Just a little place to chat about my flowers and my freathered friends http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:06:00 -0500 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:06:00 -0500 Well, I just got back from a camping trip in Michigan. Dad, Kristen, Kurt, and I left for Traverse City, Michigan about 5 o'clock Wednesday morning and stopped at Cabela's, a hunting and fishing store in Dundee, Michigan. We arrived at our campsite at about 2:30. My grandpa, his brother, and Uncle Brian got there Tuesday tp set up camp. We didn't do anything Wednesday night, but on Thursday we played mini golf and went swimming in Traverse Bay. Friday we went bike riding in Traverse city and then when we go back to camp we did some fishing. Saturday afternoon we left camp for Berrien Springs, where my grandpa and grandma live, but then we decided to visit my cousin's house. We went swimming in a real pool and then played more mini golf. We ended up sleeping at their house and leaving in the morning for Berrien Springs. Then we visited Grandma and then went home. My kitten has grown so big! Today we take him to the vet. In a few days James, Brock, and Renee, my cousins, are coming from Michigan for Fourth of July. Well TTYL! (Talk to you later) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/703783/ Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:06:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/703783/ Well, I have lots of thing to tell you guys! Summer is here and my friend India and I planted my garden. We planted periwinkle, geraniums, daises, and zinnias. My zinnias have already sprouted and my daisies are coming up too. We have had a lot of rain, so my periwinkle and geraniums are looking good. There are alot of baby birds around now too. And, we had baby Bluebirds hatch out of one of our bluebird houses! They are so cute, but they're growing up really fast! There's also alot of baby Robins around, and I've found another nest in the pine tree beside the bird feeder. The other day, though, something really cool happened. A baby Blue Jay sat on our deck rail for about 5 minutes and called for his mom and dad. Finally, the little bird flew away and seemed to be okay. Lately, I did see what looked like a small heron on the pond. He flew away, so I didn't get to see him really close. The coolest thing though, is that I got Catnip! He is an adorable little kitten. When we took him to the vet for the first time, he weighed 1.5 pounds! He was so small. Mom and I were out garage saleing, when we saw a free kitten sign and stopped to see. And then we brought Catnip home. He is a very fiesty, michcevous, trouble-maker, or, as I call him, Stinkbug. He is full of bubbles and fizz, and gets into everything. Catnip (Stinkbug) is currently 2.5 pounds and is small enough that I can build houses out of Legos, and he will sleep in them. Sometimes I take him up to my room while I do my schoolwork, and he gets into everything. One time, I made the mistake of leaving him in my room while I went downstairs, and when I came back, he was on my dresser, trying to catch my fish! Wednesday, I'm leaving with my dad and brother and sister to go camping in Michigan for awhile. We always have alot of fun there. Well, TTYL! (Talk To You Later!) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/701553/ Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:36:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/701553/ Well, lots of things are going on now that spring is here. I found a robin nest and have been visiting "Mama" robin everyday. One day we had lots of rain, and she stayed put, even when she was soaking wet! I have visited Mama robin everyday for about 2 weeks before I saw one little skinless, closed-eye baby robin. She let me get very close! A few days later I say a feathery baby. Then, today, I saw two beaks peaking out of the nest. I figure that once Mama robin's babies leave the nest, she won't appreciate me coming to visit. We also have bluebirds in one of our bluebird boxes, and house sparrows in another one. The third one I'm not sure anything is nesting in. I made my own bird-feeders out of empty butter-tubs. The blackbirds seem to like them, but I haven't seen little brown birds eat very much. The good thing about these feeders, is that the birds don't spill any food on the ground, and mom's chickens can't come and eat the food. My garden is really getting worked on. I've been weeding and hoeing for a week, and then I put some pavers in the ground to make a mini patio were I can sit and watch the birds. Today we got a fence to keep the chickens out, and so I can keep Catnip in when I put him in the garden. Now i can start planting catnip and daises later this week. Well, that's the news with my garden and birds! Talk to you later (TTYL) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/686699/ Thu, 7 May 2009 16:23:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/686699/ Wow, it's been a long time since I updated. I'm sorry I haven't been on-top of this, but I've been REALLY busy. Now it's spring and I can start thinking about my garden. I'm going to put a birdbath in my flower garden (of course) and some catnip for my future birthday present, Catnip the cat. I already have some ornatmental grasses and I'm going to put daises, yuccas, and hollyhocks in it. I'm not quite sure what else to put in my garden yet. Mom's chickens, who are determined to make my life hard, get into my garden (right now ,it's a bunch of dirt and brown ornamental grasses) and dig it up, which is not ging to work once I put flowers in. So I'm going to put a fence up around it, and then I can put Catnip in the gatden to eat catnip and lay in the sun.    I don't sit with my birds anymore becuase it's to warm, and Fernin is gone, and now we have bluebirds! My Grandpa ordered bluebird houses and this morning a bluebird was sitting on top of one! We also have woodpeckers, LOTS of robins, mockingbirds, a nuthatch, a house sparrow, goldfinches, cardinals, barn swallows, a red-tailed hawk, red-winged blackbirds, killdeers and thankfully no ravens! Of course the annoying chickens go eat the birdseed under the feeder, and chase away my little birds. So, I go out there, yell at them, and give them the run of their life.  I'll get them someday. Well, I'll keep you posted on the bluebird houses, bye! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/673785/ Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/673785/   Well, we have lots of snow! Monday I went out ot see my birds. I din't get very many, but Fernin came. Tuesday we got alot more snow, and more birds, but I didn't have a lot of time to sit with them. Wednesday, we got over a foot. I sat with the birds, but it was snowing, and snow got in my eyes. and Thursday, I got alot of birds too. Fernin, came really close too me, an inch away! He is so pretty. I would think something so small would never come near me, but he did! He's really starting to trust me. Still no Mourning Doves or Cardinals coming near me, but I've seen them when I'm not there.   Well, I'll talk to you gus later! Bye!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/652067/ Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/652067/ I'm back everybody! Since I haven't updated since Wednesday, let me clue you in. Thursday was really warm, and our snow was starting to melt. not many birds showed up at the feeder. Friday was really warm, and I didn't see one little bird. Saturday I really didn't sit out very long. Then came Sunday. We got all the snow that had melted in maybe 4 hours. The feeder was packed! I sat a yard and a half away and I really got a good look at the birds. Fernin brought Isabelle and their family, and the juncos came. I had a couple of Morning Doves that came quite close to the feeder, but they wouldn't feed. Also, an American Tree Sparrow nearby was singing! He sang for about 1 minute, then a break, then another spurt. He was beautiful! Recently, Johnny, our outdoor cat, stalkes up behind me, scaring away all the birds. I have to pick him up, and shut him into the garage again. He is ruining my fun! Well, bye!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/650135/ Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/650135/ Hi! This my blog where I can tell everybody about my garden and my feathery friends. I am a very enthusuastic bird-watcher, and love to watch my birdies while they feed at the feeder. My family and I live on a large piece of land with a pond and some woods. Because of that, I see a lot of different birds; one time in May, I saw a Great Egret on our pond. Currently, we have a Peregrine Falcon, and what we think might be a Northern Harrier visiting our yard to hunt. Also, I am sitting beside the feeder everyday to see if the birds will come and eat while I'm there. I started Sunday afternoon, sitting right beside the feeder. I got some juncos, and a male cardinal to come sit there for half a second. But my first visitor was an American Tree Sparrow. He watched me closley, ate a few seeds, and flew away.  He came back twice but only stayed a little while. The next day, I sat a little further away from the feeder, and more birds showed up, but my little sparrow friend, who I named Fernin, was there first. He also brought his girlfriend along, who I named Isabella. The next day Fernin and Isabella came again, bringing some more of their family with them. Today I'm hoping to get some Mourning Doves and a Cardinal to come to the feeder too. Along with this project, I have a flower garden that I will plant in the spring. I have already planted some ornamental grasses, and plan to put hollyhocks, yuccas, and Forget-me-nots in the garden as well. Plus, I'm going to make a bird bath to put in there too. My wonderful cats, Stephanie and Zoe, who we had to put to sleep because of urinary tract infections, are buried in my flower garden. Well, I'll see you guys later! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/648262/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/naturejournal/648262/