Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a story about a bird-watching basenji, a colorful fall craft, some autumn recipes and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> Help Write the Ultimate Garden Guide
> Rocky Loses This Bout
> Fall Foliage Makes Unique Corsages
> Acorn to Zucchini, Squash Is a Pleaser
> The Winner: Safflower
> Merry-Go-Round Feeder Keeps Squirrels Busy

To learn more, click here.

Rocky Loses This Bout
By Eloise O. of Greybull, Wyoming

MY LITTLE basenji dog named "Rocky" was my constant companion as I traveled coast to coast driving my 18-wheeler truck.

He was a tough traveler, but not tough enough for birds.

In many places where I stopped to load or unload, Rocky was able to get out, stretch a bit and explore the surrounding area with no problems.

One time, however, we stopped at a feed mill near Bainville, Montana. It was early in the morning and nobody was around yet, so I let him out of the truck.

I noticed some birds nearby that I thought were pigeons feeding off the ground, and so did Rocky. He went toward them to investigate while I started taking the top off the load.

Suddenly I heard this awful squawking going on where the pigeons were. I stopped to check it out...and here came Rocky. He wasn't running, but he was trotting up the road as fast as he could.

He was glancing over his shoulder every so often, hustling but trying to look "cool"--which is hard to do when you have about a hundred birds flying above you. And in this case they were gulls, not pigeons.

But Rocky was smart enough to walk away from a fight. I laughed as he hurried to get under the edge of the truck, which is exactly where he stayed until the angry birds flew away.

Fall Foliage Makes Unique Corsages

SPECTACULAR foliage, crisp morning air turning into bright warm days--these are the delights of the coming fall that heighten the anticipation of Jack and Kehren W. of Plainfield, Indiana. From late September to early November, they search out the glowing leaves of the season.

Their favorite area for “leaf watching” is New England, but they also feel blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the hardwood trees in their own state.

Kehren doesn’t limit herself to just looking and admiring, however. She’s found a novel way of fashioning colorful leaves into striking corsages.

She selects leaves from different types of trees, each one being a different size and shape. These are combined to make the corsage by progressively stacking each of the leaves, with the stem pointing down, onto the larger leaf below it.

Four or five leaves are used for each corsage. They’re held together and attached to clothing with a small decorative stickpin (she likes the one that has a cardinal as the head).

Besides being easy to do, Kehren says it’s unlikely that any two corsages will be exactly the same. Nature has a way of ensuring that.

To view photos, click here.

IF YOUR GARDEN was awash in squash this year, you’ll welcome these tasty recipes from readers.

Click image at left to view a larger photo.

Our test kitchen staff couldn’t get enough of Southwestern Squash Soup from David C. of Martinez, California. It’s creamy, hearty and full of flavor.

If you have both acorn and butternut squash, prepare Double Squash Stew. “This fall entree is pretty as a picture and fun to serve right in the acorn squash halves,” says Mary Ann K. of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SOUTHWESTERN SQUASH SOUP

1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1-1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2-1/2 cups mashed butternut squash
1 can (49-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
Cayenne pepper to taste, optional
Ground nutmeg and sprigs of fresh cilantro, optional

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add cumin and coriander; toss to coat. Add sweet potatoes, squash, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree in small batches in a blender until smooth; return all to the pan. Add cream; heat through. If desired, season with cayenne pepper and garnish with nutmeg and cilantro. Yield: 8-10 servings.

DOUBLE SQUASH STEW

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 pounds beef stew meat
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups fresh green beans (2-inch pieces)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
8 small boiling onions, peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
5 large acorn squash (about 1 pound each)

Combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cloves; coat beef. In a Dutch oven, brown beef in oil. Add tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Add butternut squash, beans, potatoes, onions, savory, and remaining salt and pepper; cover and simmer 1-1/2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place in ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pans. Spoon stew into squash; cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until squash is tender. Yield: 10 servings.

To view a photo, click here.

The Winner: Safflower
By Anya G. of Brewster, New York 

AS A STUDENT at Henry Wells Middle School, I decided to investigate the feeding habits of birds as part of a science fair program.

I certainly learned a lot after reading books at the library and interviewing knowledgeable people, including a scientist who works with birds and other animals.

I put this knowledge to work by observing bird feeding habits for 5 weeks, using four different types of feeders.

During the first 2 weeks, I filled the feeders with mixed seeds. For the next 3 weeks, I alternated sunflower, safflower and thistle seed. I observed the birds for a half hour each day, and here’s what I found:

The safflower seed was the most popular menu item, with over 500 “bird visits” in the 7 days. The dinner guests included finches, chickadees, tufted titmice, jays, cardinals, nuthatches and grosbeaks.

I thought, with winter getting near, other readers might find this information useful.