Springtime, The Only Pretty Ringtime, Birds Sing Ringa Dinga Ding

Spring is finally starting to seem like it is actually going to happen. Just a little over a week ago we got 17 inches of snow. As nice as it was for Matthew to get a snow day during the second round of March Madness (I think I even heard him tossing around the term "divine intervention") it made me a little panicked. I don't have a car during most of the day so I rely on clear sidewalks to get anywhere. They haven't been passable (save a brief, shining moment a day before the storm) since mid-January. This has meant a lot of days stranded inside. Some days Matthew gets home early so we can get out to late afternoon playdates and we do have neighbors that we often  play with so it hasn't been too awful. But. I am jonesing for the playground in a major way. A major way. Finally as of today the snow is gone and the temperatures are rising. We have some crocuses (crocii?) springing up in the backyard as well as daffodils and maybe some tulips too. It's hard to know what will pop up because most of the bulb stuff was gone or obscured by the time we moved in last year. I have no idea what's back there so the last couple warm days has been fun. I have tentatively been planning what to plant as far as flowers and shrubs but I still feel like such a novice that it is incredibly intimidating. It doesn't help that our yard is gigantic (from our perspective) and I don't even know where to start. Please help me if you have any tips on how to start small (and cheap - f-ing hell it adds up quick). On a good day we're in Zone 6.

On the bird front things are looking up too. For weeks a gang of crows took over our yard. I would look out in the middle of the day and see maybe twenty all hunching in the back trees looking back at me. All I could think was "this can't be a good..." They're still around but now we have lots of cardinals and gnat-catchers and I even saw a woodcock! (My excitement and constant repeating of this bird name has inspired many juvenile jokes around here. Sigh). I saw another gigantic pileated woodpecker (again, cue juvenile jokes). My neighbor swears she saw a bluebird too, which inspired some pretty breathless moments between us, I tell you what. My aunt gave us a bluebird house as a housewarming gift last year and I can't wait to put it up. If they actually come I swear I will have to upgrade my camera. I don't think I could handle such a thing without telephoto abilities. My goodness, I may have a case of the vapors if I keep talking about this.

Comments

[Nicolle]

I would start here: yankeegardener.com , depending on what you want. They sell Hart's which is pretty much the best seed brand. I also noticed they have a section devoted to bird lovers, go crazy be careful!
I used to google the hell out of the seeds that I wanted and then bought in bulk. I just looked for companies with high germination rates...
Happy Planting!

[braine]

I saw two bluebirds last week in the same region. You want to put up two bluebird houses, positioned on a tree facing a wide expanse of grass. That's what they like. The reason for two houses is that those boxes are also much loved by some other species that's more aggressive than the bluebird, and they'll get in first. HOWEVER, this other species is quite territorial, so they'll keep their own kind out of the other box, leaving it open for the bluebird.

It seems like there must be metaphors in there, but I don't know what they are.

[Mignon]

Ah, the dorkiness of home-ownership. It's like becoming a parent and talking about baby crap. Your mind goes all mushy and the next thing you know you're discussing flower bulbs and pileated woodpeckers. Just beware of the day when you no longer see anything funny about woodcocks and woodpeckers.

Here's my gardening suggestion: sprinkle color all around the yard so that there's always a little something in bloom, then focus in a bigger way on one small portion and stick with a theme. Herbs (beware - they attract a lot of bees), roses, tropical stuff, whatever - but make sure there's a good place to sit and enjoy it. You know - put in a little bench or a cheap bistro table and chair set. If you try to spread the money all around your yard, you're only going to be a LITTLE satisfied with the entire thing, you know?

Also, if you have a deck, you can easily start a little water garden with a water-tight planter. Put in a couple goldfish and some floating water plants and grasses - kids love it and goldfish are easily replaced if they get fed marshmallows and bubble solution.

[LetterB]

God, I know. I am dork, hear me snort.

Great advice so far - thanks!

[supa]

Oooh, yard stuff. We're gearing up for planting and whatnot, too. I'm a total rookie when it comes to gardening, so I don't have any advice, but I sure am looking forward to hearing/seeing what you decide on. (Our backyard is full of oaks, so it's shady and acidic and not too hospitable to wee green growing things.) (I mean aside from moss and hostas.) (And leprechauns.)

[wordgirl]

We get some lovely Downey woodpeckers in the tree outside our kitchen...not to mention a Cardinal couple and some chickadees. So much fun to watch!

[kara]

huh huh huh...you said woodcock....

[Albina-ca]

gas grill hook to house community recorder and chain and 26 qoutes for daughter consumption jucntion feng shue