All About Those Beautiful Blue Hostas!

All About Beautiful Blue Hostas

When it comes to the colors of perennial plants in the garden, blue is by far the rarest and is also one of the many reasons that blue hostas are so popular, and the bigger the better.  But how do blue-leafed hostas develop and keep that beautiful blue tint? 

Fragrant Hostas

All About Fragrant Hostas!

Although the blooms of hosta plants are commonly considered secondary to their beautiful leaves, there is a type of hosta, Hosta Plantaginea, that produces beautiful fragrant blooms that have been described as a strong honeysuckle-like fragrance. They are perfect for planting next to walkways, patios, decks, borders or near a garden bench.

Homestead Giving You Static Clutter by Brandi Goodnight

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Homestead Giving You Static Clutter?

Guest Post By  Brandi Goodnight

goodnighttobadhabits.com

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Have you ever felt a connection between the clutter in your house and your anxiety levels? When sitting in your space, you should be able to feel relaxed and safe. However, when your place is cluttered, it can feel overwhelmed, uncomfortable, uneasy, and all-around depressed.

If we consistently live like that, we retreat into our heads. Living like this can heighten our anxiety because we have nowhere else to go. When we relax, we give our minds a break and allow it to shut off. If we can't relax in our house, our minds can't take a break.

Static Clutter

I call this static clutter. I call it that because that was the only way I could describe how my house made me feel. That white noise static you get on your TV when it has no connection? That is what went through my head when I was home. My brain never got a break, my anxiety rose, and I started to shut down.

I struggled to make simple decisions, couldn't focus on the things I enjoyed, and my family suffered. I didn't transform my house overnight. It took me many years to get where I am today. I started with simple moves so I wouldn't get overwhelmed. I worked in one corner, on one table, or even one drawer. Sometimes I got the motivation to do entire rooms.

Listen to your Mind and Body

I tried to listen to my mind and body to tell me when to stop. There were times I didn't listen and got burnt out. I ended up taking a step back during those moments because I would have quit if I hadn't. I'll let you in on a little secret; my house was borderline hoarder status. I was too embarrassed to take pictures of my kids or let anyone visit. The turning point for me was my clothes. I found project 333 from Courtney Carver of Be More with Less. (Project 333)

Project 333

Project 333 is 33 items of clothing for three months. It includes purses, jewelry, shoes, and accessories. When I read about this, I found the motivation to go through my closet. I wanted to see if this was something I could do. I needed something extreme! I donated six trash bags of clothes! (jaw dropped to the floor) I didn't even realize I had that much stuff.

I have since modified it to 44 items for the year because I don't change my wardrobe for the seasons. Years later and I have stuck with it. At this point, I learned my mind craved minimalism. I think that is because I was in that never-ending cycle for so long.

Minimalism might not be what helps you with your static clutter. Just work on little steps to bring yourself to a point where you can breathe. 

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How to Start Out

Start with a drawer or a corner. Maybe pick a table or a shelf. Go as slow as you need. Through this process, you will learn how or why it got to this point. If you take it too fast, you may find yourself in a never-ending cycle. 

The most important part of this process is to figure out why. Why did it get to this point? Why does it affect me in this way? Figure these out and, you will get to your breathing point in no time.

So where you are in this process? Do you have static clutter? Are you a minimalist? Have you already made it through the process and made it to your breathing point? You can contact me at:   LiveLaughLoveHonestly@gmail.com.

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Brandi Goodnight, Freelance Writer

 

Guest Author Spotlight
My name is Brandi Goodnight, I am a mother to 3 teens and a wife of 16 years. When I had my oldest I became a SAHM, I went back to work 5 years ago. I have worked and continue to work on improving who I am as a person. I want to share my journey and help others on theirs.!

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See Our  Lists of Other Great Articles:

Homesteading Articles
Hosta Articles
Gardening Articles
Growing and Preserving Food Articles

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Attracting Birds to your Garden by Brett Lewis

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Tips On How To Attract Birds To Your Garden

Guest Post By Brett Lewis

Contributor for:  BirdInformer.com

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Attracting Birds to your garden is a fairly simple task. It takes a considerable amount of work to get started, but the payoff of a garden buzzing with birds is sublime. To make birds regularly visit, this article will show you tips on how to attract birds to your garden.

Entice them with Flowers

Planting flowers, shrubs, and bushes around your garden that produces food are one of the most effective ways of attracting birds. Flowers that produce seeds that birds find delectable are:

Sunflowers - Their bright yellow color and the seeds that they produce are enticing to birds. Even if sunflower seeds are not part of a particular bird's diet, they are still quite attracted to its dazzling color.

Daisies - Similar to sunflowers, their bright yellow center and ability to produce seeds that birds can eat makes this a great choice. An advantage of this flower to the common sunflower is that it is not an annual flower meaning it doesn't bloom once then perishes.

Coneflowers - This type of flower is easy to grow and maintain, which makes it a wonderful option for those who do not have that much time to tend to their garden.

You don't necessarily have to replace all of your flowers to attract birds. Birds are also attracted to bright natural colors, so flowers that make non-edible seeds are also an option; they're just less effective.

Entice them with Shrubs, Bushes and Vines

Shrubs, Bushes, and Vines that produce fleshy fruits not only provide bird's food it also provides them with shelter or a place to perch. Here are some examples of Shrubs, Bushes, and Vines that you can plant in your garden.

Elderberry - Even if their raw berries and other parts are considered toxic, they have little to no effect on birds and other animals. A large number of bird species love elderberries!

Winter Honeysuckle - Usually grown as hedges and used as ornamental plants, their red fruits persist throughout the winter giving your garden visitors during those cold months.

Highbush Blueberry - A variant of the wild blueberry. They are taller and have larger berries compared to their wild cousins that birds widely prefer.

Winterberry - Known more as Holly. The vibrant colors it displays, as well as the fruits they produce, make this very enticing for various species of birds. True to its name, it lasts throughout the winter months.

Use Bird Feeders As An Enticement

Bird Feeders are another option to take if you want to draw in birds. This can be a quick way to attract birds in your garden while your plants grow. Avoid filling your bird feeders with cheap bird feed. Most birds do not eat the filler found in cheap bird feed. The best things to fill your bird feeders with are shelled nuts (peeled), suet or, black-oil sunflower seeds.

Further reading: Choosing the Right Bird Feeder

Provide Plenty Of Water

Placing birdbaths in your garden gives birds a place to drink water and clean themselves. Every bird needs a clean source of water, and adding birdbaths will definitely make them flock to your garden making your bird watching experience all the better.

Further Reading:  Choosing the Best Birdbath

Bird Watching Binoculars

Other Birdbath Tips

• Make your birdbath look as natural as possible. A bird would feel more comfortable if it was drinking somewhere familiar. To make your birdbath look natural, place it near the ground, and getting its water to move is a more alluring sight compared to a static birdbath.

• Some birds steer clear from crowded birdbaths. To circumvent this problem, place multiple birdhouses around your garden. It's good to give your birdbaths considerable distance between each other. Placing a birdbath in a shaded and secluded area makes it so that your garden can attract shy birds like woodpeckers.

• Be sure to regularly maintain your birdbaths for dirty birdbaths that will deter birds from using them.
  
  

Give Birds a Nesting Spot

Leaving your gardens plant debris, twigs, fluff, and dead leaves encourage birds to nest near your garden. Grass trimmings are also a popular building material birds use for their nests. Having grass in your garden is a huge plus to incite nesting.

Birdhouses provide a fast solution for birds who are looking for somewhere to settle or rest. Place your birdhouse between 5 to 20 feet. Take note that different height placements of birdhouses attract different species of birds. Lastly, place your birdhouses near foliage or trees to give additional protection and security against predators.

Further Reading:  Great Gifts for Bird Lovers

Conclusion

Having a nice looking garden is great but complimenting it with beautiful birds can be the difference between great and phenomenal! With a little bit of patience, these tips will definitely help you attract birds into your garden.

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Guest Author Spotlight

Brett Lewis is the founder and a content contributor for BirdInformer.com. He is an avid bird watcher and has built a bird sanctuary in his backyard following guidelines provided by the National Wildlife Federation. Additionally, Brett loves to travel and when he does, Brett is always looking for unique and interesting birdlife to write about.

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See Our  Lists of Other Great Articles:

Homesteading Articles
Hosta Articles
Gardening Articles
Growing and Preserving Food Articles

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without costing you anything extra.

Grow Crisphead (Iceberg) Lettuce

 

Growing Crisphead Lettuce

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Growing Leaf Lettuce

 

Growing Loose-Leaf Lettuce

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Growing Butterhead Lettuce

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