Creature Comforts

I was planting roses out front on the trellis on Thursday night and went to clear off the ivy from the corner post of the arbor so that I could get it cleaned up and get some clematis planted and got QUITE a shock when I reached up to start hacking away at the ivy and a bird flew out right in my face! Seems a pair of turtle doves have decided that the ledge that the post sits on is a great place to set up home for their two little eggs. Unfortunately I didn't get a shot of the nest with the eggs. (I wanted to get out of the way so mom and dad could come back to the nest.) I checked again on Saturday and it looks like they're back on the job. Hopefully we'll have cute baby turtle doves before too long!

Turtle Dove sitting on her (his?) nest on the west arbor pillar.

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Up!

Dropteris (wood fern) emerging along the front foundation not sure what type yet!

I mentioned it before, but one of the most exciting parts of the spring in any new house is waiting to see what's lurking out there... just below the surface.... just waiting to emerge... Out front it looks like we're host to an over abundance of volunteer ferns coming up out front where the large pine tree used to be. 

They look like little violin necks as they come up.

Unfortunately they are a little toooooo willing to come up and are popping up WAY out in the yard as well. I'll try and transplant some and give some away if I can. Sadly after a few days of waiting the red spiky things that are also coming up in the top picture turned out to be nothing more than weeds. Oh well... win some... loose some!

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