Lots of bees out in the garden yesterday. I've seen one or two buzzing around in recent weeks, but suddenly more and more are appearing. I guess their hives are waking up, or they're emerging from their winter hidey-holes, just in time to feast on the nectar of the forget-me-nots...
...which are also coming out in force. Olga tried her best to bask in the sun, but it kept going behind clouds and then she'd get cold and come inside, and then when the sun re-emerged she'd want to go out again. Back and forth, back and forth.
So I took her to the cemetery to work off some energy and keep her from driving me crazy.
We found the anemones in bloom, always a welcome springtime sight.
Other than that, it was a quiet day. I read a lot of newspapers, both in print and online. I stumbled across this fascinating article about some people who moved into a mansion in Beverly Hills and basically squatted there, annoying the neighbors and making a mess. The chutzpah of some people!
I ordered the sequel novel to "Go and Catch a Flying Fish," which I found for sale online for not too much money, so maybe we'll have some more interesting vocabulary to banter about after that arrives. And I bought a new garden wildlife cam. Remember the videos I used to get of the foxes and other critters? Well, our old camera died, so I'm finally replacing it with what I hope will be a newer, better one.
Coincidentally, in the evening, we were sitting in the living room when Dave suddenly made a sound sort of like "HUP!" and pointed out the back door. There was a fox, standing right outside the glass. By the time I stood up and got my camera he/she had retreated to the back of the garden, but posed obligingly for a moment before slinking behind the shed and over the wall.
*A pretty good drag name!
I saw a fox here last week!!I've never seen one before and didn't have my camera as I was coming home from the dentist and there he was trotting down my drieway and disapperaing into someone's garden! I was so surprised.
ReplyDeleteWe saw some queen bumblebees yesterday,out in the sun and looking for a nest site.
ReplyDeleteIt was such a change here to have a whole cloudless day.
That looks a nice healthy fox..looking forward to seeing what your new camera finds
A great fox shot. It’s as if your pet were simply wandering around the garden and then checking in with you. The shot of Olga among the anemones is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI wonder which one of you the fox and his mates would eat first if they could get inside?
ReplyDeleteLove the fox, but adore Olga's serene garden napping face.
ReplyDeleteThat fox is a stunner. It still surprises me when I hear of urban foxes (and other wild creatures!) And then there's Olga. Oh, what a lovely girl she is.
ReplyDeleteYour warm spring weather must be getting closer or so the bees believe. Spring and warmer days will be greatly appreciated. It is still cold in Massachusetts. Your new camera should provide lots of info on the wildlife traveling through your garden. The fox is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThose anemones are amazing. I don't think I've ever seen them. I must check if they're different from spring beauties, which we get in early spring before the trees leaf out.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see your lovely flowers, Steve.
ReplyDeleteWe had 2 coyotes in our backyard yesterday!
I just skimmed that article and...whoa! I want to go back and read the whole thing now.
ReplyDeleteI just love your little urban jungle. You are keeping the bees happy and giving the sun something to do with its spare time. Not to mention creating a space where foxes come and go. Just lovely, Steve.
I just watched a news piece on the squatting problem in California. I would have never considered something like that being an issue, especially how long it takes to get a recalcitrant squatter removed. Even then, they often did 10's of thousands of dollars of damage on their way out.
ReplyDeleteTwo of my three closest neighbors have their houses for sale and the third is now deceased and I'm assuming their house will go up for sale soon too. My wife and I both commented about keeping a lookout for squatters until they are sold, which is not going to be soon as they are all way over priced in my opinion which is born out by the fact they are still for sale over a year later in a fairly decent market.
those anemones are so pretty. and the forget me nots. good catch on the fox. I haven't seen any here since that one time I spotted them crossing across the back.
ReplyDeleteThat fox has nerve to visit your back door and then stand and look at you.
ReplyDeleteSpring is bursting out all over in your part of the world. I love all those flowers and that great bee photo. You got a great photo of the fox too. It was nice of it to pose for you. And yes, Foxy Flowers is a great drag name.
ReplyDeleteLove that fox shot! My current book had a fox featured in it which made me think of you & your urban foxes.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten how gorgeous the blue is with forget-me-nots. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteOlga in the flowers. She is such a photogenic girl.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos all around! I can sympathize with Olga... sometimes it's hard to get that warm/cool regulated.
ReplyDeleteShall I start calling you Foxy Flowers? Photos please. 😉
I really will never quite get over the surprise of urban foxes. Lol at your last line. Your brain dances all over the place.
ReplyDeleteFoxes are very cute. I see an occasional coyote around here. (not so cute)
ReplyDeleteUrban foxes probably have an easier life than out in the wild. They're pretty animals. We saw a coyote the other day that was looking particularly well fed. Your garden is looking lovely.
ReplyDeleteWOW the fluffy bee! and the fox looking directly at you and that Beverly hills story, OMG! The horror!
ReplyDeleteOf course Olga steals the light from all of that wonderful post!
I just read the story about the Beverly Hills grifters. What chutzpah indeed!
ReplyDeleteYou are a lot further into spring than us, although we do have some enormous bees flying around on warm days. Nice fox.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how the word Hutspa, which is a Hebrew word, came to English. The intention is the same. This is a word that was originally in Aramaic, came to Yiddish, and from there probably in some way to English.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, everybody! I'm glad the fox was as pleasant a sight for many of you as it was for me. (Not sure coyotes are quite as pleasant, Ellen D and Margaret!)
ReplyDeleteBoud, the anemones are Anemonoides nemorosa, which is different from Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica). Not even the same family, I don't think.
Allison, I've heard that urban foxes actually have quite short lives. As you can imagine, a city environment brings a lot of hazards including traffic, poisons and dogs. But they do live long enough to grow and reproduce!
Yael, many words that came to America in Yiddish have become common expressions in American English -- schlep and tchotchke are two I often use that come to mind.