We rearranged three large "meadows" around out house. The one downhill is over the sewer field. We did plant it with native grass seed after it was installed in 2008 /9 but we did not have the energy to also add a layer of topsoil so those grasses didn't get a great foothold. Then the Lambs' Quarters, Chenopodium album, got a toehold, and eventually took over the entire field. It got so thick and tall that it was an impenetrable jungle.
Last spring my husband took pity on me and we did in the weeds. I had tried valiantly to weed every year, but there were so many seeds built up that it was impossible. He used Round-up. I would not normally recommend it, but in this case it worked--for the most part. We raked and smoothed the debris into piles and burned that. Then we raked in native grass seed from Derby Canyon Natives and watered it extra all summer. I should note--watering for us is a rare thing. We usually do a long set when things look a bit peaked so we water less than every 3-4 weeks at the most.
The grass is lush and thick and still green this year, and not I am spot weeding. It seems not only were these things brought over from Europe, mostly, they can also be eaten! So I learned something by looking up their Latin names.
Salsify, Tragopogon porrifolius:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/salsify/grow-salsify.htm
Tumble Mustard, Sisymbrium altissimum:
https://wildfoodgirl.com/2015/dont-forget-the-tumble-mustard2/
Prickly lettuce, Lactuca serriola:
A close relative of the domestic lettuce that has been used as an alternative to opium.
This will be a collection of the animals that came to visit while the Lamb's Quarters were flourishing...
Caterpillar
There was a caterpillar that I saw several times.
Wren
The good side is that it drew in our wrens. I had never seen a wren even though I grew up in the Wenatchee area, so I was charmed by their appearance with their perky upright tails. They stuck around even though we turned the patch into a grass "meadow." I put up 5 bluebird houses and 2 wren ones that they attempt to claim for themselves every year. When I clean the houses out each spring they are stuffed to the top with tiny sticks. Often there are yellow jackets hibernating inside.
Mom? Dad? Where are you?
A small flock of baby birds went through the yard early in August. I remember about four of them, but it seems I only caught the slowest one in photos. They came into the Wild Basin Rye in the front of the house, where they perched almost at my shoulder while I was weeding the front yard.
I must have run into the house for my camera and by then this one was alone in the Rye, but then strayed over to the patio, calling for its family.
Its siblings had already moved into the grass under the evergreens. They were chirping and calling from better cover.
I expect they were calling for their parents, but weren't willing to stay put to wait to be found.