Left the Spigot On - Bird Spa Goes 24/7

Birds sing Matins and Vespers each day, praising their Creator - but are we grateful for their songs?

Today I left the spigot on when we left to take care of some things. The elevated soaker hose dripped on the fence garden and the vegetable garden, about 200 feet of soaker hose.

When we got back I did not check on the hose, so it continued longer. Walking outside, many birds took off to finish their preening duties a safe distance away.

We had some cherries and grapes we could share in the rose garden, so those were scattered among the blooms. I see constant evidence of birds working the mulch for food. When I added mushroom compost and cypress mulch to the maple tree area (for the next rose garden), birds clearly poked through the mulch to find food.

Adding organic matter is going to favor insects, soil creatures, earthworms, and birds. Water features to spread and capture fresh water will add to the creature population. That is good, because God's Creation will follow His gracious design and provide a bounty that renews itself with water and organic matter added.

For example, all the greenery from mowing, gardening, and leaf raking can be returned to the lawn and garden, a positive contribution for several reasons. The deep rooted plants will bring up minerals for the plants and us to use. Plants will convert solar power into basic foods that add to the original formula. Soil creatures will constantly improve the soil, and they will increase their total work by having more humus to work on.

I thought I had water spotting on some plants, but I realized the birds were enjoying their fence spa and sharing their fertilizer from the comfort of their watery perch.

Our neighbor thinks the soaker hose elevated on the fence is a great idea. Soon they will be harvesting from our shared fence. Gourds and beans are growing fast now, with the beans creating a wrought-iron effect as they wind around the fence, circling in various directions.

Mrs. Ichabod got her first organic tomato today. I found it ripe near the ground. I laugh at organic food prices at the grocery store. That means saving money in gardening to me.

The tomato was delicious, I heard. I do not like watery greenhouse tomatoes, but I enjoy fresh, warm tomatoes from the garden. I enjoy sharing the bounty. Mrs. I. really enjoys fresh tomatoes, so I will have quite a crop next year. I like growing cherry tomatoes too, because they are easy to pick, easy to enjoy, and quick to volunteer (grow from where the berries are tossed). Few plants volunteer as easily as tomatoes.