European starlings (starlings for short) are about the size of a blackbird with glossy black plumage that has a metallic look to them. During the winter months, the birds sport white flecking to them
Choosing a Location For Garden
Choosing A Location for Your Garden
Want to start a garden? One of the most important decisions is choosing a location for your garden. Without a doubt, it means simply doing the best one can with conditions. The key to planting the location is the sun.
Cold Composting
Starting A Compost Pile
Today I am going to walk you through starting a compost pile or aka cold composting which is composting kitchen scraps and yard waste this year into rich, beautiful soil for next year.
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Our winter visitors the red-breasted nuthatch are back for the season. As soon as the weather starts getting cold, I will usually see my first red-breasted nuthatch.
Leafhoppers and Planthoppers
Leafhoppers and Planthoppers
There are over 12,500 varieties of leafhoppers and planthoppers, that feed on the sap from plants, grass, and trees but most are harmless to the plant.
Transplanting Succulents
Transplanting Succulents
It the time! Time for transplanting succulents that have to be taken indoors for the winter months.
Gall Fly Produces Goldenrod Galls
Gall Fly Produces Goldenrod Galls
The Gall fly produces goldenrod galls that become the food source and host plant for gall fly larvae over the course of the winter. The insect has a fairly interesting lifecycle.
Fall’s Last Hurrah: Fields Of Sandhill Cranes Feasting in Wisconsin’s Golden Fields
As the crisp October air swirls with the scent of fallen leaves and harvest bonfires, there’s no better time to witness one of nature’s most enchanting spectacles right here in Wisconsin. I’m sitting by my window, watching the trees don their fiery reds and golds, and it reminds me why I adore this season—it’s a vibrant celebration of life’s cycles, with the sandhill cranes as the stars of the show. These majestic birds, with their elegant stature and soul-stirring calls, gather by the thousands in our farm fields, feasting on the remnants of the harvest. It’s fall’s grand finale, a moment that feels both bittersweet and exhilarating, and I’ve made it a tradition to venture out and soak it all in. Let me share this autumn adventure with you, drawing from my own explorations, and offer some tips to make your experience just as memorable.
In this post, I’ll guide you through the magic of the cranes’ migration, my personal observations from recent outings, and practical advice for joining in safely. Whether you’re a lifelong Wisconsinite or a visitor chasing fall’s wonders, this is more than just a seasonal event—it’s a heartfelt connection to the wild beauty around us.
You’re a Beautiful Thing
You’re A Beautiful Thing
Watercolor flowers and an inspirational You’re a beautiful thing quote is a wonderful way to brighten each and every day
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
The pileated woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America. The term pileated comes from the Latin word pileatus meaning “capped” which refers to the red crest on the top of the bird’s head.
Blue Jays and Peanuts
Blue Jays and Peanuts
There is a soft and gentle rain coming down from the heavens this morning as I sit quietly at my kitchen table watching the deck peanut wreath full of blue jays and peanuts quickly disappear.
How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats on Houseplants
How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnat on Houseplants
The weather turns colder and immediately you turn your attention to bringing in some of your outdoor plants. A day or two goes by and you find a wealth of small flies hanging around your plants. Ugh! Fungus Gnats. Let me share with you how to get rid of fungus gnats on houseplants.
Fall Lawn Aerating Promotes Greener Lawns
Fall Lawn Aerating Promotes Greener Lawns
Want to complement your flower garden next year? A lively and healthy yard is one way to do this. A green lawn starts in the fall. One of the ways you can achieve a lush, healthy, carpet of green grass for next year is to aerate your lawn this fall. Because fall lawn aerating promotes greener lawns.
3 Ways to Dry Fruit for the Birds
3 Ways to Dry Fruit for the Birds
As the year goes on and the weather turns a little cooler I find myself drying more fruits and berries for the birds. It is a fairly easy process no matter if you use the sun, oven, or the microwave drying method. All 3 ways to dry fruit for the birds work well.
Venison Slow Cooker Roast
Venison Slow Cooker Roast
Venison roast has a way of coming out tough but this venison slow cooker roast is creamy, moist and full of flavor.
Saving Flower Seed
Saving Flower Seed
I remember as a little girl my great-grandfather and also my grandmother saving flower seed from the plants they loved to grow.
They looked for characteristics in certain flowers, and then picked out the best plants of the batch to save the seeds from.
Use Less Soil in Your Planting Containers
Use Less Soil in Your Planting Containers
Use these tips to use less soil in your planting containers. We all have those x-large outdoor pots that need to be filled with soil for holding beautiful flower arrangements, herbs, and produce. Over the years I have used several items to serve this purpose. Some were excellent choices and some, poor choices.
Coffee Mug Designs
Coffee Mug Designs
Welcome to my coffee mug designs. My storefronts vary, so each design will carry the storefront link under the design. It doesn’t matter what storefront I advertise a design in – each provides 100% satisfaction. I would never sell in a market I wouldn’t purchase from myself and want YOU to have the same option for satisfaction.
Lake of the Falls, Mercier Wisconsin
Lake of the Falls County Park is located along the Turtle River near Mercer in Iron County, Wisconsin. The park sits between Lake of the Falls and the Turtle Flambeau Flowage, making it a scenic stop for fishing, camping, and exploring the river’s rocky shoreline.