Tag: Granite Bird Bath

Winter Wonderland

Today, February 28, 2023, we received our FIRST accumulating snow this winter in Connecticut. Once again, mother nature did not let me down with the photo opportunities.

Barn Wood Bird House

Last weekend I visited the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show and purchased a barn wood birdhouse. It gives the garden an instant old-timey feel. I hope to purchase another larger birdhouse for the fence in my backyard. Visit Birdhouse Brokerage for more information.

Last year, I built a platform to put bird seed on and found a sign that says “This is our Happy Place” for it. When I saw the birdhouse at the flower show I immediately knew where to place it. The birdhouse looks great looking out the kitchen window.

Arnold Promise Witch Hazel

My Arnold Promise Witch Hazel is in full bloom. I first noticed flowers on this small tree on February 16. That is ridiculously early because it has been a ridiculously mild winter.

Arnold Promise Witch Hazel isn’t a show-stopper. However, in late February with 5 inches of snow on the ground, there’s not much competition for the best tree in bloom.

The sunnier and warmer the weather the more witch hazel flowers become noticeable. Once the temperature goes above freezing and the sun shines Arnold Promise Witch Hazel looks like a different tree.

Heated Bird Bath in Snow

I like the contrast between the heated birdbath and the pile of snow on the unheated birdbath. A bird bath heater is a great service to the local avian population in addition to possums, raccoons and stray cats as a water source through the winter.

I use the Farm Innovators Model C-50 Premium Cast Aluminum Birdbath De-Icer, 150-Watt for my bird bath. I’ve had it for two years without an issue.

If you heat your bird bath keep in mind the colder the temperature the quicker the water will evaporate. When the temperature is below 20 degrees you can see a mist coming off the water.

America the Beautiful

The boxwood provides a green and white backdrop for the flag. I need to power wash the house this year!

Winter Wonderland

The depth of this picture excites me! Dragon Lady Holly in the foreground on the right, a tongue and groove cedar fence in the middle, and Emerald Green Arborvitae in the background.

Stray Cat in Snow

If you run your eye along the siding you’ll see Phantom watching me from a window well. I started feeding Phantom, and Snowball, last summer.

When we first met Phantom would hide in shadows or be within feet of me without me knowing it. He can be quite stealthy when he wants to be.

When I began feeding Phantom he wouldn’t eat until I was at least 50 feet away. Phantom now rolls on the ground in front of me hoping for pets and lives in our three-season room.

Thanks for viewing my snow day pictures!

Which picture is your favorite and why?

February 28, 2023
Bird Baths and Husbands

Yesterday, I started the search for a bird bath for the back yard. I was hoping to find something simple, a flat stone with a bowl carved into it. Indeed I’ve admired a few like that over the years.

I headed off to Swenson Granite.

I spotted what I was looking for. Unfortunately, there was only one in stock and it was chipped. Therefore, I headed to the office to ask if they had more.

The model I was looking for was no longer available. Consequently, I asked about another bird bath I liked. It was a Deer Isle Lo-boy bird bath.

Lo-boy means the bird bath is half the height and Deer Isle is a darker, less showy, granite. The Lo-boy base looks, and may be, hand cut. I like that.

I’m not a fan of flimsy bird baths and sundials. They’re prone to lose their tops in the wind or shifting ground from freeze-thaw cycles.

Gregg lifted the heavy stones and gently placed the bird bath in my pickup. Thank you, Gregg!

Next, I placed the bird bath next to my feeding platform under the Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) where it can be viewed from the kitchen.

While the granite looks great it doesn’t match my low budget feeding platform. It’s like having a salt and pepper shaker that doesn’t match. In fact, I need a granite feeding platform too. But not this year.

Did you notice the second bird bath in the picture?

There’s a funny story to that.

Father’s Day Fun

Today was Father’s Day and my wife and daughter spent hours searching for the perfect bird bath yesterday, unbeknownst to me. They decided a lower style would look just right in the spot.

Yesterday, within minutes of arriving home, my wife spotted my new bird bath. Equally important, she couldn’t believe I bought myself something the day before Father’s day.

For this reason I’m a heel.

Consequently, my Father’s Day gift will be going in our Memorial Garden.

I bet more than one reader can relate to the story…

June 16, 2019