It’s headed for about 80º today.  Here are just a few of the colorful flowers and plants to be found around the yard and out in the field.  The latter is really starting to look like a prairie grassland.  I’m glad to see all my California natives starting to germinate in the rock garden.  I was especially happy to catch this skink (lizard) basking in the empty pool.

I have to say I’m also glad to see that Dr. Richard Bright, the government scientist/whistleblower who was kicked out by trump for raising warnings about the virus and necessary response early on, is getting a fair hearing testifying before the House panel.  Of course many repubs are still in denial about the facts, but at least the truth is being told.

What a coincidence.  COVID cases and deaths are increasing in direct proportion to states relaxing restrictions and opening up to business as usual.  Who would have guessed.  It’s hard to be “liberated” when you’re dead.  So Darwinian.  That selfish babbling idiot in the WH needs to be naturally selected out of there, pronto.  You didn’t hear it from me!  ;D

I used the last of the unseasonable cold and damp to plant some more herb seedlings– basil, parsley, and dill– before it jumps to the 80s.  Then I took advantage of the cloudy day to capture these bright flower colors.  Look at that red columbine, and those purple comfrey bells.  For me growing things is not just a hobby; it actually helps relieve anxiety and depression.

Just after I said “Give it time” and pictured groundhogs in the salad bar, guess what appeared in the field outside my window?  One big groundhog!  (It wasn’t close enough to take its picture.)  So add that to the critter list.  It’s just a matter of time…

Meanwhile, since I mentioned chipmunks, they’ve already become tamer.  I managed to sneak up on one right outside Misu’s “TV” window, gorging obliviously on bird seed.  (Since then I washed the windows.)  Also a squirrel.

Best of all, the ravens were all lined up on the fence, just hanging around waiting for me to bring the next course, so I walked right up to them and caught these shots!  It’s the closest I’ve come yet.  (They’re practicing social distancing, which is smart.)

My evil varmint plan is working!  All manner of critters are moving in, literally.

This morning I liberated the infamous mouse in the closet from its live trap into the field.  It and I were both relieved.

The raven gang has definitely taken over, like a scene from “The Birds”.  They enjoy digging up the garden beds, and lurking overhead in trees scolding me when I dare to appear.  “Feed us, dammit!!”

Yesterday evening I heard a loud raven commotion out in the front yard, and spotted them heckling the “kipah skunk”, who was nosing around in their territory.  I love that skunk.

The other day E watched them bothering a rabbit, who then turned on them and chased them back!  We have some  feisty rabbits.  The ravens often chase a hawk through the trees.  They’re like hoodlums.

The squirrels are getting so blasé about my presence, they don’t even stop eating the birdseed to run away.  Even a chipmunk was stuffing itself in the seed saucer, ignoring Misu and me.  I managed to capture a not very clear photo of one just sitting on the porch, unusual for a chipmunk.

The bird diversity here is increasing dramatically, including raptors.  Many evenings we hear an owl in a tree right outside our window.  We keep sighting new types of woodpeckers.  The bright blue flashes of bluebirds are common.

I’m hoping to attract more reptiles and amphibians to the property, as I restore it to more of a woodland environment.  It’s a challenge, but I have to be patient and allow nature to recover in its own time.

When I start catching more critters hanging out in the “prairie”, my evil plan will be complete.  I inaugurated the migration with our liberated mouse.  They were here first and they deserve to feel at home here.

Accordingly, I try to introduce more native plants, which provide the essential foundation for a balanced, diverse natural habitat.  I’m somewhat limited right now, given the pandemic, so I’m working with what I have, which includes non-native perennials and biennials.  Thus all the flower photos.  I do love poppies.

Last but not least, we had our first official salad of the season yesterday.  So far the varmints are leaving the “salad bar” alone, but give it time.

Yesterday, mother’s day, for us was pretty much like any day, for E sad and empty because her mother has removed herself from the picture, for me pretty much just lockdown as usual.  My mother, the demented zombie, may or may not remember I called or sent a gift.  My son and I played phone tag for a while, and he did reach me through voicemail, messaging, and video from St. Louis, where he’s been sheltering in place (and working from home) for months.  I know he’s OK, and hopefully one day we’ll meet again!  I miss him, but I know it has to be this way.

These are strange times, when families are distancing and separated by a deadly disease, not by choice but by necessity, for mutual protection.  What’s stranger to me is that somewhere nearby, families were no doubt ignoring the danger and just going out to celebrate as if everything was back to normal because their corrupt “leaders” said so.  Whatever happened to the concept of actual leaders who serve their people during national emergencies, not just themselves?

I’d rather have an uneventful, safe M-day, myself, so I can stay alive and healthy long enough to go vote these degenerates out of office.  They’ve made it purposely complicated to impossible to vote by mail for COVID reasons in this state, so we’ll take our chances in August and finally in November (or whenever they reschedule the General) to vote in person at our local polling location, which tends to be empty.  The early voting locations were mob scenes last time, so also not as safe.

Enough about that.  Today was mowing day.  I was happy to find this spectacular poppy in bloom.

We couldn’t believe our eyes.  A raven was in the veg garden, brazenly pulling up a large veg tag, and flying off with it!  Ravens routinely pull up all my labels, but usually leave them there.  What could it want with a veg label?  The raven landed on a nearby fence with the tag in its mouth and just sat there, as I indignantly stalked after it like Farmer McGregor, demanding it drop it!  After eyeing me for a moment, it finally did, with a “braak nevermore” attitude.  Seriously.  Sorry I couldn’t video it, it was hilarious.

Soon after, I discovered what I think is a small tree frog on the back porch table, amongst my seedlings.  It sounds routine, but it was the first one I’ve found near the house, so I was excited.  I liberated it to a shady, damp part of the garden.  While I’m on herping (herpetology, the study of amphibians and reptiles, not an STD), skinks (lizards) have begun their seasonal basking.

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Also, chipmunks have discovered the “cat TV” birdseed saucer, which has Misu quite agitated.

Totally unrelated, E upgraded my Thorny Badlands sign to a taller post, so now you can see it.

Also she made this excellent everything pizza from scratch, dough and all.  I mean even anchovies, because we’re cool like that.

Yes, this is a really random post.  Deal with it.  Happy m-day to me.

This post’s for all you “kids” without a mother for whatever reason, whether it’s a toxic relationship of abuse, neglect, abandonment, homophobia, etc., or literal loss through dementia, disease (mental or physical), or death.  I have first and second-hand experience with kids of maternal loss, and so do many of you.  For you, it’s not the warm, fuzzy day that the m-day industry would have you buy into.

I know it doesn’t help to know you’re in good company, but don’t feel like you’re a lone exception or alone.  I believe the exceptions are those who have experienced healthy, unconditional parental love.  It’s rare.  Also random.  You can’t earn it or buy it, by definition.  Humans could learn a lot from their “lower” animal relatives.  (Not the ones who abandon or eat their kids, though.)

I myself have not been the epitome of motherly fitness, as my son could corroborate!  I sucked!  To this day, however clumsily or ineptly, I keep trying to make up for all the lost, misspent time, knowing I can never make it completely right.  Thankfully, I have a very patient, forgiving son, whom I love (dare I say unconditionally?) very much.  As far as I’m concerned, he can do no wrong!  I am unanimous in that.  It’s an unbiased fact!

So for all you kids of Mothers out there, these flowers are for you.  Sorry they’re so virtual.  We’re in plague mode, after all.  Still, heartfelt.  I hope you get to spend the day (or lockdown) with someone who gets you, whether by blood or by choice.

Literally.  E made me all these colorful signs for various garden beds, and here they are looking picturesque. (Three sisters is a native American reference to corn, beans, and squash, traditionally planted together.)

She also made this lovely bird bath out of a glass light globe and wood for a stand.  The occasion is our upcoming anniversary.  It’s a sign of the times that we’re getting more creative with materials we had at home, like people in wars and depressions, when you can’t just run out and buy stuff.  Hmm.

Yesterday’s sunset between rains was spectacular, more so than my shots convey.  You can just make out a large planet, possibly Venus.

Today I was able to sneak up even closer to a whole group of our neighborhood ravens enjoying the shade after eating all the bones I left for them.  I think they’re starting to recognize the hand that feeds them.

If you’ve been following me since Ohio, you may remember the infamous (T)horny Badlands at Charleston Falls Preserve.  At that time, I had the idea of creating Thorny Badlands the Annex in Tennessee, and here it is at last, the official—Thorny Badlands II.  I should cut a ribbon and drink.  Or probably just drink.

What is so Thorny (or horny) about our Badlands, you may or may not ask?  There are lots of blackberry bushes (with the white flowers) being fruitful (hopefully) and multiplying all over the field.  As for Badlands, it just sounds cool.  So there you have it.

Unrelated, these golden flowers are blooming out there, and I got closer to a raven.  Also, E baked these nice challot.

The sign is courtesy of E, who also made me others, to be unveiled soon.

All I can say is, history will be making a lot of hindsight 2020 jokes, not that it’s funny.  People will look back at this period in utter disbelief that a president and his mob could plunge this country so far back into medieval times.  We already have plague-deniers.  Sometimes words fail.

We’re back in a cold snap, but not quite freezing.  My “salad bar” (lettuces and greens bed) is perking right up.  I predict a first salad in our near future.  Misu even got under the covers last night, and this morning she spent some time between the sunny window and my warm laptop.  She knows how to live in a lockdown.

The ravens are getting more used to me (i.e. all the leftovers), so the photos are moving in closer, though still not there yet.  This raven was indignantly informing me to get the hell away from its food.

Happily, my “cottage garden” is getting more “cottagey” by the day.  Every morning it surprises me with more flowers I forgot I had planted.  Or did I?  This quarantine situation is forcing me to use existing plants more creatively around the garden, since I can’t just go out and buy some.  Much like nature herself works resourcefully with what she’s got on hand.

Here’s what Misu thinks of all the above (yawn).