Improve the Appearance Around Your Bird Feeders While Attracting More Birds!

Here is a list of plants that are bird-friendly to plant under or around your bird feeders!  These plants will attract more birds while at the same time decorate your bird feeding area.  Bird feeders aren't (typically) the most decorative pieces of garden decor you can put in your lawn, unless you buy decorative bird feeders, so why not try one or more of these flowering plant ideas around your bird feeders!

Fall Bazaar/Craft Show & Bake Sale: Elks Lodge at the Hillcrest Shopping Center

All you southwestern Minnesotans, come join us this weekend, November 13th, from 10:00am-3:00pm for the Fall Bazaar/Craft Show & Bake Sale at the Elks Lodge (Hillcrest shopping center) in Rochester.  This event is sponsored by the Rochester Doe's and has the best selection of baked goodies you will find in the area as well as a variety of crafts and holiday gifts for the upcoming giving seasons!  Come visit our Wind Spinner stand and see for yourself how beautiful our Solar Light Wind Spinners are along with some of our Dog Wind Spinners and  Seasonal Wind Spinners.  While supplies last: Our wind spinner display is not expected to last long so get there early so you don't miss any of our spinners!

Turn Simple Garden Decor Into Indoor Holiday Decorations

3", 4" & 8" Wind Spinners

There are lots of ways to decorate your indoors for the holidays.  Have you considered bringing in some garden decor?  These small wind spinners are perfect indoor garden decor for the holidays.  These wind spinners come in sizes as small as 3", 4" and 8 inches.  Not only are they the perfect garden decor for indoors, but they make even better small gifts for your co-workers holiday party, you Godmother/Godfather, Grandma/Grandpa, etc.  They can be used as Christmas tree ornaments or hung in the kitchen window above your sink.  Wherever you decide to put them these cutsie wind spinners will bring in the outdoors all winter long!

Get This Thanksgiving Wind Spinner In Time for the Holidays

12" Horn-O-Plenty

Only $28.00

Celebrate Thanksgiving this year with this beautiful Thanksgiving Wind Spinner decor.  I shall be the perfect gift for Thanksgiving as well as we all have the opportunity, not only on Thanksgiving day, but every day to be so thankful and greatful for all that we have.  This wind spinner will remind people day in and day out of what we should be thankful for today!

Just In: Audubon by Woodlink Wren Bird House Kit

Audubon by Woodlink Wren Bird House Kit $19.95

This easy to assemble wren bird house is a great project for kids and adults. Includes all hardware and a metal hanging cable.  Buy one today and make a project out of it with your kids!

Seasons Are Changing

I caught this picture outside this morning and it got me thinking how fast Autumn has come and almost gone!  Sadly enough I haven't seen many birds around anymore even though we have kept our bird feeders out and filled still.  But this nest will be waiting for them when they return and our bird feeders will be stocked with their favorite foods once again come spring.  We'll see if some stick it out for the winter!

How do You Manage the Mosquitos in your Bird Bath?

Bird baths can bring a lot of entertainment to any lawn and garden.  But some people have problems with mosquitos hovering around or near a bird bath.  There are a few things you can do in order to keep your bird baths from turning into a mosquito breeding pool:
1) You can change the water often.  You'll want to change the water at least once or twice a week.  The typical mosquito goes from egg to adult in 7-10 days depending on the temperature/food available. By changing the water weekly you will prevent the cylce from completing. EFFECTIVENESS: 100%
2) Circulation. By having moving water the mosquito will not lay eggs/larvae can’t develop. This sounds good, but I have found mosquito larvae in moving water before (along the edges). EFFECTIVENESS:75-100%
3) Larvicide. A common larvicide (larvae killer) is available at most hardware stores. Look for the active ingredient of Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis isrealiensis) as it causes the larvae to die. It is VERY species specific and will not injure birds or any other creatures deciding to cavort in your birdbath. EFFECTIVENESS: 99.99999% (Almost perfect!!)

So don't let these pesty little insects turn you away from enjoying one of the most entertaining lawn and garden pieces you can have ever have in your garden...a beautiful bird bath!

Verdigris Leaf Birdbath

$39.95

Top 3 Reasons Why Wind Spinners Make The Perfect Birthday Gift

Wind Spinners make the perfect birthday gifts for anybody and here are 3 good reasons why:
1) Wind spinners are unique - not everybody receives a wind spinner for a birthday present!
2) There are a lot of different sizes, shapes, colors, themes and types of wind spinners to choose from - solar light, winged sensations, gazing ball, ovallusions, themed, 3-8", 12" and dog breeds.
3) For you (the buyer) you have a great birthday gift idea for years to come to help build a beautiful collection of wind spinners for that person you buy for year after year.

Quote of the Day

"Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature. And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are part of nature and therefore part of the mystery that we are trying to solve." --Max Planck

Birthday Gifts – Wind Spinners, Lawn Ornaments & Bird Feeders

It can be difficult trying to come up with new birthday gift ideas year after year.  You can always go the collection route “what do they collect?” or the new trend for that year, like those never-ending charm bracelets.  But those only go so far.  Why not try wind spinners, lawn ornaments or bird feeders!  These everlasting gifts can go a long way in anybody’s backyard.

Wind Spinners are a great birthday gift for anybody.  There are solar light wind spinners, gazing ball wind spinners, themed wind spinners, small, medium and large wind spinners, different shaped wind spinners, dog wind spinners, you name it and you’ll find it.  If the person you are shopping for loves hummingbirds, cardinals, butterflies or anything with wings really, you have an abundant selection of beautiful wind spinners to choose from.  Solar light wind spinners light up any dark patio, deck or backyard setting.  Not only do they light up but they spin in the slightest breeze to provide an even more enjoyable experience.  Solar light wind spinners are especially a great gift for a friend or family member in a nursing home as it provides something beautiful and entertaining to watch out their window.  You can even get wind spinners as small as 3-4” in diameter to hang in the window, rear-view mirror or as a Christmas tree ornament.

When you think of lawn ornaments you probably think of pink flamingo garden stakes or hideous views of a lady bent over in her garden.  Although these are popular garden ornaments, there are still so much more out there to choose from.  Lawn ornaments can be anything from wind spinners, wind chimes, garden statues, garden stepping stones, garden stakes, garden gnomes, lanterns, solar light décor, flower pots and planters, and more.  Whatever your fancy, what makes great lawn ornaments is something you love and tying it together with other lawn ornaments in your backyard setting.  You could help start or add to somebody’s backyard a beautiful collection of lawn ornaments as a birthday gift year after year.  The possibilities here are endless.

If you are shopping for a bird lover or someone who is not into all the cutsie, gaudy lawn ornament décor, bird feeders, bird houses and bird baths may be the perfect solution.  Bird feeders provide so much more than just food for birds.  They invite wildlife into your backyard and if maintained consistently and properly they will keep them coming back year after year.    Complimenting the bird feeders with bird houses and bird baths only will increase wildlife traffic.  What a rewarding feeling!  This has got to be one of the most thoughtful birthday gifts because it not only benefits the birds and the person you are buying for but also benefits the circle of life.  If you are stuck on deciding what bird feeder to buy, hummingbird feeders are an easy and rewarding one to start with.  Tube bird feeders, platform bird feeders and suet bird feeders are other popular ones to buy.  To compliment these feeders buy a package of bird seed or nectar to get them started.  For hummingbird feeders provide an easy home-made nectar recipe (1 part sugar to 4 parts water: boil water, add sugar to dissolve, cool and pour).  Each year after, you can continue with bird food or another bird feeder, bird house or bird bath idea.

Wind spinners, lawn ornaments and bird feeders provide endless and timeless gift ideas for birthdays and/or other gift-related holidays.  If you are still not sure, try some of these gift ideas for yourself first and I guarantee you will enjoy them and want to add more.  These easy birthday gift ideas will be the hottest items for years to come as more and more wind spinners, lawn ornaments and bird feeders are added to any outdoor space.