Blog archives
Backyard stories in our blog
Weird chipmunk noise
August 12, 2011
Every now and then, a chipmunk will take a position and make a weird noise like this all day long. As in morning to night.
Japanese beetle control: Grubs in lawn
August 3, 2011
Japanese beetles are destroying plants all over Racine, Wisconsin. The other 10 months of the year, they are white grubs in the lawn.
Hummingbird moth: Hummingbird Clearwing sphinx moth
July 24, 2011
Too big and long to be a bumble bee, too small to be a hummingbird, this hawk moth is Hemaris thysbe, and it’s astonishing to see.
Butterfly Weed good, Milkweed Bugs bad
May 3, 2011
Butterfly Weed was a beautiful host to Monarch Butterflies in our flower bed — until it was destroyed by Milkweed Bugs.
Leaf collection? Mulch leaves into lawn, garden beds
October 11, 2010
Fall leaf collection in Racine is bizarre. Dead leaves feed the worms, amend and inoculate the soil. Mulch them into the yard — not the pavement!
Hang on, little tomato
July 23, 2010
We had a lot of rain in our backyard tomato garden, and more is on the way. This reminds me of a Pink Martini song.
Topiary star Pearl Fryar: 'A Man Named Pearl'
May 8, 2010
A warm and inspiring movie about Pearl Fryar — Bishopville, South Carolina’s world-renowned master of topiary.
Renewal pruning has Forsythia in bloom
April 11, 2010
We see an amazing difference in our forsythia bush just one year after its first renewal pruning.
Juniper bushes and jeans: Backyard landscape idea
May 7, 2009
We decided to change our shrubbery, but now there’s a fence — and of course wet clothing.
Chicken kebabs on the grill: A quick, low-meat dinner
May 5, 2009
When you want to cook in the open air, but you don’t want to pork out.
Cudahy, Wisconsin yard displays Cadillac, tractor, Hamburglar, Big Boy
April 19, 2009
Rick Serocki says he is trying to make Cudahy fun again.
Playing in the dirt
May 30, 2007
A roundup of our spring backyard gardening activities here in Racine, Wisconsin.
Spring is sprouting
March 22, 2007
We’re going to try to grow many of our backyard plants from seed this year.
About earthworms and soil
December 3, 2006
Underneath my yard, I’m hoping to cultivate a healthy population of these amazing animals.
Hummingbirds in Wisconsin
November 1, 2006
I did some reading, hung a hummingbird feeder, and sure enough — a hummingbird came to our window.
Earworm infestation
August 15, 2006
Peace and quiet out in the yard? Not with Kenny Loggins singing “Danny’s Song” over and over and over.
Tomato hornworm caterpillar? No, tobacco hornworm
July 27, 2006
I was very honored to have this visitor devouring our tomato plants — until I discovered what it really was.
Yew shrubs: Toxic taxus, poisonous plants!
July 11, 2006
The plant is exceptionally toxic, with one mouthful able to kill a horse or cow within 5 minutes.
When in Racine
July 6, 2006
Since moving to Racine, we’re beginning to appreciate some of the special things here.
We are gardeners, and it is good
June 2, 2006
We have been reading a few gardening books, and now we’re planting some things in our yard.
Charlie don't surf
May 3, 2006
Creeping Charlie or Ground ivy, a.k.a. Glechoma hederacea, is a lawn weed that can drive a homeowner batty.
This is for the birds
April 28, 2006
Moving from apartment to house has made it possible for us to attract a much wider variety of birds to our backyard.
