Certainly can’t complain about this day. A little cool and quite buggy. I know this since I just walked my trails.
The trails were cleared yesterday by a friend who knows about making sure wildflowers have a chance to grow and go to seed. Arnica, soloman seal, little purple violets and columbine. Wild roses just starting to show their true colours. Pea vine and tiny star flowers mark the edge of the trails along with wild strawberries and raspberries.
Massive amounts of Saskatoon berries will soon begin to develop. The scent from wild chokecherries attract some bugs. Other trails have fireweed and wild bluebells.
Not as many birds around now as they prepare for eggs to hatch. I did get to see an American redstart. This little warbler type bird makes a big show of catching bugs. The males fan their tails to expose a range of bright colours. These birds are down in numbers since they migrate at night and hit all manner of buildings etc.
Nuthatches seem to have fledglings with them now. Chickadees, woodpeckers, hummingbirds should have young soon. Hummingbirds are feeding on the flowers now. They very much like lobelia and lipstick plants. They do eat bugs as well. The other day a visitor spotted a hummingbird moth. Not a bird but it is a bug-eating moth.
Check your hummingbird feeders to make sure all the rain has not displaced the sugar water.
Can we stop feeding the birds now I have been asked? I am sure there is enough wild food for the birds. I still feed them so I can watch everything they do.
Squirrels? Did you ask about squirrels? I have too many of those critters. I have traps nearby. I will catch a few, drive them away after the young squirrels have tested their world.
A few minutes ago I sat in my flower garden with the old dog and cat. Buster the crow came to see if I have a treat for him.
As I sat there I was thinking I should have written about Father’s Day. As I contemplated the peace of this day I could remember my dad and all the lessons he wanted me to learn. He would say to me “if you think you are smarter than others you probably are not.”
“Don’t put yourself on a pedestal. You will hurt yourself when you fall off.”
“Always take a peaceful moment to think about your day.”
He was right about that.
My father died many years ago. I am so fortunate that his memory is still clear in my mind and his lessons to me ring true to this day.
Happy Father’s Day to the dads out there and to those who have lost their father figures may your memories be a blessing.
Your calls come to 250-846-5095 or email a note to mallory@bulkley.net.