When we were camping about 60 miles East of here three years ago, we had a very determined Robin that was madly in love with his reflection in the side mirror on the truck! He certainly wasn't trying to kill himself! I've been very suspicious of every Robin since then.

We need to put something in one of our windows, since we occasionally have birds fly into that window. Almost all of the birds have survived, but I hate it that they are doing it to begin with. Just not sure what the perfect thing to use is. Dad's wife bought a bunch of decals that are supposed to keep birds from flying into a window, but that is the only window that they still fly into. She just doesn't understand that it isn't working. Do any of you know of a perfect solution that won't block my view?

It has warmed up to 16, with a wind chill of 6!

Who wants to go in with me on patenting lifesize plastic Hawks? These would come with bolts to attach anywhere on any vehicle and could be a hood or roof ornament to scare the smaller birds away....Wow!!! I could do the designs and save us money and I'm great at Turkey Buzzards! "

......"ONLY 19.95 and if you order NOW receive a free silk Daylily to add to your antenna for just 10.00 extra shipping and handling. Perfect for saving the birds!;........and add natural beauty to your car!!!! Order NOW!!!

(Just kidding!.....................................except for the Turkey buzzard part of course....)

That's good, David.

Took a framed poster down while the Christmas 'tree' is up, have it leaning against the wall in the living room. One of my dogs (Mickey) can see her reflection in it and often just stands in front staring. Doesn't bark or paw at it or do anything, just stares for a few minutes, then goes on about her business.

Sharon love the cardinal photo! They are one of my favorite backyard birds also like hearing them sing when working in the garden.

David if I had a Turkey Buzzard on our vehicle I would not want to get near it they are totally ugly.

Finally it is in the low thirtys with snow on the ground so it still is plenty cold.

Too cold for me here also. 32 but with the wind chill it feels like 22. I did take my exercise walk but I am really happy to be back inside.

@DavidofDeLand
David, according to some incredibly accurate, terribly old folklore, turkey buzzards were a sign for planting. I wrote an article around here somewhere about planting signs and such and I remember this phrase that I used in it, you just reminded me:

"Don't plant till you see the V of the turkey buzzard's wings; when he comes gliding from side to side up the holler, you'll know it's time for spring - or so my great aunt told me. Some people called that turkey buzzard Old John Crow, but I knew that couldn't be right because crows have black heads and the old turkey buzzard had a red head. I always looked for the red head swaying in the breeze as he made his way up the holler."

Ugliest things ever. If you ever see one coming toward you, run, just run.

Natalie said:Linda, Could you maybe get a picture with some Christmas lights reflecting onto the snow, and possibly a deer in the picture too?

It is now up to 10 degrees, with a wind chill of 1 degree. Not going outside today!

Yes, I guess I just have to create my own Christmas scene here.. Are you listening, Margaret ???

"Just swaying in the breeze with that red head heading up the holler" you say? Love the image!

I'll have to do an aluminum can flower based on that image Sharon. We'll title it;............Awe, you tell me!

***************************
I love your stories Sharon. I've read a few. Your upbringing and favorite Aunt aren't so different from mine. Grandma and her sisters had a natural cure for everything they believed, and most had to do with plants. Turkey Buzzards are beautiful to other Turkey Buzzards I bet.

What else can we call it, David, except the 'Red Headed Turkey Buzzard'? Surely not a good name for a daylily. Maybe one of the voodoo lilies. Whatever it is, you know I have to have one too. And thank you, kindred spirits in lots of ways.

Up to 39*, oh yeah. Heat wave!!

@Sharon Thanks for the mirror idea but I would need a lot of mirrors! This crazy bird goes all around the house and we have lots of windows. We even tried putting pictures of owls in the windows, which worked for a couple of days. I suppose he's not such a bird brain after all. I thought by now he must have knocked himself silly but he's out the first light in the morning and keeps it up until dark. In our sailing days, some of the sailors bought inflatable owls to scare away the sea gulls. Thinking I will have to find some of those owls. I looked up cardinals and the article said they can live for 15 years -- I suppose I might have a long time to find a solution to our problem.

I'm beginning to be concerned about the performance of the dormants this upcoming season. We've been enduring a dry stretch for a few years, but this fall was wetter than most, and in December alone we had a little over 14 inches of rainfall. The wet weather system kept even the fringes of the arctic stream away, and the pure rainwater really stimulated the growth of plants which have been getting nothing but pH 8.5 water for several years. As a result, there are scapes all over the place—not that they'll amount to anything. Typically our first frost coincides with Thanksgiving, but last night was our first light frost of the season. Hopefully the weather will cool enough to keep the dormants down for a couple of months.

There are a few cranky blooms scattered here and there, but a clump of Gossard's Dark Monkey threw 3 nice scapes fairly early this fall, and the flowers are able to open fairly well in spite of nights in the mid-to-high 30's.



These New Year's Day blooms, even though they're lacking in pigmentation, have an interesting diamond-dusted copper sparkle.

Ken
East S.F. Bay Area
USDA Zone 9 (most years)

Ken, how fortunate to have blooms this time of year! Can understand the concern about Spring growth. We have odd swings, here, too, and the Daylilies haven't seemed to be affected. Pretty tough plants, all in all.

Foggy, overcast, going to be drippy and chilly today. But no freezes, so I be content.

with Debra. Beautiful Fall blooms indeed!

Ken, you can't imagine how great it is to see blooms on this dark cold gloomy gray day in KY.

Actually it isn't quite as cold as it has been, but even so, nothing to write home about. The daylilies are all sleeping and I'm thinking seriously about hibernating till Spring.

You have blooms!!! WOW!

Ken, I'm drooling! I grew up in the East Bay, so I know how odd the weather can be there. Hopefully you'll get a decent winter, for what it is worth there, and I'm sure your daylilies will be fine. They really are tough.

It is much warmer here this morning, at 22 degrees! The wind chill is 13, so I'm locking myself inside again, but this feels like a heat wave after the last few days!

Tucson had the lowest daytime temperature for Jan 1st ever. It only go up to 41 ! It is only 34 now. It feels really cold with the thin clouds floating around as well. Most of my garden has been fried.

Renewal, Linda. Opportunity to try new plants for which you thought you didn't have room. And let you friends here know what we can help you replace.