Missouri is Quite a State!

This past weekend we exhibited at the Best of Missouri Market at the Botanical Gardens in St. Louis. Four circus tents set up on the parking lot were packed with great agricultural and art items from right here in my home state. Other regions in the country get credit for things like wine, rice, cheese, pecans, and apples. Missouri has all that and more! Each Christmas we send each of my siblings (in Oregon and Tennessee) a sampler pack of Made in Missouri items and we encourage each of you to shop locally for local products.

Mike Miller, who hosts the Saturday morning Garden Hotline Show on KMOX radio in St. Louis, came by our booth. He then asked if I would consent to an on-air interview to talk about my art. I was delighted to say the least. Apparently a lot of people listen to the program because we had MANY people stop by the booth and mention hearing the interview. Thanks Mike! If anyone is so inclined, visit http://www.kmox.com/pages/1175149.php and listen to the Garden Hotline Show, 9-10 am, from 10/4/08.

Again we answered questions and helped out people who have purchased feeders with black rubber stoppers. We also heard a lot of people mention that they had copper feeding tubes. According to everything I have read, this is a bad idea. It is nearly impossible to thoroughly clean the inside of a copper feeding tube and mold will develop in the crevices, resulting in sick little hummers.

Hummingbird fact for today: It does not hurt to add feeders to the area near the garden flowers, box, or planter to supplement the nectar and to ensure it is available regardless of the status of the blooms. Tube feeders are good in this location as they fit right into the blooms. Other feeders should be about 4 feet up or so and should be protected from pets if possible.

It's Chow Down Time

As the fall migration approaches, this year's young hummingbirds are aggressively hitting the feeders. The activity on our porch has been amazing. Terrie stood out there last evening and captured these pictures. They didn't seem to mind her being there. One even came over to investigate the camera. Unfortunately, he was quicker than the shutter! I love how they are in a standoff with each other one minute, and cautiously sharing the feeder the next.

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds use vocal chirps, chatters and buzzes to signal others, indicate mood, and to threaten. Most do not have a song as such though the Anna’s hummingbird has been known to voice long “songs”.