The Folly of Mosquito Abatement

On a recent morning walk with Shasta we saw parked along Turner Road a pickup with the logo on the the side for the Marin-Sonoma District Mosquito and Vector Control. A man was walking along the road above a small pond looking for the owners of the pond. "Yieks!" I thought to myself, "spraying toxins." Well, maybe not totally toxic control, but decreasing and/or eliminating mosquitos removes a much needed food source for birds so that humans will not be affected by the organisms that might potentially be carried by these BEings.

It seems to me that mosquitos are part of the natural fiber/web of life. These, what often humans think of as nasty, insects provide high protein food for insect eating birds: flycatchers, swallows and many others like one of my favorites, the Black Phoebe. 

MuRefuge, a wildlife habitat, has a small pond as well as birdbaths, to provide water for the birds to drink and in which to bathe.

A Spotted Towhee bathing in the birdbath Dwight
made. The birdbath has Datura leaves imprinted on it.

And a sparrow joining in.

What a delighful vision!

Water lilies grow in two large pots and the birds use these, too. Shasta likes to drink from all of these containers, also. When visitors come, often their first question is "what about the mosquitos?" And my usually response is "they provide food for the myriad insect eating birds who visit MuRefuge in search of food." If we, using toxic substances to kill, eradicate one niche in our environmental fabric, we affect the entire fabric. As Aldo Leopold learned early on in his career working on public lands, if we kill the predator, ie. the wolf, to provide more game to hunt . . . oops, the game animals overpopulate with many members of the herd becoming ill because of their diminished food source. Predators are necessary for the health of the whole, an interdependent web of all inhabitants of our planet.

 As you ponder the benefits of the entire food chain, may you

Apple Trees

This Sunday past after a visit to Harmony Farm Supply our apple trees are now adorned with oranges boxes housing the pheromone lures for codling moth control. For anyone interested in dealing with these pests using nontoxic methods, here is an in depth review of codling moth information you might find helpful. The information includes the life cycle of the codling moth which aids in the understanding of how to decrease the larval infestation of apples. Perhaps our small duck flock foraging in the orchard assists in the disruption of the cycle since they scarf down in short order any creepy, crawly BEings in their territory and sometimes flying insects, too.

MuRefuge's blooming Pink Pearl Apple trees
 adorned with protection against codling moth infestation.

May your apple trees be productive and without the invasion of the codling moth larvae.
And as you care for your apple trees may you

Samuel P. Taylor Park

On an outing to Samuel P. Taylor Park with Shasta's Auntie T we walked beneath the second growth Redwoods along the creek. In the presence of these giant trees the exuberance of Spring seems to be tamped down and sweetness prevails.  The Hazelnut trees showed their new, soft leaves.  Tiny Douglas Fir needles were appearing on new little trees and the leaves of the Vine Maple were just developing.  Large Huckleberry bushes, Honeysuckle vines and LOTS of Poison Oak were evident!  We primarily went to see the wildflowers.  Some wildflowers were finished, some flowers no longer in their prime and some flowers not quite open but there much to revel about.  The pictures below are a sampling of what we saw.

Buttercup blossoms not quite open yet.

Ubiquitous Redwood sorrel

Three Western Trillium

Red flowering Trillium

White flowering Trillium

Cheery Yellow Violets

Ferns unfurled near a decaying Redwood stump

Hound's Tongue which is so much more pleasing
than the invasive Chinese Forget-Me-Not . . . yes?

Fetid Adders-Tongue
This photo was taken a few years ago on a walk with Rose and her beloved Auntie T.
This flowering plant was spent when we visited this time but we enjoyed the spectacular leaves.

And of course here's hoping you continue to 

Spring Sightings at MuRefuge

This time of the year is so alive with its show of Spring flowers and the green of  leaves opening on the bushes and trees. Newness, freshness and promise is presented with a splash and this season with an explosion, or so it seems. When I go out in the morning to let the ducks out, I notice both flowers and leaves opening, then in the afternoon when I go out to feed Jax, there is more of both.

This Spring brings diversity to the usual and almost everyday sightings of deer and fox. One morning just past while sitting I noticed the arrival of the first Allen's Hummingbird visiting the feeders. As in cycles past more migrating hummingbirds will soon follow. The feeders with the plethora of hummers require filling twice a day. There seem to be at least four different species who come through (Allen's, Calliope, Costa's and Rufous); some stay the Summer like Costa's and Allen's. There is also of course the year round resident, Anna's hummingbird, whose youngsters visit the feeders with voracious appetites. 

Close up of the flowers on the Golden flowering
currant that provide nectar for the hummingbirds.

Golden flowering currant bush

A Pipevine Swallowtail, who lays her eggs on the well established California Pipevine here at MuRefuge, fluttered over my head while I was working in the garden this week. The swallowtail species is so very striking, and in the bright sun when flying they look black, almost like a shadow of a butterfly.

A newly metamorphosed Pipevine Swallowtail in the greenhouse.

"Butterfly spirit approaches the unknown with calm and joyful anticipation. (She) trusts in the mysteries of life to develop its unique gifts and possibilities. (She) believes that even when you creep like a caterpillar, you hold within you the potential for transformation. (She) patiently accepts the pace of natural evolution and expects inevitably one day to emerge and soar. An encounter with Butterfly spirit is encouraging you to take the many small caterpillar steps to build your chrysalis of self confidence. Later, in the larger Butterfly world that is still but a dream, you will transcend into glorious flight."  Butterfly: the Mirror of Transformation, Spirit Animals by Victoria Covell, illustrations by Noah Buchanan.

MuRefuge is home for many different species of Ceanothus most of which are now flowering to provide nectar for any early metamorphosed butterflies.

And last but not least the sighting of most import, since I have never seen one before, was a badger frolicking on the antique farm equipment South of our property. Quite a few years ago the present inhabitant of that property told us of a badger den in that area. And walking about in the Hessel Area we have seen evidence of badgers digging, but a real live badger has never presented itself to me. WOW!

"The warrior Badger spirit is willing to fight to uphold the integrity of its beliefs. Even if in the minority, Badger is resolved never to back down. The hallmark of Badger is its determination and persistence. (S/he) ferociously digs to the roots of truth. (S/he) never lets falsehood remain concealed, however deep it may be hidden. Badger is not impeded by obstacles when it sees a potential beyond."  Badger: the Warrior who Speaks the Truth, Spirit Animals by Victoria Covell, illustrations by Noah Buchanan.

During the Winter past I dug out our small pond which had filled with silt and Dwight reapplied bentonite to keep the water from seeping out of the pond. During that process the Black flowering Sedge was dug up. Let me tell you transplanting an established Sedge is no easy task! I was not sure the plant would survive but the tenacity of this plant was evident as the air temperatures have risen.

And here's a close up of the awesome display

Shasta playing Hide 'n Seek with Coco.
Guess who initiated this game?
Not the alpha dog, Coco.

To bring lightness and match the exuberance of Spring

Spring Gardening in the Rain

The Manzanita have never been so spectacular in
bloom as in this drought year. This is
‘Howard McMinn’(Arctostaphylos densiflora)
happily flowering along our driveway
providing nectar for the Anna's Hummingbirds.

Glorious rain! During the month of February MuRefuge and Northern California in general have been blessed with rain. The native plantings are all yelling "hurrah," flowering and leafing out. Their ability to sustain dormancy in the wake of drought is part of the natural ebb and flow for these plants "rooted" here long before we humans arrived. As climate change presents unpredictability in so many ways, the native vegetation seemingly adapts. Unlike in years past I did not put any new plants in the ground this Fall past; rather I waited until midWInter on the calendar. All the native bunch grasses I planted then in the duck yard to replace the invasive European grasses that are pulled out as they appear are just so happy with the rain!

Also, as some of you know, a major out door project happened midWInter. With overplanting done some twenty years ago along our gravel road's easement, the plants eased beyond their allotted space onto the road. Hired hands, so to speak, brought a mini Cat and dug out all the plants including a couple of trees. I grieved, watching the gorgeous bushes and trees ripped from their home. The foliage was chipped and has been used to mulch along the easement to control reemergence of fox tails. Many, many wheelbarrows of Coast Live Oak leaves were raked and used as mulch there as well. 

The remaining Coast Live Oak along the West fence in the North corner received a pruning of about a third of its canopy. To my amazement when I viewed the tree later on in the day the tree top was filled with Bush Tits. Perhaps they were dining on Propertius (essentially all brown with tan spots on hind wings) or Mournful (white border on hind wings) Duskywings' hibernating caterpillars? The former flies April through July and the latter March through October, and both depend on oaks as caterpillar food. When I was originally planning native vegetation to be planted for butterflies, oaks were on the list. So I have been excited to observed clouds of small brown butterflies flying, these past few years, in and around the oaks growing here at MuRefuge. 

Inside the fence South of the easement four Coast Silktassel (Garrya elliptica) ‘Evie,’ a cultivar with many catkins of creamy white flowers with a maroon tinge which appear each winter, found a new home. These large evergreen shrubs, purchased at Mostly Natives in Tomales, grow 8 to 10 feet round. 

Two Coast Silktassel
'James Roof' cultivar with extra long tassels
were planted in the Fall, 1994, along the North end of our
East fence and have grown to their 20' tall predicted height.

Two Bearberry, one each of ‘Point Reyes’ (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) and ‘Radiant’ (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), were also planted inside the easement fence between the Buckeye tree and two apricot trees. More Todd planters of Idaho fescue starts, a native bunch grass, were planted under and around the 'Evie' and Coast Live Oak .

A Winter freeze a number of years ago killed the very slow growing Snowdrop bush ((Styrax redivivs) shown below sporting a beautiful array of blossoms.

From California Flora Nursery in Fulton another Snowdrop bush was recently purchased and planted in Sun's Spot. Patience while the bush slowly grows is well worth the wait since the blossoms are just so spectacular and cheery!

Before this most recent set of rain storms I fed all the trees on the West side of the property. The oyster shell and Azomite will provide health giving food to the oaks and fruit trees.

This Year of the Green Wood Horse with its adolescent like qi is an excellent time for learning and/or taking classes. To take advantage of this qi I am converting my planting routine to the biodynamic way. First, I purchased a different calendar (a biodynamic planting calendar working with cosmic rhythms) called Stella Natura: Inspiration and Practical Advice for Gardeners and Profession Growers. I purchased my copy from Turtle Tree Seed but it is available locally at Harmony Farm Supply. Second, I am taking several classes on biodynamic gardening at the Rudolph Steiner College in Fair Oaks.

And for those of you who consider your gardening top notch as do I, check out the Walter Family garden. Reading about the Walter Family's garden brought memories of my stepfather Steve's garden which covered several acres which he packed with vegetables. When they were ready to be picked he did so, carting them back to town in bushel baskets for my mom to can, freeze and store for Winter culinary enjoyment. He used to say, "why go out to eat when the best place to eat is right here on Pioneer Avenue (in Shenandoah, Iowa)?"

Starts are ready to be planted in the raised beds the first week in March using the new biodynamic planting guide. And more seeds will be scattered on soil in containers in the greenhouse as well.

"This is the first lettuce we put in the field in the spring,
as much as three weeks before the others. Hardy and
delicious," says the Turtle Tree Seed catalog about
Cracoviensis lettuce.

Cascadia peas started from MuRefuge saved seeds.
"First dwarf snap pea with Sugar Snap quality, and them some.
Extra plump, very crisp, very sweet and flavorful pods. . .
Heat resistant, went to the end of June for us" says
Bountiful Gardens catalog.

 Bloomsdale Spinach, my very favorite spinach.
Over the years I have tried numerous varieties but
now it's grown exclusively here at MuRefuge.

Wishing those of you still under Winter conditions a greeting to stay warm and remember Spring is on the way. For those in the West where we are enjoying a rainy pattern, stay dry and remember gratitude for the moisture. May you all