This week we have restarted the composting at school. The winter was warm and we were able to compost most of the winter but stopped for February. The garden plants have begun to spring back to life. Small buds are beginning to show, time to cut back the butterfly bushes and the wild raspberry vines. I pulled all the sunflower stalks out from last year. All the seed heads were enjoyed over the winter by our bird friends. Time to clean up the garden very soon.

Today was the first day of the bird club at MJS. We started with 7 students who came to school an hour before the start of the school day. We used the Smartboard to look at different bird body parts which will be helpful later to identify birds. We took a brief walk outside, unfortunately found a small dead bird that looked like it hit the window. Using gloves, I picked it up and showed the students the body parts we had just discussed, looking at colors on tail feathers, back, breast and head. Using that information we identified the bird as a junco.
First bird on their lifelong bird list!

I'm about to put the  feeders out to help attract more birds into the garden. The bird club will be starting up at school for a small group of interested students in third and fourth grade. We'll learn about birds and how to identify them. I was excited to learn we won a contest that will provide some feeders and seed for our project.
Buying enough seed for the winter will be our challenge.
I also put together our new composter for school, it is a tumbler that rolls around on a base...should be fun!

Well the weeds are all pulled, the birds and butterflies are enjoying the last remaining flowers. Quite a first year for the garden. The first grade tagged and released their monarchs, other wild monarchs were tagged as they
landed on the butterfly bushes. Some students in the third grade examined plants up close and personal reinforcing their study on plant life.  Bird feeders and houses are the next step in the process of attracting wildlife.
The houses are made, the feeders purchased. We are waiting for the natural food supply to dwindle and for the migrating birds to find their winter spots. What a year, time to sit back reflect and enj

Plants are holding their own. Hurricane stressed some of the newly planted shrubs but the sunflowers made it.
Students are back in school and loving the size and beauty of the giant sunflowers.
I am disappointed in the amount of monarchs I've seen both at home and at school. I think it reflects accurately how few are really around. Very sad. They are such a joy.

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

First hurricane of the season is threatening Ct with strong wind and rains for the weekend just at the time the sunflowers are ready to bloom. Some of these are at least 6 ft tall and although their stalks are almost as thick as small trees, they are top heavy and will go down. Going to be on the hunt for a way to safely stake them.

New plants about to go into the garden soon, more bushes which will provide some coverage and berries.

Wow! There is nothing like looking at Mammoth Sunflowers towering over your head, ready to open any day.
Lovely to find weeding and planting helpers arrive in the garden as well (special thanks to Annabelle and Aiden)
who began to tackle the herb section of the garden. More cone flowers, shasta daisies and rudbeckia.
It was great to see the hummingbirds in the trumpet honeysuckle.  New section to be added soon, some viburnum, ilex, and bayberry to provide some hiding spots for the birds as well as some food. Too bad I'm running out of the freedom summer affords to focus on the garden as school opens in 9 days!

I have only been to the garden once this week, busy with family and thankfully some other gardeners have stepped up to help out!!!  When I did visit I noticed the first plant loss, unfortunately a Joe Pye Weed, not sure what happened, but it was a purchased plant so it was upsetting to see. Luckily another friend of the garden has another to replace it.

So I thought the mole and I had an agreement, if he stayed in hiding while I was working I'd leave him alone, but no today he seemed to be everywhere I wanted to be. I went to turn the hose on, there he was, I went to work on the water feature, there he was...so I need to re-think this plan. 
The garden is looking pretty good for the most part, the water feature had run dry, I added more rocks and tubing, I like the looks of it, I'm going for the sound now then I'll secure it. I'm not sure if the birds drank all the water or bathed in it or what happened...I'll have to keep my eye on it.