've EVER seen. It's GOT to be a different species from the ones I see where I live. According to Wikipedia, "At least 4256 species of crane flies have been described...." So, sounds like the odds are good.

 

Milkweed, blooming its heart out. Friend to so many invertebrates; indirect protector of same.

The view from under a bridge; our protector today. Enjoying the blissful shade, cool rocks to lie upon, the charming, quirky view so characteristic of our site, and at last, a delicious breeze.

I shed about 4,000 degrees of body heat in 20 minutes. Ahhhh....

Sometimes I love my job.

biobabbler