Hello, everyone! Thanks for visiting the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop! Spring has sprung, and we’re celebrating! Visit all the authors on the tour for great gardening tips, recipes and a chance to win some fantastic books and prizes!
Here’s my tip:
Location, Location, Location!
My tip is more about how to enjoy your garden than growing or protecting it. If you’re considering a water feature, here’s something you might want to think about:
Birds love water features. Now, you may love birds, but do you want them on your patio? Trust me. You don’t.
My husband and I installed a water feature a few years ago. We thought we had the perfect place for it –– a small cut-out in our patio, at the edge, near the house. We’d be able to see the feature and birds from inside the house. And, of course, we’d hear the water bubbling pleasantly when we were outside on the patio. We like the birds, and I love the sound of the water.
The problem? It’s not a good location. A couple of times a year there must be something the birds eat that makes them very thirsty. They converge on the water — and patio — in great multitudes. And they leave a little something behind. Yep. Bird poop. Everywhere. On the patio, the chairs, the pillows, the cushions . . . ugh.
I was prepared for the annual winterizing and refilling. But I wasn’t prepared for the constant clean-up detail. Consider placing your feature a little farther out where birds can perch on trees or shrubs rather than patio furniture. Choose wisely, friends! And enjoy your outdoor space!
PRIZES!
Leave a comment (and your email contact info in case you are a winner!) to enter the giveaway drawing. To be eligible for the Grand Prize, you MUST visit and comment on each participating author’s site!
GRAND PRIZE: We are giving away a Kindle Fire or Nook (winner’s choice) along with a 2nd prize of $25 gift card. Woo-hoo!!
DARLENE’S PRIZE: I’m offering two prizes:
- a signed paperback copy of one of my novels plus author swag. Please note, will be mailed to U.S. resident only.
- a digital copy of one of my novels — international eligibility
For “extra” entries in my giveaway, follow my blog or my Facebook page!
The Tour ends April 16th at 11:59pm EST. Tell your friends!
Visit all the participating authors, and leave your comment!
Good Luck, and Happy Spring to all!
Click on the link below to see all authors
darlene deluca 
Great tip about the water feature! Good to know. 🙂 cchant86 @ yahoo.com
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Thanks, Catherine, and good luck to you!
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Location, location, location! Got it! Thanks for being a part of this!
lindaherold999@gmail.com
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Hey, Linda! Thanks for stopping by! Hope you’ll check out my books when you have a chance, and good luck winning some great stuff! 🙂
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Yeah! I won one of your books!! This makes my day!! Thank you so much!!
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Our biggest frustration with plants is deer eating them. We now plant flowers that they typically do not like such as marigolds and lupines so we can have great colors and and flowers throughout the summer season!
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Oh, that sounds lovely. I can’t seem to figure out what the rabbits like or don’t like. They change it up from year to year just to aggravate me! Thanks for stopping by. Happy reading, and happy spring!
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p.s. We’ll need your email contact if you’re a winner! 😉
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My deck is the only place I can feed the birds and see them. I have a mess there always. But I love watching them so much, I just put up with it and hose it down everyday. What really annoys me is that in feeding the birds, I also feed the squirrels and raccoons, who have no problem shinnying up the support beams and onto the deck itself.I keep telling myself that it’s all nature, just sit back and enjoy. But, add the wild critters and my cat, some weeks I think I spend more on animal food than I do at the grocery store!
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I know that feeling. I have come to pretty much despise squirrels! 🙂
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Thanks for the giveaway!
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
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Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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We enjoy watching birds but we have cats and they like to eat them. We have a big garden and they help keep annoying critters out like raccoons, squirrels, and rabbits. Our dogs scare the deer off 🙂
Thanks for the tip and happy spring.
lorih824@yahoo.com
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Ah, so perhaps cats and dogs are the answer to a beautiful garden! Thanks for sharing, Lori!
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Thank you! I would not want to clean that up 🙂 I’m following your blog.
kissedbymidnight AT gmail.com
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Thanks for the follow, Amber! Good luck on the hop. Happy spring!
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We don’t try to attract birds here, because the cats tend to get them. I do like to see the birds but hope they keep their distance.
videoclimber AT yahoo DOT com
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Yes, our indoor kitty just yacks at the birds from the window! Thanks for stopping by!
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That’s a nice tip, I bet most people who get water features don’t think about how many birds (any other animals like squirrels) they can attract.
Anne
acm05atjuno.com
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You’re right. They do attract the squirrels, too. And we’ve found a couple of dead ones in there. Eeeew. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the Hop!
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Your water feature sounds really nice. Here in the Arizona desert it would attract all sorts of animals not only birds.
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Hey, Joye, Arizona sounds great right now. We’re having a cool spell. Thanks for visiting! Please add your email contact so that we can get in touch if you’re a winner! Good luck! 🙂
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LOL Oh i have a little bird dodo issue as well…. They only seem to go on my hubby’s car though :3 so I am okay with it hehe
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Oh, no! I bet hubs loves that! Guess we all have our little annoyances to deal with. Have fun on the hop, and do be sure to leave your email so that we can contact you when you win! 😉
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Thanks for the tip and the giveaway! 🙂
sienkiel1821 at yahoo dot com
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Thanks for stopping by, Alisha! Good luck on the hop!
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Thanks for the tip.jean60212@gmail.com
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Hi, Nancy! Hope you’re enjoying the hop! Good luck, and happy reading!
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cute pic
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
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Thanks! I love when those little yellow birds visit. They don’t make much mess. Enjoy the hop, and good luck!
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Hello Darlene, we had the same thing happen to us, we bought a fountain and placed it on the deck. Learned my lesson last season, now we have a bird bath placed in the far end of our yard. Thank you Linda Romer isisthe12th(at)gmail(dot)com following blog
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Ah, well, live and learn, right?! 🙂 Hope you’re enjoying your yard this spring. Thanks for stopping by!
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Thanks for the tip on the water feature. I like the sounds of birds and water but not the mess. Following on FB. (mybeach52 at yahoo dot com)
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Exactly! Thanks for the follow, and for stopping by. Enjoy the spring!
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Great tip about the water feature and birds! I liked on Facebook. Also, follow via email.
jeanna_massman at hotmail dot com
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Thanks, Jeanna! Hope you’re enjoying the blog hop! Happy spring, and happy reading!
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Neat picture of the yellow birds and the water feature. Good advice. I shall remember it if I ever have room for a water feature on my patio.
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Thanks, Jackie. Hope you’re enjoying the hop! Best wishes!
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Hey, Jackie, just realized you didn’t leave your contact email in case you’re a winner!
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We have a pretty bird bath outside that I got just for our feathered friends. But you know what they prefer to drink from? The top of the plastic tote we have outside that we made into a feral cat shelter. Water collects in the lid indentation and birds drink from it every day. figures! 😉
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Haha! That sounds about right! Maybe they’ll switch when they have an encounter with that cat! Thanks for sharing! Good luck on the hop!
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Could have been worse. You could have put it in your carport.
rsbrandt44 (at) hotmail (dot) com
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thanks for the chance!
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We’ll need your contact info, Daniel. Good luck!
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Thanks for your tip! We have a huge birdbath in the back yard.
Happy Spring!
sprocket 215 @ g mail . com
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Thanks, Deborah! Got you entered twice! Happy spring to you, too!
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forgot to add:
I follow you on Facebook!
🙂
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A water feature is in the works here. Thanks for the timely advice.
@SorchiaDubois
Sorchia’s Universe
sorchiadubois@hughes.net
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Ah, hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by!
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Ah…interesting point. I don’t know that we want to attract MORE birds, because we’re always competing with them for the fruit on our trees, lol. Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway!
elewkf1 at yahoo cot com
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I know what you mean! I kind of like the wildlife, but it can be very destructive! Good luck on the Hop!
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I love birds but their poo is all over the place. amybowens34(at)yahoo(dot) com
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Love the birds but hate their mess. Thanks for sharing amybowens34(at)yahoo(dot) com
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Thanks for the amazing giveaway!
elizabeth(at)bookattict(dot)com
Following WordPress: BookAttict
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Hey, Elizabeth! Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed the Hop!
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