Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

As I said before, there are many outdoor tasks to do in January, besides shoveling snow.

Yes, I realize that there are places that never get any snow.  In fact, some people in these areas probably had their Christmas dinners at their picnic tables instead of their dining tables.  Right now, they’re doing gardening as usual, then relaxing in their Adirondack chairs, porch gliders, hammocks, or patio chairs, and having a cold one.

Then, there are regions where the temperature rarely goes below freezing, and snow comes infrequently, in negligible amounts.  Residents of these places can do a good bit of gardening now, and will have many days where it’s warm enough to sit on their porches or patios and enjoy their outdoor furniture.

However, because those of us who are snowed under right now, and dealing with below-zero wind chills, actually have to tussle with nature, I’ll concentrate on our priorities.

First, we must remember that wild animals have a tough time finding food when everything is covered with snow.  If you’re not already feeding the birds, start now (you’ll be glad you did).  Set up some birdfeeders and birdhouses where you can enjoy the show that they put on (as I am doing right now), and where there is shelter close by.  If you still have your Christmas tree, prop it up a few feet from the feeding station and use it for this purpose.

Its branches can also be used to cover any plants, root vegetables, shrubs, or perennials that need extra protection from the cold.  Speaking of branches, now is a good time to prune most shrubs and deciduous shade trees.  If snow has accumulated on your trees, knock it off, in an upward motion, so as not to snap any branches; and prune any that break.

You can also use this time to plan for spring.  Make a map of your garden, and list what you’d like to plant where, keeping your seed and bulb catalogs nearby for inspiration.

Oh, I forgot to mention that other wildlife shouldn’t be left out in the cold (so to speak), either; so get some inexpensive bags of ear corn for squirrels and deer.

I probably should have brought that up earlier, but (wait for it) I always like to end with something corny!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: adirondack chairs, birdfeeders, birdhouses, christmas trees, Hammocks, Outdoor Furniture, patio chairs, picnic tables, porch gliders, reusing christmas trees

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there are very few things that are more rewarding – or more amusing – than feeding wild birds.  It’s particularly fun for me, because, as a writer, I sit at my computer all day long, so I can enjoy the show as I work.  My birdfeeders are out on my patio; and, as far as I’m concerned, they’re as essential as my picnic table, patio umbrella, garden benches, porch swing, Adirondack chairs, and all of my other outdoor furniture.

On the table next to me, I also have bird books and binoculars, in case I glimpse a bird I’ve never seen before, or have seen only once or twice in my life.  That happens a lot when you have a birdfeeder.  Word gets around, I’m telling you – you can hear the birds tweeting each other – and they literally flock to your backyard.  As it turns out, sometimes, those rarely seen birds are rarely seen only because they haven’t had the proper enticement to show themselves.  Without it, even the most common birds can go undetected for great lengths of time.

In my case, finches are good examples of this.  I know there are tons of them around, but I hadn’t seen one in years.  Rather, I had only been seeing purple finches.  Now, I’m not complaining, because I love purple finches; but, for some reason, I hadn’t seen a goldfinch practically since I was a kid.  Well, because I offer a variety of food in my birdfeeders, and because there were purple finches out there eating it, and because I figured that if a purple one would eat it, so would a gold one, I started to think that maybe there actually was a shortage of goldfinches in my area. 

Then, one day, I read that nyjer seed is the favorite food of finches.  So I tried it, and sure enough, later that week, suddenly, there was a goldfinch at my feeder.  Well, that was awhile ago, and, now that I see dozens of them at a time, I can say with certainty that there’s no dearth of goldfinches around here.

This is just one of the many rewards of feeding wild birds.  If you want to experience all of the other delights that come with it, start by going to CedarStore.com and choosing from our selection of hopper, platform, hanging, tube, and post-mounted birdfeeders.  To further ensure that the birds will hang around, select one of our durable birdhouses as well. 

Oh, yeah, and, while you’re there, don’t forget to get a birdbath, too.  After all, no one likes a dirty birdie.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: birdfeeder, birdfeeders, birdhouse, birdhouses