Rose Cottage Ltd

I’ll let these speak for themselves, but if having a smaller yard has stopped you from having a pool you’ve always wanted, maybe you just need a few new creative ideas!

The Azaleas have already bloomed outside and most of them even seemed to make it through the recent rain.

Inside, my Gardenia is FULL of potential with about 30 buds that will soon add a really nice fragrance to my dining area.

The good news is that the pollen seems to be through the worst of its “season.” The not-so-good news is that with the warmer temperatures and enough rain, I swear I can HEAR the grass growing. Lawnmowers can be heard on almost a daily basis around town this time of year. But, lawns look fantastic and the heat and humidity has still not arrived. You don’t have to ask me twice to do almost anything outside this time of year!

You can’t have one without the other!

North Carolina is fairly covered with pollen at the moment. I noticed the first few bits of new foliage on the trees and within 12 hours – the yellow dust was EVERYWHERE!

But, one can’t argue that this is not a pretty time of year – temperatures are near perfect, lawns are going green, and bulbs and shrubs are providing their spring “fashion” show.

So take some OTC sinus medication, stay inside on the worst days, and just enjoy the rest for what it is!

So here’s a “cool” visual to end this 10th day of July 2013:

July humidity has kicked in here in North Carolina and to me it is just nasty. The only thing on this property that is enjoying it is the darned banana plant which is actually doing VERY well under these conditions. Be careful out there and don’t forget to hydrate…

You can find other fountains and the all-important for this time of year bird baths plus hundreds of garden statues at:

Birds are in fast-food mode this time of year – trying to get ready to survive winter months means eating as much as they can – while they can get it. My bird feeders are actually less busy at the moment while there are alternatives such as bugs and worms still available – but that won’t last much longer.

Here are some ideas for backyard feeders and other feed solutions that will help your smallest feathered friends survive the coming winter. The last few days of cool temperatures in some areas may mean Hummingbirds have headed south for the winter so think about bringing those feeders in soon.

Sunflower Seed Wreath

Contains Sunflower Hearts and Black Oil Sunflower Seed.

3 pounds.

Cardinal Delight Wreath

Hearty bird-edible wreaths -each made with the freshest seeds and Duncraft’s exclusive blends.

Each is trimmed with a red raffia bow and hangs from a jute hanger.

7 x 2 inches thick.

Eco-Strong Seed Block Feeder

Protect whole peanuts, suet, and seed blocks from weather! Fill with bird seed blocks or suet blocks.

Small birds can cling anywhere on the mesh sides. The overhanging roof discourages starlings and house sparrows that find clinging to the mesh a difficult position to manage.

Constructed of recycled plastic with a wood-grain finish.

10″ wire cable hanger. Feeder measures 5-1/2 x 9-1/4 x 10-1/2″ tall.

Duncraft Wild Bird Superstore has hundreds of products – all for the birds!

++ Win $250 Duncraft Shopping Spree – Enter at duncraft.com.
++ Shop the new fall catalog arrivals at duncraft.com.
++ Give a Duncraft eGift Certificate. Arrives Quickly! Always Perfect!

I guess a week’s worth of well above normal temperatures have a few construction projects starting a bit early this year.

This particular goose chose this same spot last year for her nest. She was successful so, being a mother looking for a place to nest for 2012 – here she is again. I noticed her walking around the area last weekend so threw a few handfuls of straw and dead leaves in the spot. As you can see, she’s quickly put them to good use.

Her goslings were born May 19th, 2011 so as I mentioned, I think she’s about 2 weeks early this year. I’ll follow her progress and hope she has a successful “season.” Since this location is about 10 feet from the back of the house, I guess she’s decided close proximity to humans is safer for her than a more isolated location where fox, raccoon, and other wild animals may invade her nest.

There are currently about 4 pair of geese having territorial issues around the lake for nesting zones. It will be interesting to see who wins the war for the other prime spots, which locations they choose, and how successful they are at keeping the nest safe…

UPDATE: Just found last year’s calendar and nesting 1st day in 2011 was April 11 – well ahead of schedule this year as I thought.

I wrote a post about the benefits of mulch early last year.

Here’s a not-great image of the mulch I used in 2010. It did an excellent job of laying a good base and in discouraging annoying and stubborn weeds. But I needed something more to tackle these areas near and around the house itself.

This year, I’m using a slightly different mulch and going back after those “tameable” areas of my 7 acres and I will be providing some better “before” and “after” photos.

I think you might be surprised at the improvement.

Today, the 12 yards of Pine Mini Nuggets mulch was delivered and placed exactly where I plan my base of operations! To get some idea of the actual size of this pile – my Mini Cooper is parked right behind it!

The mulch I chose this year was less fine than what I used prior. In fact, some of that mulch is still where I’m headed again this year. But the nugget mulch will have a better chance of staying where I put it – even in areas that tend to runoff towards the lake.

Here’s an up-close picture of the new mulch.

I am very lucky to have a company nearby that has mulch I can visit before I buy. Quite often this is the best thing to do before deciding what type of mulch is best for your landscaping efforts.

As I also mentioned in the prior post, having a large quantity of mulch delivered is the only practical and affordable way for me to plan and complete my landscaping project. I can’t carry more than a few bags of mulch from Lowe’s in a Mini Cooper and by the time I’ve loaded and unloaded them just to and from the car – I’m exhausted.

Tomorrow I will just head out and be able to start working.

From a cost standpoint, I estimate I will be saving somewhere around $700 by purchasing this mulch in bulk. $700 savings means maybe I can afford to add a new fountain or birdbath to the equation. Or I can just leave it as “savings” – not a word you hear too often in the world of landscaping.

Happy Weekend!

Are you still using a heavy, unwieldy saw to trim branches and limbs? Replace that relic with the ultimate quick-cutting, portable, compact hand saw available.

The 21-inch Unbelievable Saw works faster and more easily than any standard chain saw, cutting through a 3-inch diameter limb in 20 seconds! You’ll cut down your yard work time significantly with this handy, sharp cutting tool.

The Unbelievable Saw stays sharp almost indefinitely, and its ultra-sharp teeth are coated for rust resistance. Use it to trim branches and limbs or cut fallen limbs for trash removal. Uses are almost unlimited!

I have so many birds around my property – all making their own sounds – and many that hide way up in the trees, seldom seen. I got one of these Bird Songs Audio Books last year and have now ID’d about 10 new birds I can now call “neighbors.” This was a great buy for me, one of the world’s oldest “kids” – and it would prove to be fun for a lot of younger listeners as well.

The Complete Bird Songs Audio Book plays the songs and calls of every breeding bird in North America, (747 in all) recorded in the field by the renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The most comprehensive book of avian species ever published for North America, it helps dedicated birders or curious novices differentiate between songs and calls to identify each species’ unique audible characteristics, such as the zee-zee-zee-zreeeeee of the Black-Throated Blue Warbler or the distinctively loud THREE BEEERS! of the Olive-Side Flycatcher. Much more than a typical field guide, it provides each bird’s distribution, habitat, and behavior.

Good until January 19th!