Those winter scenes sure are familiar! We have about the same amount of snow here. I actually would welcome more snow since my husband's business relies on snow revenue and the past 2 winters have been brutal on his business and our pocketbook. I'm not crazy about it personally, but it is 'white gold' to many. Plus, I do like it blanketing my daylilies over the winter. We have the same birds at our feeders as well. I so enjoy all the birds in the dead of winter. We have feeders everywhere, of every kind imaginable, and suet cakes too. My favorite feeder is the one right by my kitchen window where I can watch the birds up close while I do my dishes. My cats like to sit and watch them too and cures their winter boredom. I am always happy to hear that a kitty has found a loving home. Lucky Marmalade to show up at your doorstep! As I've mentioned before, I am jealous of all that land you have....just wonderful open space. I have too much of woods around me and not enough sunlight! Celeste

Oh, I'm so jealous of your grosbeaks and redpolls, Pudge! I think my neighbor is feeding too well, because the grosbeaks are always hanging around there and I'm lucky if they pop by for a brief visit. I did get some Evening Grosbeaks in for a good feed this spring and again this fall. That was a thrill to spot them, as I hadn't seen them before. I haven't seen a redpoll for about 3 years now. I find them so cute. The last time I saw a flock of them was early in the spring/late winter. Do they stay around all winter? Someone told me once that they cycle...and I don't remember why...was it their migration pattern maybe? I'd be interested to know if someone had any thoughts on that. I also had my first White Breasted Nuthatch yesterday! Another cutie and fun to watch...very vocal. He was still here this evening. RE: salt and birds...I'm thinking they probably require certain amounts naturally and find it somewhere, but with bird feeder fast-food that contains salt, they might eat alot of it because its easy to get and therefore get too much salt. Sound familiar? ie. potato chips! Gil, I wonder if the nuthatches would like your suet bars? Toots

Yesterday seemed like the first real spring day here: relatively warm, and windy. I saw lots of migrating birds, including several turkey vultures, lots of hawks, and even a group of what I think were 5 American white pelicans, way way up (sometimes it pays to look up into the sky alot). Two weeks ago I caught a glimpse of a fence lizard, probably the first one I've seen since about November. Here in Santa Fe, the currant and elderberry bushes are just starting to leaf out, the junipers and elms are releasing pollen like crazy, and all the tough little herbaceous perennial plants are starting to come up. We have yet to see any fruit trees flowering (which is a good thing). It's really neat to hear what's going on in other parts of the state, for example, the swallows... I won't expect to see them at my house until late April. The old-timers used to say it was safe to plant out chiles when the swallows had returned.

Whew, I thought it was hot here today but it is only in the high 80's! You guys have got to be melting down south. I was out putting in a tiny lasagna bed next to my shed this afternoon. I totally overdid it with hauling wheelbarrows full of compost. I thought I was going to collapse afterward. Wasn't nearly this bad when I did the big bed in June! Goes to show how the humidity can make things so much worse. Yick! Joan, you aren't lazy! Heck, with that kind of heat even breathing is hard work! Frances, I wish we had some rain to send you but it has finally dried up here. Trina, I am so happy that you are finally getting some good rain. I hope it sticks around. I know it's not in time to save the vegies but at least the perennials may perk back up. Marie, you are certainly not a newbie, you've been around for ages darlin! I have a firm bathroom policy here. If I am in the Potty then do not ask me any questions, don't bother! If I hear "Mom?", I ask "Is the house on fire?, Is anyone bleeding?" The answer is always no. Then I say "Don't bother asking I am IN THE BATHROOM!!!!!" A girl's got to have some privacy! lol!