A Snowbird in Paradise

I try to take a photo of the garden on the first of each month just because. The Laitris and Hollyhocks are in bloom, the Zinnias show promise of flowers, the Cardinal Flower is climbing the trellis, and the Iris have been dug up. Any Iris that showed evidence of Iris Borer have been destroyed. The good rhizomes have been soaked in a solution of 1 part Murphy's Oil Soap and 9 parts water. Some of the good iris will find a new home in my garden and some will go to friends and relatives who want them. I can't guarantee any colors although I know there are light purple, Purple almost black, striped, spotted, and plain purples. I think it is the light purple that has the striped leaves. The old Iris patch will be treated with the left over oil soap and water and left for something else next year. It is almost impossible not to get borer but I can keep fighting it anyway.

There is a photo contest for container plants but I don't think this one would be good enough since the plants are showing some stress due to lack of water. The summer rain storms seem to split and go right around us. I wonder if there is some pressure effect from Lake Erie that causes that.

I was so tickled this morning to see the baby Baltimore Oriole in the birdbath splashing happily with a little sparrow. The markings are getting brighter and brighter. I think the baby may be a male. Since the disappearance of the big bright male I have been hoping for another one.

I am concerned about one of the of the sparrows. It will let me come close enough to capture it (if I wanted to do that) and at least one of its eyes doesn't look right. It may be all or partially blind but seems to be healthy otherwise and flying. It will be all too easy for a predator to pick off, though.