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Dear
$$firstname$$,
Happy holidays from Birds & Blooms
magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which
includes some surprising hummingbird sightings, tips for
recycling your Christmas tree, a hearty herb bread recipe and
more. Read on and you'll discover...
> Christmas Blooms All Year
> Hum for Holidays
> Christmas Tree Keeps on Giving
> Deck the Martin House
> Herbs Spice Up Season's Eatings
> Wildlife Guides Go On-Line
> Natural Nests Keep Birds Cozy
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Christmas
Blooms All Year
 A
49-CENT holiday purchase has provided decades of joy for
Julie Z. of Palmdale, California.
That's
what Julie's mother-in-law paid for a Christmas cactus
more than 20 years ago. She passed along a start to
Julie, and it's been blooming ever since!
"It
just keeps blooming throughout the entire year," says
Julie. "Once it had more than 300 blooms."
It's
easy to share these blooming cacti, Julie adds--just
pluck off one of the new shoots and put it in soil. "It
will grow almost on its own without a lot of help!"
Julie
does nothing special with hers. Sometimes she'll treat
it with leftover water that was used for soaking bean
sprouts. "The cactus seems to really love it," she says.
It is
important to keep a Christmas cactus in a cool spot and
grow it in a well-drained potting mix. And it's best to
water only after the potting mix dries out.
To
view a photo,
click here. |
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Hum for
Holidays
By
Carolyn M. of Foley, Alabama
 I
TOOK DOWN my hummingbird feeder in late October, but I
put it up again in early December after reading a story
about rare hummers visiting feeders here in Alabama well
after November.
I made
some fresh sugar water and hung the feeder in a small
magnolia tree near the garage.
It
wasn't long before an orange and rust-colored bird was
checking it out. I looked in my bird book and found out
it was a rufous hummingbird. My backyard is quite a way
from its coastal summer home in British Columbia!
Later,
when I heard that the temperature was going to drop into
the 20's, I almost brought the feeder in so the sugar
water wouldn't freeze. But the nectar was still going
down about 1 inch each day, so I decided to leave it
outside.
The
next morning, I looked out the window and spotted a tiny
male ruby-throated hummingbird a long way from its
winter home in Mexico. It was actively feeding, even
though the temperature was near freezing.
Since
these sightings, I've become an avid winter hummer
watcher. My housework has suffered, and not much gets
done for the holidays...but there is a special joy here. |
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Christmas
Tree Keeps on Giving
 JUST
BECAUSE your Christmas tree's needles have begun to dry
out doesn't mean it's destined for the landfill.
Here are
some ideas from Frances G. of Weston, Connecticut that
will extend the life of your "ol' Tannenbaum" long after
the holidays:
> Tie it
firmly to a fence or tree trunk, then "decorate" with
stale cookies, popcorn balls and cranberry strings. "I
even 'beef up' my tree by adding a couple of suet balls,"
Frances says.
> Use green branches for winter window box arrangements.
Add dried berries or seed pods to brighten empty window
boxes.
> Clip branch tips and dry them for use in sachets or
potpourris.
> Use large branches as mulch over perennial beds.
> Chip larger branches into mulch to use around trees and
shrubs or on garden paths in spring.
> Dry the trunk and use as firewood. |
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Deck
the Martin House
 WHAT
do you do with a vacant purple martin house come
winter? Decorate it, says Bo E. of Fayetteville,
Arkansas.
Before the holidays, Bo stretches nine strands of
Christmas lights from the top of his martin house to
a square base made from four-by-fours left over from
a building project.
More than 1,000 lights are used to create his
16-foot-high lighted Christmas tree. "On a clear
night, it can be seen for more than half a mile," Bo
says.
When he takes down the display after the holidays,
Bo checks the martin house for any needed repairs
before the birds return from the tropics in spring.
To view a photo,
click
here.
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Herbs Spice
Up Season's Eatings
By
Mary J. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
 WHETHER
you're an herb gardener or just love cooking with herbs,
here's a tasty bread that's sure to highlight your holiday
baking.
Focaccia
is a simple flat bread that can be flavored with a variety
of herbs. Here I've used rosemary cut and dried from last
summer's garden.
Versatile
and full-flavored, focaccia makes a wonderful crust for a
pizza or a delicious opening for any season's meal.
And if
you need a homemade hostess gift, consider sharing both
the bread and the recipe.
ROSEMARY OLIVE FOCACCIA
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup hot water (120 to 130 degrees)
4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3 cup sliced ripe olives
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Additional coarsely ground black pepper and rosemary
In a
large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon
rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in hot water and 2
tablespoons oil. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface;
knead 3 minutes. Add olives and remaining rosemary; knead
for 1 minute. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to
grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45
minutes. Punch dough down and divide in half. Cover and
let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle cornmeal on greased
baking sheets. Roll each piece of dough into a 10-in.
circle; place on baking sheets. Cover and let rise until
doubled, about 30 minutes. Press the handle of a wooden
spoon into top of loaves to make 1/4-in.-deep
indentations. Brush loaves with remaining oil. Sprinkle
with Parmesan cheese, pepper and rosemary. Bake at 375
degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve
warm. Yield: 2 loaves. |
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Wildlife Guides Go On-Line
Trying to identify a bird, butterfly or plant from
your yard or neighborhood? Want to learn more
about local wildlife...or about the birds, plants
and animals in another part of the country?
Our free on-line Wildlife Guides can help!
Visit the Birds & Blooms Web site at
http://www.birdsandblooms.com and look for the
Free Wildlife Guide link in the right-hand column.
Enter your zip code (or an out-of-state zip code)
to access hundreds of photos and detailed
information! |
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Natural
Nests Keep Birds Cozy |
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BIRDS build their homes
of natural materials, and so do the bird-lovers at
Country Store On-line.
Our
cozy Nesting Pockets are woven of all-natural seagrass.
They offer lots of protection in winter and make a great
nesting place in spring. Available in a set of two with
hangers.
To
order Nesting Pockets from Country Store On-line,
click here. |
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HAVE
A FRIEND who enjoys bird-watching, bird feeding
or backyard gardening? Feel free to forward this newsletter!
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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=125
**********
Copyright
2002 Reiman Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Birds & Blooms, P.O. Box 991, Greendale WI
53129-0991
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