When we moved here to our country home (converted barn) it was a couple of weeks before Christmas. That first Christmas morning my husband and I woke up to snow, beautiful fluffy sparkly snow. We have 11 pine trees surrounding the barn. Of course the snow covered the pine branches. I looked out the front window , and there sitting on one of the pine branches was a bright red Cardinal. It looked like a Christmas card, all white with some green and red. I wish I would have had a camera ready at the time. It was just so perfect. It gave us that warm fuzzy Christmas feeling. As we sat and drank a cup of Hot Cocoa and a Christmas cookie. I hope we have fresh snow for Christmas this year. patti

Well...I'm not Mr. B either...oh wait, yes I am! *ahem* Clara is right. -the end- j/k She basically is though. I cannot quibble with anything she said. One thing the esteemed Mr. P from OHG will tell you is that air flow is overrated. He visited our OS last year and went to some of our member's greenhouses I think. Anyway he said that the air where many of the plants we grow live, is quite stagnant. I visted their greenhouses earlier this year and the air is very buoyant but doesn't have nearly the 'wind' that my main grow area has with the oscillating fan. Consequently, I've tried to use the fan less. Problem for me is that I use the fan to blow mist from the nozzles and vapor from the humidifier, so they cover more plants. Perhaps that's a digression... Stewart says that fastuosa lives from 100-1500m in the SW of Madagascar, up to the highlands. 1500m is really fairly high, thus cool/intermediate; and 100m is really quite low, thus warm. Since there is a range, the plant ought to be fairly adaptable. But still, I would move it a little out from the window. Stewart also says the leaves are leathery. Honestly, I've noticed quite a few of my plants leaves have that leathery look. The problem is that it *could* be from temperature or lack of humidity issues. Or it *could* be from no/poor roots. Or it *could* be from mites or other 'pests'. Oh, yes, that is most likely a spike nub just starting. Its too soon to tell for sure but it would make sense if your plant bloomed in March. In fact, I'd wager that it will bloom at nearly if not exactly, the same time as before. Interesting side note: I had two, one from the southern hemisphere, Madagascar, and one from California. They both bloomed at exactly the same time. So I think the bloom time for them is pretty well hard-wired into the dna. Lastly, I would not dismount it and pot it. The one I killed, was potted. The other one began to languish, and I mounted it, and so far so good. You seem to be able to give mounts what they need, so I wouldn't change anything. Why take it from growing in a fairly natural way to trying to force it to grow in a way that is alien to it? Too risky. IMO. Can't wait to see the flowers! -MB

but a green plant wont necessarily attract them ... so last night.. i shut down the computer.. and head off for an adult libation ... and out of the kitchen window.. i see the poppies blooming wildly ... a gift from a friend last year ... the annual type.. 4 inch giant RED blooms.. hundreds of them .. so i step on the back deck .... and i am contemplating my navel.. and the libation.. and the general happiness .. when i come to realize there is this insanely loud hell-a-ba-lou going on ... and its 3 cardinals arguing about who knows what.. in the trees in a 50 foot radius from the poppies ... what i am trying to express to you.. is that attracting the birds is a different project from the greenery you want.. IMHO ... unless you can grow some dwarf wind proof sunflowers.. which will attract them, later in the season ... i will leave you in peace now .. before i irritate you by answering your question, but not in shrub form .... good luck ken ps: is there anything red on your roof top, that is already attracting them???

I don't think your area is too open for song birds. How long have you been feeding in that location? Deep snow cover will push birds south, even if they winter in your area. Your hawk doesn't sound like an Accitper, the lean Hawks that routinely attack feeders. In my experience, Accipters rarely perch in the open, like on a barn for more than a brief amount of time. They are usually inside the tree canopy. Killing a weasel also suggests its more likely a Buteo Hawk, the big stocky hawks that mainly feed on rodents. Buteos are usually on open perches, along the higways, on telephone poles, on buildings, etc. Accipters usually need the element of surprise to catch a healthy adult bird. In the summer time, adult birds will usually mob them and pester then until they leave the area. This time of year, all the song birds are adults and wise. Accipters usually rely on the stealth, below the horizon attack this time of year. They fly really close to the ground and charge into areas they anticipate birds to be and grab any bird that doenst flush in time. I've seen them make attacks on my feeder when its empty. They build up speed and come around the corner the house ambush the feeder. They will make a J turn around the feeder pole and almost touch the ground (right where the Doves would normally be). They do this even without any birds present. Even using this strategy, I've seen doves escape, usually losing a few feathers. Being out in the open makes its hard for the Hawk to get the element of surprise with lots of eyes watching and no terrian to take advantage of. Now, in the summer time with fledgings everywhere, Accipters can catch them without the element of surprise. If you get alot of accipter attacks, you can try a decoy. Since the hawk usually goes for the last bird to move when attacking. Purple Martin landlords use these to reduce the chances for success. But I don't think your lack of birds is related to the hawk. I've seen our birds spot an accipter 200 yards away and freeze. A Buteo hawk could be perched 50 yards away and they would be indifferent to it, except when nesting.