Friday, June 29, 2012

My new birdbaths...

...aren't really birdbaths at all. They're actually plastic chip bowls I just purchased from The Christmas Tree Shop.

I've had these hydrangea patterned ones for a few years now, and although they're somewhat faded from the New England summer sun, they're still going strong.  
(I store them inside our shed over the winter months.)

Some are placed on the ground where, in addition to the birds, they get lots of action from our squirrels and chipmunks. I've also seen some of our nocturnal visitors drinking from them (skunks, possum, and raccoons).

Some are placed in old birdbath basins that have cracked and no longer hold water.

 Some sit on tree stumps...

And some sit on metal garden tables/plant stands.

The birds love the large size. There's lots of room to splash around. This is one of the new bowls. I filled it with water and placed it in an old wicker planter I have on the deck.

 They didn't have any hydrangea patterns this year, which I'd been hoping for, but they did have a great selection of designs. I got some that were very bright and cheerful (top row) and some that were more subdued garden and bird designs (bottom row).

I think the birds will really enjoy these for years to come.

I got twelve. That's "12."  A full dozen. Yup. Call me crazy, but when I find something good, I sometimes buy backups. If I take good care of the hydrangea ones I have now, I might not even need to use these for a couple of years yet, but I like having these as backups in case the hydrangea bowls crack or develop leaks.

 At $1.29 each, I couldn't pass these up! I'm not sure if this is a special sale price or the everyday price, but if you have a Christmas Tree Shop nearby and are in the market for an inexpensive birdbath (or twelve), run and pick some up!


The birds will thank you!

 (2010 photo of blue jay at one of the birdbaths on a small metal plant stand/garden table.)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
We're in for about 4 days of humid, over 90 degree weather.
I'm sure I'll be spending much of that time making sure my birdbaths stay full!

Donna

12 comments:

  1. These bird bath bowls are fabulous and your idea to fill them with water and place them all over your yard is wonderful. Especially in a heat wave. Plus I like the patterns on the plates. If I see any like these I will stock up too.

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  2. Wow Donna. What a GREAT idea. Love it. I have one of those bowls that I got for part of my Mother's Day gifts and I'm going to put it out tomorrow! Thanks.

    We'd better try to keep cool, eh? Gonna be a challenge. Susan

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  3. They're all so sweet, and so are you to think of the little creatures!

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  4. Love this idea! Did you know that butterflies also love little bowls filled with water? for those you have to put little rocks in them for them to "sit" on. You'll be attracting both!

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  5. Donna what a great idea. I would never of thought of that. The bowls look really nice and I like how you used things in your yard to use them to prop the bowls on.

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  6. I sure wish we had a Christmas Tree Shop. Every day I refresh the bird's water, as it's about 100 or over. Love my yard birds!
    Brenda

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  7. What a fabulous way to make sure our feathered friends are well hydrated. I love the bird and garden designs. So very pretty! And you've managed to use them in such a unique and wonderful way. Have a great weekend. Tammy

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  8. Your bird bowls are beautiful and what a great idea using them for bird baths.

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  9. Terrific idea! I never thought to use them in my plant stands. I'll bet the birds think they are vacationing in the tropics sipping mai tai's from that one bowl!
    rosie

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  10. I love the bowls! Though I'm not sure I'd use them as birdbaths but I'd try to find something to do with them. Tomorrow, or later today, I'll have to head over the the Christmas tree shop and see if they have any. It's been a while since I've been there anyway.

    As usual your yard looks so sweet and cozy. It must be a haven for all small critters.

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  11. Hi Donna! These are great birdbaths, the one with the bird pic is so beautiful. How perfect for your garden and critters!

    Please stop by to wish Marie a happy birthday (I'm sharing her blog at this time while my blog is closed)

    Hugs, "Edie" (Sherry @ Edie Marie's Attic)

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