The Critters, Bulbs, Seedlings

My fall pumpkins used for decoration have started to get soft on the sun porch. The critters will enjoy them in the yard. Hope the jays come looking for food before the squirrels devour it all. Suet will be put in the suet holder or the squirrels will take the whole cake away. Today was windy with temperatures in the 30's. Tonight in the teens with 7 below zero predicted. Snow storm possibly for Sunday-Tuesday. Glad to be inside by the fire.

Nice to see cardinals every day in the yard and once this fall a woodpecker. Added the nut and fruit mix today. Safflower seeds have been the seed of choice most of fall and winter to deter squirrels. It actually works but leaves lot of shells to clean up. I don't think I'll feed them during the spring and summer. They'll be plenty for them to eat with flowers blooming, insects, and trees with berries and fruit. Bird feeding can get expensive but I love looking out my window and seeing the variety of birds and their behaviors.

Fresh water. Broke the ice in the unheated feeder and added more water.

Carrot squirrel snack.

This is the problem with seeds. Most are on the ground from squirrels jumping on the feeder to check for black oil sunflower seeds. This causes the seeds to scatter. Plan for this fall, a hopper feeder that usually only opens for birds. Squirrels are to heavy and the feeder stays close. So they say.

Waiting patiently for the first hyacinth bloom to push up. Hard to wait for that wonderful fragrance.

Pansies and violas started on the window seal started to stretch so I moved them under the lights. I'm waiting for more seeds via mail and I'll sow more. Haven't started these in years. They're one of my favorites.

Gloriosa Daisies are staring to get their true leave. They're fuzzy. The blooms of these are yellow. I save some seeds from a bronze colored one from this fall. Hopefully they'll germinate. I fell in love with them this fall when ordered from Bloom Box for winter planters. Two other views of them below. Would have started them later had I known they would get so big this soon and they don't go outdoors until May. Everything except begonias germinated quickly. I sowed them 2 weeks ago. Wanted to wait but it got the best of me.

Salvia Blue Victoria

Pelargoniums getting their true leaves. Will be starting petunias, vinca (I think), coleus, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Two types of begonias were sow but take about a month to germinate.

Took care of the birds, now I'll warm up.