Hi Liz, You don't need to add food colouring, it doesn't do anything except cost more and it could actually be harming the hummingbirds. Just heat in a sauce pan 2 cups of water to a low boil 1-2 minutes. Then take off of heat and stir in 1/2 cup of White Granulated Pure Cane Sugar (4:1 water to sugar). Let it cool completely and put some in your feeders and the rest can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Change the nectar in the feeders every 3-4 days so it doesn't go bad. And to wash the feeders sprits completely with white vinegar from a spray bottle then rise thoroughly with tap water. The red dye has never been proven safe for hummingbirds to ingest but it has in fact been proven harmful to humans. -Joe Here is a link that might be useful: nectar mix

sowngrow - lucky you! I am out there every night listening for the owls, but I think they have selected their nesting sites no it's no go for me this year. Keep taking photos so we can know how they are doing. I want screech owls badly (and turkeys, go figure) and yours are encouraging. This summer we plan to grow gourds for the first time. Any recommendation on seed brands? Got the type of gourd but don't know if any brand is better than another. builder24car - the horizontal roosting box 22" long, 8 1/2 deep, 7" tall front, 9" tall back. Roof over hangs 2" in front, 1" sides. Hole is 2" and the dowels were placed about titmice height apart, and so that the birds would not roost on top of each other, hence not poop on each other. I will take the front off & dowels out, add a small lip on the front bottom for doves & robins to nest in. They nest easily on shelves, and it's there so I'll use it. Understand our measurements are just stuff we are winging! It's untreated, unpainted rough cedar.

Linda, I hope it is not too late!! But if you toss cereal or breadcrumbs out, you will attract starlings, or worse, if you live in a rural area, like we do. Raccons, weasels and mice we attracted by the bread/cereal we tossed out in the yard!! Then, the hawks were attracted to the rodents! Songbirds are just now beginning to come back, but it's a hard lesson to learn! Here's a good recipe for jump start breakfast!! Egg Muffins Revisited Again (Makes 12 muffins, recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from The South Beach Diet book. 15 eggs (for silicone muffin pans, use 12 eggs for metal muffin tins or individual silicone cups. You can use less egg yolks and more egg white if you prefer.) 1-2 tsp. Spike Seasoning 1-2 cups grated low fat cheese (I like sharp cheddar or a blend of cheddar/Jack cheese, use less cheese if using meat) Optional, but highly recommended, 3 green onions diced small. Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content) Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray. In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout, add Spike, and beat well. (I used to add a bit of half and half or milk, but lately I like the way they turn out without it.) Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set. Muffins will keep at least a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat. Here is a link that might be useful: Kalyn's Kitchen

Why does this put "a knot" in your tummy? With the advent of stores like Costco, BJs, with families not wanting to run out to the grocery store so often, and with the high price of gas making it expensive to go running out for some basics, a lot of people stock up on basics. I don't think anybody opening a closet and finding plastic containers of cereal, beans, whatever, and cans of vegetables, soup, etc., will be turned off, necessarily. Unless that closet is in a spare bedroom! Then, as Allison says, it might very well signal that there's not a convenient backup pantry closet close to the kitchen. If there's a close-to-the-kitchen closet available, I think any potential buyer would love to see it fitted with shelving like the Elfa or Closetmaid systems for a backup pantry. I turned the coat closet across from the kitchen into a part pantry and part coat storage with the Elfa shelving system. A do-it-all closet, and I really am happy that I made that investment. The plain-old "before" closet -- with just a high shelf and a closet rod -- was not efficient, and now this one is. Any buyer down the line will be more impressed with that than with the "before." I don't have a garage, but I do have a basement that's part finished and part regular cement flooring where the water heater is, and there's a lot of space for storage, so I put up some wood bookcases from Ikea and I have a few shelves for extra paper towels, TP, cleaning supplies. I like AWM's idea of a separate, standalone closet that could go in a garage (or even in a basement).