The Honeybird

(Before embarking upon the reading of this post please change the reading voice in your head to "English accent" except for in the parenthases. Thank you.)
Once upon last Thursday as I was wandering aimlessly in my garden as I very often do (it is so peaceful and tranquil and I feel like Golum as I crouch around picking peas and strawberries and eating them all the while drooling and thinking "YES, MY PRECIOUS!!"), as I approached the peas a loud sort of humming noise graced my left ear. Thinking it was a gigantic Chinese beetle I spazzed and arms went flailing to keep it from getting in my quaf of hair. I looked up to see my assailant only to espy the darlingest (not sure if that's a word) little baby humming bird perched upon the chicken wire which upholds those very same peas I was mentioning. Very slowly and carefully I backed away, hardly breathing for fear of scaring him away and once out of view I sprinted inside, put on my long zoomy lens (technical term) and headed back outside hoping he was still there.
He was.
I took pictures.
Lots of them.
Of the little bird.
Sitting amongst my precious peas.
I was having such a jolly time when out of the house and toward the garden came a horrible gremlin. Once spotting the little bird the gremlin couldn't resist and drooled over the bird as I do over my peas and strawberries. Despite my best efforts the gremlin drew too close to the bird which then took flight and headed to the top of a neighboring tree. Methought that was the end of my story (and you hoped it was, didn't you!?)
BUT ALAS! Not TWO DAYS LATER I was wandering aimlessly in the garden and that self-same little bird was resting on my metal tomato plant holder-upper (also technical term).
Again I got my camera.
Again I took way too many pictures.
Of the little tird. I mean bird.
But this time, the Honeybird (as called by the little gremlin) sat there, proud to be my model.
I moved closer. Then closer.
I so close my lens would not focus.
I reached out my arm. It didn't flinch.
I stuck out my finger. He didn't move.
I STROKED THE HONEYBIRD'S BACK.
He flitted to the peas.
So I picked some of my delicious blooming jasmine from an obliging bush and slowly held it out to my friend.
And he drank from the flowers.

And I didn't get a picture.

But I was Mary Poppins for one small moment. Child fantasy #8, check.

Name That Vegetable QUIZ

Okay, so rather than me putting your to sleep showing you all the great pictures of my garden I thought I'd test your SKILLZ and quiz you on how well you know your plants.

TO WHOMEVER GETS THE MOST OF THESE CORRECT GETS A SA-WEET $5 JAMBA CARD SENT TO YOU BY YOURS TRULY. (give me a break, times are tough ;)

If there is a tie then I you'll have to get together and split a large one (or if that won't work out maybe we'll do a tie-breaker). I guess we'll cross that bridge when if we come to it.

So here are the rules- (1) your answers must be your own. No calling your friend and being like, "Hey, can you check out this blog and look at the picture and tell me what it is and I'll split the booty with ya?" (2) Don't look up your answers on the internet because that is LAME-O. and (3) you must oooh and aahhhh and how beautiful my garden is.

Email your answers to me at hayburk1@yahoo.com by 9pm California time (PST?).

Okay without further ado, here is your quiz...

(1) Name this vegetable (if you don't know this one you may want to reconsider taking this quiz)

2) Name this vegetable (sorry for the sideways picture)

3) Name this fruit (hint: there's a bit one RIGHT THERE and they often grow in a "patch")

4)What are these plants going to grow?

5) What are these fruits? (or vegetables...I've never been convinced about this one)

6) What is this really old herb? (hence the flowering seeds on top) *BONUS- there is also a little tiny herb which looks more like a weed of another variety growing volunteer (I didn't plant it on purpose) to it's right. It's really strong smelling.

7) What is this other really old plant? (hint: really good chopped up in enchiladas)

8) Come the end of August we are going to have a billion and a half of these. What are they? And please come eat some.

9) Okay, this may be more difficult...What kind of tree is this little stinker hiding under?

10) (I think we're getting harder as we go...) We've tried to kill this crazy tree a couple times because it's in an inconvenient place and it wouldn't die. Now we are really grateful it didn't and it gives us yummy berries. What crazy tree is this?

11) Okay this one's too hard. It's butternut squash. Even I didn't know until today when I saw a little bitty one on there.

12) And finally, this tree gives yummy orangish-yellow fuzzy fruits. What is it?


Okay, there ya go. Good luck!

Other things in and around my garden that we have growing are cabbages, pear tree, plum trees, orange trees, tangelo tree, grapefruit tree, lemon tree, collards (dad's doing), casaba melon, canteloupe, honey dew, watermelon, tiger melon, and zucchini. They just aren't big enough to really see what they are yet.

HAPPY GARDENING TO YA.