~ Vintage fine and decorative art, lamps, mirrors, chandeliers, small occasional furniture pieces, classic "hard cover"books, vintage "smalls", and handmade decorative art craft
Butterflies…..birds…….flowers…puffy blue clouds and branches with buds. If we think individually on each single one for a few moments, we can see that they are all living things. Each carefully created to enhance each other, to bring beauty to our world, each dancing in a breeze or the wind and each arriving in the “spring.” They are seasonally predictable, yet wondrous, colorful, magical and they each bring us contentment.
Contemplative thoughts for this holy Sabbath Day, bringing us to gratitude and praise. Heaven on earth in our day. Praises and glorious alleluias we sing, to our Father in Heaven. Thanks be to our God.
These colorful magazines with 55 plus pages of colorful and and great photos of birds and blooms are available for you to enjoy, if you would like to participate in our “reader lend” activity. We are happy to drop them by your location today, and then retrieve them in one week to pass along to the next in line person. Just send us an email and we will bring them by as a lend. First come, first served. It’s a great day to be indoors reading, and maybe listening to quiet and peaceful music while reading these prolific “pubs.”
BACK – Featuring Male wood duck in eclipse plumage
“ Observe how gently but surely the natural world renews itself daily.”
Our November issue is full of color bird photos. Nineteen to be exact.
In fact, Wood Ducks are featured on the cover this month. In recent years their population has decreased but a land owners who have ponds have a fondness for these ducks and they have started building nest boxes for them. It is noted that in the last couple decades their population has rebounded. This us indeed good news. So if you own a pond think about building a couple wood nest boxes. (Hint) You will have willing visitors, so get our your camera and enjoy their nesting visits. Awesome…..!
And a great article on growing late season blossoms.
COLORFUL NEW ENGLAND
“ASTERS”
FOR LATE FALL BLOOMING
………………….
FUCHSIA CONEFLOWERS
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And a fabulous article on prepping your beds with great soil. The Garden Contessa highly recommends this article because everyone wants good looking bushes and lots of flowers….but the essential ingredient everyone forgets is that your garden production starts and finishes with proper garden bed preparation. Soil, compost and mulch are your best friends and this article lays out the process for amending and cultivating good soil. It is all about “the dirt.”
Finally…… if you are a person who hangs out at the beach even on the cooler fall days….can you identify these beach dwelling birds? The answers are in the fine print at the bottom of the photograph.
As always these copies are available for lend. We give you one week. We deliver and pick up, and then pass them to our next interested “birder/gardener/nature enthusiast. No charge and it’s a wonderful way to spend an evening or a Sunday afternoon. You learn so much and for a novice it’s a fast learning trip. We know you will enjoy this thrifty publication. Call us if you would like to borrow it for the week. (Contessa – 703-548-1882)
Our issues have arrived and we will present them for your perusal at the Community Event on Saturday, September 30th.
In addition, we will have back copies with us and if you’d like to borrow them we are happy to share and sign them out to you for return one week later.
Both of these new issues are packed with tons of ideas about birds, plants, nature and gardening.
Topics include:
• Easy tips for growing mushrooms
• Special Hummingbird Memories
• Sensational Top 10 Fragrant Roses
• Most Beautiful Daylilies
• Cold Weather Gardening Prep
• The Truth about Ladybugs
• How to Grow Perfect Peonies
• Fav Fall Birds
And genius ideas for recycling pumpkins!
……..just to mention a few great articles in these special publications
“CONTESSA” says…., it’s a very good thing!
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In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off the exoskeleton (made of chitin) of its body, either at specific times of the year, or at specific points in its life cycle.
In medieval times it was also known as “mewing” (from the French verb “muer”, to moult),[1] a term that lives on in the name of Britain’s Royal Mewswhere the King’s hawks used to be kept during moulting time before becoming horse stables after Tudor times.
….birds shed, moult their feathers during change…..
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Dramatically in the course of every day life we all shed. We see it in the gardens as blossoms shed and leaves whither up and die. Change or Sadness.
Sometimes in one season this moulting can produce new growth almost immediately within the same season and some other growth just slowly blooms, sheds and dies back until its next “season” comes. Kind of like a debutante in Victorian times who grew, matured, and blossomed at a certain time in her life. The family would call this her “season.” A time of change. A being presented into the court, or to royalty and there undoubtedly met the partner of her dreams through social societal gatherings.
And in life…..we all go through periods of moulting where we leave behind or shed our “ways.” God is with us during these times. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable and sometimes it is for our greater good. It can be hard, it can be hurtful, it can be disappointing, or even physically painful. A wound that doesn’t heal, a time we’ve waited for that doesn’t come and a promise we’ve made even to ourself, which has to be put up on a shelf, to wait while God works on His perfect timing. Growth and sometimes repentance are needed. This is to moult, to grow, to change. To drop our feathers and let them rest, while we continue to new growth allowing God to shelter us under His wing.
Yesterday I turned the soil in “the Generals” garden. Weeding it and bringing new rich black soil to the surface. As I turned to begin packing up my car, I heard lovely chirps. When I turned back to look, two Robins were forcing their beaks into the soil and pulling up nourishment…the spring worms, their favorite. I even talked to them a little. Inquiring if they had come to visit me or the worms. They stayed. Regardless…..it was a “moment.”
…..and soon I was happily on my way. God is so Good.
January: Tufted Titmouse (Wisconsin) “Where there is an open mind there will always be a frontier
February: Pine Warbler on Camellia – “No matter what changes take place in the world, or in me, nothing ever seems to disturb the face of spring.
March: Green Jay – “Life is so extraordinary. Wonderful surprises are just around the most unexpected corners.
April: Northern spatula (Arlington, VA) “How pleasant the lives of the birds must be, living in love in a leafy tree.
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Dear “Contessa” Friends,
We have gathered our first four (4) issues of:
Birds and Blooms….and they are ready for your viewing if you would like some uplifting reading for our rain marathon today and tomorrow. We are happy to drop them by your house today. Great photos and helpful bird identification and proper feeding info. And where to find and photograph these birds. Spring especially is the perfect time to bird watch with the children or your senior live-in’s. Inexpensive and enlightening weekend entertainment.
Seriously….. we can drop these four copies off by Noon today, just give us a buzz. We are close by, so no problem. You too can enjoy what we enjoy reading every month. In one weeks time, we can pick them up and pass to our next birdwatcher fans.
“Contessa” says….perfect for a very rainy weekend.
Our favorite winter bird. They always come round in pairs. He travels fast. She follows. But often you will see him scouting for morsels. Two things are going on. She is very independent and she may still have a “yungin” close by. But her demeanor suggests she will always join him. Her coloring is subtle but his is blazing red. We love to watch them. Our cover certainly shows his majestic prowess.
And this photo below…..was captured during a huge snow storm. This northern cardinal is puffing up his feathers to keep the damp snow from settling on his plumage. Then when the snow packs down he can ruffle his feathers and shake the snow off. And the puffed up feathers helps to keep him warmer.
We think this December copy is fantastic.
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Birds and Blooms reminds us not to forget to provide water for the birds in the winter months. …….and to decorate low hanging branches with bird treats that you’ve made yourself. Make sure to include some peanut butter on a pine cone. They love it. Very helpful and sweet ideas children can do indoors, and then the family can visit a tree in the yard together, to string the garlands where they can be seen from an indoor window. Family fun and a learning opportunity too.
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Also published in this issue was the Grand Prize Winner of the Annual B & B Photo Contest. Literally thousands of entries were sent to the magazine. This one was the winner. Very cool. I mean how often could this “pose” be possible.
Butterfly photos are featured on page 48 and 49.
Finally, a Kale plant left over from a summer garden, turns pink in the cold.
I don’t often feature so many photos in my B & B posts, because the magazine photo copy doesn’t really do justice to these great photos in this publication. What I see is not what you see, unless you borrow our copy. But…. I hope your curiosity is keen enough to even order this magazine for your family. It’s $10 a year. You will improve your knowledge of birds, flowers, indoor plants, berry bushes, and insects, and the readership is from all over the US. It’s a fantastic and compact way to educate yourself and the members of your family. I grew up with books and publications of all these pictures in my home. It’s a fantastic way to take the natural world and bring it into our lives. We need to appreciate our natural world…. way more than we do. I hope you will take the time to do this with your family, or even just for yourself.
“Contessa” says….it’s all a very….very…good thing!
What’s your definition of “getting out into nature?” Maybe for you, it’s sitting on your deck in your very wooded neighborhood watching for the birds to come to the feeders you’ve placed around. Your favorite feathered friends love to come so they can grab a morsel. Or….is your favorite adventure a hike to a national park. Both of these experiences can bring you the sense of peace we all enjoy and deserve. Carve out some time to enjoy the bounty of nature. Your soul will heal and be lifted. Nature is so healing and it may come to you with a sense of “peace” that you deserve and were secretly seeking.
If you are looking for that same peace and a soothing atmosphere indoors, bring nature into the house by having a few houseplants. Very often your very own mental health can be lifted in your “inner soul” by placing some greenery indoors. Plants can nudge your brain into mindfulness and they create a relaxing and cozy atmosphere in your personal space. All of us need this in the winter months, so that we can keep a “healthy balance .”
I myself bring about ten…end-of-summer plants indoors for the winter. I have taken a few pictures of examples of a few plants from the magazine that you might consider. Plants help to purify the air indoors….so consider one in each room. Houseplants do make for a healthy and pretty home.
Tomorrow I will feature the December issue. I thought it worthy to post today on a few features of the November issue.
(We regret the glossy cover photo, but the hard copy of this magazine is “high gloss” and difficult to photograph).
We cannot stress enough, the modest cost of a subscription to this quite informative publication, and if you wish to view it in person, we always offer to drop it by your location for a one week viewing. And then we can pick it up and pass it to another viewer.
We have copies available for “lend.” Just send us a txt or call us. We are happy to drop them by your location. 703/548-1882
• October features the Barred Owl
• November, the white Breasted “Nuthatch” • December, the Northern Cardinal
These wonderful publications feature beauty in your backyard and beyond.
You can learn how to attract these birds, learn about their typical habitat and what you can do in the outdoors to find and photograph these wonderful native species.
We traditionally drop these copies off for one (1) weeks time….to your door, and then we can pick them up to pass on to our next reader.