Great pictures of the birds!
There's one more thing I did to take up some time - finally put together my 2019 garden album!!! Wooo! Always takes forever but I'm always happy when it's done.

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/121914983/list/2019-garden

Great ideas Nola Thistle Thrower Z5aWI ! Thanks!

Enjoying everyones posts and pics! :-)

Her user name is kittymoonbean I think. Now I have to find the photos for you guys.

I can’t find her pool photos for some reason, and she disappeared from the forum. Do anyone of you remember those photos?

Kali, what a lovely garden! Thanks for sharing your 2019 album.

I don't recall her pool pics, but rather Hoovb's. I should try to find those, but I think they were on her blog, whose name I don't recall atm.

Wow, Kali! Those are gorgeous pics! I'm going to have to learn how to do that.

I love plants by a pool but I'm not so sure about thorny plants. I can just see some scandalous thorny Austin snatching on someone's bathing suit...or worse!

I suppose it would depend how close and upon the setting. I used to have tree hibiscus, but think tree roses of a less thorny variety would be lovely. They wouldn't abut the actual pool.

I am thinking about tree gardenia would be lovely by a pool, it’s fragrant and thornless.

Thanks Vap,. See if you can find any rose and pool photos from our forum members. :-)

I have also grown Jasmine in pots by the pool which is also a wonderful scent. And extremely easy to grow! I sometimes take cuttings late winter and plant them as a sort of annual. Overwintering the mother plants.

tha is vaporvac! Honestly I just copied and pasted them into power point, about five or six per slide, and clicked "design suggestions" and it gives a ton of options and moves them for you even.

I kept a cutting of night blooming jasmine for 3 years, it never bloomed for some reason. I used to have two huge potted ones, gave out a lot of cuttings to my friends, they smelled so lovely on a humid summer night, just like dropped a bottle of perfume. Now I am going to order another plant online. The local nursery used to sell tropical plants closed last summer, missed that place.

summersrhythm - I've always thought growing Jasmine would be amazing! I noticed you're also in zone 6a, do you grow yours in pots or have you found a variety that is Hardy here?

The Farm unit came today!!! So excited, just put it together and plopped in all the little seed pods. We'll see how it goes! Also managed to get some "semi gardening" in lol. I ended up using the gigantic cardboard box the Farm came in, split it so it would be flat and laid it on the back edge of my shade garden on the side closest to the woods. That garden is practically IN the woods, and each year I begin the war of walking back brambles and loads of invasive weeds and such. It's rocky and has lots of stumps do it is hard to use a weed whacker (many tiny things end up flinging into you because it's hard to see), soi just laid it down on the eve if the woods and weighed it down with some big rocks lol. Looks a little tacky now having bare cardboard just sitting in our woods, but I figured after a few weeks the leaves and twigs will cover it (it is in the woods after all), and that the inevitable snow would certainly do the job, then I'll just top it off with mulch or something in spring :)

I grow mine in pots. They aren’t hardy for our cold zones. I used to have all kinds of jasmines. Now just have a couple. I have to get another night blooming jasmine plant, the fragrance is really nice, it was really strong in hot and humid nights.

Good to know, once I get a bit more practiced it might be really fun.

Very excited, got the Farm all set up, my little lettuces have sprouted early! Also ended up visiting Lowe's and got five shrubs on sale, $30 total for two 1 gal. blue star junipers, two 1? 2? gal. boxwoods, and one 3 gal. lemon thread false cypress.I am finally learning the value of good shrubs, particularly evergreens. I definitely regret going scorched-earth on the garden beds when we moved into our home three years ago, rookie mistake, I think of the shrubs, little trees, and plants I ripped out and trashed and nearly get chest pains lol. One of those life decisions you look back at and think "WHY would I do that!?".

Your Aero Farm sounds cool. I have the two little Slim Aero units. I havent started seeds yet. I have been using the light from one to start a passiflora Ruby Glow cutting and some brugmansia Shooting Star cuttings lol. I need to get with it and put the seeds in.

I thought you guys might like to see one of the Night Blooming Jasmines (Cestrum nocturnum) in our yard. This one is huge and hides 2 horse stalls and a chicken coop.

A few days ago..bananas in the background

Some blooms..it was a little cloudy so the flowers were still half open. Theres a few seeds on there.

is that a live oak in the background?..if I move to a warm climate I won't buy a house that doesn't have a live oak..

Yes there's several Live Oaks here. There's three that are just enormous! This is why, even though I live on 4 acres, there isn't a ton of sun for roses lol. The trees keep growing.

That’s awesome to have land. Thanks for the photos! I ordered a night blooming jamsmine and Longon tree. :-)

Congrats on your Longan tree! There is a Tropical Fruit forum here on Houzz and also an International Tropical Fruit forum http://tropicalfruitforum.com/ where there are lots of zone pushers growing tropical fruit too. Beware they are addicting lol.

I am thinking of adding some Mangos and Rambutan this year. I have Jackfruit trees but they are still small since I started them from seeds a few yrs ago. They desperately need bigger pots.

sultry_jasmine..I have trees and shade too..but you know..even if I can't grow roses and tomatoes I love my trees..

I know what you mean, I love trees too, especially big old ones..kinda like old houses..so much history there! Lots of shelter for wildlife too. There are several families of Barred Owls that nest here. Its the trees that attracted them. They love to just sit up there amid the spanish moss making their calls. Sometimes they are out in the afternoons too when I am out watering in the garden and I hear them. Kinda spooky and surreal but also cool.

have you seen my owls?..the same kind..there was a pair on the log but one left as I took the pic..my profile pic here is an owl..

What a wonderful thread and it is so great to know I am not alone with my winter blues. I truly hate this time of year with little light and the cold and damp. I don't feel like doing anything in the yard but really need to get in there and finish my winter pruning. All of the rain we have been having has sprouted up weeds in my mulch. YUCK! They are tiny little things and pull up easily. However, the damp and cold has really set off my arthritis and it was so bad last night I could barely walk. Now, on top of this, I have caught a cold, so I am truly not good company right now.

I have Geek Squad coming tomorrow to fix my DVD/CD player and I shall watch Enchanted April once it is fixed. Such a wonderful movie and the garden scenes are to die for.

I too crochet and have been crocheting up a storm. I am making my great nephew (soon to be born) a baby blanket of the most wonderful yarn, I may have to make one for me (if I get a chance). It is so nice and warm. I can never seem to get warm enough during the winter.

I will be starting a CAL (crochet-a-long) on January 3. This one looks incredible and I hope I stick to it and finish it. It is based on a quilt that was designed by Lucy M Boston who wrote the Children of Green Knowe series. It is called Kaleidoscope and if any of you crochet out there, I could use the company and support to get this one done. Kaleidoscope Blanket I am doing the dusty rose colors for this one.

Jim--take up dancing! You would be in high demand! Men are always welcome as there are usually more women than men who dance and we are always looking for partners. It is fun and great exercise and you meet the nicest people! Only four legged animals have two left feet so give it a whirl. If I can learn to Lindy at my age and have a blast, it is worth it!

Thats so cool we have the same kind of owls frequenting our yards. I love their calls "whoo whoo who cooks for you?" or the monkey or barking noises lol. Theres a tree behind our bedroom window they like to sit in certain times of the year and do their mating calls. Scared me when we first moved here and I heard it the first time lol. They get loud.

In Florida we have roof rats. They seem to be everywhere in FL and the owls hunt them. I am happy for the owls to knock down the rat populations.

Sometimes the Barred Owls or once in a while, a Great Horned Owl, will sit on a low branch above the enclosed chicken runs and watch them. The chickens put up such a fuss lol.

mustbnuts, Thats a pretty crochet blanket! I love the colors. I learned to crochet from my grandmother but never did learn to knit. I am not great at it but it is fun.

mustbenuts- I'm really glad this thread has been enjoyable. I know every year I struggle hard in winter with depression and anxiety. I never knew anxiety could get worse seasonally, learn something new everyday lol. This winter I am trying hard to concentrate on my new indoor garden and on my new job. For those italked tolast year they know how horrible and dehumanizing my last job was. The role itself was good but the environment was toxic. Loving that I am somewhere supoortive now, my boss is amazingly brilliant and I learn somuch from her, she gives me such massive projects too lol, so that'll keep me busy. Sorry to hear about your arthritis, that sounds very painful and I hope you feel well soon. I know muscle pain isn't the same as arthritis but I've been using (in addition to my prescriptions) a CBD salve on my neck and back and it's helped a lot, maybe it would help you as well?

Loving seeing the owls everyone!!! We have them in MA but I haven't seen one in quite some time. We do get a lot of Hawks though

kali..hawks come by too..

Glad to see this thread is continuing and thanks to this discussion, I gave us a Light Therapy lamp for Christmas. :-)

Love the photos of the hawks and owls. I never ever see an owl around these parts. Or hear one. They must move out when development moves in.

LOVE the crocheted blanket. It is really gorgeous and looks very intricate and for advanced skills. I don't crochet at all. I would love to pull out the sewing machine and work on quilts but, just don't have the time to do that quite yet. It's a nice idea and a really great way to pass away a winter.

I love that photo with the owl in the birdbath with the red japanese maple in the back drop! For those who love owls, I am so obsessed with this video. Its so cute and relaxing! If anyone knows the name of the wind chime in the video, please share lol.

https://youtu.be/ZcI44JywvgA

Sultry, I have those types of wind chimes all over my garden. I believe they are Grace Note Chimes. Grace Note Chime 36 inch Earthsong I think this particular one is the Earthsong one. Grace Note Chimes They last forever and don't fall apart. I am glad since I have had mine for over 20 years and when I look at the price now....wow! Although, they have always been a bit pricey, they stand up to everything and sound just beautiful. Mine look as good as the day I bought them! They are made up in the mountains near where I live. My local ACE hardware carries them. I think you can get them off Amazon as well. If you can find a site where they play the chimes, so much the better as I have mine in different sized and in different tones. Some tones will resonate with you more than others. They are all pretty, however.

The owls are just adorable!

Thanks for the 411 on the Grace Windchimes! I especially like the Earthsong XL chime sounds. I will have to check out my local Ace. Our Ace Hardwares have nurseries that are just fantastic so I go to their greenhouses often but not so much inside the store except to pay.

The chimes are pretty pricey! I will have to save my coins lol. It would be well worth it if they held up for 20 yrs though. Maybe I will hint to dh that it wil make a good bday gift haha.

still looking out the window..but it's worth it..just now I saw a red bellied woodpecker..

Nicklesworth ,your place is so enchanting. How awesome to have owls and hawks stopping by to visit.

Indiana seems like a beautiful state

Kristine..thank you!..I live within walking distance of Eagle Creek Park (look it up if you have a chance)..so it's easy for birds to fly to my house lol..the northern and southern parts of Indiana are prettier than central Indiana where I live but I found a tiny paradise!..you could also look up Indiana Dunes National Park..I love it..it's possible to do a long day trip but we spend the night..I would love to see the "pnw"..I know it's beautiful..

In case anyone needed a laugh today - Eventful morning with my husband, as we had a visitor perched on our curtain rod above the sliding door!
I was about to leave for work and I saw the cat intensely staring at the wall and heard what sounded like a squeak. But Kik is just weird and her meows sound like squeaks. Then the other cat, Echo, comes around and also starts staring at the wall! I think "oh crap", and turn all the lights back on, I thought they'd flung their toy on the rod somehow until I got close! We managed to wrangle all the cats and put them in the bathroom and scoot the squirrel out of the door.
Nothing like texting your boss at 7am saying "Hi so I'm going to probably be late, there's a baby squirrel in my house".
Cute as a button though

Another pic

That is quite a way to start the morning! It is adorable but not a welcome visitor, how bold and dangerous of it with your cats around.

He is pretty cute. Do you know what kind of squirrel? Doesn’t quite look like the regular tree squirrels we have around here.

kali..wow!..that's crazy..we've had squirrels come into our garage when the back door and the garage door were open..we were going into the garage to get nuts and they followed us..we discouraged them and led them out..no visitors in the house yet..

Flat tail - might it be a flying squirrel? We had one that found its way into our bathroom one night in the middle of a reconstruction project that left our walls open. I am not much of a screamer, but I definitely squawked and it made a mad dive under the washing machine. Not sure which of us was more startled. It was gone in the morning.

I love to watch the squirrels in my yard especially since I have four cats that go out. ( I always follow this statement by saying my cats were all born outside and over time they adopted me and my husband. They are extremely well cared for, heated porch, heated beds, house privileges if they want and go to the vet. Mom cat is 15) Anyway, squirrels are amazingly bold. They will come within feet of a cat before taking off. I have never found a dead one. And I love to feed them feed corn in the winter and watch them scamper about with it.

Not sure what kind of squirrel but he was super cute! I think our boy cat was actually afraid of it because he hid behind the washing machine lol.
djacobs - sounds like your cats are awesome and have a great setup! We also have four cats but they're all indoor since they've never been outside, sometimes in the warmer months they're allowed to play on the back deck, but they get startled of they hear a noise or something and get all poofy haha.

a nicer looking way to secure the feeder..the physical therapy strap started to tear..an old adjustable purse strap with clips on each end worked great..

Next will be duck tape!! :-))

djacobz..lol..you're right..a LOT of people would've started with duct tape..I'll tell my husband we have a back up plan if this breaks..

Bungee cords! They don’t leave sticky residue lol.

GardenHo..good idea..we thought of bungee cords and they would work..but this strap was in our junk drawer and the bungee cords are new..

I would have chose the strap too : )