Hummers are back!

Well, at least ONE is back. Barry and I were sitting out on the back deck looking at the garden and the bluebirds nesting in the cleveland pear tree when all of a sudden there was a "whizzzzz" just near where the hummingbird feeders were last year. Sure enough, it was a little (or is that redundant?) hummingbird who REMEMBERED where the feeders were.

So in a jiffy I came in and, following Barry's expert culinary guidance, made my first batch of hummingbird food. Four cups water, one cup sugar, boil and simmer, and put into the feeder when cool.

If you have a feeder DO NOT USE RED FOOD COLORING. It harms the bird's liver and can actually kill them. The feeder, being red, is what attracts them. Other red flowers will do the same.

The window boxes are done, with red and blue petunias and white alyssum, and Barry planted red salvia and red impatiens around the bird bath as well. The early garden is all in and we've already had a few servings of spinach, chard and lettuce.

Now, Spring can officially begin!