Home & Garden home and garden *chat thread*
- Thread starter ecmf
- Start date
I know it is the way of nature and all, but my mom has a house wren who she suspects of killing the hatchlings of a chickadee family. She had seen the chickadees build the nest, engage in courting behaviour, feed the chicks, and then one day there was a house wren clearing out all the house (it is a gourd made into a bird house). My mom was devastated, but of course, what can you do?
While I am sure this isn't the most mature thing, my mom simply removed the gourd from the tree. It was only filled with coarse sticks - a placeholder, if you will, for the wrens to choose from when they choose where to nest. She figured she would rather have no birds at all living in it now that the chickadees she loved were gone.
So despite it being natural and all that, does anyone know of a way to keep house wrens away? They kill bluebirds, too, and while I have been lucky that the bluebirds are living in my bluebird house and seem to be thriving, I also have a house wrent who has moved into a house near my porch. I don't mind the wren provided that she doesn't hurt other birds, but their reputation preceeds them. Is there any way to protect other birds from the wrens?
While I am sure this isn't the most mature thing, my mom simply removed the gourd from the tree. It was only filled with coarse sticks - a placeholder, if you will, for the wrens to choose from when they choose where to nest. She figured she would rather have no birds at all living in it now that the chickadees she loved were gone.
So despite it being natural and all that, does anyone know of a way to keep house wrens away? They kill bluebirds, too, and while I have been lucky that the bluebirds are living in my bluebird house and seem to be thriving, I also have a house wrent who has moved into a house near my porch. I don't mind the wren provided that she doesn't hurt other birds, but their reputation preceeds them. Is there any way to protect other birds from the wrens?
Hello everyone!
I bought Foxglove flower plant last month from Home Depot.I planted it in a huge plant barrel. But as I was browsing through Pinterest, someone posted a picture of it and one commented that it's poisonous.
Should I get rid of it? Why would Home Depot sell it if it's poisonous?
I bought Foxglove flower plant last month from Home Depot.I planted it in a huge plant barrel. But as I was browsing through Pinterest, someone posted a picture of it and one commented that it's poisonous.
Should I get rid of it? Why would Home Depot sell it if it's poisonous?
I never know that foxglove is poisonous. I always have them every year growing in my garden. I think you're safe if you don't consume them lol Just wash your hands if you have touched them and you'll be fine. They're such beautiful flowers.
dizizit said:
Foxglove is where digitalis comes from, heart medicine. I think you should be fine.
Birds are gone, nest is empty. I have no idea what happened because I saw them there yesterday. They were just barely able to hold their heads up, so there is no way they flew off.
It's been hot and dry, so maybe they just didn't make it and the Mom took them away. I don't see any signs of any other kind of critter getting to the nest, but I suppose it's possible.
On the flip side, I was clearing some weeds and a cat jumped out. Further inspection showed about 4 or 5 kittens probably a couple of weeks (or less) old. Not my cat at all, probably a stray. Momma's not real friendly, so I don't know if I want to handle the kittens since it might make her turn away from them.
I don't think Momma cat got to the bird's nest, but who knows.
Such is life in the country.
It's been hot and dry, so maybe they just didn't make it and the Mom took them away. I don't see any signs of any other kind of critter getting to the nest, but I suppose it's possible.
On the flip side, I was clearing some weeds and a cat jumped out. Further inspection showed about 4 or 5 kittens probably a couple of weeks (or less) old. Not my cat at all, probably a stray. Momma's not real friendly, so I don't know if I want to handle the kittens since it might make her turn away from them.
I don't think Momma cat got to the bird's nest, but who knows.
Such is life in the country.
I have been placing some great solar lighting around the yard and what a huge improvement it has made. At night the kids like to swim and there is only the pool light and two lights on the top patio by the house so there is never enought light to see. I did solar light strings on two fences that surround the pool area. Two small spotlights that light up the walk on each side of the pool. Added 4 stepping stones in the rock garden along the side patio walk along the pool and a few ground lights in planters on the steps. I also ordered a few more things which I hope to get this week. I am so happy to see how pretty the yard looks. It has a slight magical feel with the string lights on the fence. Also helps in seeing if we have animals in the yard, we get racoons and even a stray skunk. The yard behind us is at a triangle shape so it backs into ours with trees and is pitch black. The neighbors on the side of us don't have lights either, so it is nice to feel like you can see when you go outside and won't trip up and down the stairs.
Digging this up since I was going to start one but decided to Search first.
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Got stung yesterday by something, but I have no idea what. Got me on the hand between the thumb and finger. I felt it hit, but automatically brushed my hand across my pants leg before I looked to see what it was. Just that usual sharp pin prick at the time, but no real swelling yesterday. Today it itches like crazy.
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Got stung yesterday by something, but I have no idea what. Got me on the hand between the thumb and finger. I felt it hit, but automatically brushed my hand across my pants leg before I looked to see what it was. Just that usual sharp pin prick at the time, but no real swelling yesterday. Today it itches like crazy.
Ow.
I have a boo boo too. About a week ago, my drill slipped and hit my finger nail bed. It's healing OK, but my whole body responded in a significant way: rush of circulation and major tinnitus. I felt like I needed to lay down for a half hour or so and put my feet in the air.
The drill just had a phillips head bit in it, so it wasn't as bad as drilling a hole in my hand. (I think I've been watching too much "Scandal".)
Hopefully I'll finish painting the house exterior tomorrow before winter sets in. I'll still need to do touchups on the windows with the tiny art brush and scrape the paint off the windows. There should be a few more moderate days to finish that up.
So proud! I made shutters! They are beautiful! A little boring, but exactly what I wanted. They make my windows look like H's. I should paint them orange! (Kidding.
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I have a boo boo too. About a week ago, my drill slipped and hit my finger nail bed. It's healing OK, but my whole body responded in a significant way: rush of circulation and major tinnitus. I felt like I needed to lay down for a half hour or so and put my feet in the air.
The drill just had a phillips head bit in it, so it wasn't as bad as drilling a hole in my hand. (I think I've been watching too much "Scandal".)
Hopefully I'll finish painting the house exterior tomorrow before winter sets in. I'll still need to do touchups on the windows with the tiny art brush and scrape the paint off the windows. There should be a few more moderate days to finish that up.
So proud! I made shutters! They are beautiful! A little boring, but exactly what I wanted. They make my windows look like H's. I should paint them orange! (Kidding.
)So proud! I'm touching up the variegated brick on the front of my house where it touches the painted wood trim. There were big ugly gray caulk lines there. I had painted the caulk lines gray to cover up the old paint. Now I am painting imaginary vertical lines on the caulk that match one of the brick colors, and smearing the edges of the paint into the brick with my fingers to create random patterns like the ones on the bricks. It's kind of like creating a faux brick treatment over the caulk and gray paint mistakes. I am doing it brick by brick. It looks pretty great! I hope it lasts....
I tried just feathering the paint with the art brush in some places, but it looks so much better when I smeared the paint edges with my finger. So I think I'll go back over the brushed edges with more paint and smear it more.
After that, I'll try touching up the mortar lines with the gray paint. We'll see how that works.
Here is a pic after the brick touchup and before the mortar touch up:
Well, it looks a lot better from a distance.
I never expected it to look this good! So happy!
I just bought one of those little cheap behr paint samples from Home Depot so it didn't cost hardly anything. Except time. ZEN time.
I tried just feathering the paint with the art brush in some places, but it looks so much better when I smeared the paint edges with my finger. So I think I'll go back over the brushed edges with more paint and smear it more.
After that, I'll try touching up the mortar lines with the gray paint. We'll see how that works.
Here is a pic after the brick touchup and before the mortar touch up:
Well, it looks a lot better from a distance.
I never expected it to look this good! So happy!
I just bought one of those little cheap behr paint samples from Home Depot so it didn't cost hardly anything. Except time. ZEN time.
I moved into a new house about two months ago. I have a much bigger bedroom. The walls are white, the bedding is black and white. The dressers are a lighter wooden color. Anyways, there's plenty of space in there and I need to find some nice artwork that really reflects me to put on the walls. I looked at Michael's and took home one photograph for the wall but wasn't really impressed with anything else. I love black and whites, and other paintings. I prefer to buy online. Anyone know of any good order online artwork places?
I moved into a new house about two months ago. I have a much bigger bedroom. The walls are white, the bedding is black and white. The dressers are a lighter wooden color. Anyways, there's plenty of space in there and I need to find some nice artwork that really reflects me to put on the walls. I looked at Michael's and took home one photograph for the wall but wasn't really impressed with anything else. I love black and whites, and other paintings. I prefer to buy online. Anyone know of any good order online artwork places?
Once you have a feel for what style you like, you can try a site like fineartamerica.com for original works, there are a few sites like this. I really believe that the money spent on original works either from local galleries or direct from the artists is money very well spent. I am a painter, and I also buy original oils from others (or trade) and I love having these pieces on my walls!
I am not sure where you live but where I live now restaurants have the work of local artists on the walls and is available for purchase, too.
You can also think about having something done for you, the prices you see for fine art in galleries reflect gallery commission and sometimes you can get a bit better price from the artist and even get a custom piece done.
Happy shopping!