Welcome to my zone 9 garden. My roots are deeply planted in the sandy soil of sub-tropical central Florida, where the summers are long and hot, but the rest of the year is paradise!

Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Cardinal & the Tomatoes

I haven't had a "Veggie Tale" to tell in quite a while, so I was happy that Mr. Cardinal showed up and presented me with a story to share.

About a month ago, I was drinking a cup of coffee and looking out the back window at my garden. All of a sudden, a Cardinal landed on the stone wall surrounding the patio. My first thought was of pleasure at seeing this beautiful red bird in my garden. Seeing Cardinals is a common sight, but one I never tire of.  

Then, much to my dismay, he hopped on to one of the tomato plants. In a split second, I went from being pleased to being anxious. The thought that he is going to take a bite out of one or more of the fruits had me holding my breath.  It didn't take long before I exhaled with acceptance, and a reminder to take the good with the bad. If I want wildlife in my garden, I have to accept the fact that they might want to feast on those delicious Sweet Baby Girl cherry tomatoes, too. Right? 

But a few seconds later, I was relieved and delighted to see him emerge from the plant with a big fat green worm in his beak. That sight put a BIG smile on my face, as I realized I was observing nature working together in one of the best ways. 

I went out and checked, and my shiny red orbs were untouched! I was amazed at how wrapped up I got into that little bit of garden drama. 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha! I love it! Isn't that what makes gardening so darn much fun?!

And those tomatoes are beautiful. Easy to grow?

Janice said...


Cute story, Susan. So true, we have to accept the good with the bad, but I'm glad your cardinal was just helping out with pest control. _Janice

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

I'm glad your cardinal left your lovely tomatoes alone.

I love hearing all of the birdsong these days.

Have a great weekend ~ FlowerLady

Unknown said...

Aw, that's so nice! It's so much fun to observe what goes on in the garden. One of my favorite things to do!

Susan said...

Eli - Yes, it's one of the best parts. Actually, all of it is good!!!

Janice - We surely do - even the pesky armadillo that keeps rooting around in my garden beds. LOL

Lorraine - It does seem as though the birds are very active in their singing during spring. I love hearing them especially in the mornings.

Lynn - It is nice to sit back and listen and enjoy. Definitely the icing on the cake for a gardener.

Have a nice week everyone!

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