I have a friend who is somewhat unusual.  She describes herself as a decorator, but her taste definitely runs to the eclectic so I’m not sure how well she does in the decor business.

Her yard is one to behold, though.  She and her family have worked hard to build a 12 foot fountain in the front.   In the remainder of the yard, we see her art work on display.  She has a combination of the wood cut outs of old people bent over gardening, Christmas snowmen, penguins, presents, and nativity scenes.  Wooden yard art can be very cute, but then again - everything in moderation is acceptable to me.

My only yard art is the American flag and a cross from Home Interior hanging on my porch.  I was doing a friend a favor by buying it.  I have some flowers and lots of trees.  I’d like to find tree faces to put on my bigger trees someday, but overall unless it’s something grown by mother nature, less is best.

Not really MY neighbor, but the yard of flickr creative commons photographer byrdiegyrl.  Our thanks to you for sharing!

Photo by me.

Though your nose may still be covered with frost and your toes are cold, it’s not too early to start planning your summer garden.  My friend Aunt B. is already considering sunflowers, basil, okra and peppers. She doesn’t mince words when it comes to finding revenge on the bushy-tailed ones that have been munching her crocuses,

I think someone ate all my crocuses in the small bed by the creek. I saw them starting to sprout last week, but didn’t see any in there this week. Well, [BLEEPED] that then. I may put some daffodils in there next year, but I’m giving up on crocuses. I also have half a mind to go into the squirrel nests and take bites out of things they like.

B. goes on to ask for advice on what to plant in a wet spot to the north of her driveway. Let us know if you have any gardening suggestions for her!

Photo by Muffet from Flickr Creative Commons.

We’re having a heat wave here…. it’s supposed to get above 50 degrees this weekend!  To celebrate, here’s a video clip of someone blaming the heat and boredom to have some garage sale fun!

By the way, had it been me the actual “standing” up would’ve been funnier to see than the rolling around. Funny?  Or sad?

If you’re a believer in evolution (which I am), this pretty much shows the history of everything from being a microbe to the universe. That’s some backyard we have there!

I got to show a buyer a gorgeous home today that had something unique (in that I’ve never seen this before).  The 3rd floor bonus room was the entire floor and the back wall was a glass garage door.   It opened onto a wooden deck that has a gas outdoor fireplace.  Talk about a party yard/room!

Much of the country is experiencing massive snowfall, blizzard conditions, and the resulting pile-up of the white stuff and cold temperatures. But what would it be like to live so high up a mountain that winter could come at any time?   Workers at The Lodge at LeConte - right on the edge of the Smoky Mountains - experience the beauty of winter for a few months more each year.  Luckily the chef at The Lodge is writing all about it and even better … with PICTURES!

When the weather is bad like it is today I keep an eye out for hikers that are coming through for the day or hiking in to stay in the back country shelter.  When the temperatures are extremely cold it can be really hard on the best hikers.  Most hikers are well prepared and in good shape.  But every now and then I come across someone that needs to come in and warm up and dry out for a bit.

I am also available to the National Park Service to assist with any rescues or searches on Mt. LeConte.  I have helped with two searches this winter.

That’s amazing… to have a mountain top as your back yard.  Stay warm, guys. Stay safe.

I’ve talked before about feed wild birds, but because January and February are the most important months to do this for wild birds I wanted to remind everyone again.

… February is designated National Bird Feeding Month because it’s one of the most difficult months in the U.S. for birds to survive in the wild. In mid-Michigan the plants are still dormant and haven’t begun to produce new food for the birds and the bugs are still scarce.

I’m basically a cheap person.  I don’t buy bird seed, sunflower seeds, or other food to feed wild animals.  I’ve always wanted to because it would be as much a treat for me to watch them as it is a food source for the animals.

Instead, I save my leftover bread, the peanuts no one eats from a bag of trail mix, spilled cheerios, crunched up stale crackers … I save all this then throw it on the front lawn during the winter months.  I never throw old apples or pears away either… in the side yard they go for our neighbor’s horses or other wildlife.  Winter is such a hard time for wild animals that every little bit helps.

Do you feed the wildlife in your neighborhood?  This really could be a great time to start that bird feeder you’ve always wanted!

My very favorite part of the front yard is seeing the occasional fox or deer, but also the regular squirrels and rabbits who visit.  Yes, I like taking photos of my flowers during the summer but so enjoy seeing other living creatures munch on the clover.

I haven’t seen a hawk yet like Benjamin over at The Deep Middle,

In the dead of winter I get the fullest, bare-bone understanding of where I am, and how I and my garden and little 1/4 acre homestead are connected to the larger world. A hawk passes over my yard in a second. In one minute how much more has it experienced than me? Whose perspective is deeper and richer? Whose life would suffer more for the lack of the other? The answer to that last question should be obvious.

He says it so much more beautifully than me.