Today was gardening day for us. My 1G8 wanted to plant some flowers that would attract hummingbirds. She had recently read an article about hummingbirds in the TOS (The Old Schoolhouse) spring issue that piqued her interest. My 1G8 is a bird fanatic, which is why we have chickens and now ducks. When we first moved into this house, she and a neighbor girl went bird watching every day for hours on end..

Anyway, we already had planted some of their favorites, so my 1G8 wanted to get some red petunias, because hummingbirds are attracted to fluted flowers and anything red. We used to get a bunch of hummingbirds at our old house, because our neighbor planted mandevilla vines, and apparently hummingbirds really go for those. My neighbor must have used some sort of Miracle Grow Ultra, too, because the vines would climb her porch columns like kudzu--truly amazing. She moved before I was able to find out her secret. I always have terrible luck with these, so I've given up on them. Maybe next year I'll give them a try again, but this year I'm too busy moving fruit trees to the front yard away from the goats.