BEST. Birdfeeder. EVER.

Awhile back I saw an advertisement for a new birdfeeder that's designed to help keep itself clean. Amazed and intrigued, I contacted  Wild Birds Unlimited to see if they'd be willing to send me one to test drive and review on the blog. And here we go!

The first thing I noticed is how well-constructed it is, with a thick plastic body tube, metal perches, and sturdy metal lid.

The label explains the antimicrobial properties of the tube's plastic-this is a major development in bird feeders as far as I'm concerned!

But then I discovered the best part: the bottom has quick-release buttons so it can be removed every time you refill! Friends, this is huge, because the bottom of the feeder is a constant problem spot for moisture collection and seed spoilage. Not that regular cleaning of a birdfeeder is heavy job, but life gets busy and tasks like that can get overlooked. And I've seen spring rains gunk up feeders pretty quickly some seasons. Man, I can't wait to try this thing out!

And from the quick response of the local bird population....

....neither can they!

Disclaimer: Wild Birds Unlimited gave me this complimentary birdfeeder in exchange for a review. The opinions expressed here are honest and all my own.

Random Garden Happenings

Aside from veggie planting, there's plenty of other garden action at Millertime! Ants busy on the peony buds... ...harvestmen hanging out as well.

This clematis bloom is pretty, but what's up with the folded petal?

It's a spider hideout! Generally I find them to be beautiful, but the eyes on this Jumping Spider kinda freak me out.

The lupine blooms are always a welcome sight...

...as are the Showy Ladyslippers! This year there are two blooms forming-yay!

I got my first winter catalog the other day! Huh? (Actually I understand the wisdom of preparing to harvest in advance, but I was put off at the mere suggestion of winter this time of year. Heck, summer only started what, like ten minutes ago?! :)

Here's the area I'd burned off this past spring (can't you tell?)

I sure can't believe it looked like this barely a month and a half ago.

The taverns up here have a drink that's popular when the weather gets hot: lemonade mixed with vodka (the "basic" recipe, though this one sounds good too :) Anyway, the drink is called a "summer hummer", but here is my preferred variety...

See the droplet of water at the top of the image? I'd left my hose dripping over the deck railing onto a fern that's planted next to a tree and always dry. I turned around to find Mr. Hummingbird here using it as a shower! Glad to help, dude. Then I saw this "ghostly" weed orchid re-appearing, twice the size it was last year.

I had some guests over Memorial Day weekend, I think they wanted to hang out someplace quiet due to the extra ATV traffic.

My Wine Cap Stropharia bed has been producing very well this year, after a quick harvest only three months post-innoculation last year!

This gigantic amendment project needs to be repeated throughout the flowerbed areas. I began by laying down wet newspaper (I also used large paper kitty litter bags which gave me lots of coverage). Then I topped the wet paper with a 2-3" layer of composted manure....

....then covered that with a layer of wood mulch. Looks kind of "bright" at first, but it will fade in the sun. The plants in this area have really responded well, especially since we started getting rain.

Well, back at it then! :)

Bloom Day, May 2010

Hooray it's Bloom Day! Been a long time since my last Bloom Day post... ....but I'm back baby! :) May is a particularly great bloom month here at Millertime....

....as well as a good month for mysteries. Like this one. I've seen plenty of bulbs pierce leaves, but this daylily did it to itself!

Mrs. Robin is using this platform properly, after an Eastern Phoebe nested on the roof last year.

Yellow violet blooming nicely, despite several recent nighttime freezes...

....epimedium unaffected too...

...and white bleeding heart blooming great in only its' second year in the ground!

Lungwort looks nice too, my mom calls this one "Boys and Girls" in reference to the dual bloom colors....

...white epimedium look very spider-like....

...'Rubrum', not so much.

Hooray for Bloom Day! For more Bloom Day action, check out our founder Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Something Different

While bird watching the other day, I noticed an unusual looking Pine Siskin at my feeder. See the white spot on his head?

It doesn't look like the other siskins in the bird book....

....it has a piebald feature.

Definately makes this bird stand out in a crowd...

....frankly I find it to be very "fashion forward"! :)

Current Events

I'd like to interrupt my 2009 veggie review to celebrate winter, at a time when most folks are sick of it. I'm planning out this year's planters, but for now they rest...

...unlike my furry friends here. I have grey and black squirrels up here, but none of the big red version we had in Indiana. (Click on the link to be schooled like I was when I read that these two are "Eastern Grey Squirrels", and the red ones are "Fox Squirrels". I'd always thought they were color variations of the same creature since they look so similar...huh.)

I'm organizing my seeds to gear up for wintersowing , and even acquiring new ones like this assortment from an awesome garden blogger's seed swap-initiated by Monica.
Look how many packets I had to choose from!

The kitties are pretty much in "hibernation mode".....

....but the wild birds don't have that luxury. I'm fortunate to host so many doves....

...they're just lovely!

Spring may be on the way, and I'll be happy to get back in the garden. But there is a calm and beauty to the clean white winter landscape that I'm actually going to miss. Really! :)

Merry Christmas!

Luckily we got an early start on a white Christmas....

.....because this morning brought rain for a wet Christmas!The snowcover is by no means disappearing, but certainly becoming soggy and more translucent. Therefore a bath is in order....

....for Mr. Blue Jay here. (I always assign "male" status to these birds, for all I know this is a female).

There! Clean and preened for dinner...

....building energy for the re-freeze and new snow due tonight! Here we go again *~<]:-)

Turkey-lurkey Lurking

I was coming home from work one day this past June, and noticed something lurking behind a pine...

...moving slowly through the brush, still hard to see...

...as I get closer, the "guest" moves along to make a retreat...

...coming into the open, my guest is a nice big turkey!
As I try to get a better look, she hurries a tad more......glancing back as she disappears into the woods.

That's why they call them "turkey-lurkey"-they're often lurking! Submitted to Friday Ark.

(My absence from Blogger for so long has been filled with days of vertigo too numerous to mention...I'll provide an update on the veggie planters, etc. ASAP. Thank goodness most plants take care of themselves pretty well! :)