Further adventures of the toad in the toad house . . .

I put the toad I found in the garden in this toad house on Saturday. He was nowhere to be found until I looked again yesterday...and there he was!

This ceramic house was purchased at a rummage sale last year.


I tipped it over to get another photo.


I posed him on the ladies mantle.

When I put him back inside he hopped to the opening and peeked out.

I hope he stays and I think he will. A whole week of rain is the perfect weather for him to get settled in. Happiness is a resident toad. He will have lots of bugs to eat later in the summer.

You can make a toad home yourself by breaking an opening in a clay flower pot and turning it upside down. Instructions here.

Don't Gloat . . .

Try to cultivate sophisticated laziness . . .

Sophisticated laziness does not come naturally;
you have to cultivate it.

Cats have it all figured out, don't they?

Life's Little Instruction Book, pages 82 + 83 . . .

...To be continued...

A Pileated Woodpecker and a toad . . .

The most exciting thing I saw while working outside yesterday was a pileated woodpecker. It was pretty tame too. My digital SLR doesn't have a long enough lens so I grabbed my point and shoot with the 10x zoom. This giant Woody Woodpecker never fails to thrill me. He is huge and almost prehistoric looking. His call is pretty crazy too. He was attacking an old tree stump on the ground.

Pileated Woodpecker

I finally have a resident for my ceramic toad house.

Group of Jack in the Pulpits.

Chives about to bloom.

A very large antique cement herb marker for Rosemary.

I haven't been to the garden center to buy any plants yet this year. Still weeding, spreading wood chips, getting out pots, hooking up hoses, putting out chairs, etc. It is nice to be outside again after the long winter. I seem to be doing most of my photography at the end of the day too.

That's about it. Enjoy your Sunday. Thanks for stopping by. ♥Rosemary

Random photos after the rain late on Friday . . .

I went outside with my camera last night just before the 6:30 nightly news. The afternoon rain had just stopped.

My lone tulip.


Wisteria just beginning to bloom.


Jack in the Pulpit in the woods.


Skunk cabbage in the wetlands.


Dandelion puff ball.


Pink geranium.


Ladies mantle.

I love taking photos on overcast days and if there are rain drops or dew drops I am twice as happy. The trees are really beginning to fill in and all the flowering trees are so beautiful.

Have a great weekend and enjoy yourself whatever you do.

Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Life's Little Instruction Book, pages 80 + 81

Just one tulip this year . . .

Five years ago I planted lots of these tulips. Each year fewer and fewer come up and this year I have only one. Boo Hoo. They always get eaten just before or just after they bloom. I guess I will just have to be satisfied with daffodils from now on since nothing seems to bother them. How this beautiful flower escaped being nipped in the bud this year I'll never know. I am just happy it did. I went to a garage sale last Saturday just around the corner and the lady had a big bed of the most beautiful tulips imaginable. They were right at her back door and she had a small fence around them. Maybe that's the answer. I just keep experimenting until I find things that are trouble free, lazy gardener that I am. 

Life's Little Instruction Book, pages 78 + 79 . . .

Feed me, feed me, feed me . . .

Webster always closes eyes when he's licking something particularly delicious.

Full house at the feeder. Go away...all the perches are taken!

I usually don't feed the birds after the weather gets nice but this year is an exception. I saw one lone goldfinch trying to find a seed in the empty feeder recently and immediately filled it up. I had almost a whole garbage can full of sunflower seeds left from the winter. I actually stopped all my feeding because the seeds were attracting mice. I got one in the house (two actually) and nothing distresses me more than knowing those creatures are running around inside. After I stopped feeding the birds, I had no more mouse problems.

I am hoping mice don't want to be inside in the warmer weather. After this can of seeds is gone, I will stop feeding my feathered friends. I hope they will stay anyway and I know they will. It is so wonderful to wake up each morning to their singing. The peepers (tree frogs) are quite loud too.

Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a visit. Stop again soon. ♥Rosemary




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Make your own flower and garden seed starting pots from recycled newspaper . . .

Pot Maker

Use yesterday’s news to start tomorrow’s flower and vegetable seeds. Tear or cut newspaper into 3½" x 10" strips and wrap around the wooden form. No glue needed. Fold the ends under and press the form into the base to make a biodegradable paper pot for seedlings—put the pot right in the ground when it’s time for planting. Makes an unlimited number of starter pots. A fabulous way to demonstrate the regenerative powers of recycling! Use gift wrap to make special snack cups.

I wonder if you could also make cupcake and muffin pan liners using parchment paper?

Every year I say I am going to order one of these wonderful gardening tools and this year I did.

This is sold as a children's toy but it has a place in every household. It is a wonderful thing to teach gardening to children at a young age. The site has many more items too. Click on the photo or link below it to enter.

These would be great for your school and garden club projects. Give one to your mom for Mother's Day and order one for yourself while you're at at.

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Life's Little Instruction Book, pages 76 + 77 . . .

...To be continued...