Karen’s Opinion

I have put out thistle seed for the finches all summer long. Just recently, they have gone crazy with their eating habits. They might need prolotherapy Arizona if they keep pigging out like they have been.

It is inexpensive to feed finches and I have so much fun watching them boot each other off the feeder perches. I don’t know how they decide their pecking order but they do a lot of pushing. LOL

Most recently, I have found that they like my purple cone flowers. All of my flowers are drying out which makes the seeds more attractive to the birds. It is so funny to look out across my flower bed and see the flowers bouncing up and down. Finches have agile feet to grip the stems of seed heads while feeding. They carry and spread the seeds across my yard causing sprouts of flowers in some strange places.

Doves seem to enjoy eating the castoff seeds that fall from the feeder. Is it true that doves always travel in pairs?

My hummingbird food went to waste this year. I put it out late in the season and by the time the hummingbirds found my feeder, it seemed that they had no interest. I’ll have to remember to put it out right away come spring.

I have enjoyed watching the birds this summer and fall. I hate to see winter arrive. I’ll bet the birds do too.

Maybe it is because my mom is full blooded Dutch. Maybe it is because I grew up in the beautiful state of Washington where tulips grow in vast fields of color. Tulips are my favorite flower.

My flower gardens are blooming as if it were August. That is when they usually get full and looks their best. We had so much rain in June that they are a month ahead of schedule. It would be alright to have them in full bloom now if not for the fact that some of them think it is fall. They are already drying up and going to seed. It is so sad. I cut down the dried stalks and was happy to see that this late bloomer is looking very pretty. It is called gray feather.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 1-800-Flowers. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I was a young girl, our family moved a lot. My dad was in the military and that meant that when orders were given, we were packed up and shipped to a new base. Luckily, my oldest sister and I are only a year apart in age so we had each other to confide in and give each other the courage needed to walk into a new school.

When my dad was stationed in California, my sister was high school age whereas I was still a middle schooler. That meant I had to face the unfamiliar alone. That is why I was so happy to find a neighbor girl who was my age. Her name was even the same as mine and she was the middle child same as me! I could not believe how lucky I was! I found a new confidante.

I have often wondered about that friend. I have looked her up on Facebook and Classmates.com but have not been able to find her. If I ever do, find her, I would love to call 1800flowers.com and have their flower delivery service surprise her with a bouquet.

She was a great friend and I truly miss her.