The Garden Enthusiast- Backyard
Nature Station Update
December 2012
Fellow Backyard
Nature Lovers,
We have lots of
great gifts, stocking stuffers, and - gift certificates for those you’re just
not sure what to get – available for these last few days of holiday shopping.
Holiday Schedule
We will be open on Monday, December 24th until 3pm. We will be closed on Christmas Day, December 26th, and 31st.
Like us on Face book (and print out the page to bring in) between now and December 31st and receive 5% off your total purchase.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Garden-Enthusiast-Backyard-Nature-Station/183052068407686
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Every time you make a purchase between now and December
24th, you can enter into a drawing for a gift basket. We’ll pick the
winner of the gift basket at 3pm on the 24th.
What's New in
the Store?
Birding:
Red Heart shaped peanut feeder, Sunflower suet
basket; 10,000 ct dried meal worms, window feeders, mealworm feeder
Garden
art: Christmas/winter flags, Matmates, Mail Wraps and Yard Designs; Roundel - round glass art,
Rainbow making window crystals, New Kitras coming in this week, decorative
bamboo chimes -Gilbert Gooney Chime, Gertyl; the Turtle Gooney Chime
Miscellaneous:
Handmade soap, candles and shaving kits by
Jason Hutcheson
Children:
Puzzles including mini 100 piece, new books, Bingos, Kaleidoscope making kit, My First Bird Book
with feeder included (6 & up), Fly Through Bird Paint kits (6+),Piggy Banks
(animated dog & pig); Fairyopoly is
back - great for little girls ages 5-8.
Miniature
Garden: The new houses (Woodland Church, Mushroom House, Tea Pot Fairy house,
Crookneck Cottage, and more) are in along with miniature gazing balls – great
additions for the miniature garden!
Upcoming Events on Main Street
The following
events are sponsored by the Old Town Tucker Merchant’s Association (OTTMA).
Proceeds benefit the Main Street District.
March 2013 - Chili Cook-off
Christmas on Main Update
Reports
estimated between 2,500 and 4,000 people came out for Christmas on Main this
year. Hundreds of children went home with a special ornament they decorated
from the Tucker Historical Society and memories of sitting on Santa’s lap.
There was the lighting of the tree, music, vendors and even a little ‘snow’!
The Tucker Business Association, Main
Street Tucker Alliance and the Tucker
Historical Society sponsored the
Downtown Tucker Holiday Decorating Contest. Tucker
Flower Shop on Idlewood Road was awarded first prize by the panel of
judges; second place went to The Custom Frame Shop on Main Street and third
prize went to Village Shoe Service on Railroad Avenue. Matthews Cafeteria
received an Honorable mention.
Classes & Events
What
fun! Join us on February 5th for a Mardi
Gras mask making event from 5:30 – 7pm. $30/person includes materials, wine and
light munchies. If you have children who might be interested in a class on mask
making, let me know ASAP and we’ll set up a class for them also. Sign up by
calling the store at 404-474-7072.
GARDENING
Now is a great time to be plowing manure and leaves into your
garden. This will make a difference in the fertility and water-holding capacity
of the soil. Have you done a soil sample lately? Take one to the Dekalb
Extension Service on Memorial Drive. The results come from the University of
Georgia and reveal what your soil may be missing. If you need to add lime, it’s
best to do it now to get more benefit from it in the spring
If you haven’t done so yet, now is the time to pull out any
annuals to tidy up the garden. Try harvesting some of the dried seed heads and
dried flowers for your winter bouquets.
It’s also a good time to prune trees –
shape them up and get rid of dead branches.
BIRDING
Many people are
reporting quite a few bluebirds in their garden now. Offer them mealworms,
sunflower meats or suet to keep them happy.
Window feeders are a
popular gift for yourself or others. They offer a front row seat for watching
birds and are a great way to introduce beginners to bird watching. For those
who may be bed/homebound, it offers a delightful way to stay in touch with the
outdoors and nature. It has also been reported that when a feeder is placed in
a window, it reduces window strikes by breaking up the reflection.
Bird of the Month: Cedar Waxwing
·
Cedar waxwings are approximately 6–7 in
·
Cedar waxwings have a small cluster of bright red feathers on the
wings. Adults have a pale yellow belly. Immature birds are streaked on the
throat and flanks, and often do not have the black mask of the adults.
·
During courtship the male and female will sit together and pass
small objects back and forth, such as flower petals or an insect. Mating pairs
will sometimes rub their beaks together affectionately.
·
The nest is a loose open cup built with grass and twigs, lined
with softer materials and supported by a tree branch.
·
Usually 5 or 6 eggs are
laid. Incubation period is 12 to 16 days. The eggs are oval shaped with a
smooth surface and of various shades of light or bluish grey with irregular,
dark brown spots or greyish-brown splotches. Typically, there are two broods.
Young leave the nest about 14 to 18 days after hatching.
Christmas Bird Count
The 113th Christmas Bird Count will take place
from December 14, 2012 through January 5, 2013 and it’s free to
participate.
From December 14 through January 5 thousands of volunteers
throughout America take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition
among generations. Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with
binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission - often
before dawn. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference
and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the
comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season.
Each of the citizen scientists who annually brave
snow, wind, or rain, to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous
contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data
collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird
populations - and to help guide conservation action.
To join up or for more information go to
http://netapp.audubon.org/cbc/public/.
Cardinals
Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years to each
of you!
Hope to see you
soon,
Linda,
Brittany, Jessica, Jeremy, Stephen & Greyson
The Garden Enthusiast - Backyard
Nature Station
2316 D Main Street
Tucker, GA 30084
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 6PM
Sunday 12PM - 5PM
Monday Closed
Contact us at 404-474-7072 or [email protected]
– we love to get your feedback!
