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Here are the PDFs from our 'Blessed are the Pollinators Project'
Winterize Your Yard For The Birds...
Food:
• Messy provides safe places and food for the birds.
• Resist the urge to tidy up. Leave seed heads in place, piles of leaves on
the ground (or at least rake them into piles a few feet from your
feeders. Lots of bugs and wiggly things will hide out there and create a
bird banquet.)
• Adding a reliable source of high calorie food to help them survive will
keep them healthy for a reproductive spring.
• An array of foods: nuts, seeds, fruits, nectars will attract a variety of
birds and support them through the winter.
• Fill your feeders and continue to do so through out the winter.
• Suet feed stations: Birds need high levels of saturated fat, such as
raw suet and lard. These high energy foods will keep the birds warm in
during the worst of the winter
weather. Their body reserves are quickly used up, particularly on cold
winter nights. (THINK SHELTER TOO)
• Make your own suet cake by pouring melted fat (suet or
lard) onto a mixture of ingredients such as seeds, nuts,
dried fruit, oatmeal, cheese and cake. Use about one-third fat to two-
thirds mixture. Stir well in a bowl and allow it to set in your container
• Going native: Nothing beats native vegetation to feed the birds in your
area. So plant a variety of native plants that supply food year-round.
(We will get to that in another article in the late winter in time for spring
plantings.)
Shelter: Birds need places to tuck in out of the weather, to hide
from predators and to spend the night.
• In the winter, evergreens and dense thickets offer critical cover. Trees
shrubs and rock walls all provide shelter.
• The eaves of your house may sound an unlikely place, but it can offer a
shelter, a warm place.
• Place you Xmas tree a few feet from you feeders so ground-feeding
birds can have a wide field of view and can make a fast get away if
needed.
• Lacking a dense thicket, a rock wall or evergreens for shelter?
• Make a brush pile with fallen branches, your raked up leaves, a pile of
firewood or rocks can provide escape places. Start with the larger
pieces on the bottom then start layering.
• Snow insulates and under the snow-covered vegetation is a refuge.
• Lock up those predatory cats. Please keep them from hunting.
Water: During the winter months when natural supplies may be
frozen, water is particularly important. Birds get the
liquid they need from their food, and by drinking.
Seed-eating birds have a dry diet s0 they do need to
drink more.
• Providing a clean, fresh source, you will attract more species than will
visit bird feeders, but please place your bird bath/waterer about 15 feet
from their escape hideouts.
• Water heaters will keep the water free of ice during winter months in
colder climates.
Tend to your wild and you will be graced with the presence of a bird.
Food:
• Messy provides safe places and food for the birds.
• Resist the urge to tidy up. Leave seed heads in place, piles of leaves on
the ground (or at least rake them into piles a few feet from your
feeders. Lots of bugs and wiggly things will hide out there and create a
bird banquet.)
• Adding a reliable source of high calorie food to help them survive will
keep them healthy for a reproductive spring.
• An array of foods: nuts, seeds, fruits, nectars will attract a variety of
birds and support them through the winter.
• Fill your feeders and continue to do so through out the winter.
• Suet feed stations: Birds need high levels of saturated fat, such as
raw suet and lard. These high energy foods will keep the birds warm in
during the worst of the winter
weather. Their body reserves are quickly used up, particularly on cold
winter nights. (THINK SHELTER TOO)
• Make your own suet cake by pouring melted fat (suet or
lard) onto a mixture of ingredients such as seeds, nuts,
dried fruit, oatmeal, cheese and cake. Use about one-third fat to two-
thirds mixture. Stir well in a bowl and allow it to set in your container
• Going native: Nothing beats native vegetation to feed the birds in your
area. So plant a variety of native plants that supply food year-round.
(We will get to that in another article in the late winter in time for spring
plantings.)
Shelter: Birds need places to tuck in out of the weather, to hide
from predators and to spend the night.
• In the winter, evergreens and dense thickets offer critical cover. Trees
shrubs and rock walls all provide shelter.
• The eaves of your house may sound an unlikely place, but it can offer a
shelter, a warm place.
• Place you Xmas tree a few feet from you feeders so ground-feeding
birds can have a wide field of view and can make a fast get away if
needed.
• Lacking a dense thicket, a rock wall or evergreens for shelter?
• Make a brush pile with fallen branches, your raked up leaves, a pile of
firewood or rocks can provide escape places. Start with the larger
pieces on the bottom then start layering.
• Snow insulates and under the snow-covered vegetation is a refuge.
• Lock up those predatory cats. Please keep them from hunting.
Water: During the winter months when natural supplies may be
frozen, water is particularly important. Birds get the
liquid they need from their food, and by drinking.
Seed-eating birds have a dry diet s0 they do need to
drink more.
• Providing a clean, fresh source, you will attract more species than will
visit bird feeders, but please place your bird bath/waterer about 15 feet
from their escape hideouts.
• Water heaters will keep the water free of ice during winter months in
colder climates.
Tend to your wild and you will be graced with the presence of a bird.
| winterize_your_yard_for_the_birds.docx |
The 30 Day Challenge: Deliberately Cultivating Awareness
If you are paying attention everything you see, everything you do is extraordinary.
A 30-Day Challenge for Paying Attention Notebook.
From where I stand, curiosity, wonder and focus go a long way to help us give a damn about nature.
Could creating habitat be your act of hope, your gift to the future, your little bit of defiance?
So how can do you do this?
In the beginning we are offering you away to become aware of your surroundings. It’s a notebook designed for you to build awareness of things you’ve previously taken for granted. By paying attention to your landscape and what you encounter, you will see the world and become inspired to make it better. (If you don’t know where you are, you can’t know where you are going.)
This is your daily act of showing up, taking notice notebook.
Your daily attention will teach you to see, to remember, to discover, to become present.
PSST......I found a couple spelling errors. If you are paying attention you will also find them.
A 30-Day Challenge for Paying Attention Notebook.
From where I stand, curiosity, wonder and focus go a long way to help us give a damn about nature.
Could creating habitat be your act of hope, your gift to the future, your little bit of defiance?
So how can do you do this?
In the beginning we are offering you away to become aware of your surroundings. It’s a notebook designed for you to build awareness of things you’ve previously taken for granted. By paying attention to your landscape and what you encounter, you will see the world and become inspired to make it better. (If you don’t know where you are, you can’t know where you are going.)
This is your daily act of showing up, taking notice notebook.
Your daily attention will teach you to see, to remember, to discover, to become present.
PSST......I found a couple spelling errors. If you are paying attention you will also find them.
| Paying Attention pdf |
Dr Paul Johnston
Dr Paul Johnston,
We’re seeing the headline “Hottest Year on Record” with increasing frequency -- NASA data confirms this. On a scale of 1 to 10, how worried should we be about the warming climate?
Very worried indeed. It merits at least an 11. We’re in the grip of something that will fundamentally change the world we live in and the world our children will inherit. Sea level rise, food insecurity and extreme weather are going to reach critical proportions this century. We have the means to change this, we just need to implement them.
And if we do manage to take action in time? Will the world be magically saved: will
forests be replenished, will the Arctic stop melting...?
Even if we stopped burning all fossil fuels tomorrow, we’re committed to a certain level of change already. All we can hope for is to minimize the amount of change. There’s no magic wand, the planet won’t return to the way it was, but it might stabilize in a new state.
If I ran out of optimism I’d struggle to get up in the morning, but I still don’t believe in fairy tales with a happy ending. It’s either we continue as we are, and watch as everything gets worse, or we act now to try and minimize the impact on us and other species.
If there’s one thing that everyone could do today to help protect the environment, what
would that be?
Just stop and think about the impact we are having on the planet and systems around us. Think about how you’re living your life; how much waste you’re producing, how far you’re traveling, what food you eat, what you’re buying -- it’s all significant and it can make a difference.
Try to influence others to think the same way: put pressure on corporations, challenge retailers. There are few better ways to try and make a difference than the willingness to get out there and shout, loudly but peacefully. Most people haven’t even thought about it. It’s tricky to persuade people to rethink their world view, or to even think about a world view in the first place, but it’s what needs to happen for us to change.
We’ve not been good at protecting our environment so far, but I hope to see that change. It’s a huge privilege to be a small part of this great continuum of people contributing to increasing humanity’s collective knowledge about everything.
| dr_paul_johnson.pdf |
Quick bioregion satatement
Your bioregion is a geographical place that is defined by natural boundaries such as mountains, rivers, coasts, forests, deserts and it has a unique combination of geology, water, flora, fauna, climate that when taken wholly, distinguishes it from other regions.
To describe your place, start with watershed. Your watershed is the land area near you that drains water into a specific river or lake, gulf, bay etc.
I live in the_____________________________________________________
watershed
that drains into_________________________________________________,
river, lake, gulf, sea
surrounded by __________________________________________________,
prairie, mtns, coast, wetlands, desert, forests, landforms
formed by________________________________________________________,
glacial, uplifting, erosion, volcano
topped with_______________________________________________________,
soil type
influenced by______________________________________________________
and_______________________________________________________________,
weather, climate, altitude
and populated by_____________________________________________________.
flora and fauna
Survey the distinguishing flora, fauna, geology and climate of your area; living things in your watershed form a closely interconnected web of relationships. By becoming intimate with these species, the climate and the conditions of your landscape, you will be able to make beneficial habitat decisions.
A few fun things to investigate:
•Trace the water you drink from precipitation to tap and from tap to ultimate disposal. •Name five trees in your area. Which of them are native?
•Name five resident and five migratory birds in your area.
•What spring wildflower is consistently among the first to bloom where you live?
Seeding Hope content @ 2016 all rights reserved merry cox
To describe your place, start with watershed. Your watershed is the land area near you that drains water into a specific river or lake, gulf, bay etc.
I live in the_____________________________________________________
watershed
that drains into_________________________________________________,
river, lake, gulf, sea
surrounded by __________________________________________________,
prairie, mtns, coast, wetlands, desert, forests, landforms
formed by________________________________________________________,
glacial, uplifting, erosion, volcano
topped with_______________________________________________________,
soil type
influenced by______________________________________________________
and_______________________________________________________________,
weather, climate, altitude
and populated by_____________________________________________________.
flora and fauna
Survey the distinguishing flora, fauna, geology and climate of your area; living things in your watershed form a closely interconnected web of relationships. By becoming intimate with these species, the climate and the conditions of your landscape, you will be able to make beneficial habitat decisions.
A few fun things to investigate:
•Trace the water you drink from precipitation to tap and from tap to ultimate disposal. •Name five trees in your area. Which of them are native?
•Name five resident and five migratory birds in your area.
•What spring wildflower is consistently among the first to bloom where you live?
Seeding Hope content @ 2016 all rights reserved merry cox
| home_base_0_quick_bioregion_mad_lib___.pdf |
Let’s start where you are, but where you are?
How well do you know your ‘Bioregion’?
You are located in a geographical area described in terms of its unique combination of flora, fauna, geology, climate and water, an area defined by natural boundaries and distinct living communities. Wholly taken together, these distinguish your bioregion from others.
The central message is to attend to where you live by focusing on the wisdom your place. The local mix of plants, animals and watersheds, landscapes define the character and eventually the success of habitat adventure.
Describe the distinctive characteristics of your region
See the PDF (below) for more info.
tend to your wild content @ 2016 all rights reserved merry cox
You are located in a geographical area described in terms of its unique combination of flora, fauna, geology, climate and water, an area defined by natural boundaries and distinct living communities. Wholly taken together, these distinguish your bioregion from others.
The central message is to attend to where you live by focusing on the wisdom your place. The local mix of plants, animals and watersheds, landscapes define the character and eventually the success of habitat adventure.
Describe the distinctive characteristics of your region
See the PDF (below) for more info.
tend to your wild content @ 2016 all rights reserved merry cox
| home_base_1_worksheet__.pdf |
Let’s investigate your yard.
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.
Maya Angelou
The local mix of plants, animals and watersheds, landscapes define the character and eventually the success of your habitat adventure.
Always have an eye for finding your place within the limits of your bioregion.
Micro-climate places:
• Cooler, hotter, wetter, windier, more snow accumulation
• Location and impact of structures: house,garage, fences, walls etc
Climate in your yard
• Wind direction, intensity and the changes it makes over the year, barriers and lees
• Temperatures, highs, lows, first, last and sporadic frosts
• Precipitation amounts, when and where
Sunshine and Shade
• Where is solar south? • Points of sunrise, sunset,
• Areas of sun shade throughout the day
Water:
• Creeks, gullies, water movement during storms, flood zones, well, city water,
irrigation, catchment potential.
• Where does it come from? Network of springs, creeks, rivers flowing together.
Flora:
• Relationships and connectedness: What is growing next to what.
• Is it native or planted gone wild?
• What vegetation is near water sources,downspouts, leaks, seeps?
• Existing vegetation: species and what they indicate
• Is the north-side of a structure harboring different vegetation than the south
Fauna:
• Native, introduced, pests, paths and corridors they use
Soil: Sand Clay Loam Silt
• Drainage, texture. depleted, rich, organic materials, depth, PH, Rock out-croppings
Migration, Seasons:
• What passes through and when
• Trace the sun's seasonal route
Things to investigate
•What is the land use history by humans in your region during the past century?
•Were the stars out last night?
•What feeds on the plants you see?
•What bugs do you see and where?
•What nests where?
•What gathers organic matter?
•What gathers water?
•What is opportunistic in the shade?
•Plant combos
•What grows in open areas?
•What grows in windy areas?
•What grows on the north-sides of things?
•What grows on the south-sides of things?
•What is thicket forming?
•What grows near ditches?
•What grows on fence lines?
Using one thing you discovered about your yard, fill in the blanks.
Once upon a time there was ____________________________________________
Every day ____________________________________________________________
One Day _____________________________________________________________
Because of that _______________________________________________________
Because of that _______________________________________________________
Until finally ___________________________________________________________
tend to your wild content @ 2016 all rights reserved merry cox
| home_base_2_worksheet___.pdf |
Discovering Home Base....... Desired Elements
Things you’d like to have. Envision your site in 5-10 years.
Desired Elements: birds, bees, butterflies, micro•herds to maintain your soil.
Infrastructure: patios, decks, greenhouse, walkways, play areas, clothesline, annual beds, etc
Sun: use to heat, water heating
Shade: want more or less or strategically placed
Nutrients: compost pile, mulch piles, manures
Water: catchment, irrigation
Habitat: wildlife areas to bring in or keep away
Food: For you and your new habitats. What do you like to eat? Flowers, herbs fruit, nuts.
For your wildlife preserve: Water, shelter, nesting sites for critters, bugs, bees, butterflies, birds, micro-organism (to take care of your soil).
Some ideas to think about:
• Places to let the grass grow (places for the minis)
• Places to not deadhead your flower (seeds for birds)
• Grow flowers(nectar, pollen, shelter)
• Plant a tree or shrub (flowers, berries, rosehips, seeds, cover, nesting)
• Grow climbers on a fence or wall (food, shelter insects, nesting) • Solitary bee hotels
• Small ponds
• Bat box
• Bug hotels (small piles of debris, pine cones, sticks twigs, bricks, rocks)
• Dead wood piles (shelter, nesting ground for good bugs.
If you have a only a deck, do your bit by filling a well-drained
bucket with soil and wood chips to attract bugs.
• Feeding stations
• Watering troughs
• Dust bath sites
Compiled from others, added to and observed by
tend to your wild content @ 2016 all rights reserved merry cox
| desired_elements.pdf |
Discovering Home Base........ Mapping Your Place
Make a basic, but large SITE PLAN of your site:
Sketch the following EXISTING elements on your map:
Buildings & Infrastructure
House
Garage
Fences & Walls
Utilities – phone, sewer, septic/leach-field, gas, water, power
Access & Circulation Paths
Driveways Parking
Material Delivery
Vegetation (and species if known)
Trees
Shrubs
Garden Beds
Water Creeks
Gullies
Water movement during storms
Flood zones
Well
Irrigation
Rain Catchment potentials
Views
Microclimates – Cooler, hotter, windier, wetter, more snow accumulation
Traffic and access roads
Add EXISTING Conditions/Natural Elements from your observations:
Sun:Solar South, Points of sunrise, sunset,
Winter and summer solar zenith
Shade - throughout days, seasons
Wind - direction, intensity, changes it makes over the year Animals – paths and corridors,
Neighbors – noise, pats, traffic, pollution, etc.
Compiled from others, added to and observed by
tend to your wild content @ 2016 all rights reserved merry cox
| _mapping.pdf |