Birds & Blooms Newsletter - June 2001 Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes easy projects, practical advice and more. Read on and you'll discover... >Easy-to-Build Birdbath >Ummm...That Sure Smells Great! >Picture Pointers >How to 'Hatch' Butterflies >Meet the Best-Dressed Goose in Town! ********** Easy-to-Build Birdbath ONE of our staff members, Sue M. of East Troy, Wisconsin, combined birds and blooms in a novel way by creating an easy, low-cost portable birdbath that nearly anyone can build. She bought terra-cotta-colored plastic drainage trays that normally are used under potted plants and put them into the rings of a tomato cage. "It's important to get trays that fit down into the wire rings," she points out. "And you'll have to notch out the rim of the bottom tray to fit around the wire legs." Sue says the legs can be pushed down into the ground to make the birdbath more stable. Still, it's easy to pull up and move the entire thing for mowing grass. And cleaning it is a snap. To view a photo, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=2 ********** Ummm...That Sure Smells Great! HERE'S A WAY to enjoy the scent of flowers year-round, thanks to Janet F. of Portland, Oregon. She makes sweet potpourri by combining local native blossoms and kitchen spices. "The container should be a clear one so you can enjoy the shape and color of certain flowers," Janet advises. She puts a layer of common flowers such as dried bachelor buttons, lavender, heliotrope, lilacs, mignonette, roses or violets in the container. Next she adds a layer of leaves, such as lemon verbena, marjoram, rosemary or bay, along with more flowers. Then she puts in just a little of a spice mix that includes such frequently used ingredients as cinnamon, cloves and dried orange or lemon peel. Finally, she adds another layer of flowers for color--and tops it off with some nasturtiums. Janet seals the container tightly and sets it in a cool dark place for several days to "mix" the scents. "I use flowers and other materials that are available around here," Janet says. "Wherever you live, you can substitute local items." ********** Picture Pointers... SUMMER is a fine time for taking photographs outdoors. Here are some ideas focusing on better photos of your birds and blooms: > Think "early" and "late". The best pictures are made early in the morning or late in the afternoon. That's when natural light is the "warmest" and you'll get the richest colors. From mid-morning through mid-afternoon, put the camera away and save your film. > Although many types of film are available, it's usually best to stick with 100 ASA speed for prints and 64 ASA for slides. The films with higher numbers are "faster" and allow you to get photos in lower light or to stop movement by the subject, but the quality of the image will be lower. > Be sure to look at what's behind the subject before you click the shutter. That beautiful photo of little Jane in the daffodils will be ruined if there is a utility pole "growing" out of her head. > For close-ups, don't get too close. The instructions that came with your camera or the numbers on the camera itself will tell you how close you can get and still be in focus. ********** How to 'Hatch' Butterflies CARMINE R. of Austin, Minnesota offers her grandchildren the opportunity to see common caterpillars become magnificent monarchs. "A friend gave me an aquarium and I had a screen built for the top," she says. "Each year, from early June through late summer, I gather the small green striped caterpillars and some milkweed plants to feed them. "I enjoy watching them grow every day. I even keep a diary of their daily progress. "It takes about 8 days for a caterpillar to grow to full size. Then it weaves a hairy patch on the screen lid and hangs in a J shape. "The next day, the caterpillar starts to wriggle and then sheds its skin to become a pretty green pupa, or chrysalis. There's a ring of gold around the top, with gold spots near the bottom. "After another 8 days, the chrysalis turns black and looks like tissue paper. You can see the monarch's wings through the thin covering. "The next day, the butterfly hatches. You can put your finger in the aquarium and the new wet butterfly will walk up your finger. "I take it right outside and place it on a flower. It doesn't take long for the sun to dry the wings and allow the monarch to fly away." Carmine cultivates several "crops" of butterflies each summer. And now her grandchildren are avid butterfly gardeners, too. To view a photo, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=3 ********** HAVE A FRIEND who enjoys bird-watching, bird feeding or backyard gardening? Feel free to forward this newsletter! If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up for yourself at http://www.birdsandblooms.com ********** Meet the Best-Dressed Goose in Town! GIVE your neighbors something to talk about while showing your sense of humor--and fashion. Our big decorative lawn or porch goose will keep you smiling and your neighbors in "stitches"! With 12 different spiffy outfits--one for every month of the year--"Lucy Goosie" makes the perfect "official greeter" for all your guests. You can dress her in grand style for every occasion! She's 17 inches tall, brightly colored and highly detailed in durable poly resin. To order the Dress-Up Lawn Goose with 12 Outfits for just $49.99, visit Country Store On-line at http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=4 ********** TO CANCEL your newsletter at any time, visit http://www.reimanpub.com/rd.asp?id=2 TO UPDATE your e-mail address and other information, please visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com and click on the "Personal Preferences" link near the "Free Newsletters" link. You'll need your current e-mail address and password to log-in. If you've forgotten your password or never selected one, there is a link to have it e-mailed to you. HAVING PROBLEMS linking to our Web site? If clicking a link doesn't work, you can simply highlight and copy the link, then paste it into your browser's target address field. ********** Birds & Blooms magazine brings beautiful backyards from across America into your living room--through vivid, full-color photos. It's like a friendly "chat" over the back fence with your bird-and flower-loving neighbors. To subscribe on-line, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=1 ********** BYE for now from the Birds & Blooms staff...see you next month! ********** Copyright 2001 Reiman Publications. All rights reserved.