Auld Lang Syne (with lyrics)

Old Poem
Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,

and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
On Old long syne.

CHORUS:

On Old long syne my Jo,
On Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
On Old long syne.

The Garden Year – a poem by Sara Coleridge

January brings the snow,
Makes our feet and fingers glow.

February brings the rain,
Thaws the frozen lake again.

March brings breezes, loud and shrill,
To stir the dancing daffodil.

April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daisies at our feet.

May brings flocks of pretty lambs
Skipping by their fleecy dams.

June brings tulips, lilies, roses,
Fills the children’s hands with posies.

Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots, and gillyflowers.

August brings the sheaves of corn,
Then the harvest home is borne.

Warm September brings the fruit;
Sportsmen then begin to shoot.

Fresh October brings the pheasant;
Then to gather nuts is pleasant.

Dull November brings the blast;
Then the leaves are whirling fast.

Chill December brings the sleet,
Blazing fire, and Christmas treat.

Reprint from:  http://chiotsrun.com/

Feeding the Backyard Birds in Winter

The plants are still dormant for winter, so we have been watching the birds in the yard and reading about plants that attract birds and can support the birds during the winter months. 

 

Creating a bird-friendly yard is simply a matter of providing the basics of food, shelter and water.    There are several plants that can help provide the comforts of food to our feathered friends.  A yard and garden filled with a mixture of flowers, seeds, berries, and nuts will attract a variety of birds.  Try feeding naturally and avoid the general purpose seed mixtures typically found in grocery stores that can attract the nuisance birds such as blackbirds and starlings.

-Goldfinches and chickadees – daisies, sunflowers and black-eyed susans are good choices.

-Finches, sparrows and nuthatches – marigolds, phlox, salvia.  Sparrows are non-native birds and can be harmful to the bluebirds and other native birds, so if you are a blue bird lover, you will want to deter the sparrows.  




Audubon, NC - Will Stewart

-Audubon North Carolina has designated the brown-headed nuthatch a Species of Concern in the Piedmont and has implemented a nest box program to help them. Visit NC Audubon for more information.

 

-Bluebirds In the wild, bluebirds feed on small insects and fruit, so they are not often seen in traditional feeders that offer seed.  Adding fruit and berries to your landscape will help to attract these birds. 

Bluebird in Winter

-Hummingbirds – nectar from bee balm, geraniums and hibiscus.  We have a large hibiscus outside the breakfast table window and the hummingbirds are constantly feeding and fighting on the blooms in late summer. 

Taking care of Backyard Birds in the Winter

We had a nice holiday in the mountains of NC this past week.  There was a dusting of snow and the weather stayed cool in the 20's and 40's.   We were watching some birds using our bluebird house and I  decided to read a bit about how to attract and support  backyard birds during the winter months and here is what I found.  


Birds require food, water and shelter just as we do.  The best way to attract them in the winter months is to provide water through a birdbath, provide some favorite foods with a feeder and place a birdhouse out to take care of the cavity nesters.   

Food

A couple of our neighbors use meal-worms to feed the backyard birds and routinely have birds flying in for close viewing.  Common foods include: 

Homemade treats can be as simple as placing peanut butter on bark and adding some nuts or dried fruit.

-Fruit

-Meal-worms

-Sunflower

-Mixed seed

Water

Wild birds need access to clean water all year round, but when winter temperatures dip into the freezing range, this may be harder to find. Water can be provided with a simple fiber stone bird bath, metal or a beautiful glass bird bath.  The water should be kept shallow for the birds to be able to use.  Placing sticks over the feeder in the winter, will allow the birds to drink without getting feathers wet.   Wet feathers can freeze and cause additional problems for the bird.

Shelter

-Dense shrubs provide temporary shelter from the wind and rain for birds to stay warm and dry.

-Porches and overhangs can give birds shelter from storms, especially if there are no trees in your yard. 

-Hanging a basket on your porch can provide warm shelter for Carolina Wrens and other small birds.

-Some of the songbirds that nest in tree cavities or birdhouses in spring—will also use roost boxes to stay warm. Among them: bluebirds, chickadees, titmice, screech owls and some woodpeckers.  Leaving your spring birdhouse up can serve as a winter shelter.

Twas the Night Christmas - Marianne Binetti version

T'was the week before Christmas, and all through the yard, not a gift was given, not even a card.      The tools were all  hung, in the carport with care, with hopes that St. Nicholas soon would repair,     The shovel with blade all rusty and cracked, the pitchfork still shiny, but  handle it lacked.      When out on my lawn, (it's brown and abused) I could see poor old Santa, looking confused.     No list had been left for Santa to see, no gardening gifts were under the tree.      But wait there's still time, it's not Christmas yet, and gardening gifts are the quickest to get.      You can forget the  silk tie, the fluffy new sweater, give something to make the garden grow better.      If she wants a gift shiny, then don't be a fool, it's not a dumb diamond, but a sparkling new tool.     If fragrance is listed you can forget French perfume, it's a pile of manure that'll make gardeners swoon.      Give night crawlers, not nightgowns, the type of hose that gives water. (Anything for the kitchen is not worth the bother.)   Give a great gift  that digs in the dirt, it's better than any designer-brand shirt.     Now look quick at  Santa, this guy's not so dumb, Under his glove, he hides a green thumb.     His knees are so dirty, his back how it aches, his boots stomp on slugs, (he gives them no breaks).      The guy only works  winter, you can surely see why, The rest of the year it's a gardening high.      Elves plant in the  spring, pull weeds merrily all summer, in fall they all harvest, but winter's a bummer.     And so Christmas gives Santa a part-time employment, 'Till spring when  the blooms are his real life enjoyment.      So ask the big guy  for garden gifts this year, Seeds, plants and tools, Santa holds them all dear.      You see malls may  be crowded, vendors hawking their ware, but visit a nursery, stress-free shopping is there.      Now Santa's flown  off, to the nursery he goes, and his voice fills the night with loud Hoe! Hoe! Hoe! Hoes!   Binettigarden.com

What does drooping Rhododentron Leaves Mean?

I love rhododendron.  Living in North Carolina , I grew up with abundant rhododendron. Below Mount Pisgah near Brevard, North Carolina is a lush area called The Pink Beds, a profusion of pink wildflowers, including mountain laurel and rhododendron.  If you ever get the chance to see this in the spring, I would highly recommend.

Traveling with my job today from Charlotte, NC to Boston, MA, I read an article about rhododendron "Why do rhododendron leaves curl up in the cold"?  I arrived at my hotel in Boston and found rhododendron covering the front of the hotel curled up in the cold.  

I read in the article that the leaf curling is a protective mechanism to be more efficient in photosynthesis and to protect from freeze.  Rest assured that the plant is simply protecting itself. 

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" 
-   Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Welcome to the Garden Spot: Christmas Cheer

Welcome to the Garden Spot: Christmas Cheer: We are still in the grips of Winter Cold, sitting at a sunny -4 F. After having spent most of the week indoors last week, we ventured out y...

Garden Tool of the Week - The Garden Tote Bag

A Great Holiday Gift for the Gardner on Your List

The best garden tote bags will allow you to carry all your tools and even your cell phone when you're going out to garden all morning.   I keep my garden hand tools tucked in the pockets of my tote bag. It keeps them handy and helps me to avoid losing them.

Tips:
Select a bag that has plenty of room for all your tools, bottled water, note pads, gloves and everything else.

The best canvas tote bags also have long sturdy handles so you never have to worry about it breaking

Plant Recommendations for a Great Winter Landscape

One of the challenges of creating a great garden is to get great color and foliage throughout the year. Most plants peak during a certain season and then fade into the background of the garden. Few plants can offer more than one or two seasons of interest.

Here are a few of my favorites that can add beauty to your winter landscape: 

Camellia




Camellia



 

The Camellia is a popular winter plant in the Carolina’s.  I have two that bloom from late winter to early spring.   These plants, originating in Asia, need an acidic soil with a moist but never soggy soil.   I have two bushes that get the morning sun and are healthy, happy plants.  I have tried them within a woodsy area on the west side of my house, but have had no luck.  The biggest problem there is voles, but also, there is not enough sun.

Coral Maple

Coral Maple

 

This Japanese maple is a small tree that is prized for its bark that turns coral pink in cold weather.  But the interest isn’t limited to just the winter.  This tree will add color and interest to your garden all year long. In the winter, the bark color intensifies with the cold weather and almost becomes fluorescent.  The color really pops when there’s snow on the ground.

My neighbor has a coral maple as centerpiece to his front yard and it adds a beautiful display all year long.  

Birch Tree

Birch

 

Birch trees can grow to 80 feet tall or more and have wonderful fall foliage that turns bright shades of yellow.  But perhaps the most notable feature of birch trees is the bark that begins to peel off the tree as the cold weather sets in.

 

 

Winter Quote

"Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour. "
-  John Boswell