Here we go again.  Another winter storm is coming, and the snow, which has been getting heavier all day, is predicted to accumulate to about four inches.  Now, I truly enjoy the snow, and, being from Buffalo, I consider this to be a mere dusting.

Here, in my adopted hometown of Pittsburgh, however, people are rushing to grocery stores and stocking up on milk, bread, certain paper goods, and other necessities, as if they’re going to be snowed in for a week.  Naturally, they’ll be out and about as usual tomorrow; but, no doubt, they’ll be dreaming of the day when they can take the outdoor furniture from their storage sheds, eat at their picnic tables, nap in their hammocks, and relax on their porch swings.

That’s too bad, because there’s a lot to love about snow, including its ability to help us to burn some of those holiday calories.  I look forward to heavy snows, because I can replace some indoor workouts with snow-shoveling sessions.  These can go on for hours, too, because, the more I do, the less I notice the cold.  As long as you don’t have any health problems, shoveling snow can be a great activity.

If you don’t want to do anything that strenuous, get a broom and sweep the snow off your car, porch, gazebo, mailbox, doghouse, birdfeeder, birdhouse, and anything else that’s covered.

Of course, you don’t have to be doing chores to get some exercise in the snow.  No-o!  In fact, just walking through it gives you a workout that’s much better than you get when you’re on a smooth surface, because snow can provide the same kind of resistance that you feel when walking in sand or water.

Playing in it is beneficial as well.  You can work off a lot of calories by building a snowperson or a fort, having a snowball battle, or making angels in the snow.

So, if you’re lucky enough to live in a place that gets a considerable amount of snow, use it to your advantage.  Go out and have some fun in it.  You may as well.  After all, ‘snow’ use in complaining!  (Yeah, I know!)

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, feeding the birds can be a real hoot!  It’s also humane and charitable, and it shows that you’re a real swell egg.  On top of everything, however, it’s a commitment.  Once you start, it’s important to stick with it, as your birdfeeder should be a reliable and steady source of food for the birds. 

Of course, birds can survive in the wild on their own, and have been doing so for millions of years.  Even so, there are times when they really need our help, not only in the winter, when things are frozen over, but in the summer as well, particularly during periods of drought.  So, if you start feeding them, then suddenly withdraw your largesse, you’re going to cause a real flap and ruffle some feathers!  

Although each species has its own food preferences, finches, sparrows, downy woodpeckers, tufted titmice, slate-colored juncos, black-capped chickadees, and cardinals, thrive mostly on seeds during the winter, when fruit, insects, and many other natural food sources are scarce.  Even in the warmer months, when other food is available, they, along with many of their fair-weather friends, will be regular visitors at your birdfeeders. 

It’s best to have multiple feeding stations offering different foods.  Sunflower seeds are by far the favorite among the largest assortment of birds; but always use black oil sunflower seeds, which, besides being easier for smaller birds to crack open, have a high fat and oil content that gives them the energy that they need to survive under inclement conditions.  To set the widest variety of birds a-twitter, you should also provide hulled peanuts, thistle seeds, suet mixed with seeds or fruit, peanut butter, and white millet seed. 

It also helps to use many styles of birdfeeders, such as hopper, platform, tube, and fly-through designs.  You can find all of these birdfeeders, as well as an assortment of birdhouses, at CedarStore.com.  Best of all, some of them ship in as few as two business days, so, before you know it, you’ll be all set up and enjoying hilarious daily performances of those rollicksome, frolicsome birds, as you relax on your porch swing, glider, rocking chair, or hammock.   

Oh, yeah – don’t worry if you see only one or two birds the first day you put up your feeders, because the birds will immediately begin tweeting each other, and the word will spread quickly.  You know, I just realized that it kinda makes sense that the newest, fastest way of relaying information uses bird references.  Apparently, they’re the original masters at mass communications; that’s why, when asked how they came upon a bit of insider information, people often say, “a little bird told me.” 

So, rest assured, in no time at all, the entire bird community will be flocking to your backyard diner.  In fact, it will soon become the trendiest place in town, where every-birdie who’s any-birdie will want to be seen!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

It’s spring!  It’s spring! The bird is on the wing!

My word!  Absurd! The wing is on the bird!

I can’t take credit – or blame – for that one.  It’s just something that I heard a long time ago that has a habit of coming back to mind every once in awhile.  Like in the springtime – go figure.  But I think about birds every day, as I am not only an avid bird-watcher, but a bird feeder as well.  Or, I should say that I feed birds – my birdfeeders are out on my patio, along with my patio chairs, picnic table, porch glider, and some other outdoor furniture.

If you’re not a feeder of birds, I highly recommend it!  It is absolutely one of the most rewarding things you can do, for yourself and the birds.  I’m telling you, those little “tweethearts” (okay, I will take responsibility for that one, for better or worse) are a never-ending source of amusement. Even now, I’m watching the hilarious antics of a couple of mourning doves.  They come here every day, and, without fail, as soon as they land, the bigger one puffs himself up (it HAS to be the male!), throws out his chest, squares his shoulders (if, indeed, birds have shoulders), until he actually looks like Foghorn Leghorn, and starts chasing the smaller one around, mercilessly and relentlessly.

The thing that makes it so funny is that they run around on foot for long periods of time instead of flying.  I figure she’s saving her strength, because he follows her everywhere, so it doesn’t do her any good to fly away.  At times, he even appears to be trying to prevent her from eating, but eventually they calm down (after he tires himself out) and then they spend quite awhile out there eating.  I guess it’s just a dove thing. 

The great thing is that every bird has its own brand of comedy.  I oughta know.  As a writer, I sit here at my computer all day, in front of a picture window that looks out on the wooded hills, and sometimes I just suddenly realize that I’m sitting here with a huge grin on my face.  Of course, in many cases, it’s because I’ve just written something that’s side-splittingly funny, but a lot of the time, it’s because the birds are so comical.  And I never know, from day to day, what kind of bird will come a-swoopin’ to visit my feeders. 

Indeed, feeding the birds is the surest way to spot species that you’ve never seen in person (or bird-son, I guess).  To get started in “birding,” just visit CedarStore.com, choose from the great selection of hopper, platform, hanging, tube, and post-mounted birdfeeders, and soon you’ll be watching Rufous-Sided Towhees, Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Brown-Headed Cowbirds, Phoebes, Flycatchers, and Finches (and so many more birds) larking about in your own backyard.

Uh, oh.  My cuckoo clock just reminded me that I’m going to be late in getting this blog posted.  Now, that’s one bird that’s NOT funny!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy