Feeding Time at the Zoo...

A couple of weeks ago I paid bills on the table outside. It was a gorgeous, sunny afternoon, much too nice to be stuck inside. It wasn't long before I had some friends join me. (The peanut basket I brought out with me is like a beacon.)

(click on any photos to enlarge them)

This is one of the many bluejays who visit our yard. But this particular little guy is the only one brave enough to come right up to me to get his peanuts.

It's taken a while for him to feel comfortable enough to come this close. I doubt he'll ever trust me enough to eat out of my hand like my chipmunk friends, but I feel honored that he trusts me enough to come this close.

I was almost out of peanuts on this particular day, so he had to hop down into the basket to retrieve his treats, with me sitting right there. Another act of great bravery on his part.

I know bluejays can be mean birds, but I still have a soft spot for them.

Now Ms. Titmouse isn't nearly so shy. She always makes sure I see her when she comes to visit, hopping from chair to table and from side to side to catch my attention. I think she likes to be admired and told how cute she is.

Of course my little Chips are ever present. Today I made Chip get his own peanuts out of the basket instead of hand feeding him since I was busy paying bills (and taking pictures!).

Here he is with his cheeks full, on his way out of the basket while Sammy Squirrel decides whether or not to join him.

My little Chips are fearless creatures, always eager to become friends with the peanut lady (me). 

Another picture of Sammy deciding whether to join us while Mr. Blue Jay watches over the peanut basket from the top of our wrought iron planter holder.

It really was a perfect afternoon. I even had a visit from shy Mrs. Mourning Dove, who braved the feeding frenzy in order to get a drink from the fountain. Having all these little creatures around sure took a bit of the sting out of paying bills!!

Have a beautiful week... Donna

DIY Screen Feeder - Flower Box

 Since I had a couple of questions, I thought I'd clarify some information regarding yesterday's post, where I showed how I use our bird seed screenfeeder as a 'window box' in the summertime. I purchased our screen feeder on-line (I don't remember where, but if you do a Google Shopping search for "screen feeder tray," you are bound to find some! I'm sure a local bird store would carry them, and perhaps even larger nursery or garden centers.)

As I mentioned, I just plunk the flowers down in their original (lightweight) containers, right on the screen feeder, as I don't think the screen feeder would stand up to the weight of flowers that have been transplanted into pots (due to the weight of the pots and all the extra soil).

I decided to experiment with lavender this year because I love the scent.

I'm not sure how the lavender will do because a) this window is not an extremely sunny spot, and b) I've never used these biodegradable pots before, just sitting out on their own without being planted in the ground or a bigger container. They may end up needing more watering than the plastic 6-pack pots I've used in the past. I"ll keep you posted.

I may not be sure how the lavender will perform, but I do know from years past that impatiens lend themselves to this method so I used them around the lavender pots. I was able to use complete 6-packs in front of the lavender...

...but there wasn't enough room for a complete 6-pack on each side of the lavender so I just used my scissors to cut one of the plastic 6-pack pots in half so they'd fit on each side.

Here's a sample of last year's 6 packs at the beginning of June, shortly after I'd plunked them down on the screen feeder. I also stuck a vinca vine pot into the front corners. As you can see, the vinca vine isn't very long and the black plastic 6-pack pots are still visible.

But just 5 weeks later, by July 5th when this picture was taken, the Vinca Vine was almost down to the ground and the flowers had cascaded over the sides of their little black 6-pack pots.

I use the same "planting method" with these old vintage planters that I have on our Swingset Deck. I just plop 6-packs of impatiens down in the planters and rearrange them until I like the color arrangement...

... and voila! This photo was taken on July 8th, 5 weeks after they were first plopped down. They absolutely thrive in just their original little 6-pack pots!

The most important thing is to make sure they're watered every single day. I sometimes even water twice during our horrendous heatwaves here in New England. I've toyed with the idea of using Spanish moss or Sphagnum moss underneath the 6 packs on both the screen feeder and in these planters, but I've never gotten around to actually trying it. That might keep the bottoms more moist, but that's just a guess on my part.

So good luck to anyone who tries this! I'd love to know what other types of flowers work well with this method. I know I can vouch for impatiens!

(Sammy Squirrel giving thanks for the bounty he is about to receive. Amen.)

And I know I am going to get out and enjoy our little backyard this summer because all too soon the screen feeder will be filled with seed, cracked corn, and suet rather than flowers (brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!)

Happy gardening!!

Donna

Whiteout conditions. Counting the days....

...until this view...

(click to enlarge photos)

... through our dining room window...


...is once again this view... green. warm. inviting. And I'm not the only one dreaming of spring's arrival...


This is Sammy, about an hour ago, munching on the peanuts that were thrown his way.

Of course after a meal of peanuts, a long sip of water hits the spot.

Poor little Sammy, all covered in snow. We are in the middle of yet another snowstorm today. By nightfall tomorrow, we will have an additonal 20" on top of what we already have.

This photo was taken last week (excuse the bunched up window runner, courtesy of Baby). Sammy was eating at the window box (you can see his bushy tail) while the mourning doves enjoyed the birdbath.

The doves treat it as a steambath...

Yes, they do drink from it (as a matter of fact, it needs to be filled right now)...

But mostly it's the social gathering spot (along the same lines as the office water cooler), and a very warm place to gather on cold winter days...

I snapped these photos this morning, while running errands.

The lady standing in the road up ahead was having trouble getting her pickup truck up this slight incline.

If I could, I wouldn't venture out again until April. New England + snow + driving = no fun.

So be careful, everyone. And, "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy ride!" (to borrow a slightly altered line from Bette Davis in All About Eve!)

I'm linking up to the gorgeous Faded Charm for this week's White Wednesday. Pop over and see the gorgeous old mirror she transformed, and to find a list of all the other bloggers participating in White Wednesday!

Donna

Cottage Garden Window Box - Summer vs. Winter, Flowers Vs. Squirrels

The cottage garden windowbox that is attached to our dining room window...

(Summer 2010)

...isn't really a windowbox at all.

(Summer 2009)

Because once the flowers have succumbed to autumn's first frost, the flowerbox reverts back to its true purpose...

...as a screen feeder that holds a bounty of food for the birds and wildlife that visit us throughout the cold New England winter.


Little Sammy, a young squirrel, has been a regular visitor these days, much to Baby's delight.

Whenever Baby hears Sammy at the feeder, she bolts from wherever she is, leaps into the bay window, and with ears flattened to her head, she prepares for her sneak attack.

Sammy, who seems to have more going on upstairs that our Baby does sometimes, knows right off the bat that the pane of glass between them is his safety net, so he doesn't even flinch when she bounces off the window...

Eventually Baby also realizes there's no way she's getting through the glass pane that separates them.

Of course that doesn't stop her from licking her chops, just thinking about how good Sammy would taste for supper.

"Say what????" says Sammy!

Just kidding. I think Baby would love to just play with Sammy...

...which is music to his little ears.

And after Sammy's belly is full, Baby bids him "adieu,"...

...and Sammy scampers back across the yard to his nest (which this year is a birdhouse in the corner of the backyard, shared by he and several of his siblings.)

And while all this activity is going on at one end of the house, down at the other end our sweet Tiger (who at 17 is past her huntress days), prefers to seek out her flannel penguin bed..

...which is butted up against the heating vent in my office. It is her favorite place to sleep in the winter months because it's so nice and toasty warm...

Sweet little Tiger, you are one smart kitty!

We are due for yet ANOTHER winter storm tomorrow. Spring cannot come soon enough for me (or Tiger!)!!!

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday this week. Be sure to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home to see everybody's Show & Tell blogposts!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone! And stay warm!

Donna