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=547&firstname=$$firstname$$&emailaddress=$$email$$&refurl=$$refurl-link$$ Please do not reply to this email. If you have questions or wish to unsubscribe, see the instructions at the bottom of this email. Dear $$firstname$$, Happy New Year from Birds & Blooms magazine! If your resolutions include attracting more birds to your backyard or having the best-ever garden next summer, you’ll find some practical tips below. If not, perhaps you’ll be inspired to add those aspirations to your list! read on to discover... » We Need More Food, Please... » Tropical Getaway is Steps Away » Readers Share Winter Feeding Tips » Plan Your Herb Garden Now » Birds Got a Lucky Break » Colorful Climber is Fast, Fun » Feeder’s a Classic ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We Need More Food, Please... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A FEW years ago, a 32-inch snowfall blanketed the entire Philadelphia area. In the suburbs, 4-foot-high drifts had many people snowbound. “Under these conditions, it was difficult to feed the birds,” recalls Jean R. “In my yard, all I could do was place a large piece of scrap paneling atop the snow and load this ‘table’ with food. “At 6 a.m. on the day after the snowstorm, I was awakened by some sharp insistent rapping on our glass patio door. Thinking it might be a neighbor who needed a helping hand, I rushed downstairs. “To my amazement, I instead found a large crow pecking on the door. It seemed as if it was notifying me that the food was gone. Behind the crow, dozens of other hungry birds waited on the makeshift table for a refill. “I was so touched by this bold ‘spokesbird’ that I immediately set out more food. The crow remembered my generosity and rapped on our door at 6 a.m. for the next 3 days!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tropical Getaway is Steps Away ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHEN most of her neighbors are holed up in their houses during winter, Lisa V. of Peoria, Illinois escapes to the tropics—just outside her front door. “My husband and I constructed a simple greenhouse on our front porch to house my ever-growing collection of tropical plants,” she explains. “We enclosed the porch with two layers of 8 mil clear plastic that’s held in place with a porch screening kit. We just substituted plastic for the screening material. Brackets on both sides of a two-by-four frame hold two sheets of plastic in place so that there’s an air gap between them. This air barrier helps insulate the greenhouse. “Of course, the greenhouse also needs to be heated to protect the plants from our harsh Midwest winters. So we added a small furnace and adequate ventilation. Now our eight palm trees and pair of banana trees have plenty of room to spread, and I have even more space to expand my plant collection!” View a photo: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=552&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $100.00 Savings per person on any 2006 vacation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear $$firstname$$, Because you're a BIRDS&BLOOMS Newsletter Subscriber, I'd like to offer you a special incentive to tour with us in 2006. Please accept this $100 PER-PERSON TRAVEL SAVINGS as my personal invitation to encourage you to explore a new destination with us. You can apply this savings on any of our 50+ tours throughout the U.S., Canada and the World. We ask only that you reserve your 2006 tour by January 31, 2006. Just call 1-800/344-6918 or reserve on-line using the link below. Please mention promotion code BL20 when making your reservation. We hope you will join us soon. Best regards, Steve Uelner, Director, World Wide Country Tours http://www.countrytours.com/RD.asp?ID=1531&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ To redeem: 1. Must be redeemed by January 31, 2006 2. Provide the PROMOTION CODE located above. 3. Valid on any 2006 tour conducted by World wide Country Tours. 4. Savings cannot be used toward your deposit or combined with other offers. 5. This certificate is not redeemable for cash. Exclusive Tour Operator of BIRDS&BLOOMS Magazine 1-800/344-6918 5939 Country Lane, Greendale WI 53129-1429 Visit: http://www.countrytours.com/RD.asp?ID=1531&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Readers Share Winter Feeding Tips ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MANY readers do their part helping out backyard birds during winter months. Here are some of their suggestions. “I’ve found that many birds appreciate the fresh fruit we leave for them in the winter,” writes Ron A. of St. Peters, Missouri. “I’ll offer apples, grapes, cherries, oranges, bananas and grapefruits—whatever’s on sale at the grocery store. I’ve learned to cut larger fruit, like apples and oranges, into 1/2-inch- to 1-inch-thick disks. This keeps the fruit from rocking and being pushed around, making it easier for the birds to feed.” In Cohasset, Minnesota, Janet M. has an easy way to make winter suet for the birds. “Collect excess cooking grease in a tin can and store it in the freezer,” she recommends. “Add eggshells, cornmeal and seeds to the can as it’s being filled. When the can is full, use a can opener to remove the bottom. Hang the can horizontally from a tree or bird feeder. It won’t take long for the birds to clean it out!” Kathy J. of Grafton, Ohio shares these ideas that have attracted more birds and other critters to her place in winter: String popcorn, cranberries and peanuts in the shell to make garland that can be hung from trees. Tie a string around a pinecone, smear on some peanut butter and roll it in birdseed. Hang these edible decorations from trees. Press oatmeal, raisins and dried fruit into extra pie crust dough. Bake as usual, cool and serve to your feathered and furry friends. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Plan Your Herb Garden Now ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ YOUR GARDEN may be taking a winter snooze, but the fresh fragrance and flavor of dried herbs can live on season after savory season. And as a bonus, they have a way of tickling the most finicky taste buds. In Comstock Park, Michigan, Deb S. finds that mixed seasonings tie in nicely with her Herbed Bread Twists (recipe below). “My family eats them as fast as I pull them out of the oven,” she comments. Some popular garden herbs worth planting next spring are basil, marjoram, oregano and parsley. Basil is known for its licorice-like flavor. It’s used in tomato recipes, egg and cheese dishes, salad dressing, sauces and more. Marjoram, a gray-green tender perennial that’s grown as an annual, has a pleasant woodsy flavor with a slightly bitter undertone. It adds a lift to meat and vegetable dishes, fish and poultry stuffing. Oregano, a related perennial herb that’s hardy to Zone 5, is a pinch more pungent. Its dark-green leaves are used dried or fresh, especially in Italian, Mexican and Greek cuisine. Parsley has a mild, refreshing taste that brings out the flavor of other seasonings. Add dried flakes directly to liquids, cooked foods and melted butter, or use it as a garnish for soup and pasta. To preserve the freshness of these and other garden-grown herbs, here are a few hints: • Dried herbs need to be kept in tightly closed containers away from heat, moisture and direct sun. • Most dried herbs begin to lose their flavor after a year. To test herbs for freshness, make sure their color hasn’t faded, check for a fragrant intense aroma and sample for taste. • When fresh herbs are available, use three times the amount of dried herbs called for in a recipe. (For example, 1 teaspoon of dried basil equals 1 tablespoon of fresh.) Herbs are also a sure cure for cabin fever. Simply sketch a plan of the plants you want to add to next spring’s garden. There’s plenty of time to ponder their palate-pleasing tastes! HERBED BREAD TWISTS - 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder - 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, marjoram and oregano - 1 loaf (1 pound) frozen bread dough, thawed - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese - 1 egg - 1 tablespoon water - 4 teaspoons sesame seeds In a small bowl, combine butter and seasonings. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-in. square. Spread with butter mixture; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Fold dough into thirds. Cut widthwise into 24 strips. Twist each strip twice; pinch ends to seal. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes. Beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Yield: 2 dozen. Visit TASTE OF HOME's Recipe Finder for similar tasty herb recipes. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=556&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Birds Got a Lucky Break ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A JANUARY ice storm made for a sleepless night, recalls Jim K. of Birch Tree, Missouri. “At 1 a.m., I was awakened by the horrendous sound of breaking tree branches—the many mature maples next to our house were taking an awful beating. “As I listened in the dark to the creaks, cracks and explosive crashes caused by breaking limbs, I could only imagine what was happening to all the bird feeders in my yard,” he adds. “But I was amazed at what I saw at dawn. “Nearly half of the primary branches on my 30-foot-high maples had succumbed to the storm, but the birds were fortunate. One feeder, still attached to the branch it had been hanging from, had fallen down onto a birdbath. When it broke, it spilled its contents onto the ice that filled the bath. It made for a large feeder of sorts that a variety of birds were actively utilizing when they needed it most.” View a photo: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=553&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Colorful Climber is Fast, Fun ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHEN Frances O. of Iuka, Illinois first heard rave reviews about mandevilla, she was skeptical. “A friend told me about this beautiful plant that climbed around her mailbox post,” she writes. “But I’d never heard of mandevilla before—and I rarely have good luck with new plants, anyway. “Last spring, I saw some potted plants in a local nursery. I bought one, took it home and buried the pot next to my mailbox. Much to my surprise, with just regular watering and fertilizing, the plant soon grew gorgeous dark pink flowers that bloomed profusely until the first frost. “Everyone who saw the vine admired it. Even perfect strangers would stop and ask me what kind of plant it was. I seldom have had as much gardening success as I did with that mandevilla.” Don’t be surprised if you, too, start hearing about mandevilla. It’s rapidly becoming one of the more popular ornamental vines, thanks to its prolific and showy funnel-shaped blooms, glossy deep green leaves and neat, compact form. Since it’s a tropical plant, this perennial vine is hardy only in Zones 9 to 11. In more northern areas, it’s usually grown in a pot so it can be taken indoors during the winter. Most mandevillas twine as they climb, sometimes 20 feet or more. This makes them a natural for trellises, arbors, fences, lampposts, railings, pillars, mailboxes and anything else they can climb. If you want to hide an eyesore in your yard, mandevilla is just the plant for the job! As you might expect for a plant that originated in the tropics, mandevilla needs lots of sunlight in order to flower vigorously. Regular watering and fertilizing are a must, but allow the soil to dry between waterings. During the summer, feed mandevilla with a slow-release balanced fertilizer. In northern hardiness zones, bring mandevilla indoors in the fall and keep it as a houseplant. Put the plant in a sunny spot and water it about once a week. Don’t expect it to flower during the coldest months, however—the shorter days will not provide it with enough sunlight. If indoor space is limited, cut the plant back to about 4 inches high and store it in a cool, dark place. Don’t let it dry out completely or fertilize it over winter. When temperatures begin to stay above 65°, it’s time to bring mandevilla back outdoors. Then sit back and watch it reach for the sky! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Feeder’s a Classic ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GOOD-LOOKING bird feeders like this normally sell for about $20, but our Coach Lamp Feeder is only $12.99! It’s easy to fill through its eagle cap. Perch wraps around all four sides to feed plenty of birds at once. Includes 50-inch long steel post. You’ll love the early American look in your backyard! To order Coach Lamp Feeder from Country Store On-line, Visit, http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/RD.asp?ID=1949&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Featured Item from Country Store ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amazing Birds of America Video http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/RD.asp?ID=1950&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THIS NEWSLETTER is from the editors of some of your favorite magazines, including. BIRDS & BLOOMS brings beautiful backyards from across America into your living room through vivid, full-color photos. - 100+ breathtaking photos of colorful birds and gorgeous flowers - Secrets for attracting feathered friends to your backyard - Helpful gardening hints and “green-thumb” advice To subscribe or give a gift on-line: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=555&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ To visit our website: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=554&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. - Reader-shared, easy-to-do backyard projects - Proven gardening tips for flowers and vegetables - Gorgeous, affordable backyard makeovers - Dazzling outdoor entertainment ideas and sensational grilling recipes To subscribe or give a gift on-line: http://www.backyardlivingmagazine.com/RD.asp?ID=123&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ To visit our website: http://www.backyardlivingmagazine.com/RD.asp?ID=124&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BIRDS & BLOOMS EXTRA, a fresh new magazine that'll give you everything you love in BIRDS & BLOOMS, plus a whole lot more. - Published on the months in between BIRDS & BLOOMS - More magnificent photos of colorful birds and gorgeous flowers - More advice for attracting wild birds to your backyard - More helpful gardening hints from our experts To subscribe or give a gift on-line: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=546&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ To visit our website: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/RD.asp?ID=545&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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=551&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ Please do not reply to this message to unsubscribe. If you do not want to receive further editions of this newsletter, please use this link to unsubscribe. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=550&email=$$email$$&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$&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=549&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ To learn more about Reiman Media Group's use of personal information, please read our Privacy Policy. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/rd.asp?id=548&pmcode=$$refurl-link$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright 2006 Reiman Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. 5400 S. 60th St., P.O. Box 991, Greendale WI 53129-0991 1-800/344-6913