Winter to Spring

  

Winter to Spring

Looking beyond the brittle stems of last year’s Giant Hibiscus plants, I can see the daffodils starting to bloom in my backyard. It is quite the reminder of how the seasons change.

They are beautiful flowers. Whether planted as a border or to brighten up a garden, daffodils are just the thing. They are hardy and prolific, too.

Seeing the daffodils perking up brings to mind the rest of my backyard. My weedy vegetable garden needs to be cleared for new plantings. I have cucumber seeds and tomato seeds and lots of herbs all waiting to be given their chance to thrive. I’ll remove the dead branches from the hibiscus plants when the new ones start to come up.

What a wonderful way to view the season. The daily temperatures may still be shifting but I am eager to start Spring planting.

Lots of things to know about daffodils:

https://www.almanac.com/plant/daffodils

Nature’s Cleaning Crew

Turkey vultures were gathering on a local street. There was a dead squirrel for lunch. Sadly, it must have been hit by a speeding car but it provided a welcome meal for the large birds.

I often see the vultures flying overhead looking for food. They sometimes swoop down to check out a possible dead critter and if one is found, a bunch of them will gather for the feast. They aren’t the prettiest of creatures but they are practical as they help clean up the environment. Their red heads are slick so that dead remains don’t cling. They eat dead birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and invertebrates. 

There is such diversity in our world. Mother Nature supplies us with so much, even a cleaning crew when necessary.

This site has lots of practical, natural, information about how to avoid attracting turkey vultures but it also includes ads so just read what you need to and avoid the rest: https://pestkill.org/birds/turkey-vultures/