Birdie Buffet with Surprise Visitor

We’re a little bird crazy at our house.  Our kitchen window is bird-theater central with five feeders providing a little something for all the birds that may be passing through. 

Check out the finch in mid-flight in the lower left corner of the picture below. 

Finch in Mid-Flight (lower left)

Busy Feeders

Each season brings different birds to the garden.  In the summer, the painted buntings are the stars and in the winter, the finches steal the show.  

The finches ability to eat upside down is so fascinating, I could watch for hours. They love nyger seed which is served up in a special feeder. The umbrella domed top helps keep the seed dry for these picky eaters.

During the shoulder seasons, Baltimore orioles and other exotic visitors pass through our yard, but Cardinals are our most colorful and constant visitors.  Cardinals will keep the same mate for multiple seasons, and I have witnessed males sharing food with their female mate.  It's very sweet to watch. 

The male is bright red and black, while the females are buff with an orange beak and redish tuft of feathers on their head.

Woodpeckers are frequent visitors to my feeders, so I bought a special feeder just for them.  Our new peanut feeder is specially designed for woodpeckers.  Weight sensitive perches protect the peanuts from being pillaged by unwelcome visitors.  I haven't spotted a woodpecker on my new peanut feeder yet but the chickadees seem to like it.

Woodpecker on Traditional Feeder

Chickadee on Peanut Feeder

Protecting feeders from squirrels and raccoons can be challenging.  Baffles are commonly used to keep climbing animals from creeping up poles.

Squirrel Baffle

Squirrel Baffle Closeup

Raccoon Baffle

Raccoon Baffle Closeup

A squirrel proof feeder with weight sensitive perches keeps even the most persistent critters from accessing the seed.

Safflower is highly desired by Cardinals, but the squirrels just leave it alone.

Unprotected feeders are free game for squirrels.  Squirrels will suck a feeder dry in a short period of time if you let them.  Unfortunately, they will destroy feeders, so it's best to keep them out of your bird feeders and provide them with separate ground feeders. 

Mr. Squirrel Climbs the Pole

Reaching for the Feeder

"The seed is mine for the taking", says Mr. Squirrel

Yum! Yum!

2012 Garden Resolutions

I resolve to ...

• grow more plants from seeds
• use more cactus in the garden
• sit in my outdoor seating areas

GROW MORE PLANTS FROM SEEDS.  Sure, there are certain plants that I grow from seed like beans, cucumbers and zucchini, but why don't I grow more plants from seed?  The answer is complicated.  I think first and foremost, I've convinced myself that growing plants from seed is difficult.  As a result, I don't bother to plan ahead and put in the effort. After all, why go to all the trouble, if I'm not going to be successful?

New Year's resolutions are about changes in attitude, so this year is going to be different.  Growing plants from seed just makes sense.  It's economical, plus there's so many cool varieties that you can grow from seed.  I'm already mentally preparing my plan of attack.  First, I'll get my seeds organized.  Then, I'll hit up the catalogs looking for something that really sparks my interest.

I'm going to start my seeds in the house, so they'll be ready to go as soon as spring has sprung.  My homemade growing rack has been enlarged to accommodate more seeds trays.  I've already started some sweet peas, plus a flat of basil and rosemary to donate to my garden clubs plant sale.

Tiny Basil Seedling Makes It's Debut

Trailing Rosemary Cuttings

Sweet Pea Seedling

USE MORE CACTUS IN THE GARDEN.  I've mostly steered away from cactus in the past, because, well, I don't know... it's pointy, it's deserty... Honestly, I love perennials, and my cottage garden style just didn't seem to mesh with cactus.  However, I'm becoming more and more convinced that the two can blend together.  

In the garden blog, Digging, there was a recent post called Agaves Green Up the Winter Garden.  In this post, Pam showed me that not only can cactus blend with Perennials they can provide the evergreen, structure in the garden that I have been looking for.

In late fall, I planted a small area using 'Color Guard' Yucca and Parryi Agave Truncata.  When winter brown has taken over, the yellow and green is quite welcome.

SIT IN MY OUTDOOR SEATING AREAS.  I love constructing outdoor seating areas.  I have several outdoor seating areas and benches scattered around my property.  Seems like I would do a lot of sitting, right?  Well, here's what happens... I sit for about 5 seconds, I see a weed or whatever, and the next thing you know, break is over.

I'm sure the answer to this resolution is staring me right in the face.  I just need more seating areas.  What?  That's right, more seating areas mean more opportunities to find one that is weed free.  Surely a weed free seating areas means that I will sit longer.  Phhhew... this resolution is going to be an easy one.

Good luck with all your garden resolutions.

Party Favors and Fireworks

New Year's Eve is just around the corner and the plants in my greenhouse seem to be getting in the spirit with a little display of their own.

  

The fully open flowers of Queen's Tears curl open like a party favor.

The flower buds of the mother of millions plants are preparing to open like fireworks just before they burst.  

Foliage exploding in color creates a beautiful greenhouse display.

Variegated Hibiscus

Coleus

Coleus

Croton

Have a safe and happy new year!

Chicken Tetherball Tournament

Welcome to our 2nd Annual Chicken Tetherball Tournament.

The contestants and spectators have been eagerly awaiting the tournament, which is held each year when the cabbage is ready for harvest.  The cabbage is tied securely and ready for play.  
 

So, let's play some chicken tetherball ...

The contestants take their marks.

The action is frantic as contestants try to get a beak on the ball.

The determination is palpable.

Watch out Barney, Pansy takes her tetherball pretty seriously.

Looks like Pansy was planning her attack.  The crowd watches in stunned amazement as Pansy steals a piece of the ball.

Uh oh... There's a flag on the play.

What? Barnie's throwing down the challenge flag.

"Quit goofing off.  I'll accept the penalty", says Pansy

Game back on.  Let's have a clean game girls.

And the winner is ... drum roll please... 

Ginger, the tetherball queen.

Callahan's General Store

Welcome to Callahan's General Store.  

Callahan's has been serving the Austin Area for over 30 years and me personally for almost 20 years.  I love Callahan's because it's such a fun place to visit, especially on Saturdays when they have live music, food, and baby animals to hold.

Each Saturday, different critters are available for a closer look.  I've seen some of the most beautiful roosters, the cutest little baby goats, and this Saturday I met a pig named Spud.  Spud is a Bastrop fire rescue pig who is making himself at home at Callahan's while his family rebuilds their home.

So, what do I shop for at Callahan's?  That's a tough question to narrow in on, because they have everything from hardware to western wear including home decor, kitchen items, books, garden supplies, feed, baby animals and the list just goes on and on.

One of my first purchases at Callahan's was a food dehydrator that I bought to make my own beef jerky and dried fruit.  Food dehydrators can be found in the kitchen department along with all sorts of other tools and gadgets.

During my futile attempts to learn how to do the Texas Two Step, I outfitted myself in some authentic western wear from Callahan's.  I still have my classic western shirt, which goes perfectly with my red Justin Ropers.

Browsing the home decor department is a feast for the eyes.  There's so much cool stuff.  This is the perfect place to shop for gifts for Christmas, special occassions, or just because.  

If you're looking for super fun gifts, look no further.  Callahan's stocks gifts for sports fans as well as fans of a good sense of humor.  After all, who can resist talking frog slippers or squirrel underwear?  In fact, there's a little boy squirrel running around my yard who could really use these underwear (hee hee).

These days Callahan's serves as my backyard chicken headquarters.  I purchased my girls from their chick room which is full of little baby chicks, especially in the spring.

At Callahan's you can get all your backyard chicken supplies served up with a healthy portion of free advice if you need it.  The folks at Callahan's are very knowledgeable and ready to help.

If chickens aren't you're thing, maybe wild birds are more to your taste (no pun intended).  Callahan's has everything the backyard birder could want including bird houses, feeders and seed.

I saved my favorite department for last:  GARDEN!!!  Callahan's has seeds, tools, gloves, plus all my favorite fertilizers:  Hasta Gro, fish emulsion, and liquid seaweed.  Callahan's even stocks my favorite Lady Bug products. 

As you can see, Callahan's has a lot to offer, and I haven't even included it all.  I hope you'll go see for yourself sometime.  

Thanks for shopping local.