Meanwhile back at the Little Bitty in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood …
Remember I reported that just prior to departure to Cape Cod and our annual pre-tourist rush week in the Happy Cottage that I noticed red fruit on the branches of our just-transplanted front-yard Snow Fountain you all helped name Cherry Cherry?
These branches are barren.
Well upon our return, I discovered that somebody ate well during our absence. Next year maybe my dear wife Karen and I will get a taste of the fruit of our labor — the picking and planting, that is.
And at the front edge of lawn, that big pile of yard waste recyclables that had been growing bigger and sitting uncollected by city workers since they missed the scheduled first-week-of-the-month pickup in May was gone.
There used to be grass right out to the road.
In its place was a big and nasty brown spot, where all of the grass upon which I’d piled said refuse per city ordinance instruction had done its nasty killing work. Once they miss that first pickup, you see, you never know when that collection truck will swoop down your street. It could be any day, any time. So out the yard waste stays.
Ugh.
Enough complaining for one post.
The tiniest of red roses sits alive.
The hourglass garden up front looked vibrant, all rose bushes alive and well.
And just the night before, Karen had pulled me out to the fence that protects our backyard butterfly garden from Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle and her romps.
Lillies and the Polish Plant.
It’s too early for the four butterfly bushes to be anything other than optimistic early brushes with life, but the red border lillies had come up during our vacation, and were hanging out for our return. And the purple of the Polish Plant that’s climbing said cedar fence this season was a fine sight at the line extending from my dear wife’s happy hand.
Ready for an explosion.
And at the corner of the porch, the biggest of our rose bushes sits poised for its annual mid-June push to glory.
Back in the swing we are.
What’s coming up today in your yard? Are the birds feeding on anything you wish they weren’t, and if so, what do you do about it? Would you seed the big brown spot or just let nature grow something back?
Mark Bialczak 
I have a spot like that in my garbage area, too, for the same reason. Actually, I want to try that “spray on grass seed” that’s been on TV. I’ll let you know when I do if it works. Perhaps for an alternative, you could place a wooden pallet there which would be a more permanent place for garbage, and be more decorative than brown grass.
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That’s a good idea, Rachel. 🙂 You are full of good ones. ❤
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I am growing a mango from a mango seed. It is doing quite well. Also have a 6 foot Avocado plant that I also grew from seed. Your garden looks so green and lush.
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We have more water than you do, obviously, S.D. I do not live in an area where I could grow a mango or an avocado. 😦
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I guess we take the good, and the not so good. It all evens out in the end!!!
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I liked all of your photos and the red flower that looked like a daisy maybe a “gerbera?” I agree those birds could have at least left you one or two cherries as gifts for those 2 nice humans who took the time to buy, plant and water their place of feasting, Mark. I have raked brown patches then watered them, suddenly the roots would shoot new grass.
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It is a Gerber daisy, as we call it, Robin. You call it a Gerbera! 🙂 Yes, I could rake that spot clean, and see if that helps it start anew, thank you for the suggestion. 🙂
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it’s so funny how life goes on, even in our absence, isn’t it? )
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You’d think they’d leave us one stinking cherry cherry, Beth. 😦
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Your garden is so lovely Mark and Karen! ❤
Diana xo
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Thank you, Diana. We try yard. ❤
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haha and clever!
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All I have to say is, I wish our landlord hadn’t taken down our nice shady palm trees. Very hot in the apartment now!
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That was a a Dick Dastardly move, Marissa. What the hey? What did he take down the palms?
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I’m not sure. He didn’t even warn us although other neighbors said he called them beforehand, but they lived downstairs where it’s shady. I can only guess that he didn’t want to deal with the maintenance.
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Aw! I’m sorry you missed your cherries!
The daylilies are up here, which is nice, because since I spent the last two springs dividing them, I have at lest four times as many blooms! The autumn clematis that I don’t bother with (grows on a fence to the side of the house we seldom see) is filling in with greenery, and has also grown larger. It’s one of the last blooms, so I like to see it greening up! My window box on the garage is thriving, and the exact same plants are half as large on the ground, so I’ll definitely do something else in the ground next spring.
It’s the squirrels I feed! I mean, I feed the birds seed, but I toss all manner of things out to the tree for the squirrels. If I don’t keep them fed, they head for the seed!
I wouldn’t fuss over the brown spot, but if it bothers you, you should seed it 🙂
We had a long dirt path shortly after we moved in (Plumbing Incident of 2013) and that was Labor Day. By Halloween, it had filled itself in. So it’s just a matter of how much it bothers you 🙂
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I think I’m going to leave it, Joey, because that’s where the bag of refuse must go every month! And your grounds sound very attractive, as usual. Smart plan to stay a step ahead of the squirrels. 🙂
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Mr. B has a huge pile that needs to be picked up. Did you notice it when you were here? So much can happen during one week away, huh? I look forward to your butterfly bushes welcoming those lovely butterflies into their homes. I remember the pictures from last year. 🙂
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I did not notice your Mr. B’s pile of brush, Mrs. B! Ha. He hid it well. 🙂
Yes, I think the butterfly bushes are slow this year because of the hard winter. 😦
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Is that a Polish Plant as in Warsaw or a Polish Plant as in Lemon-scented Pledge?
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Country not wipe-and-shine, sir. 🙂
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It’s all looking lovely. I’d just leave the brown bit for now. See if it grows back on it’s own.
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I hope the green creeps in from the edges, yes I do, Rachel. Thank you!
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Sorry about the dead grass.
What is, “…the purple of the Polish Plant that’s climbing said cedar fence…”? Polish Plant? 😮 😀
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That’s what the tag said when my dear wife Karen bought it, Tess! Polish Plant. And that’s why she bought it, too. 🙂
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Funny! 😀 😀 😀
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I’d sprinkle some seed on the brown spot Mark. It’s not very expensive and it can’t hurt. You could try that new coated seed they are advertising all the time. I’d be interested if it grew faster. Sounds like nature has been busy whilst (see, I put that in there to make your UK visitors feel at home)you were absent. I’m sure your small piece of nature will rejoice in the return of your firm but loving gardening hand. 🙂 Say hello to Saki for me.
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Yeah, Paul, I don’t think I have the new coated stuff, but I’m certain there is some half-bag of seed in our shed. 🙂 Saki misses her Canadian uncle!
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