by George Buehler

Spring is here, the tulips are blooming and the azaleas are showing their colors. All of my trees are out, and the wiring, pruning and plucking are in progress. I checked the moss bed and it is beginning to 'green-up'.  A little acid water added to it and it should be ready to put on some of the trees. I have a penjing planting with a lot of moss on it. Every spring, I fight the birds who want to use the moss as part of their nests. The birds really make a mess of the planting trying to get to the moss; and, even with bird netting, they tear it apart. I keep trying to keep them away from it, but the birds win.

Now why did I tell you this? I have two Hinoki in my stand area, each sits between two stands. As I was examining one, there was some of the missing moss from the penjing and the beginning of a robin nest. Well, I reclaimed my moss and removed the nest. The next day I went out to the bonsai area and the moss on the penjing was completely destroyed.  I looked into the Hinoki, where a second nest was built and almost ready. So, being the Grinch I am, the nest was once again removed. Two times in one season had to tell the bird she wasn't wanted and to look for some better place. Well, that was wrong. The following day, I looked into the Hinoki and there was another nest. This time there was one robin egg in it. I can't believe she built it so quickly!

Now each day as I am out watering, I stare at a sitting momma robin (as she stares back at me) and work around her. Momma robin wins and I have to work around her and her eggs. It may get interesting when the eggs hatch! More on this saga next month.

This has been a very busy spring for me. With traveling, trying to transplant trees, wire and prune them, doing some remodeling in the back yard and several other projects, things have gotten away from me. One of them is this newsletter – if you want to call it a "newsletter". Anyway, hopefully next month will be better. Of course, I need article ideas of what the membership would like. Please send me your ideas. Thanks