We had a late spring this year with lots of rain & late snow. Farmers are finally getting around to cutting hay. We had more snow in April than usual. I finally got a small garden  out. It's doing pretty good now  but needs rain. Only put out a third of what I normally do. Getting too old & crippled up to take care of a big garden. The rows are only 20 yards long. Put out 3 dozen tomato plants for myself & two dozen for the lady next door. Two rows of corn & 3 1/2 rows of beans & a dozen hot banana pepper plants. The peppers are producing good. Been pulling the peppers off & throwing them down just to keep them producing. Beans are blooming good now. .......The baby tree swallows bailed out a few days ago & the eastern blue birds took over the box next day. The resident red tail hawks have two babies this year. First time that's ever happened. One of the babies has a problem. One of it's legs hangs useless but it's still coping pretty well. It can pick up a dead starling pretty well. Wish I could do something to help but that's out of the question. The papa hawk is 12 years old this spring. Don't know much about his girlfriend. First time I saw them together he was 4 years old. ......It appears Granny, the old resident deer is pregnant again. She doesn't allow the two youngsters to bum with her now. She only comes home in the daytime occasionally. ......I'll attach a few pictures. They may not be very good. They all look blurry to me. I have difficulty seeing to type any more. Only Muffin looks good to me. She's a sweetheart.   ......Paul H

Incidentally, the turkey in the picture is a hen with a beard, Weird. The two hawks together are the babies. ......Paul H

Great pictures and I wished my garden looked so good! 4 of the 5 robbins I had made it the 5th one never hatched. They didn't come back....I think mom figured it was a busy place! Both pair of bluebirds are raising their 2d family. Both pair had 5 healthy robust kids.

Thanks, Rick. I can't stand weeds in the garden any more than a fly or mosquito in the house. The picture of two deer is granny's babies from last year. The boy had some sort of mishap back in March & bummed up his right hind leg at the hock. He disappeared for two weeks but finally came home hobbling along on three legs. Granny took care of him & made sure he got corn every day till he eventually healed pretty good. She kept the other deer away from the  bowl till he got a few bites then allowed the others to eat. She's a nice old girl & like family to us. She doesn't trust other people at all. In the picture of her, she's staring at the neighbor's house. She don't like them at all. The daughter there has two dogs. I'm shocked the little buck survived. I wouldn't have given two cents for his chance of survival. The crippled baby hawk seems to have his attitude too. Hope he/she survives. Mom & pop have been taking care of it too. We see all sorts of things around here by just watching how things in  nature work. The hen turkey with a beard is just one of them. The old fox squirrel in the picture filching granny's corn had 3 babies. Ornery little *******s too. Into everything. Haven't seen the resident skunk or black snake this spring yet. .......Paul H

Quite the menagerie, Paul. Nice to have the variety around and be able to keep track of them over the years. Great pics!

Paul

Last night a thunderstorm woke me up and it was pouring rain. It was still going on when I got up around 4;25 AM. I just went out & took more pictures of the garden. What a couple days & rain does to a garden is amazing. Thake a look at the difference in the two pictures of the beans. Lots of new blossoms & some little beans about 3 inches long. ......This weird looking young grey squirrel  has an almost black chin & belly. It's mother does too. ......Paul H

Mine did the same thing. A little rain work like magic.

Quote from: sakorick;151028A little rain work like magic.

Yup!

Paul