Feeding the Birds

WBU Small Tube Feeder

A few years ago, I began working for Wild Birds Unlimited of Richmond, VA. I do book work and office work, and help I them with their Facebook page (Find us on Facebook HERE). It's a nice place to work, close to home and they've got great stuff. I've always been a gardener and there are lots of garden goodies to look over. A side benefit of the job has proven to be that my husband and I have developed a hobby we both enjoy: Bird feeding and backyard bird watching. First I am going to share what I've learned over the years -  the seed at WBU is really fresh -- it comes in every week, and the birds LOVE it. One of my friends said that when she put seed from WBU in her feeder, as opposed to seed from the grocery store, it was like she was having a fancy dinner party. All the really "good" birds showed up! This comment has made me laugh for years -- I keep picturing birds arriving in limos and dressed in top hats. 

My husband has embraced our new hobby, and is quite good at identifying different birds. He's really gotten into it. This was brought home over the weekend when, early Saturday, the man himself  went out to fill our "main" bird feeder and found that the squirrels who frequent our back yard and torment our dogs had finally done what they seem driven to do -- they had broken off the 2 seed portals with perches so they could have easy and unlimited access to the seed blend we fill it with. He took the feeder off the pole but could only find one of the portal/perches. The devils must have absconded with the other one, carrying it off to their nest as a trophy. Or, whatever. The portal was gone.

"Look what the squirrels did!" he said in a hurt tone of voice. "The poor birds don't have any food and the feeder is ruined." The man was distressed. After spreading a few handfuls of bird seed on the ground, he was still upset. He kept muttering, "Poor birds!" and glaring at me like I'd broken the feeder.

"Don't worry" I told him. "I'll take it to work on Tuesday and get it fixed or get a new one." I felt OK with that. He didn't.

Round glass feeder from Wild BIrds Unlimited.
I put Bugberry Nuggets with Calcium in it.Apparently, he didn't.

Keep in mind that there are 2 other feeders in my years. They are more ornamental, but they are bird feeders! 

Treat Feeder from "Painted Seasons".
You can find them on Etsy. and HERE

By Sunday afternoon, I could take it no more. I hopped in my car and took the broken and now clean feeder up to the store . Two of my nice colleagues were watching the shop and more than happy to help me, because that's the way they are (really). The feeder was fixed in about 5 minutes and ready to return home.



"Is it free to me because I work here, or is it free to everyone?" I asked incredulously.

Yes, it is.  Free.  They'll fix it free (see limitations below).

If you purchase certain Wild Birds Unlimited branded feeders, they have a limited lifetime guarantee, for normal wear and tear. Now, if a deranged/enraged child, or, uh, husband, throws the feeder to the ground in a fit of anger,  and stomps it, that is not covered. However, under normal use, the feeder is covered for repairs. HERE'S a link that tells you exactly which feeders are covered, etc. I was so happy to find this out that I went and celebrated by purchasing more plants for my patio. What? WHAT? (That's what my husband said when he spied a box full of plants coming out of the back of my car.)

Now, what else do I need to plant out back? Maybe a few more pots filled with flowers? Perennials? Another hanging basket? Hhhhmmmmm......
Visit Wild Birds Unlimited of Richmond, VA HERE 

Spending Time in My Garden

If there is another household pastime I that enjoy as much as cooking, it's got to be spending time in my garden. I've got a nice patio with a somewhat cultivated strip of flowers and herbs around it. We put out lots of hanging baskets and potted plants and there's a border that runs around the back yard, that I am slowly filling with flowering bushes and perennial plants.

Here's one end of my patio. We like to sit out in the evening and if it's chilly, we can light the chiminea. That makes it almost year round here in central VA! I enjoy making the baskets. No cushions out today, because there is a chance of a quick storm. We had a doozy yesterday! 

Asian Lilies (pink), Golden Cosmos, Brown Eyed Susan, Cleomes and Daisies

This is my flower bed that runs along the other side of the patio, near the dining table. Over the years, I've planted so many different things and dumped bags and bags of cow manure on and now it kind of takes care of itself. I didn't plant any seeds in it this year and so far I've gotten native "Brown-eyed" Susans (as opposed to the cultivated "Black eyed Susan" you see in nurseries), daisies, golden cosmos, cleomes or spider lilies, Asian Lilies, daffodills, pink hollyhocks, lavender and ageratum. The Brown Eyed Susans simply appeared on their own, delivered no doubt by an accommodating bird!  

Ageratum, with it's fuzzy purple flowers. 

When the lilies finish and the Brown Eyed Susan dies back, during the heat of July and August, the ageratum fills in next to the golden cosmos.

Double Day-Lilies

I absolutely love day-lilies, and I've got them all over my back and front yards These are double orange ones, which never fail to bloom and delight me. I've got some golden ones too.

Yellow Day-Lilies

What do you grow in your garden? I've got a few herbs as well, by my little fountain. The birds love the fountain and so do we! It's so soothing to listen to! 

Herbs by the fountain

In this picture you can see my thyme, to the left, and the poor garlic chives that the recent storm flattened (but they'll perk back up). I've also got basil, flat leaf parsley, and lavender, just out of the shot. The hollyhocks (tall and pink spires) and cosmos come up wherever they want, I can't -- and don't want to -- control them! 

And here's one of the very best reasons to make a flower garden, bouquets of flowers in the house! 

Late Summer Bouquet from 2013 -- I didn't plant zinnias this year.....hmmm...maybe I should...

It's Thyme to Plant....Herbs! Flowers! Veggies!

I love my herb garden. It's so satisfying on many levels. For one thing, it's fun to create something out of almost nothing. I grow most of my annual herbs from seed. It's inexpensive to garden with seeds. I bought my Ferry Morse Basil seeds at a local grocery store for only $1.79. I will get at least 4 beautiful basil plants for myself and may have some to give away, too! To make it almost foolproof, start your seeds in a window box or large, heavy (clay) pot. That way, when it's time to thin the seedlings and transplant them, you can easily see what you are doing. If I plant seeds directly into the garden soil, sometimes it's hard to know what's coming up! If you plant some seeds right now you will have fabulous flavor for your food all summer long and plenty to save for over the winter. Stay tuned for my fresh pesto recipe that freezes beautifully!

In our mild Virginia climate, I've now had my thyme and garlic chives "become" perennials. They do die back a little in the coldest part of the winter, but after I cut them back in the early spring, they start "greening" up. This is not technical talk, I don't know if anything can "become" perennial, it's just what's happened in my garden. The garlic chives I've had now for about 7 years, and unless it's below freezing, I can cut them almost year round. They make a pretty garnish, snipped over potato dishes and add real flavor to roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Fresh thyme is nice too, and a little goes a long way.

Rosemary is a true perennial, and will become a bush if you let it. Mine is now about 9 years old. I brought it to this house from my last home, in a big pot. I use it all year round, and when I cut it back, I keep the stems and put them in the chiminea for a wonderful, aromatic experience outside on the patio. Fresh rosemary is a real taste treat on roasted chicken, in stew or roasted veggies. It's easy to grow and looks great in your landscape or garden.

For pretty summer color all season long, try planting Cosmos. They are an old-fashioned, annual flower, with dainty fern like foliage and multi-colored flowers. You will often see pink, lavender, deep rose, white and burgundy all on the same plant! They are drought resistant and can stand up to the elements. I often put them out by my mailbox, which is in a sunny, hot spot right next to the road, and they do beautifully. They make good cut flowers too. You won't often find cosmos in a cell pack at the garden center, so you've got to try seeds if you want them.

Let me say, that I believe the secret to success in my garden at least, is dehydrated, composted cow manure. I always spread several bags over the garden after I dig it up each spring. It's only a few dollars a bag, and you will reap big rewards for spreading a little...uh.....manure.

Good luck and get gardening! It's fun, it's tasty and it's exercise, too! It's a win-win situation!