Birds and Blooms, April/May

Just Arrived…….

This  publication is a useful reference guide to help you identify birds, it provides useful gardening tips, and it’s a one evening read. But what it really does is get you excited about spring, with its wonderful, all color photography.  It’s a great resource for identifying plants and it’s a super bird identifier as well. This particular issue has articles on Mealworms, new plants for 2021, gardening for a greener earth, amphibian I.d., which birds are just beginning to show up in your garden spaces, food/water/shelter for birds, and debunked garden myths.

The Garden Contessa recommends this magazine if you like learning new things about birds and plants  It’s a mini crash course on both topics, and it’s simple but informative.

We love it when it arrives. It means we have an evening ahead of relaxing reading that brings new knowledge, beauty and simplicity into our mind.

Day 29, Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

LOOK FOR THE SPIRIT

If we are going to practice a real spiritual life, we can only live it in the  core of our current pains and joys. If we have a feeling of longing for “the spirit” we need to look at the way we think, speak, feel and act. If we have a slight feeling of dissatisfaction and an indefinite desire for “things spiritual,” our lives will continue to stop developing and become stagnant.

First, we need to take a critical look at how we are living our lives. Honesty, courage and trust will lead us, not to despair, but to heaven and a new earth.

Matthew 6:25-27, 32-33

Prayer

My Lord, please chase away my sadness with the gift of your Grace.  Help me to actively pursue your spiritual gifts. Help me in truth, and with an honest heart, to make great efforts to seek only the kingdom of God.

Lenten Action

Today, in honor of my Heavenly Father, I will feed the birds and place some fresh seeds and nuts outside to attract the birds and the squirrels. And with little rain recently, I will put out some fresh water for them to drink in a clean container.

Male Red Cardinal…..Showing Himself Off

….. he knows he is beautiful. But….where is “She?”

Birds and Blooms – February Stories

Our February issue of Birds and Blooms features an article about Mourning Doves, aka, Love Birds. The cover photo is a typical look at their flirting behavior.

Mourning Doves have a soft significant “cooing” sound which is very calming and peaceful. If you are a birder they have a special place in your heart and your ears. Their “coo” is soft, but they “coo” quite a lot.

They are found throughout all of North America, Canada and Mexico but….they are far from common. They have a “mournful coo” and that’s where they get their name. Their plumage is iridescent in a brown and grey muted color. They most often are seen in open spaces rather than deep forests. In open territory they can forage for seeds. They are known to consume 20% of their body weight each day.  Their large round breast is where they store their seeds. During feeding they store the seeds in their esophagus and then they head to a secluded perch for digestion. Favorite morsels are Wild grasses, grains and ragweed. Larger seeds like sunflower and chopped up peanuts are also favorable. They prefer an open flat feeder but will appreciate seeds scattered on the ground. Confinement is not their thing. It is very common to see two mourning doves cuddling with each other. They are very “lovey-dovey”and mating pairs are monogamous. They most often stay together for life. 

 We have seen a couple just this morning. Clearly they were looking for seeds. If you see them in your territory, scatter a few seeds/nuts, especially now during this chilly time of the winter season. If you do they will surely return to you.  

“contessa”

 

 

Tufted Titmouse

Plentiful in nature, the Tufted Titmouse can be seen everywhere. They often gather food from the ground and from tree branches. They eat berries, nuts, insects, small fruit, snails, and seeds. They eat Caterpillars during the summer. The titmouse will often be curious and you can see them perched on your window ledge. They seem to peak into your windows and into your house. They are regular visitors around bird feeders. Usually they “scout” out a feeder. They will come when it’s not occupied, make a grab, and then fly back to their spot to eat. Titmice will store food for later use.

Titmice are tiny, a pretty colorful bird and their song will sound like the song of a whistled peter-peter-peter.  They are a favorite and easy to spy. They move quickly so are very tricky to photograph. 

Birds and Blooms…..a little gardening too

Tags

Tips and Tricks

We have taken a new interest in birds. Today our January 2021 issue of Birds and Blooms arrived. Very few Ads, plenty of colorful photographs of birds, plants, berry bushes and trees with berries. Articles and great descriptions of the birds and their habits. We are very pleased at first glance. Tonight this will be our reading material. Featured on the cover is the Carolina Chickadee. They are tiny, quick, noisy,  but so cute.

We were also out gardening a bit today. Lovely out. We accomplished some bed clean up at one of our clients houses. It felt so good to be out and working. Our fall season was so long this year, our customer wanted to leave their Lantana blooming. We finally dug it up today and added a little bed edging to complete the job. The earth is nice and moist for working it. The Lantana bloomed past Thanksgiving. It is such a resilient flowering plant.  So thrifty too.

We did see a few folks “out and about” and waved “Hi” as we drove by.   We are just arriving back home. It was a really good day…..thankful!!

“Contessa”