Beautiful Living ~ Butterflies and Hummingbirds

Summer is all about being outdoors, and it is time to clean up and beautify our gardens, backyard patios, and balconies. This is a very relaxing activity, and I always look forward to it, and hope that one day my garden will look effortlessly natural, green, with pops of colors everywhere, and butterflies and hummingbirds flying from flower to flower...



Naturally, I make trips to our local garden store quite often and always look for the plants that attract birds and butterflies. I choose pollen-rich plants like wildflowers and old-fashioned flowers, such as Pental, or Statice (aka Sea Lavender), or Aster Chilensis that look like little daisies.

Fuchsia is a beautiful plant that also attract hummingbirds~

I also love bird feeders that attract hummingbirds into the garden for a sip of a sweet treat. I always see  bird feeders hanging on trees of my neighbors, but never had my own.

...So last time I was in the store, I finally brought my own  bird feeders.  Before tying the feeder to the tree, I washed it with the mild soap, rinsed, and let dry while I was preparing the nectar.

*Never put bird feeders into a dishwasher! Keeping the feeder clean and chemical free, and full of fresh nectar is important to the health of visiting birds.

The nectar formula is simple: two cups of water and one cup of sugar. In a glass container, combine water and sugar, and stir.

Place in the microwave and heat on high for about 5 minutes. Stir and let cool completely. Once cooled, pour the nectar into the dry clean bottle, twist the bottom to close and turn over.

I decided to hang the  feeders on the tree in front of my living room window. Since we spend the most of our family time here, we will be able to see and enjoy watching the little birds!

*To avoid the ants invasion, put a little of vaseline on the feeder handle.

And here comes my first visitor!  

Important note! ~Due to their design, hummingbird  feeders require frequent cleaning to prevent mold and deadly fermentation. It is also important to substitute nectar regularly (before it gets cloudy)~ about once a week or, in warm weather, twice a week. 

 And, guess who will be running after birds and barking~

xo, Zuma A.
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