Gardening & Birding

Beautiful Bluebirds Gathering Mealworms For Their Babies

July 16, 2014 by Susan 56 Comments

Bluebirds, love them so much! Each year they nest several times in the dovecote in my perennial garden. I'm not sure now if it's the same pair returning or if maybe their children are coming back here to nest. Even though a woodpecker put a big hole in the dovecote this past winter, they still nested in the dovecote once more. I started to take it down to try to repair it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding Tagged With: Bluebirds, Feeding Bluebirds, Meal Worms, Mealworms, Nesting Bluebirds

Has To Get Worse Before It Gets Better

July 11, 2014 by Susan 63 Comments

That woman you see, the one walking around muttering and looking distracted...yeah, that's me. I know it has to get worse before it gets better but I still don't especially like it. The porch that normally looks like this... ...currently looks like this. I just keep reminding myself, chaos is a sign progress is being made. The porch has weathered well for the past six years despite being … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Repairs and Fixes, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks

2 Beautiful Garden Table Settings

July 10, 2014 by Susan 22 Comments

Welcome to the 304th Tablescape Thursday! I've had sooo much fun reading all of your answers to the style questions yesterday. I have a whole list of books I want to check out now and for some reason I am seriously craving chocolate! I can't imagine why! ;) I also want to visit every single place you named in your answers for question #10. If you didn't get a chance to read the comments on yesterdays … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Spring & Summer Tablescapes, Tablescape Thursday Tagged With: Green & Blue Table Setting, Moss Table, Outdoor Moss Table, Porch Table Setting

A Beautiful, Enchanting Spring Garden

July 7, 2014 by Susan 65 Comments

Welcome to the 284th Metamorphosis Monday! I don't have a typical Before and After to share today, but I do have a beautiful spring garden metamorphosis. I toured several gardens the weekend of Mother's Day and the one I'm sharing today was completely enchanting. Even the house had that fairy tale feel. The window boxes across the front were overflowing with beautiful … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Garden Art, Garden Ornaments, Garden Shed, Garden Tour, Garden Whimsy, Moss Garden, Moss Lawn, Potting Bench, Potting Shed, Turquoise in the Garden

A Vicious Intruder In The Garden

June 23, 2014 by Susan 99 Comments

Welcome to the 282nd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was great although part of it involved dealing with a vicious intruder in the garden. You may remember this view from last summer, it's the walkway that leads to my front porch. Notice the clump of bushes off to right. Three of those are spiraea a friend gave me many years ago. They have pink flowers each … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Coreopsis Moonbeam, Purple Coneflower, Russian Sage, Wild Blackberry Bush

Bird Houses Add Beauty & Design To The Garden

June 17, 2014 by Susan 20 Comments

How about a little garden tour? This is another one of the gardens we saw while on the Atlanta Botanical's Gardens for Connoisseurs tour on Mother's Day weekend. This garden featured some beautiful Lazy Hill birdhouses and bird feeders. I love their feeders and houses, they add so much beauty and interest to the garden. Beautiful rhododendron... Lots of pretty … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Bird House In The Garden, Bird Houses, Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour, Lazy Hill Bird Houses

In The BNOTP Library: The Garden Room

June 13, 2014 by Susan 4 Comments

I love gardening books but my most favorite gardening books of all are the ones that combine gardening with interior design. The book I'm sharing today does this beautifully. It features the garden rooms of some of my fave designers, including Bunny Williams. In the BNOTP Library: The Garden Room: Bringing Nature Indoors Author: Timothy Mawson Hardcover: 176 pages Book size: 10.5 x 8 x … [Read more...]

Filed Under: BNOTP Library, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Decorating, Design, Famous Designers Gardens, Gardening, The Garden Room, Timothy Mawson

A Playhouse Adds Whimsy to the Garden

June 13, 2014 by Susan 29 Comments

A few weeks ago, I spent two days, back-to-back on garden tours. It was truly a whirlwind weekend of gardens! Some were grand, spanning five acres like the garden I shared recently in this post: A Breathtaking Garden From The Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour Other were more the size you would expect to find in most backyards. It was a wonderful mix of gardens and if there's one thing I've learned over the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Garden Playhouse, New Dawn Rose, Playhouse, Rocking Chair Plant Holder, Teacup Birdfeeder, Whimsical Gardens

I Broke The Number One Rule Of Container Gardening

June 9, 2014 by Susan 82 Comments

Welcome to the 280th Metamorphosis Monday! I never did much "container" gardening until I added on a screened-in porch. My old deck was hotter than the hinges of...well, you know. The west sun beat down upon it every single afternoon making it impossible to sit out there. Forget sitting, you couldn't even walk barefoot out there without risking 3rd degree burns on your feet! And then there was the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Container Gardening, Growing Hydrangeas in Containers, Growing Hydrangeas in Pots, Pots for Hydrangeas, Tardiva Hydrangeas, Tree-form Hydrangeas

In The BNOTP Library: P. Allen Smith’s Living In The Garden Home

June 6, 2014 by Susan 5 Comments

After taking you along on a wonderful garden tour this morning in this post: Breathtaking Garden From The Gardens For Connoisseurs Tour, I thought I'd share another one of my fave gardening books. I have quite a few gardening books but when I was going through them, trying to choose one to share, I kept going back to a book by one of my favorite gardeners, P. Allen Smith. This is the 3rd one of his … [Read more...]

Filed Under: BNOTP Library, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Gardening, Gardening Books, P. Allen Smith, P. Allen Smith's Living In The Garden Home, Seasonal Gardening

A Breathtaking Garden From The “Gardens for Connoisseurs” Tour

June 6, 2014 by Susan 26 Comments

This year on Mother's Day weekend, a friend and I went on a garden tour that we've been going on together for years: the Atlanta Botanical Garden's, Gardens for Connoisseurs tour. It's always an amazing tour with around 12 gardens and some are absolutely spectacular! During all the years I've been attending this tour, I've been through some absolutely amazing gardens, some belonging to folks whose names … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Climbing Roses, Container Gardening, Gardening, Greenhouse, Ponds for the Garden, Rose Gardening, Water Features

How To Keep Squirrels Away From Flowers & A Hungry Visitor

May 31, 2014 by Susan 61 Comments

I am cautiously optimistic I've found the cure for keeping the pesky squirrels living in my backyard out of my flowers here on the deck. This may even save my hibiscus from being denuded as it has been in past years. The last two years I've been putting Knock-out Roses in the tall urns under the pergola but after two years of having them prick my shoulders and arms with their thorns as I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Bird Feeders, Birding, Gardening, Hibiscus, Pesky Squirrels, Raccoon Raid Bird Feeders

In The BNOTP Library: P. Allen Smith’s Container Gardens

May 28, 2014 by Susan 12 Comments

I love container gardening during the summer months because it let's you grow your fave flowers where you can really see and enjoy them, right on your porch, patio, balcony or deck. After this morning's post filled with lots of container gardening, I thought I'd share a book I've had for a while on this subject. It's another one by one of my favorite authors...can you guess who? In the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: BNOTP Library, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Container Gardening, Gardening, Gardening Books, P. Allen Smith Books

Tree Form Tardiva Hydrangea Adds Privacy and Screening To The Deck

May 28, 2014 by Susan 62 Comments

Every year I spruce up the deck a bit for the spring/summer season. I've delayed this year because I've been getting estimates for having the porch and decks pressure washed and painted and it didn't make sense to buy plants and fill up all the pots if they were all going to have to be moved, come painting time. Once plans for a Memorial Day cookout got underway, I threw caution to the wind and started … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Bottle Trees, Million Bells Petunias, Pagoda Umbrella, Tardiva Hydrangea, Tree Form Hibiscus, Tree Form Hydrangea

Lewis’s Woodpecker & Rose-Breasted Grosbeak In A Spring Garden

May 19, 2014 by Susan 68 Comments

Welcome to the 277th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently my friend, Bonnie, who lives in the beautiful state of Oregon, shared a few pics with me via e-mail of the wonderful view from her deck. I don't have any "Before" winter pics to share but the "After" is stunning! Is this not gorgeous?! Spring has sprung in the state of Oregon and it's absolutely beautiful! The wisteria running along the fence in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Lewis's Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Wisteria Blooming on Fence

Faerie Houses in the Garden, A Sunday Garden Tour

May 18, 2014 by Susan 13 Comments

Sharing a few more pics from a garden tour I took recently in my home town. Look! A garden seat that's actually in the garden! :) I'm so used to seeing them used inside in all the decor magazines and ads, I was actually surprised to see one out in a garden. The bench with the built in birdhouse is just so cute! Did you know there's a climbing hydrangea? I did not know … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Climbing Hydrangea, Faerie Houses, Garden Topiary, Garden Tours, Garden Whimsy

In the BNOTP Library: The Gardener’s Life by Larry Sheehan

May 17, 2014 by Susan 4 Comments

When I order a new book from Amazon, one of the first things I do when it arrives is lift off the dust jacket to see how the book looks underneath. I absolutely love it when a book has a fabulous cover, one that would look wonderful on my bookshelf if one day the dust jacket became damaged or worn. Some of my favorite covers are those that completely mimic the dust jacket with a cover that's the exact … [Read more...]

Filed Under: BNOTP Library, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

The Colorful Shutters of New Orleans, Plus A Video

May 16, 2014 by Susan 38 Comments

When I was in New Orleans last week, I had a love affair with their colorful shutters. They were everywhere in the French Quarter, as were lots of pretty wrought-iron balconies decorated with window boxes spilling their flowers out into the streets. Color! Vivid beautiful color! I was fascinated by all the shutters--shutters with real working parts that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, Historic Homes, In the Garden, Travel Tagged With: Balconies, Colorful Shutters, French Quarter, Hanging Baskets, New Orleans, Royal Blue Shutters, Street Musicians, Turquoise Shutters, Window Baskets

Inspiration & Whimsy For The Garden

May 12, 2014 by Susan 48 Comments

Welcome to the 276th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? Was it busy with spring chores are spring fun? Sometimes they are the same thing, aren't they? I have some fun "Before & After" gardening ideas to share today, pulled from a wonderful garden tour I attended locally on Saturday thanks to my friend, Carra who generously shared her tickets when it turned out she wouldn't be able to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

In The BNOTP Library: P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home

May 9, 2014 by Susan 22 Comments

I used to love watching P. Allen Smith when he was on TV. He may still be on TV, does anyone know? Many years ago when he was the speaker at a spring garden tour in Macon, Georgia, I drove down with a friend to attend the tour and hear him speak. I was so impressed with how down-to-earth and nice he was. Over the years I've purchase a number of his books and the one I'm sharing today is my favorite because … [Read more...]

Filed Under: BNOTP Library, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Garden Home, Gardening, P. Allen Smith

A Surprise Visitor!

April 16, 2014 by Susan 51 Comments

I'm back! I had hoped to get this post up this morning but it took a lot longer to go through all my photos than I ever anticipated. I've saved the best part for the end, a surprise visitor, so no peeking ahead! :) With spring here, my backyard feeders have been going gangbusters. I always have a lot of birds visiting but it's busier than ever. It can be tricky photographing birds because if there's one … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding Tagged With: Bird Watching, Birding, Cardinals, Goldfinches, Heated Birdbaths, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Squirrels, Wrens

In the Garden: Daffodils and Pansies

April 7, 2014 by Susan 61 Comments

Welcome to the 271st Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? Hope it was a nice one! It's been raining here so it was a good weekend to stay inside and gets some things done around here. I just spent it cleaning and clearing out some drawers. Exciting stuff! Ha! For this Met Monday, I thought I'd share how the bulbs are looking now. Remember this picture from a post a while … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

In the BNOTP Library: Garden Room Style

April 5, 2014 by Susan 4 Comments

I have a thing for conservatories, greenhouses and any room where you can bring the outdoors in. The cover of the book I'm sharing from the BNOTP library today, drew me in and it was not a disappointment. The rooms inside are just as beautiful, some even more so! In the BNOTP Library: Garden Room Style Author: Peter Marston Published: Rizzoli (September 15, 1998) Hardcover: 160 pages Book size: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: BNOTP Library, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Porches Tagged With: Conservatories, Garden Rooms, Gardening, Greenhouses

Shopping for a Breath of Fresh Air

March 11, 2014 by Susan 47 Comments

Whew, wee! It was time to get the heck out of the house last night. I was late applying the third coat of marine varnish to the potting table. Each night before, that job had been done by 5 or 6:00 PM so I had a few hours of daylight when I could have the doors standing open in the basement. Last night I was running way behind and didn't get that third coat of varnish on until closer to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

The Best Way to Protect & Care for Outdoor Wood Furniture

March 10, 2014 by Susan 85 Comments

Welcome to the 267th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! This weekend I was busy adding a bit of protection to the Pottery-Barn-Inspired potting table I made recently. I'm hoping to move it up to the deck soon for spring planting and summer parties and I really don't want to see it become weathered and damaged over the years. I've never before had to worry about protecting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Cedar Outdoor Furniture, Marine Varnish, Protect Outdoor Furniture, Spar Varnish

Dimensions and Cut List for a Pottery Barn Inspired Potting Table

February 28, 2014 by Susan 13 Comments

Recently, I shared a tutorial for building a Pottery Barn inspired potting table that can also be used as party buffet server for an outdoor party. You'll find that post containing lots of detailed photos here: Building a Potting Bench Garden Table I've had a few folks ask for more information about where I purchased the vintage styled wheels and dragonfly hooks, as well as additional … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY, DIY Decor Knock-offs, DIY Decorating, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Abbott Table, Outdoor Party Table, Pottery Barn Inspired Potting Table, Potting Bench, Potting Table

Build a Potting Table, Great for Parties, Too!

February 26, 2014 by Susan 146 Comments

Love! That perfectly describes how I felt when I saw this picture of the Abbott Potting Table online. Was it the orchids that lured me in, those wonderful old windows or was it that fabulous potting table? I've always wanted a potting bench or potting table. I was doubly smitten when I realized the table could also function as a serving table for parties! Awesome! There was just one problem, it was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decor Knock-offs, DIY Decorating, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: DIY Potting Bench Tutorial, Potting Bench Table

Ice, Ice Baby!

February 12, 2014 by Susan 105 Comments

The ice is here and still falling. I think it ends around mid-day tomorrow. The birds don't appear to be coming to the feeders. I can't see the food so I'm pretty sure it's frozen up inside the feeder and not dropping down. Or maybe it's the ice on the ring where they would normally stand that's keeping them away. I put bird seed on the rails of the deck last night before turning in, but it's all iced over … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

Build a Garden Shed From a Child’s Play Gym Set

February 10, 2014 by Susan 34 Comments

Welcome to the 263rd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I came across a Before and After online that just blew me away. Angela who blogs at UnFussy Fussiness had a large play set in her backyard that her children had sadly outgrown and were no longer using. Shouldn't it be against the law or something for our children to do that? They grow up way, way too fast! Angela decided it was time to do something … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

A Winter Table Setting, Tablecloth by Mother Nature

January 30, 2014 by Susan 163 Comments

Welcome to the 281st Tablescape Thursday! So, you know how I opened Tuesday's blog post with these words: "It’s snowing a teensy bit in Georgia today, nothing too serious although I do see the cars crawling very slowly on the road back behind my home." I'd like to retract that statement, please! If you've been following the news, you know the weather got crazy really fast around here. I rarely watch … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Table Settings, Christmas Tablescapes, For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Seasonal Tablescapes, Tablescape Thursday, Tablescapes Holiday Tablescapes, The Holiday Home, Winter Tablescapes Tagged With: David Carter Brown, Sakura Christmas Valley, Sakura Christmas Village, Winter Table Setting, Winter Tablescape

A Little Bit of Everything

January 28, 2014 by Susan 86 Comments

It's snowing a teensy bit in Georgia today, nothing too serious although I do see the cars crawling very slowly on the road back behind my home. Think I'll stay home and not get out in it. I wanted to give you a little update on the dovecote in the garden. I'm afraid things have gone from bad to worse. Remember this? I'm pretty sure it was caused by a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

A Backyard Visitor: Red-Shouldered Hawk

January 12, 2014 by Susan 76 Comments

I had a visitor to my yard recently. He was having his dinner on a tree branch in the backyard. I think a squirrel may have met with an untimely demise. This was one of those insanely cold days when the high for the day was around 10 degrees. I didn't have on a coat, just ran out onto the porch and peeked my head through the screened door to capture these pics. I couldn't … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Birding, Georgia Birds, Georgia Hawks, Georgia Raptors, Hawks, Raptors, Red-Shouldered Hawk

Woodpecker Attacks Lazy Hill Dovecote

December 15, 2013 by Susan 48 Comments

Sounds like a salacious headline, doesn't it? Woodpecker Attacks Lazy Hill Birdhouse: News at 5. Over the years I've gone on many garden tours here in the metro Atlanta area. Often while touring I would see these amazing birdhouses that I later found out were Lazy Hill Dovecotes. After pricing them I decided they were just too expensive but years upon years of seeing them in gardens wore me down, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding Tagged With: Birdhouses, Birding, Lazy Hill Dovecote, Woodpecker Damage

Decorate A Lantern For Christmas With Greenery From The Garden

December 2, 2013 by Susan 66 Comments

Welcome to the 253rd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and an awesome weekend! I worked on Christmas decorations for the front porch and it's basically done, but it feels like something is missing. I'm not sure what just yet, but I'll figure it out and share it soon. So, for today I thought I'd share how I've decorated the gas lantern this year. Throughout the year, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, The Holiday Home

A Heated Bird Bath for the Birds…and a Wily Raccoon

November 24, 2013 by Susan 39 Comments

Happy Sunday! How's your weekend going? I wanted to pop in and share how the heated bird bath looks installed out on the deck. I attempted to install it yesterday but it was late in the day and getting dark quickly. It has a tilt feature so when you want to dump the old water and add new, you just lift it up and tilt. I couldn't get the tilt mechanism to catch yesterday and since my light was quickly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding

Wildlife Visitors to the Autumn Garden

September 7, 2013 by Susan 37 Comments

My friend Bonnie lives in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, the state of Oregon. She and hubby Leon have a lovely home surrounded by the most amazing gardens. They share it with some real characters, too! There's Pearl who loves to remove to the top off the bird feeder and carry it as far away as possible in an effort to keep Leon from placing it back on the feeder. She … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Birding, Deer, Gardening, Ground Squirrels, Razorback Pigs, Squirrels Raiding Bird Feeders, Wild Turkey, Wildlife

A Brick Walkway Redesign

September 3, 2013 by Susan 63 Comments

In my front yard, there lives a Southern Magnolia, Grandiflora. And grand she is! I didn't place her here. Even with my limited knowledge of gardening, I know better than to plant a Southern Magnolia 10 feet out from a house. (Remember when the yard looked like this?) Let's take a little ride in my time machine. The year is 1989 and we are house hunting or "trying out houses" as Chip who … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks

Boxwood Topiaries for a Traditional Landscape

September 2, 2013 by Susan 86 Comments

Welcome to the 240th Metamorphosis Monday! How's your Labor Day weekend going? I hope you're having a fun one! Well, it took some doing but I finally found a couple of matching boxwoods for the planters I purchased recently for the front porch area. Remember these large containers I purchased a couple of weeks ago? They replaced the too-small concrete pots that had been there for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks

Living in the Garden of Weeden

August 30, 2013 by Susan 63 Comments

I have a dirty little secret, actually it's more like a weedly little secret. While I've been working on this side of the yard... I've been trying hard to ignore this side. I just wasn't ready to face the disaster that awaits on the other side of the driveway. Years ago my perennial garden contracted a terrible weed infestation. I'm talking super-dooper, on steroids, kind of weed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

Dinner on the Porch and A Garden Tour

August 27, 2013 by Susan 38 Comments

Thanks so much for your wonderful comments on yesterday's post! Posts like that are a little hard for me to write because I can easily feel overwhelmed with emotions when looking back at old photos. I know all you Moms and Dads know what I mean. Thanks so much for all the well-wishes for Chip and Nancy. As you get older you realize there are so many seasons to life and soon I'll be moving into another … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden

How To Create a Watermelon Flower-Garden Centerpiece

August 23, 2013 by Susan 41 Comments

Each summer I like to create a table setting with a carved watermelon centerpiece. I missed last year but I couldn't let this summer get away without trying a new one. They are just so much fun to do! (You'll find the table setting below here: Summer Table Setting with Carved Flower Garden Watermelon Centerpiece) Two summers ago I carved this whale centerpiece. You'll find the tutorial for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Independence Day Recipes, Recipes, Seasonal Tablescapes, Spring & Summer Tablescapes

Create a Small, Sun-Loving Perennial Garden

August 19, 2013 by Susan 69 Comments

Welcome to the 238th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I did a little more planting and if the rain will let up, I'm headed to a nursery today in search of plants for the large planters I purchased recently for the porch. I'm in a bit of a conundrum, though. Two of the nurseries I have talked to told me they will be getting large shipments in for fall, so I'm trying to decide: Do I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest

New Lattice Planters for the Porch

August 16, 2013 by Susan 68 Comments

You know those days when you run and work, work and run, but at the end of the day you're not real sure what you've gotten accomplished. Lately some of my days are feeling that way. I'm kind of in never-never land or maybe a better term is landscaping limbo. I have about forty-eleven projects running through my head and some require decision making, some require additional money and some require input … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest

A Landscaping “To-Do” List and a Surprise “Before and After”

August 13, 2013 by Susan 150 Comments

I've been putting off a major landscape renovation for several years. I knew it would have to start with some serious tree removal and the process would be expensive and emotionally taxing. I hate cutting down trees but there is no shortage of trees in my yard, my neighborhood or this area. If anything, as I drive around my area I see so many houses in the same situation mine was in--buried behind and under … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest

Adding Color and Whimsy to the Garden

August 12, 2013 by Susan 80 Comments

Welcome to the 237th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend was a first for me. It was the first time I've ever planted annuals in August. When I went shopping, I wasn't sure if I'd find any since I've never shopped for them this late in the season. Surprisingly the usual places (hardware stores, big box discount stores and garden centers) do have them, even in August. The selection isn't what it is in mid … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Angel Wing Begonias, Annual Flower Beds, Garden Art, Glass Art in the Garden, Hose Guides, Lantana, Vinca

Water New Grass with an In-ground Irrigation System

August 9, 2013 by Susan 40 Comments

One of the chief components to ensuring a newly installed lawn takes root and establishes well is water, lots and lots of water. I was told by my landscaper and the sod farm to water it at least twice a day for the first two weeks. If we were having a really super hot August (thankfully, we're not) I'd probably have to water even more. Fortunately, when I moved into this house 22 years ago, I installed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest

Chipmunk Baths

August 6, 2013 by Susan 52 Comments

When I decided to sod my yard with Zeon Zoysia, to save money I planned to do it in two stages: Front yard, followed by the back yard next summer. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that was probably not such a great idea. I was concerned the grass in the front yard would get damaged next summer when the backyard sodding process got underway. I'm so glad now I went ahead and did both at the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, For the Love of Birds, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Backyard Landscaping, Zeon Zoysia

A Sweet Bird Girl in the Garden

August 5, 2013 by Susan 97 Comments

Welcome to the 236th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I spent all day Friday and Saturday at the Haven Conference in Atlanta. On Sunday, I finished putting out another 25 bags of mulch. That brings the total to 102 bags of mulch! Normally it wouldn't take that much mulch but many of the beds/islands are empty, awaiting shrubs this fall. Today I'm taking you into the yard to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Bird Girl, Garden Statuary, Landscaping, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Sod, Zeon Zoysia

Zeon Zoysia for the Front Yard

July 31, 2013 by Susan 93 Comments

Yesterday was definitely a day of mixed emotions, first excitement, then some disappointment. Though things didn't go quite as planned, I still have some fun "after" photos to share. The Zeon Zoysia sod was delivered and installation got underway. As the day wore on, it became apparent there wasn't enough sod to complete the job. The side yard and a portion of the back still needs sod, so instead … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Sodding Yard, Zeon Sod, Zeon Sod Installation

Sod Day!

July 30, 2013 by Susan 48 Comments

Today is another crazy day in the neighborhood. This morning there was still a little work to be done in preparation for the sod, but the sod is here. 12 pallets waiting to be installed in the front and back. I went with Zeon Zoysia. I have plenty of sun out front but the back is kind of shady. Zeon is the most shade tolerant of all the warm-season turf grass varieties. It's a fine-textured … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Perennial Garden, Rudbeckia Herbstonne, Sod Installation, Sodding a Yard, Zeon Zoysia, Zoysia

A Gardening “Before and After”

July 24, 2013 by Susan 29 Comments

Wow, crazy day! This post was suppose to be up hours ago but so much has happened today, I'm running way behind. I've decided to go ahead and sod the back yard at the same time the front yard is being done. Since the job has grown, we've decided to wait and start it on Monday. Monday will be prep day and Tuesday will be install day, barring no more rain. The sod farms can't cut sod when it's standing in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Container Plants, Deck Plantings, Geraniums, Petunias, Ponytail Fern, Sky Pencil Holly

Landscape Renovation: Big Changes and Ready for the Sod

July 17, 2013 by Susan 57 Comments

Things are starting to happen quickly now with the front landscape renovation. The stump grinder guy didn't make it out yesterday but he is on his way now as I type this. Then the slate will be clean for the sod installation on Tuesday. Yipee! Last week I drove by a few of the lawns installed by the company I've chosen to install my sod. I've decided to go with Zeon Zoysia. I like what I've read online … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Gardening, Landscaping, Removing Overgrown Foundation Plants, Sodding a Yard, Tree Removal

Front Yard Landscape Renovation

July 1, 2013 by Susan 109 Comments

Welcome to the 231st Metamorphosis Monday! Before I dive into this week's Met Monday, just wanted to take a second to answer a question I've been getting about the BNOTP newsletter, Postcards from the Porch. I haven't sent one out since Max passed because I just didn't have the energy to create blog posts and put together the newsletter, too. I will be starting it back up soon though, most likely this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest

Front Yard Landscape Makeover: The Beginning

June 28, 2013 by Susan 96 Comments

Atlanta has a lot of nicknames, Hotlanta and The Big Peach to name a few. My favorite has always been, the City in the Forest. Apparently, it got that name because when flying into Hartsfield Jackson, Atlanta appears to be nestled down into a forest. The drought has taken its toll on a lot of trees over the last few years though, so not sure if Atlanta is still living up to its City in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: Brick Walkway, Front Yard Landscaping, Front Yard Renovation, Leyland Cypress, River Birch, Tree Removal

Shady Porches, Lazy Hammocks and Tire Swings: A Garden Tour

June 18, 2013 by Susan 35 Comments

Last spring, or maybe it was the spring before that...I forget, a friend and I went on a spring garden tour. Even though it was a garden tour, I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of some of the wonderful houses we saw along the way. I'm such a sap for a yellow cottage. Love the double peaks, the red chimneys on either end contrasting against the butter-yellow color of the home and of course that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Climbing Roses, DG Porches, Frog Garden Sculptures, Garden Tour, Hammocks in the Garden, Wicker Furniture, Yellow Cottages

A Tabletop Greenhouse for Growing Herbs

June 3, 2013 by Susan 80 Comments

Welcome to the 227th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was wonderful! Today for Met Monday, I'm sharing a small update out on the porch. I don't often change things out here since I'm pretty happy with it, as is. If I make a change something else usually has to leave. A while back I made an update to the small oval table under the Summer Breeze sign. You may remember, it got … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: DG Porches, Greenhouses, Growing Herbs, Herbs, Screened Porchs, Tabletop Greenhouses, Terrariums

Backyard Paradise Perfect for Entertaining

May 22, 2013 by Susan 33 Comments

It's spring! The flowers are blooming, the birds and bees are busy do birdie and bee things and it's time for a garden tour! Phyllis who blogs at Around the House has one of the most beautiful backyards I've ever seen. Wait until you see what's behind this fabulous gate! I love the basket of flowers on the gate because it a small hint of the beauty just on the other side. Ready? Let's go! As we … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Backyard Garden, Backyard Landscaping, Backyard Pool, Birdhouse, Birding, Garden Tour, Lantana, Outdoor Fireplace, Outdoor Seating Group, Water Features in the Landscape, Water Fountain

Fill Those Summer Pots and Planters Without Blowing the Budget

May 10, 2013 by Susan 89 Comments

This past Sunday I managed to get a little planting done before the rain started back. Most of the planting took place on the deck off to the right of the porch, the one with the bottle tree. Come spring, I'm always looking for ways to spruce up and add color and life to the deck without spending a whole bunch. Bottle trees are a great way to add color and liven things up and they require no … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature, Porches Tagged With: Bottle Tree, Bottle Trees, Container Gardening, Deck Plants, Foxt Tail Fern, Garden Seats, Geraniums, Ponytail Fern, Wave Petunias, Window Boxes

8 Months of Procrastination Finally Ends

May 6, 2013 by Susan 70 Comments

Welcome to the 224th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend. This was one of those weekends where I had a long list of things I really wanted to get done but Mother Nature had other plans. It rained "monsoon style" all day long on Saturday, but being the determined, crazy woman that I am, I dragged the tall urns from the deck onto the porch and replanted those as I had planned. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Bird Feeder Hanging Hook, Dremel, Remove Rusted Screw, shepherd's hook, Solar Deck Lights

The Rescue

April 26, 2013 by Susan 88 Comments

Each week when I take Max to Georgia Veterinary Specialist for his chemo treatment, I pass by a wonderful sculpture just outside their front entrance. I've been meaning to take my camera to capture some pics for you but unfortunately, I keep forgetting it. While there today I took a few pictures with my cellphone. They aren't the greatest but I hope you'll enjoy them. The sculpture is called, The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Garden Sculptures, Glenna Goodacre, The Rescue

Water Plants While Away on Vacation

March 12, 2013 by Susan 52 Comments

I spent this past weekend in Highlands, North Carolina. It was a fun getaway and the weather graciously cooperated giving us unseasonably warm temps. I'll share a few pics from the trip including the home where we stayed real soon. While there, we had to do a little shopping. That's pretty much mandatory when you're visiting Highlands. There are lots of cute shops, some filled with antiques and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Plants Watered, Vacation Tips, Water Plants

Birdwatching Fun for Your Weekend

March 9, 2013 by Susan 49 Comments

Have you heard about Phoebe? She's a Channel Island Allen hummingbird living in Orange County, California. She lays 4-5 clutches a year and a gentleman in CA has a web cam set up to capture it all. When I was last watching, she had a baby in the nest and an egg about to hatch. You can see both the baby and the egg in these pics. Here's Phoebe, returning back to the nest to feed the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature

Carbon Monoxide Detectors and a Masked Visitor

February 6, 2013 by Susan 68 Comments

How is that for a crazy post name? I often have things I want to share or blog about, but sometimes it's just not enough to warrant a full post. So today I'm lumping a few things together, thus the wacky title. Recently, I've been feeling sooo tired...just want to sleep, sleep and sleep. I can't make it through the day without taking a nap and even after a nap I'm still tired. Very strange and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature

Birdwatching: Cardinals, Bluebirds and Woodpeckers Came Calling

December 21, 2012 by Susan 57 Comments

A few minutes after I put up this mornings post, a male Eastern Bluebird stopped by...sooo cute! The following photos were taken through the glass of my bay window with a Nikon D7000 and my 18-200mm zoom lens. Hope you enjoy. Then along came Mr. Cardinal which didn't please a little Nuthatch who waited patiently for him to leave. Mrs. Cardinal came by to check out the new … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Birdfeeder, Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Feeding Birds, Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Atlanta Botanical Garden: Garden Lights, Holiday Nights

December 10, 2012 by Susan 51 Comments

Welcome to the 203rd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently the Atlanta Botanical Garden went through an amazing metamorphosis. Each year during the Christmas season, the gardens become a magical fairyland. A lovely friend of mine works there as a volunteer and she invited me along for the opening night this year. It truly was awe-inspiring and I'm taking you along, too! Can you just imagine all the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Christmas Light Display, Garden Lights Holiday Nights, Illuminated Gardens

Squirrel Wars: The Latest Trick Up My Sleeve

September 17, 2012 by Susan 81 Comments

Welcome to the 191st Metamorphosis Monday! I spent mine running lots of errands and trying to get a few things done around the house. A long while back I shared this view of my screened-in porch. As you can see it is a full story up and I have bird feeders hanging from shepherd's hooks off the decks on either side of the porch. The feeder on the left is hanging from the deck that holds a table with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Bird Feeders, Extra long, shepherd's hook, Squirrels

Dining in the Garden at Greenwood’s on Green Street

August 21, 2012 by Susan 23 Comments

A friend and I recently had dinner at one of my fave restaurants, Greenwood's in Roswell, Georgia. When you visit Greenwood's, not only do you enjoy a great home-cooked meal, but you get a wonderful garden tour, too. Here's a view of one section of the sidewalk out front of the restaurant. On the other side of the brick wall is a large courtyard where folks either dine or wait for a table to become … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Dining in the Garden, Garden Whimsy, Perennial Garden, Vegetable Garden

A Beautiful Mosaic Planter for the Front Porch

June 8, 2012 by Susan 38 Comments

Moving a blog is a lot like moving in real life. Do you remember the last time you moved? You know it's going to be a big job but you really don't know how big until you are in the thick of it. And while in the midst of it, you probably think to yourself, "I'll never do this again." Once you're all settled in your new home, you're happy you did it. I'm not quite to the happy stage, but I'm getting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Front Porch Decor, Mosaic Planter

A Secret Garden Tablescape

May 28, 2012 by Susan 42 Comments

Welcome to the 195th Tablescape Thursday! Wow, what a week! This is turning out to be one of the busiest and most exciting weeks I've had in a while. My son and his sweetheart were here last night. We're all in wedding mode since the big day is just 4 days away. After dinner out we came back home and stayed up late into the night talking. I miss them terribly and love it when they are here … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, Seasonal Tablescapes, Spring & Summer Tablescapes, Tablescape Thursday Tagged With: Garden Tour, In the Garden, Secret Garden Table Setting

Kimberly Queen: The Shed-free Fern

May 8, 2012 by Susan 41 Comments

Thanks so much for all your input yesterday! So far, the tall file organizer seems to be leading in the voting. You all made so many great points about the pros/cons for both the short and the tall. It is tempting to keep them both as so many folks suggested. This week I've been working on spiffying up the porch a bit more for spring and summer. I just discovered a plant I didn't know about before … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Ferns, Kimberly Queen Fern, Shed-Free Fern

A Garden Seat for the Porch

April 21, 2012 by Susan 24 Comments

When I last left you I had purchased this cute little garden seat for the screened-in porch. That was the plan. Well, you know what they say about "best laid plans." Once I brought it upstairs... And tried it out as a little side table for this reading corner in the guest room, I didn't want to take it away. I really, really liked how it looked here. So … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Guest Room), Before & After, Blue & White Design & Decor, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Ceramic Garden Seat, Ceramic Garden Stool, Porch Decor

Garden Seat, So Versatile for the Home or Garden

April 17, 2012 by Susan 33 Comments

As the years pass things wear out, my ideas for a room in my home may change, or I find something better for a space than what's currently there. Does that happen in your home, too? It gives us an opportunity to "freshen up" and revive our rooms, giving them new life. A while back, just for fun, I created a "wish list" board at Pinterest. It's a virtual pin board where I can store a picture or idea … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Guest Room), Blue & White Design & Decor, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: Ceramic Garden Seats, Garden Stools

Wake Up the Porch & Decks for Spring

April 9, 2012 by Susan 53 Comments

Welcome to the 168th Metamorphosis Monday! Preparing the Porch and Decks for Spring: Cleaning and Planting At the start of this past winter, I decided to try something new. Instead of tossing the big geranium that lives all summer on the porch, and the three smaller ones visible behind this summer table setting below, I tucked them all away in my garage for the winter. Amazingly, they lived. They … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: Decks, Geraniums, Plants for the Deck and Porch, Porch, Screened-in Porch, Spring Cleaning on the Decks and Po, Spring Planting, wintering over geraniums

Double Bowl Hurricane Floral Centerpiece: Pottery Barn Knock-Off

April 3, 2012 by Susan 49 Comments

I've been using a lot of fresh flowers in table settings lately. Once those cold winter months are behind us, it's such a joy to bring fresh flowers into our homes. One of my favorite flowers is the tulip. It's almost impossible to think of spring and not think of beautiful tulips. Tulips are a wonderful flower to give or receive for a birthday or for Mother's Day. I've been the happy recipient of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decor Knock-offs, Easter Crafts, Easter Decorating, Easter Holiday Home, Easter Table Settings, Easter Tablescapes, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Seasonal Tablescapes, Spring & Summer Tablescapes, Tablescapes Holiday Tablescapes Tagged With: Easter Holiday Home, Easter Table Centerpiece, floral centerpiece, Pottery Barn knock-off, Pottery Barn Knock-off Double Bowl Vase, Tulip Centerpiece, Tulips

Sometimes the Grass Really Is Greener on the Other Side

November 25, 2011 by Susan 63 Comments

A while back I set up a little cozy, fall 'scape out on the porch. A few weeks before creating that little tablescape, I had purchased some real acorns on Amazon. They were reasonably priced and perfect for fall. (You'll find more pics of this fall tablescape, HERE.) The funny thing is, I have a HUGE oak tree in my front yard. But for some crazy reason, 99.9% of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, The Holiday Home Tagged With: Decorating for Fall, Decorating the Porch for Autumn, Decorating with Acorns, Seasonal Decor

Make a Wind Chime from Old Spoons and Forks

October 17, 2011 by Susan 49 Comments

Welcome to the 143rd Metamorphosis Monday! For Met Monday, I'm sharing a fun Before and After you can make at home. Recently, I posted a movie house tour of the amazing house in the movie, Practical Magic. While watching the movie, there was a scene that reminded me of something I had seen recently while out antiquing. In the movie, the Aunts (Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances) have a fun wind chime hanging … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Movie Houses, Nature, TV & Movie House Fun Tagged With: Music in the Garden, Wind Chimes, Wind Chimes made from Spoons and Forks

Green Card

September 4, 2011 by Susan 49 Comments

Take a Tour of the Beautiful, Historic Apartment in the movie, Green Card While putting together a recent post listing a whole bunch of my fave decorating and design books, I came across my copy of The Conservatory Book by Peter Marston. This book is filled with pictures of beautiful greenhouses. The book reminded me of another beautiful greenhouse, the one in one of my favorite movies, Green … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Movie House Tours, Movie Houses, Nature, Valentine's Day Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Movies Tagged With: Andie MacDowell, Conservatory, Geraud Depardieu, Greenhouse, historic apartment, Movie House Tours, Peter Weir, Romantic movies

Bottle Tree Dreams in Abundance

August 26, 2011 by Susan 48 Comments

When I last shared a few pics of my bottle tree, it was looking pretty puny. (If you're wondering what in tarnation a bottle tree is, check out this previous post: Bottle Tree: The Poor Man's Stained Glass I've been waiting for Hobby Lobby to have another "glass" sale. In the meantime, I've collected 3-4 more, via consumption. Plus, my BFF, Jan, dropped a couple by recently, too. I think she took … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Bottle Trees, Garden Accents, Southern Folklore, Southern Superstitions

Jan’s Beautiful Bottle Tree

July 26, 2011 by Susan 32 Comments

A while back I shared some images of a bottle tree I had purchased at the Ballard Designs store in Atlanta. It was on sale, marked down from $349 to $60. I've gradually been adding a few bottles to it, including the glass float ball you see on the top. It's still a bit naked...a work in progress. While in Savannah on vacation a couple of months back, I told my friend, Jan, all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Bottle Trees, Garden Art, Southern Folklore, Southern Superstitions

So Much for Hot Seed

July 24, 2011 by Susan 59 Comments

Apparently, Mr. Squirrel likes his seed on the spicy side. He keeps coming back for more and he brings his friends! Can you see where he's chewed on the window feeder? He gets mad after he's twisted it so much the seed quits coming, Yep, he's got quite the temper. The chewed up spots are really bad in some places. Grrrrrr... Don't let that cute face fool you. You won't believe all the damage he's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Bird Feeders, Bird Seed, Bird Watching, Hot Seed, Squirrels

Bottle Tree Shopping

June 14, 2011 by Susan 26 Comments

Has anyone seen my computer mouse? I was planning on posting again today, but I can't seem to find the mouse. ;) Bottle Tree Shopping: Not to beat the bottle tree "horse" to death, but I do want to share a resource I found recently in case you have a bottle tree and are looking for hard-to-find colors and unusual shaped bottles. Turns out Hobby Lobby carries bottles of all sizes and in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Bottle Trees, Garden Accents, Garden Art

Bottle Tree Dreams and Yard Art Fantasies

June 10, 2011 by Susan 62 Comments

Help! I'm becoming one of those people! You know the one...the crazy neighbor down the street who has so much yard art, the addition of just one more tchotchke will take his yard from tasteful to tacky, from whimsical to wacky. Okay, I'm not that bad. Yet. But I'm working on it. ;) If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember I started saving bottles about a year ago for a future bottle … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature Tagged With: Bottle Trees, Garden Art, Southern Folklore, Southern Superstitions

Wormsloe

May 24, 2011 by Susan 28 Comments

I've been to Savannah, Georgia many times over the years. Each time I've visited this historic city, when it came time to leave and head back home, I always thought, "Fiddlesticks! I did it again!" I came all the way to Savannah and didn't find that awesome road...the one with the arching trees overhead. I was always so disappointed and mad at myself that I kept forgetting to ask where it was and how to get … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature, Travel Tagged With: Savannah Georgia, Wormsloe

Cat TV

May 20, 2011 by Susan 52 Comments

Office Window Feeder Day 1: A Brief Visit Day 2: A Skirmish Day Three: Accceptance. Friends? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Bird Feeder, Bird Watching, Cats, Squirrels

Squirrel Outwits Bird Feeder: The Story of Leon and Pearl

May 3, 2011 by Susan 46 Comments

Once upon a time there was a squirrel named Pearl and she lived on a Leon's deck. Whenever Leon wasn't looking, Pearl would creep over to Leon's bird feeder and throw it off the table and onto the deck. The poor bird feeder became badly bent and broken. Leon was not pleased and he chased Pearl away whenever he saw her. "How can I keep Pearl from totally ruining my feeder?" mused Leon. "I know, I'll tie it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Bird Feeders, Bird Watching, Squirrels

Two Mysteries: Houdini Squirrel and Every Word

April 30, 2011 by Susan 58 Comments

Mystery 1: Today was car-tire(s)-buying day. Yuck. So, as I'm talking on the phone with the guy at the tire store, I opened the kitchen door that leads to the screened in porch. A gray blur ran by. Ummm, not good. I walked gingerly out onto the porch and I saw it. And, it saw me. A squirrel. Mr. Squirrel began frantically running around my porch, scaling the screens and in general, FREAKING OUT! I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: Every Word Game, Kindle, Squirrels and Bird "Feeders

A Behind the Scenes Tour

April 15, 2011 by Susan 53 Comments

Sometimes the most fun stuff to see in a room redo are the things that are hidden from sight. So though I haven't hung this bulletin board, yet... Or, this cute shelf... Or, this wrapping center I shared HERE, I have been busy with a few other little things in the office. Come take a peek. Remember the steps I found for Max for only $10 at an indoor flea market HERE? I had Home … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, My Nest, Nature, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: Bird Watching, Birding, Home Office, Organization and Storage Ideas for the home office, Window Bird Feeder

Debutante Camellias in a Springtime Tablescape

March 24, 2011 by Susan 83 Comments

Welcome to the 135th Tablescape Thursday! It was such a gorgeous day here...70's and breezy. I decided to set this week's tablescape in the breakfast room. My camellia bush has almost finished blooming. Amazingly the blooms are much deeper and richer in color now than they were a couple of weeks ago. Maybe it's the warm weather we've been having for the past two weeks. I couldn't resist … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Seasonal Tablescapes, Spring & Summer Tablescapes, Tablescape Thursday Tagged With: Bordallo Pinheiro, Debutante Camellias, Dragonfly Napkin Rings, Lenox Butler's Pantry Gourmet, Spring Breezes on the Porch, Tablescape Thursday, Villeroy & Boch Melina

Backyard Paradise

March 23, 2011 by Susan 29 Comments

Y'all, Phyllis from Around the Househas been holding out on us! I've got the goods on her now, though. Phyllis spends her days blogging in a beautiful paradise and it's right in her own backyard. Come along for a little garden tour...and try to not be as jealous as I am! ;) What a gorgeous way to use a fountain! Let's go for a stroll in her lush garden. This waterfall must sound … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Backyard Gardening, Swimming Pool

Beautiful Camellias

March 5, 2011 by Susan 51 Comments

My camellia bush was positively covered in buds before the week-long winter storm hit in January. It made me sad to see them all ruined. This past week we had some warmer than normal temps and once again the camellia is covered in buds...some just beginning to open. Camellias look as if they should have a scent, but they do not...or at least the camellias I've seen do not. They come in quite an array … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: Camellias, Debutante Camellias, Southern Style

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