My Yard and Mini Wildlife Preserve

Yesterday was a beautiful April day. The sun shone warm and the wind blew cold. With pocket camera in hand, I took inventory of Spring's progress.

I hung my giant hummingbird wind sock. A most appreciated and enjoyable gift that I received last year from friends, Dorrie and Dave.

Jerry keeps the wild bird feeders coming and filled. He's been making these flat plate feeders that the Cardinals and other finches just adore.

He purchased this Thistle feeder last week. It looks like an alien and took the birds a few days to get used to. It holds ten pounds of seed and even came with spare socks! We figure it will accommodate about 30 Goldfinches at a time.

My Lily Of The Valley have sprung up over night after our 80 degree day here on Wednesday! Oh, don't you just love how they smell?

The Butterfly Bushes are starting to grow like weeds.

Jerry brought me a couple of hanging Begonia so I now have some color at my studio entrance.

The hens and chicks that my mom and I transplanted last summer look strong and healthy! I moved them under the eave of the house in mid winter as they were looking really peaked.

A late blooming tulip amongst the LOV.

The Daffodils and other early perennials in the South facing front yard are past peak.

My beds need weeding and mulching. The Pampas Grass is starting to get new stalks.

Today the first female hummers have arrived! I am so pleased to see that they look plump and healthy. Perhaps almost ready to start laying eggs!

I hope you enjoyed this early spring stroll around my yard here at The Sandarosa. It's not Birds And Blooms material, but it is our little slice of heaven and we love it here.