The Walkable City: From Haussmann's Boulevards to Jane Jacobs' Streets and Beyond
It was a bad year for pears in out little garden--only three after the squirrels got to them--but the grape vine, which is a volunteer one growing out of our compost heap, had lots of grapes.
They aren't very good to eat because they don't have much flesh, the seeds are big, and the taste is sour. But obviously that hasn't stopped the cardinals from feasting.
That we have cardinals at all in the backyard is something new, and probably the result of climate change. Twenty years ago they were a rare sight in the neighborhood but now are rather frequent visitors.
I have, as you might imagine, mixed feelings about this. Nice to see the birds, but not happy about what their presence indicates.
I've been asked by a couple of websites that gives suggestions for reading to create a list or two.
Here's the one on BookList:
But it's gone. After a call to the borough, a crew came and took it down. I didn't see that happen, but I admire the moxie that it must take to wrangle with wasps.
Of course, the beasties have a right to live among us, but just not close that our worlds collide. Saw another nest this morning about a block away: wonder if they just moved house...
The nest would appear to be in good shape, so I hope that it was home to a successful family of birdlings this summer. Would that it were so easy to house the many folks who these days are having a hard time finding a place to stay. (Almost said "keeping a roof over their heads," but looks like the only "roof" was Mom or Dad's body during the nesting time.)
Will be interesting to see if one of these species dominates the others. I'd like to think that the goldenrod will triumph, but we'll see.
Despite Beatrice Potter and the Tale of Peter Rabbit, the beasties don't seem to like gardens in my part of the city. Racoons, skunks and squirrels, yes. Ditto the occasional marmot. But I think rabbits likea more unkempted landscape, or one that has only been wrested from wildness (or re-wildness)
Elin reports that thre have been rabbit sightings in Cité Angus, which has only recently been built on an old brownscape that had got pretty overgrown. Wonder how long they'll last...
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The result is a host of hostas all around. This last week the ones in the sun have been a their peak, while the ones in the shade are striving to catch up. What a great flower--holds its own again invasives, will survive even if not watered well, and for a couple of weeks in mid-summer it flowers are showy and abundant.
Clover is good for the soil, as its roots carry nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It is resistant to traffic, and when in bloom it is very pretty. Therefore seeing it in abundance does the spirit good.
Has the clover always been there, but has been mowed before it flowers? Could be that the chat about how it's good to wait to mow in order to leave flowers for bees early in the season when there are not too many things in bloom has had an effect.
Don't know, but like the trend....
