July 2002 Birds & Blooms Newsletter

July 2002

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Birds & Blooms 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.

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Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a really hardy garden, summertime recipes for your family and your backyard birds, some "fair flower" tips and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> No Water Needed
> A Smart Cracker
> Rub Summer Herbs the Right Way
> Birds Savor Summer Suet
> Make Your Fair Flowers Winners
> Find Answers Fast
> Nesting Pockets Attract Birds

No Water Needed

By Jean G., Dallas, Texas

WHILE I was visiting my father in Sturgis, South Dakota, he took me to his friend's house to see a most unusual garden.

Larry T. explained his bouquets of blossoms don't fade, stand 10 feet tall and never need water. I was skeptical, but also excited to see them.

When he took me to his backyard, I couldn't believe it. Everything he told me was true.

That's because his bouquets are made from various truck and tractor parts, welded together and painted in bright colors to make an attractive floral display. The best part is he never has to weed, either.

To view a photo, click here.

A Smart Cracker

By Martha H., La Grande, Oregon

THE HIGHLIGHT of our vacation to Arches National Park in Utah was a smart raven that loved to entertain.

It was feeding on bits of bread, picking each one up and flying off. We got into the act by leaving a soda cracker. When the raven returned, it picked up the cracker and flew off to its cache.

Then we left two more crackers...then three, then four. Each time it returned, the raven stacked them and carried them away in its bill.

At five crackers, we thought the raven had met its challenge. The growing crowd watched the bird place them in a perfect stack of five. It tried to pick them up from several angles but couldn't get them all in its bill.

After a moment's hesitation, the raven ate one cracker, picked up the remaining four and flew off! We all cheered.

FREE Taste of Home E-mail Newsletter!

OUTDOOR activities make hearty appetites. Satisfy them easily with help from the Taste of Home E-Mail Newsletter! Delivered at the beginning of each month, it brings you mouth-watering recipes from the Taste of Home "family" of magazines (Taste of Home, Quick Cooking, Light & Tasty), time-saving kitchen tips from readers and food editors, advance notice of new cookbooks and much more.

Rub Summer Herbs the Right Way

By Mary Beth J., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

IT'S SUMMERTIME--and cooks like me who love to garden can't help but "rub it in". Perhaps that's why herb rubs have become a popular way to season or "dry-marinate" grilled or broiled meats.

Now's the perfect time to use your garden-fresh herbs (in place of dried) in a lively rub that's guaranteed to perk up meat and fish. Even vegetables are fair game for this tasty seasoning technique.

I've included my favorite combination of herbs and garlic below. This recipe can be varied to suit your personal preference in herbs and levels of sodium or spice.

Take about 1 tablespoon of this mixture and rub it over pork chops, whole tenderloin (pork or beef), steaks, chicken parts, turkey breasts or salmon steaks before cooking. It will add a savory coating.

FRESH HERB RUB

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste, optional

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Rub over chicken, salmon steaks or lightly oiled vegetables (such as summer squash, onions and sweet red peppers). Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Grill or broil as desired. Yield: about 1/3 cup.

To view a photo, click here.

Birds Savor Summer Suet

JANE J. of Harwick, Massachusetts gets great results from this suet recipe that's suitable for any season and won't melt or turn rancid in the summer.

It's popular with orioles, chickadees, titmice, sparrows, catbirds, blue jays, grackles, nuthatches, cardinals and starlings.

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup lard
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar, raisins, seeds, dried fruit or hulled sunflower seeds, optional

Melt peanut butter and lard together. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into square freezer containers until about 1-1/2 inches thick. Cool completely and cut into squares. Store extra squares in the freezer.

Make Your Fair Flowers Winners

WHEN field editor Sue G. of Columbus, Wisconsin talks about her "fair flowers", she means nothing but her "best flowers". That's because she raises and selects many of her garden flowers for competition in the county fair.

In the past 5 years, Sue's won 75 ribbons. Here and next issue, she'll share a few tips to help your "fair flowers" become sure winners:

> Know the dates of the fair before you plant your garden. Flowers should be in full bloom when the fair arrives. "I plant half of my garden one week and the other half the next week to allow for weather variances," Sue says.

> Keep the flowers you're growing for the fair weed- and bug-free. This way, your plants can concentrate on blooming rather than surviving.

> Read the entry and class requirements. Then read them again, highlighting the important parts. Ask questions if necessary. "I have seen many beautiful flowers disqualified because they didn't meet requirements or were in the wrong class," Sue says.

Watch for more tips next month!

Find Answers Fast

TRY the Birds & Blooms on-line Bulletin Board!

This easy-to-use service allows readers with access to the Web to post questions and share information and ideas on-line anytime.

Feel free to ask your question or respond to other readers searching for help on various subjects, such as bird feeding, flower gardening and butterflies. The Bulletin Board gives you a chance to quickly find solutions to your backyard dilemmas. And you'll see for yourself just how friendly our readers are.

To access the Bulletin Board, click here.

Nesting Pockets Attract Birds

COUNTRY STORE has lots of nifty birding and garden gadgets under $10! Unique Nesting Pockets, woven of all-natural seagrass, attract birds in spring and offer protection in winter. Set of two, with hangers included.

To order Nesting Pockets from Country Store On-line, click here.

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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=28

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