NOTE--To see an on-line version of this newsletter, copy this link and paste it into your web browser: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=360&firstname=$$firstname$$&emailaddress=$$email$$&refurl=$$refurl$$ ========== Birds & Blooms Newsletter - September 2004 Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! In this issue, you'll find some fun and practical tips for feeding birds through the fall, one northern gardener's tips for extending the blooming season, facts about an aptly-named annual shrub and more. Read on to discover... >Add Some Fun to Fall Feeding >Northern Gardener Keeps 'em Blooming >The Name Says It All >Patience Pays with Camera-Shy Birds >Pucker Up to Lemon Verbena >Bird Puzzles Bring Hours of Fun ********** Add Some Fun to Fall Feeding HERE ARE some great ideas from readers for feeding feathered friends through the fall. When flowers are finished blooming, many people put away their hanging baskets. But Terry C. of Northfield, Minnesota finds they make excellent fall and winter bird feeders that can be hung near windows. "Come fall, after I remove the spent annuals, I pour birdseed over the dirt and wait for the birds to fly in for dinner," says Terry. "I also fill my other deck containers with seed to attract even more birds. It's an easy way to add more feeders without spending a lot of money." In Birmingham, Alabama, Pat S. attracts colorful woodpeckers and flickers to her backyard with a simple homemade feeder. "Just find a small fallen tree and cut a 5- to 6-foot section from its trunk," she suggests. "Then drill several 1/2-inch holes along the trunk and fill them with suet or peanut butter. It won't take long before lots of woodpeckers and flickers show up for dinner!" Kenneth S. of Reading, Pennsylvania knows that birds really enjoy wild hickory nuts...with a little help cracking the rock-hard shells. "All you have to do is take a minute to break them up," he explains. "Just hold the nuts with pliers and hit them with a hammer. (Wear goggles to protect your eyes.) I put the broken nuts--shells and all--in my bird feeders. The birds carry away the pieces and pick out the nut meats from the shells. I collect hickory nuts in the fall and feed them to the birds all winter." ********** One-of-a-kind Panama & the Panama Canal Tour The Only Land & Cruise Combo You’ll Find Anywhere! “It was simply my best vacation ever, and a travel experience I’ll never forget—and one that I highly recommend to you. We stood amid the ruins of Old Panama City…strolled the cobblestone streets of Colonial Panama…drove through the majestic mountains to El Valle…and walked through the rainforest on the edges of Lake Alajuela. A highlight of the trip, of course, was the incredible coast-to-coast crossing of the Panama Canal. One day we were standing in the Miraflores Locks visitor’s center hearing about the fascinating history of the Panama Canal…and the next day we were riding through those very locks, making our way from one end of the Canal to the other. It was an amazing adventure! But, we experienced a Panama that is so much more than just a canal. I’ll never forget the smiling faces of the Embera Indian children as they reached for our hands…the stunning sight of the Bridge of the Americas lit up against the sky…or the scent of thousands of brilliantly colored orchids.” —Jen Olski, 2003 Panama Tour Host For complete details and an itinerary for Panama & the Panama Canal , simply visit: http://www.countrytours.com/rd.asp?id=699 ========== World Wide Country Tours -- Exclusive Tour Operator for Reiman Publications http://www.countrytours.com/rd.asp?id=700 ********** Northern Gardener Keeps 'em Blooming THE GROWING SEASON in British Columbia is short, says Anita B. of Lac La Hache. "Just as we put the flowers in the garden, it seems like the first frost is right around the corner. Because of that, I've experimented and found an easy way to extend summer color." Come September, Anita begins moving her potted geraniums into the house overnight. Before long, they stay indoors. "I put them by a window in the dining room and faithfully water them every week. I also feed them at the same time with 20-20-20 fertilizer. This has worked well--the geraniums bloom continuously through the cold months, and I can stretch the summer right through winter." When May rolls around, the geraniums go back in the garden. "The taller plants make a nice backdrop, and I scatter the shorter ones all around the yard," Anita says. To view a photo, visit: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=359 ********** The Name Says It All IF EVER there was a plant virtually guaranteed to attract butterflies, it's butterfly bush. Sometimes called orange-eye butterfly bush or summer lilac, this colorful shrub with its clusters of bright nectar-filled flowers also attracts bumblebees, moths, hummingbirds and other songbirds. It's truly a favorite of gardeners who enjoy growing plants that attract birds and butterflies. In the northern and central United States, butterfly bush is considered "root-hardy", not "top-hardy". This means plants may die back to the ground but will grow again each year from the roots. Since it blooms on new growth, losing shoots to frost or a harsh winter will not affect its flowering ability. If grown in a warmer climate, they must be pruned to within 6 inches of the ground to promote strong new growth and more flowering. Butterfly bushes grow fast; it's not unusual for one to reach 5 to 8 feet by fall. Because of this, they make colorful additions to the back of any shrub or perennial border. From July into fall, the branch ends produce small fragrant flowers in long, dense 4- to 10-inch clusters that make any yard a butterfly's dream come true. The flowers can be white, pink, red or lilac-colored, depending on the variety. Cut off faded or dead blossoms and you'll be rewarded with more flowers throughout the season. Butterfly bush is easy to grow. It needs full sun (at least 6 hours a day), well-drained soil, enough water to maintain growth and plenty of room to grow. The fragrant flowers are at their best in late summer and seem to have a magnetic effect on butterflies--some folks say the plant appears to be blooming with butterflies! No doubt about it--butterfly bush lives up to its name. ********** Now's a Great Time To Visit! IF you love flowers, there are over 37,000 of them blooming in historic Greendale, Wisconsin. Along with quaint shops and restaurants, this charming village is home to the Reiman Publications Visitor Center. There, you can watch our food staff test recipes, walk through an extensive Norman Rockwell exhibit and find incredible bargains at our Country Store Outlet. Groups are particularly welcome. Call 414/423-5333 for open hours and directions. Come soon, while we're still in full bloom! ********** Patience Pays with Camera-Shy Birds AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER Kris B. of Honey Brook, Pennsylvania knows that getting good bird photos takes patience--and luck. "One year my daughter planted sunflowers that eventually grew about 8 feet tall," Kris recalls. "Late that summer, I spotted American goldfinches eating the seeds. I grabbed my camera, but when I went outside to shoot some photos, I scared them away. "Those finches must have been camera-shy, because every time I tried to photograph them eating the seeds, they flew off. I knew there had to be a way to get them on film, and I refused to give up. Eventually, I took the screen off my bathroom window and put the camera on the windowsill. Then, after waiting for what seemed to be forever, I finally got the photos I wanted. "A few weeks later, I was drying some of the sunflowers on our picnic table when I spotted a male goldfinch enjoying a snack. I quickly snapped a photo, and it turned out even better than the others I'd taken earlier...and much easier than shooting through the bathroom window!" To view a photo, visit: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=358 ********** Pucker Up to Lemon Verbena EVEN IF lemons don't grow on trees in your area, they can still star on your menu...thanks to lemon verbena. For green-thumbed cooks, this herb will grow almost anywhere. It thrives in full sun, warm temperatures and rich soil. In colder climates, grow it in a container and keep it indoors during winter. This dainty deciduous shrub can be started from seed or from soft cuttings taken in summer. It can grow 5 to 15 feet tall and produces clusters of lavender-pink flowers that bloom in summer. Lemon verbena's pale green pointed leaves provide its sweet citrus fragrance and intense lemon flavor when used in cooking. The leaves are easy to dry and maintain their strong lemon scent and flavor a long time. Fresh or dried leaves brighten the taste of poultry or fish and add zip to salad dressings, vegetables, marinades, jams, cooked rice and breads, as well as sweet dishes like custards and cakes. Next time you're lacking lemons, don't be a sourpuss--pucker up to this sweetheart of an herb! ********** Bird Puzzles Bring Hours of Fun PUZZLED over how to spend an enjoyable autumn evening? Try a unique jigsaw puzzle! When the cardinals aren't dining at your feeder, the challenging Cardinal Puzzle lets you see them anytime. This unique, 800-piece puzzle looks like the view from a pair of binoculars! Measures 19" x 34". For folks who like hummingbirds, the 800-piece Hummingbird Puzzle is actually shaped like a hummer and includes blended scenes of other birds, too. Measures 35" L. To order the Cardinal Puzzle from Country Store On-line, visit: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1119 To order the Hummingbird Puzzle from Country Store On-line, visit: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1120 ********** Country Store Featured Item Scarecrow Decorative Birdhouse For more information, Visit: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1118 ********** ********** HAVE A FRIEND who enjoys bird-watching, bird feeding or backyard gardening? Feel free to forward this newsletter! This email was sent to: $$email$$ If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up for yourself. Visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=363&pmcode=$$refurl$$ TO CANCEL your newsletter at any time, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=364&email=$$email$$&pmcode=$$refurl$$&OptID=1 TO UPDATE your e-mail address and other information, visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=365&pmcode=$$refurl$$ TO READ our privacy policy,visit http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=366 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=361 ========== Backyard Living is the all-new, one-of-a-kind magazine that's guaranteed to help you improve and enjoy your backyard like never before. Each issue is packed with easy projects, great gardening hints, luscious recipes for backyard entertaining, and more! To subscribe or give a gift on-line, visit http://www.backyardlivingmagazine.com/RD.asp?ID=67 ********** BYE for now from the Birds & Blooms staff...see you next month! ********** Copyright 2004 Reiman Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Birds & Blooms, P.O. Box 991, Greendale WI 53129-0991 1-800/344-6913 THIS newsletter is now available in a graphical format (HTML) that includes photos with the stories. The computer code below is HTML. If your e-mail program does not support HTML, visit https://www.reimanpub.com/registration2/text.asp?email=$$email$$