Spike's Wildlife Almanac

Greetings Family and Friends from Susie’s Gardens
By Spike Knuth

    I have mentioned in the past that I define “our backyard” in a number of ways. First and foremost it is our immediate surroundings—our property. Secondly its our neighborhood; then our county, the metro area of Richmond, the region of the U.S. we live in—mainly the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states, and finally the U.S. itself. That way I’m not pinned down to one specific locale. As in Nature the subject matter us unending. Susie and I left home on Saturday and traveled to one of our favorite places recently; Charleston, SC. We splurged on a luxury hotel—the French Quarter Inn—and visited Middleton Place, Magnolia Gardens, and Audubon Swamp. Sooz bought some azaleas, fatsia, and an anise plant from Middleton. Warblers and cardinals sang from the trees as we walked through the retail nursery. We decided not to tour that place at this time, but had lunch right there (okra/tomato soup-yum!), and went on to Magnolia Gardens, and Audubon Swamp.

    First we took the “train” (tractor and wagons) ride around Audubon Swamp. It moved too fast and the tour guide talked too much. He was mainly trying to tell the history, which was good, but we didn’t stop long enough to get many photos. We did get some good looks at anhingas (water turkeys), some late migrating blue-winged teal, and some moorhens (formerly called common gallinules). And of course there were a few small alligators which everyone got all excited about (I never was much enthralled with alligators), lots of turtles (mostly pond sliders), and all types of vegetation. The live oaks in particular are fantastic trees, especially draped with Spanish moss. We hit the adjacent Magnolia Gardens at the peak of the azalea bloom and the color was outstanding. Everything was about two weeks ahead of Virginia. Parula warblers, cardinals, and others serenaded us as we moved through. Susie took a bunch of photos with her new digital—I used the old Nikon. Of course again there were many other types of flowers—wild and domestic—in bloom, even some late camellias. We hauled my new Rascal electric scooter along and I was able to go through the gardens, tempering my speed to Susie’s walking speed. It worked perfectly and I see us doing more garden trips in the future. I just need to eliminate the third seat in the van and get a ramp to load it. As it is now we have to take it apart, lift it in and then reassemble the seat and controls.

    The next day we did one of the carriage tours by mule team (Assault and Battery were the mules names). We got to see some of the backyard gardens, most of which are hidden away behind walls and the famous Charleston iron fences and gates. It was crowded and bumpy so my tail bone took a beating and I was kind of crippled up the rest of the day. Later we drove through some of the neighborhoods and I would stop at places Sooz wanted pix of. We did have a great flounder meal at Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant, and some good beer brewed right there in Charleston. We had another meal at Hank’s Seafood (not as good) and ate at what they call the community table for those without reservations and on a first come basis. We ate with a couple from Arlington, VA and a lady originally from southern Wisconsin. Before leaving town Susie bought another big pot for her garden and we got home Tuesday evening.

    That gave me one day to prepare for the Chincoteague Wildlife Art Show. I had hoped to see some sea ducks while going over the Bay Bridge-Tunnel but all was very quiet, so I settled for another flounder sandwich at the Seagull Pier Restaurant. Setup for the show was Thursday with the show running from noon Friday through 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. A cold front blew in Friday night bringing 35 mph winds off of the water and snow—up to 3 inches just south of us on Eastern Shore. I met some new friends, old friends, and renewed friendships with some others. During the show a guy came through with a Green Bay Packers jacket on. As he neared my booth I waved my Packer windbreaker at him and he gave me the thumbs up. “We’re everywhere,” he remarked. Funny thing is that he was from Pennsylvania. He said “In fall when the Packers play, I’m from Wisconsin!”  Made a deal with another gallery; Friend of Mine gallery in Chincoteague and I now have art there on consignment.

    I did get to make a couple trips into the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Water was low and not much going on. Saw great, cattle, and snowy egrets, boat-tailed grackles, horned grebes, black ducks, Canada geese, laughing, great black-backed, herring, and ring-billed gulls, yellowlegs, oystercatchers, and mallards. Its funny to be driving through the village and have mallard ducks come flying down the street to land on someone’s front yard. A huge flock of robins fed on the grasses of the high school’s baseball field—must be late migrants. On the trip back home I stopped at Turner Sculpture in Onley, and dropped off some more art on consignment.

    Here in Susie’s Gardens things continue to come alive quickly due to the few really warm days and the sun’s changing position each day. Looking through the foggy upstairs bathroom after a shower I can now see the full orb come up left and clear of the big cedar already. The dogwoods are in full bloom, as are Fraser sedge, low phlox, candy tufts, oxalis, and wood hyacinth (Alba maxima scilla). Hostas are coming up fast, ferns and Solomon’s seal too, as are the peonies, irises; Siberian iris, hydrangeas, and we should have clematis, azaleas, and wisteria blooming soon. What’s left of our lilac is blooming. Other plants show buds and leaf growth at a fast rate. I have a robin nest in the holly tree and the brown thrasher is back in the yard. I still haven’t gotten my hummingbird feeders up and I’m sure they are here already. Goldfinches still come to the thistle feeders. The rabbit had tried to nest again in my garden before I mowed it down, but I’m not sure what happened. We found her little pocket-like dugout with a bunch of fur around the opening. Don’t know if she moved them or if the neighbor’s cat got them. She is still around and has been eating on the peonies now, much to Susie’s chagrin. Once again the Bunny Wars have started.

    This week I will be planning for the next show; the First Annual Lake Country Wildlife Art Show, April 20-22, in South Hill near Buggs Island Lake. It’s hard to guess how this will go as far as traffic and sales in such a small town, but I have a lot of fish art which may do well. It’s being put on by a retired Marine group for its Toys for Tots program. That should be the last show until June 8-9 in Walkerton, VA , about 30 miles from here. I have to till the garden this week yet and till up a couple new shrub beds. Susie’s been doing all the cleanup and pruning to date.

    Hope all is well with you. Take Care, Be Safe, Hang Tuff, and God Bless You.

Spike

(Anhinga by Spike Knuth/ Live Oak by Susie Knuth)