How to Make a Beer Bottle Wind Chime

Here's a nifty way to recycle those aluminum beer bottles. These make a really nice wind chimes when assembled. Use any empty aluminum bootle such as Budlight, Coors, etc. Here's how to do it. http://www.ehow.com/how_4504079_beer-bottle-wind-chime.html

Series on Chamomile - How to Grow, Harvest and Use

I wrote a series of articles on Chamomile. I thought it would be nice to share with you so that you don't have to search all over the internet to find each step. It is one of the most widely grown herbs - pretty easy to grow and once it does it will spread like wildfire. The series here relates to German chamomile which is the taller variety. This variety will grow to be between 2-3 feet tall.

(1) How to grow Chamomile:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4544183_grow-german-chamomile.html
(2) How to harvest it:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4544503_harvest-german-chamomile.html and

(3) How to use it:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4544486_use-german-chamomile.html

Flowers in Our Backyard

Azaleas




Miniature rose bush


Chamomile

Want Hummingbirds, Get Nectar

As you know, when hummingbirds are migrating through your neck of the woods, they're hungry. So go ahead and feed them already! They love homemade nectar, store-bought nectar and nectar from flowers. Here are a few suggestions so that they will want to keep coming around. The basic recipe for nectar is basically always a 4 to 1 ratio:

Domino® Sugar Hummingbird Nectar Recipe 1 cup tap water ¼ cup Domino® Granulated Pure Cane Sugar To make your own mixture, bring tap water to a boil and stir in Domino® Granulated Pure Cane Sugar. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before adding it to your feeder. To yield larger portions, mix at the ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. The solution will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Please don’t use food coloring, honey, brown sugar, unrefined sugar or sugar substitutes, as they can be harmful to hummingbirds. Under no circumstances should insecticides or other poisons be used at hummingbird feeders.

Our Backyard Fire Pit and Seating Area

Yet another project my husband and I tackled one weekend day. We decided it would be extra nice to have a backyard fire pit. Lots of nice conversations have happened in this spot and a few good smores and hotdogs too! Here's how to build this: http://www.ehow.com/how_4513545_build-outdoor-fire-pit-area.html

We Love Our Hummers

Every year they return, just like clockwork. This year was no exception. We decided to have a little fun with our hummingbirds this year. Ever had one sit on your finger? Check this out! Here's another link: http://www.ehow.com/how_4511941_have-fun-hummingbirds.html

Grape Growing Tips

My husband and I decided three years ago that we would like to have our own small grape vineyard. I want to learn how to make my own wine. I think that would be just too cool. Anyways three years into it, here's what we have.

Here's how we did this: http://www.ehow.com/how_4513536_small-grape-vineyard-southeastern-oklahoma.html

Birds Ate ALL My Grapes!!!

This past summer I was awaiting the perfect day to pick our grape crop. One weekend day I told myself I should just wait one more day. The next day I returned and the darned birds had picked all the vines clean but one! I decided no more of this. Needless to say there was no homemade wine this year. Here are some idea to help keep your berries and grapes safe from birds.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4519760_keep-birds-eating-berries-grapes.html

Pesky Squirrels

Yeah, they are cute to an extent, but wait until you find all your tulip bulbs on top of the soil that you swear were once down in the soil. Wait until you catch a squirrel redhanded eating your bulbs. We decided to fix their wagons in a funny, friendly, but safe kinda way. We'll just sit back and watch and see what happens!! I hope this Yankee Feeder gets their attention.

Here is a detailed article that will show you how to build your own squirrel jungle gym:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4539764_even-squirrel.html

The Bees Are All The Buzz

Please help save the bees. I don't think most people realize how important a single bee is. Without bees, it is estimated that a large percentage of our food supply will diminish. We all know how important bees are for pollination. These little guys are disappearing quickly and no one has yet figured out the real reason. Is it pesticide? Is it some kind of weird bee disease maybe like AIDS or something similar?

Here's a link to help attract bees and give them a safe place to "bee". Please check it out. It's very important!!
http://www.ehow.com/how_4528181_attract-bees-garden.html

The Illusive Luna Moth

Have you ever heard of a Luna moth? Have you seen the Lunesta sleep aid commercial and noticed the large green moth? This is a Luna moth and this is what I found on the trunk of our pecan tree one day. Apparently spotting one doesn't happen too often. Once they transform from caterpillar to moth they die within a week. Here's a picture of one. Beautiful huh??
Here's a link to learn more about this creature: http://www.ehow.com/how_4511734_identify-luna-moth.html