Tips and Tricks Tuesday #14 - Remembering Our Feathered Friends

Fall is in the air...

at least in some parts of the country.

Believe it or not, it's still in the upper 80s during the day

here, in my neck of the woods.

 The upper 80s...and it's the middle of October!

It's hard for me to even think of fall decorating right now...

because of this intense heat.

But a certain crafty lady is right on top of things.

Lindy @ Cottage Hill made these huge acorns from a recent thrift store find,

and you won't believe what she used for the base of her creations!

Seeing Lindy's giant acorns made me think of all

the squirrel activity going on around the farm these days.

They've been quite busy scampering about, collecting scores of acorns

and storing them for winter.

But the birds around here rely on my help for winter sustenance...

well, except for those who "wisely" build their homes near a natural food source—like the

dogwood in my front yard, filled with bright red berries.

Others know a good thing...

and want to be first in line for the freebies.

The bird that built this nest—in the feeder beneath the pines in my side yard—

determined it was the perfect size for a cozy bedroom...

 AND a dining area.

And though I choose to feed the birds around my cottage year-round,

I know that come spring, the abundant insect population will more than offset

the need for an increase in food for the numerous

new additions to the flocks.

It was such fun to watch Momma Robin dutifully feed her babies

 this year—after she had had her fill from the feeders.

In fact, I have feeders set up thoughout my yard

for the birds to freely come and feast.

They get their little bellies filled, and I, in return, am

rewarded by their beauty and with their melodious songs.

Even wild birds—like this momma turkey and her little ones—make their way

to a free food source on a regular basis, once they find it.

So if you're wondering about a good time to start feeding

the birds near you, late summer or early fall is a great time to start.

It presents plenty of time for them to find the food and

establish a habit of feeding at your feeders before

 the onset of winter—when they will most need your help.

Be sure to offer fresh, clean water, as well.

It's much harder for wildlife to find...

 during fall and winter.

Then, no matter the weather, you'll have

 a bevy of beautiful feathered friends

 to enjoy...even in the coldest weather.

Heralds of Spring

Each year, I anxiously anticipate the arrival of spring.

As the first slender green blades of my daffodils stretch gleefully through the thick blanket of the remnants of winter, my anticipation mounts.

Though the little guardian of my cottage garden fondly dreams of warmer days, he seems totally unaware of the process of the rebirth that has begun just below him.

With every passing day, I observe more of the lovely spires emerging all around the cottage, breaking forth from the once dormant earth, reaching adoringly toward the warmth of the sun.

Then, quite unexpectedly, the first spear-shaped buds appear.

Almost without warning, a solitary bloom explodes into vibrant color.

Soon, that solitary messenger is followed by an entire host of newcomers…

who dance merrily along the edge of the pump house…

and wave a cheerful greeting all along our oak allée.

In unison, they bow and curtsey to visitors who wander on to the old wooden path leading to the front porch…

all the while, heralding the wonderful news that spring is at the door. 

Indeed, a most welcomed guest!

Let's spread a little of this sunshine around Susan's @

Light Play

I am in no way a seasoned photographer.  Oh, I would love to learn how to capture with a camera

what my eyes see and my creative mind perceives…

such as, the woodland stick people frolicking through the snow–beneath the towering oaks

of our forest.  What?!  You don't see them you say?!  Here...take a closer look.

Alas…studying photography is yet one more want-to that has been overun by the have-tos of my life.

There are so many fascinating aspects of photography–such as the manipulation of light–that a trained professional can employ, to produce an end product that truly delights the eye.

Case in point...the very first image, at the beginning of the post, and these last two were taken at different times of day, from the same general spot on my front porch, looking out into my front yard.

Isn't it amazing how the varying degrees

of natural light affected the shots.

The first image was taken just before sunrise,

the fourth, as the sun began its morning ascent, and the last,

when the sun was directly overhead.

The part that is so amazing to me–all I did was point and shoot.
 

What more could have been achieved...if only I possessed the know-how of a real photographer?

Who knows…

perhaps this might just be the year that photography classes go to the top of my will-do list!