for the birds

It's been quiet around here, I know.  I've been really busy, still working full time and I'm currently in rehearsal for Chicago (which opens in February).  Plus I can't garden yet, so not much to talk about there.

But - I did order a clear plastic birdfeeder from Amazon for less than $10.  Here it is, installed on my porch window -

I don't have much in the way of visitors yet, but I did notice after the first week that the birds are consistently stealing the sunflower seeds.  So at the grocery store yesterday I picked up a whole bag of sunflower seeds for birds.  We shall see if the higher sunflower content brings more birdies.  :)

I also ordered a little thing off Etsy - it's a suet feeder stuffed with alpaca fiber.  So the birds can grab little bits of alpaca fluff and line their nests with it.  It's also a great way for me to use yarn and fiber scraps without just throwing them away.  It's hanging on the wall next to the door.

I wanted to attract birds for two reasons - one, the cats go nuts over them.  :)  I hope to someday get a video of Elly or Murphy doing their chittering thing they do when they see a bird.  Sometimes I feel guilty for keeping 4 cats in a 600 square foot condo, so I like to give them lots of toys and distractions.

I also wanted birds on my balcony because it's sort of a dead area in my house as far as feng shui goes.  I think the garden will help with this too.  If you looked at a floorplan of my condo, the bedroom wall actually sticks out further than the living room wall, making the porch still part of the floorplan.  But because I never use it, it's kind of a dead area.  And unfortunately, it's in the relationship area of my house.  So, in theory if I get some plants growing and some birdies visiting it'll get the energy going.  Or something.  :)