What did she do to us?

Just a week or so ago we had gone to a greenhouse to buy some annuals. They also had fuchsias which I like very much. I didn't think I had a good place for some at our house but Sarah usually has something hanging on her front porch ... so we bought one for her. Straight away (the next day if not earlier) some birds started to build a nest. They were not deterred by the boys running and playing very close every minute they can.

As I knew that she would like a second fuchsia to hang up and I had thought of a place where I could hang on too, we went yesterday and bought two more. 

In the afternoon Sarah texted this photo to me:

Today we finally found a hook to mount so we could hang up our fuchsia. 

It is difficult to see it in this photo. But it is definitely a nice addition. Fuchsias remind me of England. Kate and Dave, Daddy and Jane always had the nicest in their gardens. I never saw them here until this year. 

We used to travel so much and really liked it. But we also find happiness now just watching the birds and flowers. After the patio remodeling we had to make new arrangements for the feeders. Finches, cardinals, rufous-sided towhee, many others including the occasional woodpecker and yes, humming birds too.

Squirrels have so far not been a problem. Slinkys really seem to take care of it and they just come and eat what the birds throw down to the floor. They are welcome to it as long as they don't make a mess. We like all animals. We only object to the mess. 

The big feeder is relatively new and didn't seem to attract anybody. Recently we just bought a bag of sunflower seeds and James puts a cup full of those almost every day on the rim of it. Suddenly there is good traffic. 

I think I don't have quite the right camera to take good close-ups of our visitors. 

Other promising things in the garden. The sweet william (seeded by Sarah for William's first birthday) is blooming in its pot.

The rhododendrons are opening.

The hydrangea which didn't do much last year is starting to show quite a good number of developing flowers. So do the other three.

And now it is raining!