This would technically be called a weed. But I call it a pretty flower. The yellow blooms are a welcome splash of color in the back forty.
Rain, rain, and more rain – that’s the weather report here in our neck of the woods. The trees have baby leaves, the plants in the gardens have shown their appreciation for all that rain by spreading, and growing taller and wider. Lush green is everywhere; in the grass, in the gardens, and on the trees. I love the spring green of the grass at this time of year.
Hello, roses! Welcome back.
At one point in the day yesterday, there was a bunny rabbit near the birdbath cleaning himself, the chipmunk was a few feet away looking for food and a catbird was in the birdbath. All in about 4 square feet of space. I’ve seen robins and catbirds taking a dip in the birdbath and this morning I saw a squirrel taking a drink! That’s a first.
This is the bunny rabbit I was talking about. He’s hanging out by our car in this photo. No, that’s not a snake. It’s a bean pod from the Catalpa tree. I’ve seen this same bunny hanging out in and around the silver maple tree that is right outside our kitchen window. In fact, I mentioned it to Don several times, wondering why he was always nestling himself down among the dry leaves that surround that tree. I noticed this over the course of about 3 days.
There he is. I took this from inside the kitchen. You can see how close he is to the house. We clean up this area in the spring and I usually rake as many of the dead leaves up as I can, but there are still lots of them on the ground. That turns out to be a good thing because while we were making dinner last night, we watched this little one scurrying around. It took a while before we realized the rabbit was gathering material for a nest. The bunny would pull up some stuff from the ground, leap up this little hill, and then jump in the little hole. Its head would disappear inside the hole while the nest material was added and then it was back to gathering more material. The second arrow points to the nesting area.
We were mesmerized. And enchanted. Most of the bunnies on this property make their nests in the woods. This one, however, has decided to make a nest right outside our kitchen window!
I immediately thought about how careful I would have to be when mowing or weed wacking.
It’s actually a good place to make a nest because the leaves provide camouflage. The bunny rabbit blends right in.
Smart bunny rabbit.
Sometimes, when birds are in the birdbath and bunnies and chipmunks are running around, I feel like I’m in a Disney movie. All I need is some animation. But real life is much better than animation, don’t you think?
Happy Saturday.
Happy Saturday morning Claudia !!
I have those same yellow weeds(?) in my garden too. I always treated them as flowers and admire them for their color and beauty.
This time of year in Kansas City is the most beautiful of all, with the flowers, trees and bushes in bloom it’s such a riot of color and scents. I can never get enough. Even in the city, we get our share of bunnies, chipmunks and beautiful birds. Yesterday I watched a squirrel drink from my birdbath. I was amazed, but then I guess they get thirsty too.
I’ll be spending my day spray painting the wicker for my porch and planting some pots with colorfull flowers, hope you get the chance to work in your garden too.
Have a great weekend,
Vanessa
Isn’t it neat to see a squirrel drink from the birdbath, Vanessa? Unexpected and delightful! I hope it clears up enough to work outside a bit today. Have a wonderful weekend.
We have had chipmunks in our garden for many years and bunnies living under bushes at the far side of our neighbor’s house, but last year I watched a bunny carrying nesting material hopping toward our garden. The garden is overgrown and kind of wild with tallish plants at that point and I swear a chipmunk popped out of the garden right where the bunny was heading for and stopped and held back some foliage so that she could enter. That was when I decided that the garden wasn’t really ours.
Now, that IS a Disney movie, Laura!
Laura’s comment above may be my favorite I’ve ever read – so magical – a chipmunk clearing the way for a bunny! I want to live in that world.
You lucky! How wonderful to have bunnies on your property Claudia – fingers crossed you’ll get to see the baby bunnies. & How fun to see a squirrel take a drink!
xo
I saw a baby bunny a few years ago when I was mowing the lawn. This little thing ran by me and I thought it was a large mouse, but upon closer inspection it was a baby bunny! I quickly moved that lawnmower out of there so that the sweet little baby would be safe!
Several years ago there were baby bunnies in a nest right outside my front door. I could look out the living room window and watch them nurse. I learned that during most of the day, the mother rabbit will be away from the nest so that she doesn’t attract prey. She would return every evening and that is when I could watch her nurse. I have a lot of bunnies, squirrels, and chipmunks, but I haven’t seen my fox in a while. Rain or shine, have a great weekend!
Oh, that makes sense, Debbie. I walked by the area where the nest is and you would never know it was there. She’s done a nice job of camouflaging it. Amazing.
Love the bunny and her nest! Oh yes, do be careful while mowing. Maybe soon you’ll have little bunnies!! I love a bird bath and watching all the creatures out and about. You would make a lovely Snow White in the Disney film!!
hugs, Linda
I once was in a children’s play where I was the Storyteller and I wore a long black wig, with a beautiful gown and people kept saying I looked like Snow White!
Cracking up at the Disney movie line because I have felt that way too sometimes..occasionally the neighborhood bunny will get under the fence and be eating here, the squirrels on top of the fence, birds all over the place…yes, real life disney moments
So sweet that she’s nesting so close there!
Real Life Disney moments are the best, Deb!
When I first saw your bunny I wondered if it wasn’t a pregnant female…she may be making her nest for the little ones…we have them making nests like these in the yard too. You can spot it if you see downy fur under those leaves. The babies are so cute when she comes to nurse them.
She’s done a good job of picking a place for the nest Donna. You would never know it was there!
Yes! A Disney movie! I love it! Just you, Cinderella, and Snow White. I think you are going to need some bows for you hair.
Tana
I always loved that scene in Cinderella where the birds were flying and putting bows on Cinderella’s dress. I can still see it oh these many years later, Tana.
In all my years of living in the woods Claudia I have only seen 2 bunnies. And then not even in my woods. However, when we were feeding the deer, after a long while I was able to walk slowly out and have them eat out of my hand. They would also come in and play with the cats. Not cat and mouse, but cat and deer.
I love the chipmunks. We put sunflower seeds on the ground for them. It is so fun to watch their little jaws puff up as they fill them full.
Spring is a magical time. And it does resemble a Disney movie.
How amazing! The deer played with your cats. I love that. They are such gentle creatures.
So fun to watch the wild life. Having baby bunnies will be fun. Thinking of you this weekend. Hugs
Thank you, Debby. Tomorrow will be a tough one for me.
Any weed that has pretty flowers on it I consider to be a Wildflower and I am thankful for it..A weed to me is something that you yank out of the ground before it multiplies every where..How nice of Miss Bunny to build her nest where you and Don can observe what goes on..I so hope you will be able to see those babies and share with us how they grow up..That would make some lovely blog posts..And yes..real nature is amazing!
I hope I can, too, Nancy. It sure would be fun to see them!
I have always dreamed of 2 birds flying into my yard with a small cape which they would drape over my shoulders. With all the $$ we spend on bird food to feed them year-round, it would only be fair!! It is a lovely day here today and the chipmunks, squirrels and birds are all certainly busy.
My friend in Denver is under a Winter Storm Watch for 6-10 inches of snow tomorrow. Makes my stomach hurt.
70* and sun today is perfection. Have a glorious day!!
I can’t believe they are having a Winter Storm Watch. I think I would have to slit my wrists!
Gorgeous here today. 80 degrees tomorrow. A wee bit too warm, I think!
Perfect…a Disney movie! All you need now are butterflies to complete the animation I have going on in my head! Enjoy your day! ;)
I see some white cabbage butterflies flying around – will they do?
Oh yeah! They’ll do! ;)
How wonderful to have all that going on right outside your window! It would remind me too – of those nature documentaries that were often shown during Disney’s “Wonderful World of Color” on Sunday nights – before Ed Sullivan. Remember that? And I think “Lassie” and “Mutual of Omaha’s WIld Kingdom” were on Sunday nights too. Today about the only place kids can see nature documentaries is PBS – I don’t know a single cable channeld doing that kind of thing for children. Darn shame.
Your yard sounds like a little piece of paradise. I think you are in for some fun watching the mother rabbit with her babies. The main thing is, of course, that they stay safe from the wild-life. I am growing a catalpa tree in a pot and plan to plant it on our property in the country soon. It is one of the most beautiful trees I have ever seen and the fragrance from the blossoms is amazing. I was looking at bird-baths today at our local nursery thinking it would be a nice addition to our yard. Well, until I looked at the price; $200.00. I think I will be looking on Kijiji for one. :)
I loved this post, Claudia! We’ve got most of the same critters as you (no bunnies, alas, but some adorable baby possums). I feel exactly the same as you do! As a matter of fact, back in a June of 2008 blog post I said:
“I feel a bit like Sleeping Beauty when she walked through the forest and all the little critters ran to meet her (of course I don’t have her sweet singing voice… or her long blond hair… or her tiny little waist… but you get the idea!)”
It truly does remind me of an old animated Disney movie with all the critters gathered around!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Donna
Claudia….it is so fun to watch the birds and animals. I’ve never thought the critters in my yard reminded me of a Disney movie….but they do bring me great joy. Speaking of a Disney movie. I so love “Enchanted” and how she calls the animals and birds to help her clean house. Wouldn’t that be the best? ;)
We have a very old cement bird bath that belonged to my dad. I have no idea what happened to the base…it’s usually the bath that gets broken. But, without a base, I usually arrange it on the edge of a garden area on the ground and it’s very popular with the birds and the squirrels. If you haven’t a ground bath, try one.
Quite a few years ago we were raking up the fall leaves to prepare for spring/summer. As we were ferociously raking up a bed of pachysandra we raked out some very tiny baby bunnies. Our hearts stopped. They looked like the leaves and we had no idea they were there. Immediately we abandoned our raking there. What a sweet memory. We no longer live in that house, but I still keep my eye open for baby bunnies in the leaves each spring.
Hope your new week is simply extraordinary!!