Roadrunner Seeks Wife: Has Three Houses

On my walk today, I snapped this pic of my favorite little birdhouse, which I found at a craft show in Missouri. I put it up in early summer 2008 and several little birds were checking it out, but then vanished.



This was soon explained when I noticed the male roadrunner was constructing a huge nest in the tree above where I had hung the little birdhouse. No (smart) little bird builds a house just below a fast, wily predator...



Ricky the roadrunner spent time sitting on this next during the summer, but no lady-friend ever appeared. Ricky also built nests (or were they hunting blinds?) in the big pine out back AND the top utility shelf in the garage (via the doggie door) incorporating the business end of the electric chainsaw on that shelf into the twigs of the nest! So it seems he's still single. But hopeful.

And one more..

Couldn't resist adding this one showing his little woodpecker head in action!

Back to the Larrapin Blog 2009!

Well after a long holiday season of work, projects, more work, and the holdays, I'm back to posting here on this blog! I missed it. Knowing I'm committed to posting once a week gets me out taking pictures more often. This morning I was trying to get some good shots of the chickens (those will post later) but when I came back in, we saw this cutie on the pine tree outside the kitchen window.



The bird book says he's a juvenile yellow bellied sap sucker. He was busy pilfering the stashes of seeds and suet that the nuthatch hides under the pine bark...



With the weather cold, we're seeing every kind of woodpecker with the notable exception of a red headed woodpecker. Even though the bird book says they range here, we've never seen one here at Larrapin (yet).



Happy 2009 from the folks and critters of Larrapin Garden!

Grow it and they will come: Monarch butterflies

Wow! These guys can eat! These pictures are from about two weeks ago, when I noticed that there were DOZENS of Monarch butterfly caterpillars on a tropical milkweed out in the veggie garden that had eaten every leaf on the plant. Here's a video snippet (1 min) of that plant:



So by snipping off the bare branches loaded with baby Monarchs, I relocated them to a milkweed that had plenty of leaves. They crawled off, eating all the way! The lesson here, same as last year: Plant more milkweed! Below are some pics of the relocated caterpillars...







And here is a tiny video (1 min) after the successful relocation:



Postscript to this story: Since the receiving milkweed plant is right beside the front patio, our front porch is now festooned with little leaf-green cocoons dotted with gold. We kept one (which was on a leaf I accidentally plucked) in a jar with a coffee filter over the top, till it emerged and we released the most perfect Monarch into a gorgeous September day.

Fly hard towards Mexico beautiful friends!

Before the Rains Begin

Greetings from Larrapin Garden on the day before the rains start (again). Hurricane Ike's rains should get up to NW Arkansas on Saturday and we could get soaked. Nothing compared to what may happen down in Texas. We're supposed to get up to 4 inches each day this weekend, compared with potential 15" of rain in Houston. Geesh, what a rainy year. We'd already had our usual yearly rainfall by June or July this year...

All the rain has had an amazing result on all the greenery and some things are still blooming even as the weather has started to get cool early. Those are scarlet runner beans growing on a fence and a happy bumble bee. The seed packed said "loved by hummingbirds" and that is so true. These are the 2008 favorites of the four hummingbirds that hang out at Larrapin.



Meanwhile, the Monarchs finally arrived after being absent nearly all summer. I think they are not so fond of all this rain.



The last month has been AMAZING for butterflies. We've finally got enough nectar plants to have been noted on the butterfly flight paths it seems! Their favorites: Tropical Milkweed (favored over the native perennial I see, but will plant more of both), four butterfly bushes (wow, deadheading will keep them blooming ALL the time), and scarlet runner beans plus assorted flowers. We've also got a lot of host trees - oaks, willow, river birch, wild cherry, with more to come such as Paw Paw...



This is a blurry photo, but it's the first time I've seen this type of butterfly here. Will have to look it up. Anyone know the name?



Don't let this pic fool you. It's from mid-July I think, when we had enough dry weather to have good tomatoes... The one in my hand is the old fashioned Brandywine, which turns out to be as good as everyone says. The one on the right is Cherokee Purple, which we LOVE but this year's batch was abysmal between the rain and the first time onslaught of stink bugs on the tomatoes. Will study up on organic control of those buggers next year. They poke the tomatoes just enough to scar them and make them prone to rot. We've had a few Ananas Noir (not pictured -- but they are soft red and green swirled, both inside and out) and the oddly colored tomato remains the favorite tomato of Larrapin.

So I'll end this post with a chicken photo since the next post will be a Buckeye update. This unusual chicken is one of the two I picked up as day-old chicks at the hardware store to be companions for the solitary guinea that hatched back in June. The grab-bag chicks are both solid black. One (not pictured) is an Ameraucana,which was confimed when she laid her first blue-green egg! The second black chick has grown up to be quite lovely. Is she a jungle-fowl variety of chicken? Not really sure, will study on that later... Here she is. The white blob in the foreground is the lone guinea chick grown up. And completely convinced she is a chicken. Which is a good thing. It makes her the ONLY guinea who reliably roosts in the chicken house every night. From now on, all my guinea will be raised by chickens!



Thanks for stopping by Larrapin before the rain!

A little something hopeful...

I finally finished work for the weekend and wanted to post some pics I've saved for the blog, but it's hard to be lighthearted when so many Gulf Coast folks are away from their homes (again) and don't know if tomorrow will bring devastation or blessed false alarm. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who had to evacuate.

One September years ago in Yancey County, NC we had sudden and unexpected flooding the night of my birthday. We'd been having dinner with friends in Asheville and were driving the hour back home late at night in the driving rain. About two miles from our mountainside cabin above the South Toe River there were volunteer firemen and flashing lights blocking the country road. Past that point the river had flooded the highway and no one could pass. It was awful: midnight in the pouring rain, unable to get to our home and waiting dogs. I called a nurse friend who I knew worked 2nd shift and would still be up. Sure we could come stay with them. (Ahhh, there's where real hospitality and friendship are pure grace...) So we spent a restless and distraught night wondering how high the river would be, would the house be ok, were the dogs ok, etc.

It was mid-day the next day when the river went down enough to drive home. I was so stir crazy with worry that I would have hiked the overland mountain route if if meant getting home. And that was just one night, all the while knowing that our house was pretty far up the hill from the river and very unlikely to flood. So I can only imagine what the Gulf Coast/New Orleans folks are going through, again.

Our home stayed safe and dry that time. So many others haven't been that lucky. When the horror of Hurricane Katrina was going on, I heard a song on NPR that affected me so deeply I tracked down the CD. Singer Eliza Gilkyson wrote "Requiem" after the Asian tsunami. It is one of the most moving songs I've ever heard -- a lament, a prayer. (You can hear the song and/or the interview here.) NPR played the song and the interview after Katrina. I remember tears just flowing down my face when I heard it. I got out the CD played it last night again, thinking of New Orleans -- a place that stuck in my heart after just one visit there. I can see how people love it so much they will keep going back...

So here's another prayer, a story of baby birds in the shed that houses our well pump:

Earlier this summer I knew something was going on in the shed when I saw a wren coming and going through the wide gap under the shed door. She'd flit back and forth, various insects in her beak, then back again. A little investigation revealed loud peeping coming from within the old grass-catcher bag of an old mower.

A couple of weeks later, I opened the shed to find baby birds about to take on their biggest adventure -- flight! And in this case, life outside the well-pump shed! One little guy was up on the edge of the bag:



Others had already tumbled out of the nest and were huddled behind the axe....



Yet another had flown up to the window. This one seemed to be saying, "Hey, how does one get out of here!?" This is the pic from outside the shed:



I opened the shed door because mama and papa wren were outside cheeping wildly. One by one they fluttered out into the big world. Till one, the littlest was left:



I watched and waited, worried sick he'd be left behind. Then he fluttered bravely out like a big bird and kind of motored across the yard barely inches off the ground till he found some bushes to land in.

That night I kept thinking about those babies out in the big, sometimes bad world. I wished them safety, safe travel and blessed happy life. Tonight I'm sending out a wish for the same to the people who are suffering tonight: folks along the Gulf Coast, the folks flooded out in India, and to all who need one extra prayer tonight. Godspeed through the night, and the nights to come, for all of you, for all of us.

The Best Post I've Seen in a Long Time!

The box turtle above had the portrait taken under the White Oaks. I love box turtles and welcome their visiting and residence on the property. Thought I'd share his/her snapshot...but the real purpose of this post is below.

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I love traveling the world via garden blogs. Today I stopped by Our Little Corner of Paradise (a favorite of mine). It's a wildlife garden in Scotland and there I found this amazing 23rd Psalm for Busy People. Give yourself a treat and visit this post.

Roadrunner Courts our Dachshunds...

If you've visited Larrapin Garden's blog, you've probably met Randy, Ricky and Rhonda, the three road runners that have visited our land at different times. Randy (a big male) hasn't been seen in a long time. Rhonda is kind of shy. Ricky, on the other hand, is kind of like an odd pet that lives in the yard and has a lizard/snake fetish.

We've told folks that Ricky has a huge crush on our weiner dogs, and regularly brings them courtship offering -- in various stages of deathly disarray -- of lizards or small snakes or large bugs. Or if pickings are slim, Ricky will settle for sticks, chunks of grass or cherry blossoms. Anyway, this is hard to believe till you see it. Since Ricky usually courts through the glass sliding doors, at first we thought he might just be seeing his reflection and be unaware of the two weenie dogs slathering on the other side. (Okay, only Buster the part jack-russell slathers, Blue is far to lazy to slather...)

But this video proves Ricky the Roadrunner has it bad for the dogs because he's flirting through a fence and can see them plainly. (And is perfectly aware they can't get to him...I know the inspiration for the roadrunner/coyote cartoon watching this bird!) So here it goes:

(NOTE: turn your volume way DOWN to eliminate the mowing going on during this video and the incessant yapping...I don't know enough about doing video to decrease it... It's 2 minutes long.)

Bees in the Comfrey Flowers

One thing I've learned from my baby-steps study of permaculture concepts is the idea of planting "guilds." That is, grouping plants that benefit each other by being in proximity. A classic example seems to be grouping a tree with smaller plants such as nutrient accumulators/mulch producers like comfrey, then some plants that attract beneficial insects etc. So last year I planted this comfrey at the base of the Prarie Fire Crabapple, a tree I treasure for the spring blooms, but mostly for it's bird-food value. (Permaculture is much more oriented toward people-feeding trees, but I'm getting to those this year...) It also has some Sedum (attracts beneficials) at its base.

And by golly, both the tree and the comfrey look remarkably happy! Comfrey is one of those great multi-functional plants that accumulates nutrients from deep in the soil, is self-mulching and weed suppressing and pollinators LOVE it. (And of course it's medicinal.) Just don't let comfrey loose in rich garden soil, or you'll soon have a comfrey farm...

The bumble bees are busy adoring every pink bloom on the comfrey. There are loads of bees this spring (bumblebees -- but I'm seeing very very few wild honeybees) and they are loving the comfrey!


Bees are hard to photograph. They are, after all, very busy.



And very beautiful in their yellow and black velvet coats.



And he's off to another flower!

So, after this experience, I'm putting a start of comfrey at the base of every new tree I plant. (Don't worry, not even comfrey can become invasive in our natural clay/gravel...) I'll let you know how it goes.

Like Clockwork, He Arrived April 15th

For the three Springtimes we've spent at Larrapin, the hummers have arrived promptly on tax day, April 15th. This year was no different and as usual we were scrambling to get the feeders up as he was zooming around the spot where it usually hangs... It took me a while longer though, to get a proper welcome-back photo.

New Visitors to Larrapin

These two lovelies are like flying jewels. They are fans of the
mutton suet we've located at the Fayetteville Farmers Market. It's
incredible and the birds LOVE it even birds that aren't usually found on suet feeders.

(And it's nice that it's a sustainable local product.)

This cute redhead is a big fan.

And this red-all-over lovely (summer tanager?) is also a fan. I
didn't know they would go for suet but *everybody* loves this suet.
This photo is foggy because of the extreme zoom. He was sitting out in
the golden locust and made quite a colorful sight.

Here he is, smaller, but better focus.



And here, gobbling mutton suet...




Here is the tanager's lovely wife, who also has a taste for this amazing suet!
Welcome to the new summer visitors!

New Grosbeak Visitor

New Grosbeak Visitor, originally uploaded by Gardener At Larrapin.

I mentioned that we've had lots more birds this year since we've put "backyard habitat" practices into place. This is a new visitor. Look at that cheeky posture and the rakish red scarf! Welcome to Larrapin Garden friend!

For 2008: More Milkweed!

Maybe the milkweed has made me crazy, but the experience of watching the dozens of butterflies zoom around it and the dozens of monarch caterpillars happily munching away, has me committing more area to butterfly habitat next year. Here's another visiting lovely -- a swallowtail? -- pictured above. I'm searching through the catalogs looking for the magic words in the description: Attracts Butterflies. In particular, I hope to add a Paw Paw tree to draw Zebra Swallowtails.

I haven't had the chance to post due to dealing with a family illness. After being out of state for nearly a week, it was such a healing experience to drive back home and see the garden. Even though it's starting to fade as the heat is releasing it's grip a bit and the light begins to look like Fall, it looked like paradise after a week in hospital waiting rooms.

I'll start watching for the Monarch butterflies to be traveling by soon. One of my clearest memories from when we lived in North Carolina (and along a major Monarch flyway) was looking up into a stunningly blue September sky and seeing butterflies high above, so high they looked like pieces of distant confetti, tumbling southward. It's amazing they travel so far with that up and down rolling flight. This time, I'll be hoping that some of the butterflies traveling will be the offspring of some of the fat caterpillars that munched on this milkweed at Larrapin Garden.

Black Swallowtail Larva on Parsley

This is how gardening with the wild creatures in mind (in addition to the gardeners) can be a little tricky. I planted a whole row of parsley so that there would be plenty for us and for butterflies. But the stand was covered with SO MANY black swallowtail caterpillars that I couldn't bring myself to cut any -- even when I needed a bunch for a special recipe. To Mendy's dismay, I brought storebought parsley home to spare ours for the butterflies. Next year I may have a row of parsley and a dill plant in every raised bed in hopes of having enough for us all.

I heard a country story I like:
A visitor to an old farmer's garden noted that a groundhog was living nearby.
"You gonna shoot that groundhog?"
"Nah," the farmer replied.
"Well maybe you ought too. He'll eat your garden up," the visitor warned.
"Mister," the farmer explained, "If I can't grow enough to feed myself and one little groundhog, I wouldn't be much of a farmer."

Mostly I feel the same. But if you change the critter to a raccoon....hmmmm, all bets are off!

I'm thinking this is why it's called milkweed!

This is one of the Milkweed seedheads as it opens and releases the seeds with their little flyaway equipment. The fluff feels like silk -- no wonder it's called Silky Butterfly weed!

What butterfly is this?

I'm not sure which kind of butterfly this is, but what great colors! Another milkweed fan..

The Tropical Butterfly Weed

This is the tropical milkweed I've mentioned in several posts. Milkweed is the preferred caterpillar food for Monarch butterflies as well as a great nectar source for everything that flies. It was recommended by our wonderful local Monarch garden supporter, Cindi C.

I got the seed from Swallowtail Garden Seeds online. It's called Silky Butterfly Weed (Asclepias curassavica) and comes in red and gold (yellow). The Red has produced more seeds but the yellow was the initial preference of the Monarchs in my yard. Since then, both kinds are popular, with a handful of Monarch caterpillars on every plant.

Apple Tree Eater

Our apple tree eater wasn't too happy to find those little (super
strong) hotel soaps tied in her favorite snack branches! So far it's
working well. This was over a month ago, back when we had green
grass. Not a drop of rain in August so far. First clouds I've seen
all month are in the sky today, but only a 20% chance of rain. Come
on rain!

It's hot, even for roadrunners

Here at Larrapin, we have three roadrunners who visit: Randy a large male, Rhonda a reclusive female, and Ricky, pictured here. This was yesterday and it was about 99 degrees, so even the roadrunner was panting a bit.

Ricky is a small male and not the least bit shy. He tags along, no kidding, when we walk with the dogs down the drive to the mailbox. Our neighbor thinks this is pretty funny. Ricky brings sticks, deadheaded flowers, dead lizards and even the occasional mole to the window and taps to get our (or the dogs) attention. He's like a winged, two legged cat that way.

When I go out to the garden I often hear a little "whirr" sound from the hedgerow -- as if Ricky is saying, "Hey, I'm over here." He is also nosy. Just this morning I was weeding and tossing the pulled up plants in a garden cart. I went inside for a glass of water and when I returned, Ricky was on the side of the cart, making sure I wasn't stealing any of his lizards I guess. He loves the weiner dogs, especially Buster. Blue could care less. (If I can figure out how to put a video on this blog, I'll put up a typical Roadrunner/Weinter dog interaction...)

And yes, he's very very fast. One day Buster (the dachshund/jack russell cross) bolted out the front door when I opened it and Ricky happened to be standing on the patio. (Neither event is too unusual.) I was terrified for a moment that Buster would catch him. Not to worry. Ricky sprinted down the lawn with Buster close behind. Then suddenly Ricky zagged about six foot to the right -- so fast I could barely see what happened -- and hit the ground. Buster tore merrily on past, barking like mad, never realized he'd passed his prey. Ricky got up an strolled away. All in a roadrunner's day... Since he is so fast, I have many photos of Ricky just like this one:

Beautiful, But Not a Buckeye!

Caught this lovely on one of the butterfly bushes. This has been an amazing butterfly year now that I'm planting butterfly bushes, parsley, dill and milkweed. More on that later...

I'd originally called this one a buckeye, but Tina alerted me that it's an American Painted Lady instead. We have so many in the garden this year and prior to 2007, the one butterfly I felt certain about was a Monarch. I have purchased the wonderful Arkansas butterfly book. I'll post that later too. Thanks Tina!