How did Santa do for you this year? On the sleigh he managed to fit a new and very posh bird table (with a roof this time),a new bird feeder with a cage to stop the bigger birds bullying the little ones, a wonderful book called "Botany for Gardeners" which gives a bit of scientific info behind what goes on in gardens but without being too technical and lastly but not leastly the RHS Plant finder book,which lists where you can source virtually any bulb,shrub or tree that you can think of from all of the wonderful nurseries we have here in the UK. We want to refresh some parts of our garden this year so I have plenty of reading and resources now. Don't you just love Santa!
Oh KM--Santa's visit to you has left me greeeeen with envy. In that plant finder book sounds helpful. It ought to save you guys a lot of hours in front of the compi searching and searching. I liked the caged feeders. I have the same prob here in my lottie with jackdaws and magpies. I have fashioned a sort of chicken wire "ball" around a couple of seed holders. They look dreadful, but are partially helpful. You lucked-out on THAT gift, miss. The botanical book sounds really helpful as well. I like to understand more about a plant than just the month it looms in, so a little bit of esoterica would make that attractive to me. BTW...how do you think that Santa heard about these gifts. Didja write him a lettuh?
I got a plastic layer for the garden. Now we don't have to kneel and scrape to put it down, the tractor will do it all. Then I got a new dishwasher which will allow me to spend more time out in the garden. I was really needing a new one. The old one was so bad I was washing all the dishes by hand and they seemed to never be done. It was so loud I wouldn't run it when any one was here, then I had to be otherwise it didn't fill properly and the dishes didn't come out clean...wasteful of electricity. I used it more a dish rack. It was just faster to wash them and be done with it.
Mother Nature took Santa's place for us. We had the biggest species count ever at our feeders--19, including Gadwall ducks and house finches for the first time this season. We report to Cornell U. Lab of Ornithology, and they questioned our sightings! Whoopee, we're up there with the real birdwatchers! We don't exchange gifts, since we have all we need and want, and then some. Also, we got a dozen eggs--who says chickens don't enter into the spirit of the season?
I got a new bird feeding pole with three hangers for feeders plus a seed tray and a water dish. I also got a sack of sunflower hearts and a sack of nyjer seeds. Can you guess from my gifts that I like to feed and watch birds by any chance? Ian got new gardening gloves and a super air-filled kneeling mat - no excuses now for him not doing the weeding for me.
Sjoerd,the only gift I may have thought out loud about was the new bird table.Santa did the rest himself Carolyn,congratulations on the new dishwasher! There was a time that I told a friend I didn't want one but about 5 minutes after we had one installed I wondered how we managed without it . Koszta kid,we don't have children so I need Santa to provide Marlin gardener, wow,19 species,that is wonderful and no wonder they questioned it.Lovely fresh eggs too-clever girls to provide that many. Eileen,another lucky girl and more lucky garden birds as well. Good luck with getting the weeding done for you
I got some nice gifts, although I didn't get what I REALLY wanted, which were gift certificates to prairie moon and botanical interests. My sister said "Oh, I dont know those sites" so I got Amazon gift cards (which I also asked for, but still...). Also got candy, 2 calenders, a world of warcraft time card, candy, a car phone charger, candles, a camisole, and did I mention candy? Good thing my birthday is only 4 months away, maybe I can get the certs then <.< Hmm better ask the bf, he's the best at getting me what I ask for (dont know why I didnt ask -him- for the gift certs...) Actually, the BEST gift I could receive soon is a new job at a garden center
I got my two #1 gift requests...a TV for my craft room and a new Camera!! Plus other things, but the camera will be so much fun out in the garden when there is something to photograph. Actually there is still a lot of green out there so I am thinking of getting out there when it's a little warmer and seeing what this new baby can do. It's a Nikon COOLPIX L320 with lots of things it will do and a thick manual that I have to read so I can try to learn to use the new features.
Bip, I certainly hope you get your gift certificates for your birthday! Shall we drop hints all over the 'net for your boyfriend to read? Kiasmum and Carolyn, I managed quite nicely (I thought) for 25 years of married life without a dishwasher. Staying up to 3 a.m. to clean up after a dinner party, washing up after a baking session--no problem. Husband kept offering one, I kept refusing. When we moved to Texas the house we bought had a dishwasher. My stars, what I had been missing! Now I have one here at the farm house, and if there is a fire, I'll save hubby, save the cat, and save my dishwasher!
I got a beautiful planter from my brother & sis-in law... the ceramic glazed type that you set a pot in. Too nice to go outside, so it'll be sitting by the window in the kitchen. I gave them one of the leaf bird baths. We don't really exchange gifts either... if we do it's something very simple like hubby gets his favorite candy and he'll make me so little doo-dad. BUT... I always treat myself to something I really want or need, so this year it'll be a new phone... but that won't be for another week or so.
Karin and Jane, I am amazed at how quiet this one is...I can't even hear it. The refrigerator is louder than this. I would never stay up til 3:00 getting dishes done. If morning comes they will still be there. If not, oh well, one last thing to not do. I never needed one either, until I realized my rashy hands and arms were a result of an allergic reaction to some dishsoaps. Now it is a great place to hide all those dirty dishes until there is a whole load to do instead of wet hands all the time trying to keep up with the glasses and spoons.
How to win a gardener's heart? framed photos of her garden! ( photo / image / picture from Cayuga Morning's Garden ) I can only seem to upload one...still having trouble getting pictures on Gardenstew I like hearing what everyone else got...from simple gifts to weighty dishwashers! Merry Christmas everyone.
Bip,I hope you enjoy your candy but getting the job that you're after will be a fantastic gift! Be sure to let us know. Toni,congrats on the new camera,I'm sure you'll have loads of fun taking and sharing the pictures. How cool to have a tv in your craft room. Jane,our dishwasher is fitted into a kitchen unit so I'd better make sure we never have a fire Cheryl,the planter sounds lovely. Well done for treating yourself too. Cayuga Morning,how beautiful is that!
I got a lovely, intricate.....lol, I don't know what to call it! It's a decorative spiral hanging ornament to hang on my deck. When I get past all this Christmas stuff I'll take a picture, it's really lovely. That's pretty much the only gardening type thing I got. Other stuff included a tablet (I wanted something small to take to the gym with me) various books, some "grandma" wall hangings, and Lee is buying me a camera for Christmas, but we're still in the looking/comparison shopping stage. I was just about to post a thread about that actually, asking for your recommendations. Which I'll do in a minute. We've also had several get togethers...one Christmas eve with my kids and one family of grand babies, the big celebration Christmas day with my kids and their kids and spouses/girlfriends etc. Another today with a dear friend's son who came into town to see my boys...they're like brothers and have known each other all their lives. I also had my dance studio's annual Christmas Party which was lovely. Lots of dancing, gift exchange with my friends, yummy food. And tonight I think will be the final get together.....Lasagna Night at my daughter and son-in-law's house. William is from a huge italian family, and makes the best lasagna I've ever tasted!
