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!