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Saturday, September 13, 2014

Actual Deer and Continuing Bloom September 13, 2014


Today I am linking with- 

Saturday's Critters hosted by Eileen

Today's Flowers hosted by Denise

I Heart Macro hosted by Laura

Macro Monday 2 hosted by Mystical Magical Teacher

Blue Monday hosted by Smiling Sally

Please pardon the poor photo quality, I carry my cell phone and it is handy in emergencies. It does well with still subjects but not with moving ones.  I've had a few strange encounters with a deer recently.   They like to come nibble my fallen apples.   Once I was standing near the apple tree and a deer I will call Dorene approached very tentatively wanting to go past me to the tree.   I waved the deer across and she looked at me then slowly went across in front of me 15' away to the tree, and ate apples while looking at me cautiously through a bed of raspberries, then went away to the woods.    Then possibly the same deer seemed to be headed into fenced territory under my ramp, I motioned for her to leave instead, she studied me a while then went the way I motioned.   I have no idea why this deer is not as skittish around me except that a group of deer ate apples last year not far from where I was working in the garden, so maybe she was one of them.

My latest adventure, a couple of smaller deer came around near where I was, then they retreated to the safety of a bigger deer, I assume Mom.   I tried to photograph them with my phone, cat Tortie was there with me.


 The deer retreated.  I then entered my big front fenced vegetable bed.  From there I saw a deer, possibly Dorene, coming across toward my front beds, following my cat.


Dorene kept following the cat until Tortie reached the edge, next to a trash can, and they appeared to sniff noses-


Possibly Tortie swiped Dorene on the nose because she startled backward and the cat dove into the bushes.  Very strange.  Then Dorene headed off-

One bed in which I have made some weeding progress is enclosed in deer netting and was planted with Amber Ghost Japanese maple and burgundy Heucheras.  It also had lots of very invasive plants, or weeds- Forget-Me-Nots, a small violet, grass, dandelions, Ajuga, etc.  It looked OK while the FMN were blooming, but then the weeds overtook them and it turned into a mess-

Recently I planted some Alpine Strawberries and Lupines. This spring it became engulfed in weeds, then I weeded the plants to the ground.   I put paper layers down then covered with chips.


 I think this is the first time this bed has been under control in a long time.  It has irises planted along the front edge, and some Monarda citriodora that has not yet bloomed-

and this year I planted Coreopsis lanceolata 'Sunburst', which took a long time to bloom and while pretty is taller than I would like.

I still don't know what I could plant there with so many invasive plants to fight.  I may start more Alpine Strawberies for a nice border and just leave the wood chips and Heucheras.

Evelyn, a fragrant Austin rose used for scenting soap and lotion-

A very fragrant tiny flower, Lonicera syringantha (lilac-flowered honeysuckle), is reblooming a little-

It makes a berry too-

A final square and  the whole quilt from the fair, made by someone else, as a gardener I appreciate all the artistic flower designs-


Just one week left of summer, how it has flown by except when the heat and drought seem to drag on forever!

Hannah                                                        or cameras are macro

©Weeding on the Wild Side, all rights reserved.   I enjoy reading your blog and commenting but if google+ is the only option I cannot, but will comment here or on an email link.


72 comments:

  1. Beautiful quilt. And good luck with your Doreen.

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    1. Thanks, Linda, I admire people with the expertise and talent to make such beautiful work. It would help to have the expensive machine to do the background stitching. So far the deer this year have been pretty mannerly, going after the apples but mostly leaving my fenced areas alone.

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  2. Wow! What a quilt! That takes a lot of work.

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    1. It does indeed. The design element of this quilt is wonderful too.

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  3. So interesting! Enjoyed your photos very much. I shared deer in my Critter post too. Dorene and Tortie are so cute and I loved the flowers and that gorgeous quilt. Thank you for sharing with Today's Flowers and wishing you a happy weekend.

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    1. Thanks, Denise, your deer photos are great. I still have some roses and other flowers blooming, but the record heat has made everything a lot more dry and thirsty looking. Thanks for hosting, I like the Critters.

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  4. It must be interesting to have deer come so close to your place.
    The quilt is beautiful - I love the colours and bold design.

    Happy weekend!
    Ruby

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    1. Usually the deer are pushing all my limits, and snacking on plants they usually don't eat, but this year they have seemed very well-behaved.

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  5. How fascinating, I would love to see deer walking around, munching on apples! And I can only imagine how much time and patience went into that quilt.

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    1. Thanks, Amy, the friendlier deer this year has been fun. I still haven't figured out why Dorene was pursuing the cat. Maybe she was just curious. The quilts at the fair always inspire me but I haven't taken the plunge.

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  6. Thanks, Felicia, it was one of my favorites at the fair this year.

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  7. Your deer is very tame, maybe just curious. Love that coreopsis, they are so bright and bold, and the quilt, many hours in all that design and stitching. Take care as your cooler days arrive, Jean.

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    1. Thanks, Jean, Spring is so wonderful, enjoy all the new flowers for me. I will be starting plants in the fall under lights again to give myself a little dose of new plant life. I think it did help the plants bloom earlier.

      I wish I were dedicated enough to make such a beautiful quilt!

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  8. Training the deer to follow hand signals will be my next strategy in deer management. I've heard putting in a winter cover crop like rye grass will clean up an area, of course it would take out the plants you want to keep too.

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    1. I was amazed the deer seemed to understand me. I don't have a rototiller to turn cover crops under, but if I do nothing lots of struff will grow over the winter here anyway, my best strategy has been to cover a bed over winter so I don't have to weed or dig out the plants in the spring. That works well for vegetable beds, and if I have beds that will be planted in annuals.

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  9. The quilt is gorgeous. I love both the patterns and the colours. The deer are beautiful animals. Have a wonderful weekend, Hannah.

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    1. Thanks, Gunilla, tonight there were a smaller pair, a larger pair, and a larger Mom out there when I came out. Now they are eating the fallen pears.

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  10. I would love to see the deer come closer to my yard.. Your Tortie is cute, was a close encounter.. Your quilt is beautiful. Wonderful series! Thank you for sharing your post with my critter party. Have a happy weekend.

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    1. We live on a big cow pasture and then wild ravine behind us plus one neighbor shares a small woodland with us, so deer can hide out in these places but I have a lot of fruit trees so probably more food available than the other places. So we are definitely on the menu. Thanks for hosting, Eileen!

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  11. Beautiful deer but they can make a mess of the garden if not controlled. Lovely pics of your flowers too.

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    1. Thanks, Jocee. So true, I have quite a system of fences around all my beds, which actually work most of the time.

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  12. Sweet, curious little doe! How wonderful that she isn't skittish around you OR the cat! :-) Loved reading about it and seeing the pictures. Love your gorgeous flowers too.

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    1. Thanks, Marie, some roses are reblooming. In twenty years, this is the first deer that has gotten so close. I guess some people that put out food have deer that are very tame. Deer were wandering through the neighborhoods pretty boldly in Port Townsend when we were there once.

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  13. Love the series of photos with the Deer and the Pussy Cat (Hey do you think we could write a poem about this!) and never apologise for the poor quality of the photos, (says the Wren whose entire blog photos are totally from my phone!) because I think it adds tremendously to the excitement of the moment almost like we are spying on a moment from nature through a pair of trusty old binoculars. Here we are watching the unlikely liaison between the two, until Tortie swipes Dorene! (Forget the poem, you can write a book on this one!)
    Too be continued.....!!
    Long may your last days of summer, fallen apples and visiting deer continue :)
    Wren x

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    1. Thanks, Wren, I should carry my camera around but it's kind of bulky to carry while I'm working. I'm not sure it would do better, it has considerable shutter lag. I still don't understand Dorene's motivation in chasing the cat. I have a long season of apples and pears, so it will last well into October. When I moved here from San Diego I was used to semi-dwarf apples being 5-6' tall, but here I planted quite a few and they got to be 20+ feet tall, plus I even planted a couple of standard trees but they are not really any bigger. Grrr that nursery industry. And this year all the trees are loaded too.

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  14. What a talent..the quilt is beautiful! We have no deer so they are still Bambi to me...I like that you shared your photos even if the quality was not perfect...it let us see the realize!

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    1. Not my quilt, but it got a blue ribbon. I see so many perfectly focused photos of wildlife on blogs, I don't know how they do it. But when I'm out working in the yard I can't really carry a bulky camera around anyway, and I don't know in advance what may transpire.

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  15. Lovely quilt. I admire the patience for making syuch.
    Deers are always beautiful
    Have a nice day.
    Mormor

    http://www.starbear.no/mormor/2014/09/15/tett-pa-fagerfredlos/

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    1. I admire quilt makers too, someday maybe I will give it a try. The deer have been amusing more than annoying this year.

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  16. nice shots I think I like the insect best.

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    1. Thanks, Bruce, I wish I had a super macro set-up like you do, your insect photos are superb.

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  17. That's a very inquisitive deer you have there! I always think how sweet they are, but forget what a pest they can be in the garden. It seems like you've been very hard at work with the weeding. I hope you manage to find a solution to the planting in this area.

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    1. I couldn't figure out what the deer wanted. I hope it had peaceful intentions and was just curious. I never know what goes on in the yard when I'm not around. I do work way too hard weeding, that's why I always seeking ways to minimize it some. Two acres is a lot of ground to cover.

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  18. Hi Hannah,

    We have an abundance of deer around here too, but they are shy so I have no pictures of them.

    That quilt is so diversified. Thanks for playing today.

    Happy Blue Monday!

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    1. Since I don't have a dog, the deer consider my yard their playground.;-)

      I love the quilt, I wish I had the motivation to spend all the time to make one.

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  19. I love how it seems you and the deer are friends. :)
    And, that may just be the most beautiful quilt I've ever seen....
    here from blue monday

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    1. This is a new thing with the deer here. That was one of my favorites at the fair, I love all the varied squares.

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  20. The deer surely looking for food. Wonderful quilt.
    www.1sthappyfamily.com/2014/09/railway-bridges.html

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    1. I'm happy when they are content just eating apples and not trying to get into my fenced in beds.

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  21. That quilt is beautiful. I love the deer and cat interaction. Nice captures.

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    1. Yes, it was fun to watch except that I didn't know what the deer had in mind. The cat was definitely nervous about being chased.

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  22. I love the shots of the deer and flowers and the quilt is gorgeous.

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    1. Thanks, Carver, I really enjoyed your female Cardinal at the bird bath, with her feathers all fluffed out. The deer was such a great shot, her fur so silky and ears backlit.

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  23. PS to answer your question on my blog, I don't know about cats and foxes. I don't have a cat but the neighborhood cats come into my yard. I haven't seen the cats and foxes at the same time.

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    1. I'm not sure foxes even are present around here, there are definitely coyotes but we've only seen single ones in our yard twice in 20 years.

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  24. Maybe you are a "deer whisperer?" Wish my gardens were under control! Lovely quilt.

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    1. That's just one little part of my 2 acres, most of it is rampant with very pernicious weeds, many with thorns. Ouch. Perhaps I am becoming a deer whisperer, interesting.

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  25. Nice pictures, very delicious and fun fawns!

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    1. Thanks, Leovi, they are fun as long as they don't eat my plants.

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  26. Wonderfull shots Hannah!.
    Greeting from Belgium "with a diner in Blue Sky Mons"
    with "Monday Blue", "Skywatch Friday "
    http://louisette.eklablog.com/diner-in-the-sky-a-mons-au-pass-a112493870

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    1. Thanks, your diner in the sky looks very exciting, maybe too exciting.

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  27. Hannah I admire great quilting and this is indeed a blue ribbon piece of art....I have some brazen deer here that don't listen to anyone and go where they want unless you are right on top of them to chase them.

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    1. I don't have a dog to chase deer so they love my yard, I used to chase them but have all my garden areas now fenced or rings of welded wire fencing around a few individual plants, so I can actually enjoy the deer now and they are more relaxed. One year some adventurous deer sampled all kinds of plants they normally don't eat, particularly some of my glorious clumps of native Trilliums, usually unscathed.

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  28. Beautiful quilt and I love the pale pink roses! Happy Blue Monday ;)

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    1. Thanks, Joy, it's nice that some roses rebloom, even when it's so dry.

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  29. The flower designs are so pretty!
    Thanks for sharing your comment on my blog about the fires - once you have been close to a fire, you'll never forget it!

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    1. Thanks, Jesh, such a pretty quilt. There are more terrible fires in Oregon now. It has been unusually hot and dry. I'm hoping for the rains soon.

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  30. It's always fun to see deer! Gosh, that quilt is beautiful. :)

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  31. Deer are not fun when in my garden. Last year I left the gate open on my garden and a deer got in and ate all 5 of my Crookneck squash plants which were big and blooming. But this year I found a deer in my big garden and it panicked and leapt out through the wires at the top, it took it 2 tries, the first time it crashed into the wire fencing and bent it. But it must have just gotten in because all the damage I could find was the tops nipped from a couple of lettuce plants, which did recover.

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  32. Definitely pretty flower, that's my favorite, great shot!

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    1. Thanks, Leovi, the insect is a tiny native bee.

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  33. It's years ago that I haven't seen a deer in the woods ! Beautiful flower pictures !

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    1. Thanks, Gattina, yesterday I saw a mother with 2 smaller fawns right by the driveway as I was leaving, one fawn had a terrified expression on its face.

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  34. Thanks, Gattina, I haven't seen many deer in the woods, but see them often in my yard. But if I forget to close a gate on one of my fenced areas, my plants can be in trouble.

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  35. Nice picture - the best camera to have is the one you have with you!

    Hope they eat less of your garden than the possums do here!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  36. What a lovely post! You have to laugh with people who name their critters!
    Butch raccoon, Bambi, Tigger deer (he bounced), Geraldine bullfrog...

    BTW
    My 'cat' was a Polygonia comma, Eastern Comma. They adore my hops plant.
    Thanks for visiting!

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  37. BTW 2
    The quilt is lovely. I'm building a duvet cover for my cousin, for her grandson. Trying to be creative.

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    1. Good luck, Jennifer, I find quilts and bedspreads very challenging.

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  38. Hello Hannah, I am sorry my comment is so late but it was a busy week. I am not sure the rat would like being friends with a cat but my daughter had a rat for a pet and her dog was good friends with the pet rat. Yikes.

    Your post captivated me as I live where we have deer and weeding is a constant part of my life. Your story of the Dorene and her regular appearance in your yard made me smile. Our experience with our deer is being very quiet watching from our deck. I wish deer liked weeds to eat. Lol. We also have a place where wild flowers bloom and they look so pretty for a bit. Now they look messy and it is time to weed eat. I loved your photos and especially your cute cat. Be sure and have your camera handy if she ever sleeps in the hangers. HA!

    PS: I read that putting newspapers down under mulch works very well. I am saving our papers to try it.

    xo, Jeanne

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    1. Thanks, Jeanne, it would be wonderful if the deer would eat the blackberry vines and weeds for us! I used to use the perforated plastic weed barrier under mulches, but the weeds manage to get roots down through it and then it is very hard to remove the weeds and the barrier. So now I am trying newspaper or brown paper and like it better. It probably won't last a really long time though. I saw the cat in the hangers, cats are funny.

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  39. deer are one of my favorite animals to spot in the wild. it gives me hope, that wildlife is still here and can co-exsist with all of the man made mess. that they can still thrive, that makes me happy!!!

    the quilt is gorgeous!!!

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    1. Thanks, Debbie, I'm happy to see the frogs since I've heard they are disappearing in some places.

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