The Daily DuBrule

 Day 7

Thank goodness for birds in the winter garden. Yesterday, I talked to many people who were feeling the January "blahs". Perhaps it was the gray day, the dirty snow, the drizzle and rain. For me, it is flower deprivation. I look outside and I don't see flowers, those beautiful gifts of nature that feed my soul. But I do see birds. Man, are they happy right now! My feeders are filled with black oil sunflower seeds. They have lots of safe places to perch: my 'Knockout' rose that sits just below one feeder, my upright juniper that grows next to another, a weeping cherry set between the two, and a long hedgerow of Norway spruces to escape to if a cat appears. 

I get to sit in my home office and watch the show. Naturally, I have one feeder right outside the window where I sit typing on my computer. I am visited by red cardinals, juncoes, nuthatches, bluejays, and, of course, chickadees. My favorite, cheerful friends of winter. 

When I go outside to fill the feeder, the word gets out quickly. A previously silent day will erupt in bird song. Little trills at first, then an animated chatter. I know they must have a special language that says "fresh seed!". Now they perch in the thorn bushes right next to me, waiting with anticipation. I don't frighten them one bit.

The gift I get, besides this winter enjoyment, is self sown sunflowers all over my yard every summer. I haven't planted them for years, yet they come up everywhere. I have learned to selectively thin them out or they will swallow up all my unusual perennials I have worked so hard to establish. 

I am so happy with this arrangement, my own little wildlife habitat that sustains itself pretty nicely. I woke up early this morning to write and design, and my bubble of happiness was burst when Diane sent me this link:


National Wildlife Federation Teams Up with Scotts Miracle Gro

Read it and weep.