Mulberry Jam

What’s wrong with this picture? I’m sitting outside with my laptop on the patio at 3 in the afternoon on July 14, and I’m comfortable! So far we are enjoying that rarest of seasons here in Washington, a mild summer. While I could ask for some rain right now, the mere fact that I’m able to sit out and enjoy the back garden without melting from high heat and humidity is worth celebrating.

To add to my happiness, my little patio fountain is burbling away making a cheerful splashing sound. I’m pleased to have it back up and running after a one-year hiatus. Three years ago I first assembled the little home-made spout in a pot that Mark grandly christened ” the water feature”. The basin is a blue-glazed Vietnamese planter and I placed a tiny pump inside set up on stacked bricks. Last summer we went without it after the original pump died. Now I have a new and better little pump powered by an unobtrusive solar panel just five inches square. The panel has a rechargeable battery pack so you can even run it in the evening or on a cloudy day. I’ve been very pleased with it and would recommend you check out the Silicon Solar website I ordered it from.

I know we enjoy it, but so do the birds. The fountain sits beside my two burdbaths, and the sound of the splashing water helps attract the birds to the bathing station. There are many nests around the garden, and I saw baby birds become so enthusiastic about playing around the edge of the deep pot that I was worried I might have a drowing victim if I didn’t do something. For my peace of mind I cut a piece of chickenwire and set it inside the pot just below the water level. Sure enough, I’ve seen clueless young birds standing on it, unaware they’re walking on water!