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=369&firstname=$$firstname$$&emailaddress=$$email$$&refurl=$$refurl$$ ========== Birds & Blooms Newsletter - October 2004 Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! It's time to begin cleaning out this year's garden and planning for next year's! We've got tips for outdoor decor and seed saving, plus practical pointers on squirrel-proofing your bird feeders, some avian antics and more. Read on to discover... >Stones Make a Big Impression >Nothing to Grouse About >It's Time to Save Some Seeds >Put an End to "Squirrelly" Antics >Garden Nook Worth the Wait >Time Flies With Bird Clock ********** Stones Make a Big Impression WHEN Charlene S. of East Aurora, New York mentioned wanting to personalize her garden, a friend suggested putting her children's handprints and footprints in concrete stepping stones. That became the first step in a fun family project! "I ended up making a stone for each member of our family--me, my husband Lance, our twin son and daughter Misha and Vera, and our dog, Molson," Charlene says. "The stones measure 24 by 16 inches. After imprinting our hand and footprints, we used wood stencils to print our names." Each stone was then personalized with impressions of small objects--dog biscuits for Molson, a small garden shovel to reflect Charlene's passion for gardening and a toy hammer to symbolize Lance's carpentry trade. (Since Lance has size 14 feet, there was little room for anything else on his stone!) "We put the stones by a swing I love to sit in, and they became the focal point of our backyard. We'll always treasure this family keepsake." ********** Special Birds & Blooms Springtime in Holland Tour Our friends at World Wide Country Tours are once again sponsoring an all-Birds & Blooms tour to beautiful Holland! Pick from three 2005 departure dates (April 16-24, April 23-May 1, or May 7-15), then join your fellow readers for spectacular sight-seeing. According to Vicki Tadych, 2004 Tour Host, “You’ll see the best gardens, row after row of brilliant tulips, and the world’s largest flower market...plus all the famous landmarks, including a real operating antique wind mill and a boat ride through Holland's celebrated canals." Plus, as a Birds & Blooms newsletter subscriber, you’ll receive FREE TULIP BULBS FROM HOLLAND WORTH $50.00 when you reserve your place by November 30, 2004. (All it takes is a $250 deposit to place your reservation.) Simply mention the Promotion Code BNBT. Join us April 16-24, April 23-May 1 or May 7-15 For complete details and an itinerary for Springtime in Holland, simply visit: http://www.countrytours.com/rd.asp?id=744 ========== World Wide Country Tours -- Exclusive Tour Operator for Reiman Publications http://www.countrytours.com/rd.asp?id=745 ********** Nothing to Grouse About ONE FALL MORNING, Al V. of Winchester, Virginia was backing the car out of the garage when a beautiful ruffed grouse came running down his driveway from a wooded area across the road. "It seemed to be attracted by the sound of our car engine," writes Al's wife Ethel. "Apparently, the bird believed it was a competing grouse! It stayed so close to the car that I had to get out and shoo it away so it wouldn't get run over." For the next couple of months, the bird appeared several times, usually when Al was using the tractor or leaf blower. "Al brought a handful of pyracantha berries to the bird and used them to lead it to the bush. To get more berries, the grouse would jump up and pluck them off the bush." During one of the grouse's visits, it jumped up on Al's knee while he was sitting on the front doorstep. The bird became increasingly trusting, and Ethel was able to take many close-up photos. Finally, the grouse stopped visiting...guess he decided Al was no competition after all! To view a photo, visit: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=367 ********** It's Time to Save Some Seeds FOR many of us, fall signals the end of backyard gardening as temperatures drop and colorful flowers lose their luster. But for some gardeners, fall marks the exciting start of yet another gardening cycle--saving seeds produced by the plants they nurtured all season. Collecting seeds is a rewarding pastime, but you may have to change a few of your gardening habits. For instance, you'll have to stop "deadheading" your fading flowers late in the season, because cutting off the spent blooms usually removes the seed pod. Also, you shouldn't plant hybrid varieties of flowers. Seeds from hybrid plants won't produce the exact same plants--instead, they'll produce plants with a wild mix of traits from the parent plants. Moreover, don't save seeds if you planted different-colored blooms of the same variety in one area. After a few seasons, the saved seeds will produce plants with unattractive muddy-colored blooms, thanks to cross-pollination. Handpick Your Favorites. From which plants should you harvest seeds? Select plants whose characteristics you like--maybe some bloom early, are more resistant to disease, have longer-lasting blooms or bloom later in the season. Almost all flowers produce seed pods after their flowers fade, usually at the base of the flower. Flowers disperse these seeds in a variety of ways. Some flowers--such as California poppies and pansies--have seed pods that burst open. Others, like dandelions, have little "umbrellas" that float away in the wind. Plants in the allium family simply open their seed pockets and let the wind shake out the seeds. Read garden books and pay attention to your flowers to learn what method they use. When harvesting seeds, be certain they're fully mature. Each variety is different, so watch the pods closely. Usually they'll become brown and brittle as the seeds reach maturity. In varieties with seed pods that burst open, collect the seeds just before the pods burst. The seeds may seem immature, but they'll continue to mature after harvesting. Here Are Some More Tips: Dry your seeds indoors by spreading them on a piece of newspaper for a day or two. Keep the newspaper out of direct sun and in a spot protected from drafts that could scatter the seeds. For pods that burst, cover with another piece of newspaper so the seeds don't fly all over the room. Because a seed's biggest enemies are moisture and heat, store them in a cool, dry place such as a refrigerator or a well-ventilated basement. Keep the seeds in something airtight like a small canning jar or plastic container. Plastic film canisters work great and don't take up much room. Always label the containers--there's nothing more frustrating than having a container full of seeds with no idea of what kind they are! After storing the seeds, just be patient and think spring! ********** Put an End to "Squirrelly" Antics ANYONE who feeds birds is familiar with the backyard acrobatics of seed-stealing squirrels. Some readers who are determined to keep these uninvited guests from the birds' dinner table share their success stories here. In Crawfordville, Florida, Marguerite W. hangs a mesh bag or old nylon stocking filled with eight or 10 mothballs near her bird feeders to discourage squirrels. (Keep mothballs away from kids and pets.) "Occasionally, I'll add a few more mothballs to keep the scent fresh," says Marguerite. "Since I've tried this, I have as many birds as usual, but no squirrels." Marcella W. of Omaha, Nebraska switched from feeding sunflower seeds to safflower seeds because the squirrels in her yard will not touch them. The new diet seems to be fine with the cardinals, house finches, chickadees, nuthatches, mourning doves and blue jays that visit her feeders every day...but the squirrels say, "No thank you." Give in, but don't give up--that's what Marge B. of Walterboro, South Carolina says. "We squirrel-proofed our bird feeders as best we could...then we put a tray feeder on our patio just for the squirrels. We serve them a meal of whole kernel corn, sunflower seeds and peanuts in the shell. As long as we keep the squirrels' feeder stocked, they leave the bird feeders alone. As a bonus, they'll even share their mix with doves and cardinals." Aluminum duct pipes help Jim N. keep the feeders in his Newburgh, Indiana yard squirrel-free. "I buy the pipe flat (it's about $3 to $4 a section) and snap it together around an existing feeder pole to make a round sleeve," he explains. "The duct pipe comes in 3-foot sections and is available in both 3- and 4-inch diameters. The sections can be slipped together to make any length desired." ********** Garden Nook Worth the Wait FOR many years, Evelyn K. of Spring Grove, Pennsylvania walked past a bare space on the side of her garage and envisioned something that would reflect her love for birds and flowers. "Finally, I decided to do something about it," she writes. "First, I had my husband Willie and a friend mount an 8-foot section of fence on the wall. Then I spent several weeks digging and puttering, turning the space into a small garden lined with stones. "I also got a birdbath and planted brightly colored nectar flowers to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. I bought a little cupboard at a yard sale, and Willie covered the top with copper so I could have a miniature potting shed. I store my garden tools and other items inside it. "Now hummingbirds and butterflies often visit my garden. We placed a small table and two chairs directly across from it so we can really enjoy this tranquil transformation in our backyard." To view a photo, visit: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=368 ********** Time Flies With Bird Clock THERE'S NOTHING cuckoo about it--each hour, one of 12 North American birds sings its song from our Audubon Bird Clock. A light sensor deactivates sounds at night. Made of ABS plastic, the 13-1/2" diameter clock mounts easily on a wall and uses three AA batteries (not included). To order the Audubon Bird Clock from Country Store On-line, visit: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1159 ********** Country Store Featured Item Birds in Your Backyard For more information, Visit: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1158 ********** This email was sent to: $$email$$ 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, please use this link to sign up for yourself. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=372&pmcode=$$refurl$$ Please do not reply to this message to unsubscribe. If you do not want to receive further editions of the Birds & Blooms Newsletter, please use this link to unsubscribe. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=373&email=$$email$$&pmcode=$$refurl$$&OptID=1 If you would like to change or edit your email preferences, please visit your Personal Preferences page. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=374&pmcode=$$refurl$$ To learn more about Reiman Media Group’s use of personal information, please read our Privacy Policy. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=375 ********** 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=370 ========== 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=69 ********** 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=$$email$$