The Beauty of Mini Hostas

The Beauty of Miniature Hostas!

Mini hostas, whether they're the adorable mouse-ear types or the dainty leafed varieties, they always get noticed.   Minis are well suited for any type of mini to small garden, be it rock garden, fairy garden or mini garden collections.

 

Hostas for Early Spring Color!

After a winter that seems like it will never end, I am always anxious to see the first flush of color in my garden.  If you're looking for early spring color in your shady or part sunny perennial or hosta garden, look no further than hostas! 

The Versatility of Hostas!

The Versatility of Hosta Plants!

Hostas are not only beautiful, but they also come in a large variety of leaf colors, sizes and shapes.

But did you know that hostas are so versatile that there are other advantages to adding hostas in your garden other than their beauty? 

Why Birds Aren't Using Your Birdbath

It’s been said that birdbaths attract more birds than bird feeders do. I believe that may be true as I know plenty of people who have several feeders but no birdbaths in their yard and they are wondering where their bird visitors are.

If you have a birdbath that is open for business but no feathery customers are visiting, you may find the reason below.

Problems with Placement

1. Birds simply don't see the birdbath.

Even if a birdbath is clean and filled with sparkling water, it's not doing the birds any good if they can't find it. The birdbath should be easily seen from the sky.

2. The birdbath is placed in full sun.

The water may be too warm to be refreshing. Moving the birdbath to a shadier spot may be all you need to do. Some shade will also keep the water fresh longer.

3. The birdbath was placed in an area that doesn't appear safe.

Skittish birds feel safer if they can see in all directions while they drink or bathe. They also want to see a quick route to flee from danger or even perceived danger. A birdbath that is too far from cover may discourage your birds from landing there.

Place the birdbath in an area where there are some trees or big shrubs nearby but not close enough that predators can hide near it.
Birdbaths placed on the ground can be hard for the birds to see and be more dangerous than ones placed on pedestals. 

If you must have the birdbath placed on the ground, be sure to place it at least six feet away from places where predators could lurk.

The birdbath itself.

4. Slippery Surfaces.

Many birdbaths, like ceramic ones, have a rather slippery coating that may force the birds that are trying to land there to make a rather unnerving landing.

A simple solution to this is to arrange stones (or branches) in the water so birds can safely land on them then stand on them to drink without touching the slippery surface at all.

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Problems with the water.

5. The water is too deep.

The fact is that birds can drown in deep water. Birds prefer very shallow water where they can safely sip or bathe.

As a rule, the deepest part of the bath in the center should be no deeper than about two inches.

6. The water in the birdbath is not clean.

It's pretty obvious that birds will not visit a birdbath that is full of decaying leaves or debris or has a growth of algae. Not only will birds generally ignore that birdbath altogether, but they could get very sick if they do visit.

7. Clean water is not continuously supplied.

Once your birds have become used to a water supply in your garden, you should ensure that you continue to offer it to them. If your birdbath is often empty, then birds will soon try to find another more continuous source of water.

Those Sneaky Neighbors!

8. The area birds have found a better option.

Maybe your neighbor has a more inviting location for drinking and bathing!

If this is the case you can one-up your neighbor's offering by adding a source of moving water to your birdbath. Not only does moving water attract birds, but it will also prevent mosquitos from breeding there. And a side benefit is that birdbaths with moving water won't need to be cleaned as often.

Above is a pretty inexpensive solar fountain pump that can do the work for you.

If you're more a DIY-er, here is a great idea I wish I had thought of myself.

Recycle an old bucket or plastic container by punching a tiny hole in the bottom, filling it with water, and hanging it above the birdbath so the water drips slowly down.

Another way to outdo the neighbor is by making sure that your birds have water to drink, even in the coldest weather.

The heated birdbath pictured above is the one that I use.  I like that it sits securely on my deck rail so I can watch the birds from the warm comfort of my window!   

Or you can purchase an inexpensive deicer like the one above.  With either choice, you can expect some activity all winter year long!

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I hope you found these tips helpful.  Here are some related articles about the care of your feathery friends:

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Choosing the Best Bird Bath

Great Gifts for Bird Lovers

Choosing the Right Bird Feeder

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Fall Care for Hostas

  

Fall Care for Hosta Plants

With fresh air and fewer insects and plant diseases to worry about, Fall is a pretty great time in the garden.


But for hostas, those beautiful leaves are beginning to die back making the plant look a bit ragged, but the plant is just conserving energy and getting ready for their winter sleep where they will await warm Spring temperatures.

Homestead Holidays! How to Save Money while Making the Kids Happy!

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Homestead Holidays

How to Save Money while Making the Kids Happy!

Guest Post By  Brandi Goodnight

goodnighttobadhabits.com

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Holidays can be hard.

Holidays can be hard, and this year is no exception. In fact, this year may feel harder than in previous years. We want to make our kid's holiday a special one, but our finances may say otherwise. Shopping for the family can be stressful but with a plan, it can be easier.

Is it possible to save money during the Holidays and still make our kids happy? The quick answer is, yes. In many cases, you do not need to spend an arm and a leg to make kids happy. We will discuss multiple ways to save money without sacrificing the Holidays for our kids.

The true meaning of the holidays.

The holidays are a time of family and reflection. Bringing those values back to this time of year will provide love and happiness in the house. Kindness and Joy may be all around us year-round, but now is the time to make it a focal point.

The holidays can be stressful, we become hard on ourselves, expecting everything to be perfect. Our inner perfectionists come out (I am totally guilty of this) and we run ourselves ragged. We need to remind ourselves that sometimes being there is what counts the most.

Holiday shopping for the young kids.

When I was a mom of young kids I was told about want, need, wear, read. This helps keep down on the number of toys the kids will have along with providing different, cheaper options for the holiday season.

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Choosing one item off their holiday list can not only save you money but also let other family members have options as well. I have seen many people use the need option to give their kids a new toothbrush, new sheets, anything the child might be needing at the time.

Something I wear could be those holiday pajamas they open the night before. Finally, something I read, can be a fun way to nudge your kids into loving to read. Find a book that showcases their interests. My sons were really into Minecraft, so I got them those books once upon a time.

 

Holiday shopping for the older kids.

As kids get older, they become more expensive. They want electronics, video games, and Money. You can continue that above strategy, but it was one I stopped once the expensive gifts came into play. There are many ways I figure out their presents.

Sometimes it a matter of saving money through the year or finding the right deal. Black Friday will not always be the best deal. If I do shop during that time, it is all online. Another way is to spread out the buying throughout the year.

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Buying one present a month starting in January can help the feelings it comes with shopping for everyone on your list. Once kids become teenagers, their interests don't change as fast anymore so this strategy is a little easier to pull off. It also makes buying all those electronics a little easier on your wallet.

Other options are gift cards. These allow the older kids to buy the things they want and leave the stress of guessing off your shoulders. My kids love gift cards. If the top of their lists has a big-ticket item, the entire family can pitch in with gift cards and the child can pick out their item that way.

What can you do this year to make shopping easier?

Start with a game plan.

Always starting with a game plan and never falling into the retail deal death trap. This especially goes for Black Friday. The electronics your kids want may be an amazing deal on that day. However, as you walk through the mall, do not be tempted to go into retail stores that do not support your list. You could be tempted to buy something you did not need because of a deal you found in a store.

Coordinate with other family members.

Coordinate with other family members to go in on the big-ticket items. You can also plan less expensive items or fun trips for the kids to help give them more than one gift. Maybe the whole family goes in on the new Xbox Series X, and you plan a trip to the zoo or sledding with your kids. 

You can even tailor those trips to be one on one to make it even more special.

Start Early.

Start next year's shopping in January if you buy for the whole family. Start with parents, siblings, and extended family and friends at the beginning of the year and your kids towards the end.

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Go grab that pen a paper and start planning your holiday shopping with a strategy for gifts, shopping, and family time! Let me know how the holidays are treating you!   LiveLaughLoveHonestly@gmail.com.

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Brandi Goodnight, Freelance Writer

Goodnighttobadhabits.com

 

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

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

Must-Have Supplies for Self Reliance by Amanda Hartvigsen

          

Must-Have Supplies for Self Reliance.

Guest Post By Amanda Hartvigsen

Freelance Writer

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The goal of every homestead is to be self-reliant. Meaning, the ability to take care of our own needs without depending on anyone else. Even without the acres of land one usually associates with a homestead, this mindset is something we can all learn from and work on!


When Covid-19 hit the USA no one could have prepared us for the mayhem that followed. Going to the store and seeing empty shelves, no meat, no eggs... it was unsettling, to say the least. Like most of you, I'm sure, I went into survival mode. I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to take care of my little ones!


Unfortunately, I don't think those days of uncertainty are behind us. In fact, I think our fall and winter months could be pretty scary, but I am determined to be even more prepared this time around and I want to help you do the same!


Worst-case scenario... nothing happens and we're all extra self-reliant... WIN

Let's not forget to mention how great it feels to have a bunch of your own canned foods from your garden to use! You do what works best for you! If you don't have a lot of room to store food, adapt the best you can.


Related Reading: Start Pressure Canning Now!

Food Inventory

I can't stress this enough! There is NO point in going to the store and buying a bunch of stuff you don't use or you already have a ton of. It may seem daunting but write it all down! If you're more tech-savvy, make a spreadsheet. Whatever will keep you the most organized, just write it all down.


Make sure to include quantity so that as you are figuring out meals, you know how many of each you have. (ex. I have 20 quarts of spaghetti sauce so I make sure I have enough noodles and then I'll know I can make spaghetti 20 times).

Plan Out Meals

Now that you know the contents of what you have, take some time to sit down and think about what you can make with it all. Try to think of things that you already know how to make (What if the power is out and you can't look up a recipe online)


Some of my most loved dishes are ones that I just threw what I had together with no recipe and my family loved it! You have 3 boxes of pancake mix? Ok! Breakfast for dinner! Don't be afraid to think outside the box!

Complement What You Have

Over the years our parents have given us food storage for Christmas (yay for being an adult) and we have LOVED it! So needless to say... I have a LOT of potato flakes in my storage room! They are in big #10 cans that can last for 30 years! It's great knowing we have those potatoes! I try to cook with them so I know how to use them and because of that, I know that if we need to use up those potatoes...


I'm gonna need to make some extras to make them more palatable like gravy, ingredients for Shepherds Pie, soups, casseroles, etc. If you have an abundance of canned beans that's awesome, just make sure you have other things you can add to them too so you can make something everyone will eat.

Soup

There's not much that can't be eaten if put into a soup. Make sure you have a good soup base! For a couple months I couldn't even buy chicken base or bouillon cubes at the store! Now, I grab some every time I go to keep on hand so I can whip up a quick soup!

Flour and Wheat

Luckily flour is super cheap and so versatile. If you know what to do with it you can go use a lot of flour! We go through so much at our house. I bake a lot, and I know how to use it so for us it's a really good staple to have on hand.


Wheat, however, is another story! Yes, I could buy huge quantities of wheat, but at this point in my life I don't have a wheat grinder (I want to get one and learn though!) so it doesn't really make sense for me to stock up on it. If you do though, GO FOR IT!

Short-term Storage

Short term storage is the foods that you eat every day that don't have a huge shelf life. Building up a supply of those items is just as important ( I'd say much more) than the long term items.


An easy way I have found to build this up is to buy in bulk as much as I can. Utilize Sams Club and Costco. I usually shop once a week for all the meals I have planned for that week.


Let's say I'm making my taco soup recipe, instead of buying the 1 can of olives the recipe calls for, I'll try to buy a case of olives to use in the future. This builds up a supply of what you normally use anyway and helps with the short term storage goals.

Long-term Storage

Long term is those awesome 25-30 year shelf life items. Your #10 canned and freeze-dried foods. There are so many options to choose from here.


As a precaution, I think it’s important to have some of these items because they do last so long, but we don't eat these types of food regularly so I don't purchase much of this type of food.


We do buy a lot from our church's local cannery where we can get #10 cans of rice, pasta, potato flakes, etc., by the case so that we can use them in the long term as well as the short. I personally wouldn't spend a ton of money on long term storage, I focus more on the short because I use it every day.

Water

It is ESSENTIAL to have a storage of water! It is something that everyone will have to approach differently depending on their space/storage situation.


For some, a few cases under the bed may be all you have room for, while others can store big water drums.


Another idea is to install a rain barrel in your yard. The most commonly-found types hold 50 gallons of water. Although you wouldn't be able to use that water for drinking unless you purify it, that water can be used for cleaning and bathing so you could keep your stored water for drinking.




Related Reading: Why You Need a Rain Barrell Now!


One thing that I will say about water is that if a situation occurred where you knew there was a possibility that you may lose your water source (i.e. earthquake, big storms, other natural disasters) fill up your bathtubs! That way you have at least something! We also like to keep purification tablets and Lifestraws in our storage as well.

Pets

Don't forget your pets! If food is scarce you're not going to want to have to feed your dog or cat from your pantry. Make sure to remember them in your preparations also. We try to buy things like hay, oats, other feeds for our animals in bulk too just to make sure everyone/critter is taken care of.

Household Items

As we learned back in March, things like toilet paper, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, will fly off the shelves. Don't forget to stock up on feminine products, medication, and vitamins (kids and adults), laundry detergent, dishwasher tablets, etc. Think about a day in your life and make sure you have well-built storage of all the things you use daily.


My Dad always told me to never let my gas tank go below half full. I use that wisdom when it comes to my toilet paper as well!

I know this list looks like a lot and especially like a lot of $! I know we can't all afford to go spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars. But I will say that if you are smart about it, and buying things that you TRULY use every day, it's money well spent and money saved when you can shop from yourself instead of hitting the store again.

There has never been a more important time than RIGHT NOW to start getting yourself prepared. Once things go bad, it's too late. 

Think of skills you want to learn, how to maximize what you have, and what items you need to purchase, to make sure that you and your families are safe, secure, and self-reliant!

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Guest Author Spotlight: Amanda Hartvigsen
www.thehartshomestead.com

Amanda lives on her 1-acre farm in a small farming community in Utah. She loves raising her 3 little boys and a variety of animals on their small modern homestead. Amanda is all about finding joy in a simple life and inspiring others to do the same.

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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.