New Beginnings

The theme in this post is "new beginnings" and I have many new adventures ahead, plus old ones to resume this year.  January is a time to start new projects.  For gardeners, it is a time to plant seeds for vegetables, herbs and flowers that will be transplanted to the garden when it warms up.

Did you know that besides putting on a lovely show, after the roses have faded, that the rose hips contain the seeds of the rose? They are also filled with vitamin C and make a delicious tea.

Rose Hip by JAM_Design

Here in the south, nature lovers begin to search the landscape for new buds and signs of spring and photographers take pictures of the winter visitors among the budding trees.  The Taiwan Cherry tree flowers begin to show color in late January and by February are in full bloom. 

Winter Pine Warbler by naturegirl7

Those of us with bluebird trails are checking boxes for damage and cleaning out any debris from winter visitors. Some houses will need to be repaired and some may need to be replaced. The bluebirds have already been checking out some of our houses here in Louisiana.

Here are some products that gardeners and bird lovers may find useful.

Late Winter Scenes

A picture can tell a thousand words so we are changing the focus of this blog to more of a photo journal of the seasons. In the coming months we will feature some of our work as well as the work of other Naturally Native Squids and Zazzlers.

February in south Louisiana usually means early spring. While the rest of the country is experiencing late winter, we look forward to pairs of Carolina Chickadees, Eastern Bluebirds and Wood Ducks checking out the many nest boxes along the nest box trail that we have erected throughout our property. Pairs start scouting in late January and some have been known to start laying eggs in February.

Bluebird Pair Postcard by naturegirl7 on left

Flowers like Taiwan Cherry tree, Plum Delight shrub (seen behind bluebird pair photo above), native Red Maple, Daffodils, Narcissus, Violas (Pansies) and Camellias are blooming all around the yard. These trees and shrubs are used by wintering hummingbirds and the Violas and bulbs provide nectar for butterflies and bees.

St. Francis Among Pansies by lalagniappe

mgbphoto is a Senior and Naturally Native Squid, as well as a fellow Zazzler. She takes lovely photos of lighthouses and also natural subjects. I love this one of a herd of deer in a northern winter. Snow is not a sight that we see often in the south, so we must enjoy it through lovely pictures like the one below.

Peace at Christmas by mbgphoto

If you like nature and nature photography, you'll probably enjoy Nature at Its Best.