Changing of the seasons means...

...breaking out the new feeders! The hummingbird and oriole feeders now sit in our spare bathtub, waiting to be cleaned and put away. We put out the winter feeders, filling the finch socks with Niger seed, the hanging bird trays with black sunflower seed, and suet feeders (as seen above) with fresh fat.

The prairie is still ripe with seed, so we aren't seeing many birds yet. But soon, as the cold winds continue to drive the seed to the ground, and the snow and ice fall, our feeders will be abuzz with activity.

On my Christmas list this year, I have placed a heated bird bath. One of my good friends told me that it is the best way to attract and keep winter birds at the feeders.

So, a bit of our prairie dream: watching the feeders as fall fades and winter makes her appearance.

What are you doing to mark the season's changing?

Lisa

Keeping Dreams Alive....

I think that one of the most challenging parts of making dreams a reality is keeping dreams alive. This is especially true during times when I am overwhelmed with work -or when I am in a down period and just find it plain hard to move my dreams forward.

During these times, I find my lists invaluable. If I can't make progress on my dreams, I can at least make progress organizing my space and my time to work on them. I can take my big dreams and break them down into bite-sized pieces and schedule them in. I can sit down over tea or a glass of wine with my husband and strategize on how to get back on track.

I admit - it isn't easy to keep trudging ahead -especially with dreams that years of planning. But, having achieved several of them - I can you that tell that they are worth the plodding.

As fall begins to settle over the prairie, and the fire grass is starting to blaze its brilliant orange and red hues, I am starting to shift gears and am thinking more of my indoor goals and dreams. As I am closing up my gardens for the year, picking the pumpkins and the last of this season's squash, I am dusting off writing projects and recipes, pulling out the knitting needles and planting indoor herbs.

The dreams that went dormant in summer are stirring with new life!

What are your dreams for the winter months?