New birds, walks, and don't forget...

We had a new arrival at our bird feeders. It is a Evening Grosbeak or for you latin scholars Coccothraustes vespertinus. The three didn't stay for long, but we hope they'll make us one of their frequent stops.  

Also, a reminder that this weekend is the master gardeners sale here in Tacoma/Puyallup. It is right down the hill from me, but if you need directions, you can google the master gardener sale and it will give them much better than I can.

Last but not least, well not in my book, is a video of what's blooming in our neck of the woods. I love this time of year because everything is changing almost daily. The fruit trees are all in bloom and the tulips are in full swing!

In addition...

So one advantage I have is that my Mom is a master gardener and lived in this area for many years, so she knows quite a bit about what works and what doesn't in our climate. I have asked her to help with this blog whenever she gets time and so she'll be checking now and again to keep me from getting things mixed up and deceiving the public :-)

I'm doing alright so far, though. I may need to amend or add to posts as we go along here, but I'll try to pass along any tidbits I get. This is the first instance of the additions.

To add to the "Saturday Fun" post, my mom would like to add (and I quote), "It is necessary to mow leaves to keep them from becoming slimmy matted mess. It helps them break down better, too. Some people shred them and put them in black plastic bags or compost bins to let them break down. The leaf mold is really good to put in the soil where you plant carrots or cabbage family plants."

My Mom (Patty) with her grandkids Lucy (left) and Helen

So there you have it. I am honored and blessed to have my mom, and will share her with you as much as I can.