Smart Birds Had Pancake Breakfast

ANYONE who thinks birds aren’t very smart should have witnessed what Dale H. saw in his Tacoma, Washington backyard last December. “It all started after I’d scattered some small pieces of leftover pancakes in the yard,” Dale recalls. “They were quickly covered by snow, and a few days of bitterly cold weather followed.

“To help the birds, I removed the ice from my birdbath and filled it with lukewarm water. It wasn’t long before chickadees, sparrows, juncos and starlings started bathing, as well as eating from my feeders. A few minutes later, I was surprised to see a starling land on the edge of the birdbath with a piece of frozen pancake in its bill. It dipped the chunk of pancake into the warm water to thaw it out, then ate it. Moments later, I saw a crow do the same thing.

“Even if they have ‘bird brains,’ these birds proved to me that they’re pretty smart!”

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Special “Snowman” Never Melts

THERE’S no snow in Sun City, Arizona, but there are plenty of tumbleweeds, writes Doris B. “Every winter for the last 10 years, we’ve been using them to make ‘snowmen’ for our grandkids,” she adds.

The idea came out of the blue, Doris says, noting she had plenty of experience building snowmen while living in Michigan for many years. “I wanted to make a snowman for my grandchildren, who were visiting. But since snow wasn’t an option, I made do with what was readily available!

“At first, I used a carrot for the nose,” she reports. “But it didn’t last very long in the heat. So I made a ceramic nose and used felt to make the eyes, mouth and buttons.

“My tumbleweed snowmen attract lots of attention from passersby, and little kids especially get a kick out of them. We have a lot of fun making them...and no, we don’t miss the snow one bit!”

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Turn Christmas Tree into a Treat

TWO READERS remind that recycling your Christmas tree can be a real treat for feathered friends. “We’ve been doing this for years, securing it to our bird feeder during the winter to provide protection from hawks and other predators, plus shelter from inclement weather,” says Barbara R. of Great Falls, Virginia.

“We scatter seeds beneath the tree when it snows, giving the birds a reliable food source despite the weather. The tree usually stays green until April. Then we chip it up and use it for mulch.”

In Bryan, Ohio, Kathy P. puts her tree in a winter feeding station that brings lots of winged activity to her backyard. “My son Kent is an architect and a woodworker,” Kathy explains. “He built the feeding station like a small gazebo and put it close to my patio doors so I can watch all the action from a comfortable chair.

“I place our Christmas tree in the center of the gazebo and decorate it with strings of popcorn and cranberries. I also make pinecone ornaments filled with peanut butter and rolled in sunflower seeds. This way, the tree provides both treats and protective cover for my special backyard birds.”

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Her Plants Toughed it Out

IT WAS warm last fall, so Mary Lou D. of Rapid City, South Dakota kept on watering her patio plants and flower beds. “We finally got a heavy snowfall in mid-December, but then it warmed up and all the snow melted,” she notes. “That was followed by a frigid week in which the high temperature only ranged from -6° to 0°.

“Then it warmed up again, so I finally had a chance to clean up my flower beds before company arrived for Christmas. I was pulling up the dead annuals and cutting down the perennials when I reached the raised bed on the east side of my house. I stopped in amazement. There, at each end of the bed, were my pansies. Not only were the leaves still green, but the plants were covered with blooms!

“That made me laugh. I’ve heard the word ‘pansy’ used derogatorily, as in ‘sissy.’ But I had beautiful proof that pansies are anything but sissies!”

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A Visit from Santa Owl

SHE WAS fixing breakfast 2 days before Christmas one year when she heard a thumping noise coming from the family room, writes Bonnie R. of Westfield, Indiana. “I went to take a look and discovered the commotion was coming from our fireplace. I peered inside and saw that it wasn’t Santa making an early visit. Instead, it was an eastern screech owl trapped behind the glass doors!

“After giving the matter some thought, my husband gathered a 5-gallon pail, a blanket and a fishing net. We opened the doors enough to maneuver the net inside, and I held the blanket over the top of the doors so the owl couldn’t escape. My husband captured the owl after just a couple of tries and placed it in the pail. Then he carried the pail outside and let the little owl go.

“After resting on our barn roof, the owl flew away, leaving us with a memorable story that we shared with friends and family during the holidays.”

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Southern Shrub Dresses for the Holidays

WHILE most garden plants spend winter taking a well-earned rest, camellias are just getting warmed up. These popular evergreens (pronounced ka-mell-i-a by southern gardeners and ka-mee-li-a by northerners) flower in fall, winter or early spring. Their beautiful rose-like blooms have little to compete with during the gardening “off season,” and they could easily take “best of show” when compared to most other flowering trees and shrubs.

While the eye-catching plants have been a favorite down south for a few centuries, they’ve been cultivated for thousands of years in the Far East, their native region. Camellias are members of the tea family, and the leaves of one species—Camellia sinensis—are used for brewing tea. One early reference to camellias dates back to 1725 B.C., when a Chinese emperor said tea made from the plant was his favorite drink.

Colonists carried camellia plants and seeds overseas to the New World. Today there are over 250 species of these popular plants and, amazingly, more than 3,000 different varieties! The state of Alabama even honors the camellia as its official flower.

Most camellias are hardy to Zones 7 or 8. They are commonly seen in the south planted in flower beds or along a foundation, blending perfectly with other southern favorites such as azaleas, hollies and hostas. They’re also pretty enough to stand on their own, whether left as a shrub or trained as a small tree.

Camellias are sometimes grown in containers in the north. But beware—most varieties are sensitive to cold weather and should be moved inside before the first frost.

In general, camellias have shiny, leathery dark green leaves and large, perfectly formed red, pink or white blossoms. The blossoms range from single to ornate double flowers from 2-1/2 inches to 5 inches across. (One species, Camellia reticulata, is grown for its sensational 7-inch flowers.)

There are a few hardier camellias available that may survive as far north as Zone 6. Camellia oleifera has fragrant 2-inch blossoms with pink centers. They start flowering in October and have survived in climates where winter temperatures dip as low as -15° Fahrenheit.

Camellias should be planted in partial shade and do best when protected from hot sun and strong winds. They won’t flower as much, however, in full shade. They also require acidic soil that drains well, so pick a spot that’s rich in organic material. For a good start, it’s also important to make sure camellias aren’t planted too deep. As a rule of thumb, plant the root flare (just above the root ball) slightly higher than the surrounding soil.

Until the plants are well established, it’s important to water them regularly—a good soaking once a week should be enough. Once established, they should survive on rainfall alone, except when conditions are extremely dry.

If you’re lucky enough to live where camellias can thrive, you already know the beauty these plants bring to the off season. If you don’t, a trip south while they’re blooming may offer a welcome reprieve from winter’s bitter chill.

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