Birds & Blooms Newsletter - September 2001 Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a story about a sunset "symphony", a visit with a weekend-only gardener, some potpourri pointers and more. Read on and you'll discover... >New Newsletter Version Available >Help Write the Ultimate Garden Guide >Birds Tune up for Evening Symphony >Reader Gardens Only on Weekends >Use Common Scents All Year Long >'Thumper' Returns, But He's Not a Rabbit >Compact Binoculars Bring Birds Close ********** New Newsletter Version Available STARTING next month, this newsletter will be available in an HTML (graphical) format so you can see bright, colorful photos with the stories. If your e-mail program supports HTML, you can choose to receive the new version by updating your personal preferences. Simply visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com and click on the "Maintain Your Personal Preferences" link next to the "Free Newsletters" link. You'll be asked for your e-mail address and password to access your personal preferences. If you've forgotten your password or never selected one, there is a link to have one e-mailed to you. On the Personal Preferences page, locate the option for "E-Mail Format Preference" and select HTML. Then click the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page. (Not sure if your e-mail supports HTML? Check with your Internet Service Provider--they should be able to help.) ********** Help Write the Ultimate Garden Guide CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Melinda Myers knows a lot about flowers and gardening, but she readily admits she was stumped by one question we recently posed. Maybe you can help her out! To learn more, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=11 ********** Birds Tune up for Evening Symphony By Millie K. of Greenville, Pennsylvania I ENJOY watching the sun set over a valley visible from a road I walk each day. On one special night, as the sun disappeared below the horizon, I had an unusual experience. I became aware that the surrounding trees were filled with birds--it was a subtle awareness with a chirp here and a chirp there. Occasionally, the leaves fluttered. Gradually, they began to twitter like musicians tuning their instruments before a concert. Then, as if directed by an unseen conductor, different notes and voices blended like a symphony orchestra... I stood and listened as the orchestra softened to a slower tempo. A soloist entered, softly at first, until its voice dominated the orchestra. When finished, the soloist fell silent and the orchestra continued its beautiful musical interlude. Twilight deepened and the streetlights came on. I turned toward home, thrilled that I'd had front row tickets to this natural concert. ********** Reader Gardens Only on Weekends LORRAINE B. of Ephrata, Pennsylvania classifies herself as an authentic weekend gardener. "My garden just happens to be a 2-hour drive away from my home, at our weekend place at the foot of Tuscarora Mountain," she explains. "The first thing I do when we get there is to check the garden. Depending on arrival time, this can be under the glaring sun or with the help of a flashlight." Lorraine's garden is now several years old, and she never knows what surprises will be in store for her. Her particular nemesis is the groundhog, causing her to put wire around most of her flowers to protect them from being eaten. "One disadvantage of strictly weekend gardening is that I sometimes miss the blossoming entirely. Last spring, for example, I missed an entire display of poppies. On another occasion, it was time to go home when 14 buds on my giant hardy hibiscus were ready to burst open. That's frustrating. "But don't get me wrong," Lorraine says. "Despite the problems and unusual challenges of weekend gardening, it's well worth the effort when I see the glorious results." To view a photo, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=12 ********** Use Common Scents All Year Long By Barbara R. of Richmond, New Hampshire POTPOURRI is an easy way to enjoy your flower and herb gardens throughout the year--and it can be prepared in your own kitchen as easily as making your favorite cake! The three main ingredients for potpourri are scent, bulk and preservative. Combine the ingredients in a sealed jar and shake it once a day for 2 weeks. That's it! It's best to use whole flower petals and herb leaves. They should be completely dry. Oils distilled from herbs, trees, flowers and spices help to strengthen your potpourri. Once you've achieved your desired look and scent, you must preserve it. The best preservative is the orris, or dried root of the Florentine iris. It's available in powder or chips, but I recommend the chips since the powder makes ingredients look dusty. To get you started, I've included a couple of basic potpourri blends to try. Experiment with your own garden flowers or herbs--your own creation is bound to preserve your garden memories throughout the year! Rose Potpourri 1/2 cup pink rosebuds and petals 1/2 cup fragrant red rosebuds and petals 1/2 cup rosemary 1/4 cup broken cinnamon 1 tablespoon whole cloves 1/4 cup lemon verbena 1/4 cup bay leaves 1 tablespoon orrisroot 6 drops rose oil (You can add up to 1 cup of mixed garden flowers if you have them.) Herb Potpourri 1 cup pink roses 1/4 cup chamomile 1/4 cup lemon verbena 1/4 cup rosemary 1/4 cup marjoram 1/4 cup spearmint or other mint 1 tablespoon orrisroot 2 to 3 drops each of rose and bay oil ********** 'Thumper' Returns, But He's Not a Rabbit By Karen C. of Elgin, Oregon WHILE WORKING in our flower beds one morning, we became aware of a low-pitched, muffled thumping somewhere in the distance. "Sounds like a balky lawn mower engine to me," said my husband, Mel. I agreed. The thumping continued, and I began feeling sorry for my neighbor. I could imagine the frustrations of jerking endlessly on the cord of the cantankerous lawn mower. Later, as I was exploring the woodlands behind our house, a movement in the underbrush caught my attention. A bird the size of a small chicken hopped up on a mossy log and proceeded to beat the air with its wings. There was the familiar thumping sound! The mystery was solved--the strange sounds were nothing more than the amorous displays of a ruffed grouse. (The neighbor's lawn mower, by the way, runs just fine.) To view a photo, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=13 ********** Compact Binoculars Bring Birds Close WITH the slightest touch of your thumb, the Birds & Blooms Raptor Compact Zoom Binoculars instantly bring distant birds in for a closer look. You can zoom from "awesome" to "breathtaking" views without losing sight of the bird for a second! You'll be amazed what you can see. Special ruby-tinted lenses provide infra-red and ultraviolet protection, reducing eye strain and improving image contrast. Zooms from 7X to 21X power. Sure-grip design and 10-ounce weight makes them so easy to use. To order the Birds & Blooms Raptor Compact Zoom Binoculars, visit Country Store Online at http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=13 ********** 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 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 in this newsletter 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.