"Re-reading this thread, I realized that I initially missed the significance of that comment." As did I and would appreciate the info. Got to play a bit today before the rain set in ... Patch #1 is starting to look more like a corn patch ;) Patch #2 is trying to catch up ... Patch #2 is limited to the first 2 beds from the left ... next bed over is onions and then tater patch #2. Will most likely never do this again ... but, for now, it seems pretty .... and keeps me busy.

Our Shumard was bent, but not broken as it likely would have been if hit with the 2nd or 3rd inch of ice dropped on some neighborhoods a bit to our north. A little more than an inch will increase leaf weight by about 20X on marcescent trees (like many oaks) that refuse to be stripped. Add a little wind and the region is left with a lot of damaged trees, though worst hit around here seemed to be oaks, Callery pears (duh), and desert willow. Photo shows the difference of 18 days and an inch+ of ice. Only broken limbs on our neighbor's massive red oak are large distal branches that filled very rapidly into canopy space vacated by a large fruitless mulberry we removed about 20 months ago. They were already 2 to 4 inches in diameter and 6 to 12 feet long. I'm assuming they broke because this fast growth made them relatively weaker than the rest of the tree. Anyone know if that is right?

nhbabs: Do you think the hawks are hunting something, like voles, near your house? Or maybe considering a nesting site close by? I saw the first Baltimore Orioles of the season today! and it's before the hummingbirds show up - usually the orioles come a little after the hummers. The grackles had gobbled up most of the suet outside and the orioles were picking at the scraps. I raced out and put new suet in all of the cages and added some apricot preserves in a dish. This one came back but didn't seem too impressed with the new suet. He did seem to be looking down at the preserves in the dish in the middle of the feeder. When they start showing interest in the fruit I'll phase out the suet in those cages to discourage the grackles. I have another suet feeder up in another area. Claire

I'm pretty sure this is a first year female RB Grosbeak. A family was born here this year. Just checked Cornell, and I think she should be on her way to South America. Doubt that she would listen to me, but does anyone still have any RBGs around? Of course, I could be wrong and maybe she's a hybrid Lowes/HD sparrow, but she's the only one of her kind here. Jane This post was edited by corunum on Thu, Oct 16, 14 at 17:25