Ways to Celebrate Hummingbird Season

It's hummingbird season in East Tennessee and lots of the tiny winged wonders are currently passing through our region to find warmer temperatures further south. Did you know some hummingbirds travel about 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico without stopping? What an incredible trek for such a small bird to take all alone!

There are all sorts of ways to celebrate hummingbird season, including helping our fluttering friends as they move along their journey.

One way to celebrate the wonder of hummingbirds is by making your yard or garden a space where they feel welcome.

Offer a Food Source for Hummingbirds 

Want to attract hummingbirds to your yard? Here are some tips to make your space welcoming to them. 

One way to attract hummingbirds is to incorporate flowering plants that they like, including varieties with all sorts of bright colors.

Opt for tubular choices because they hold the most nectar. This might include flowers such as columbines, daylilies, foxgloves, hollyhocks, impatiens and petunias.

Make sure to leave open spaces so the birds can move around from each nectar source. A hummingbird can snack on nectar from hundreds of flowers in any given day.

Don't have a green thumb? Never fear! There are other ways to attract hummingbirds to your yard.

Install Hummingbird Feeders around Your Home

When I don't know something, I like to go straight to the source for the best information. This is why I stopped by Knoxville's Wild Birds Unlimited to get more info about what types of hummingbird feeders to use and how to mix the nectar.

Here are a few things I learned:

• Hummingbird nectar is always a ratio of 4:1 (four parts water to one part sugar)
• If you make your own nectar from granulated sugar, you'll need to boil your water so it dissolves
• Or you can make things simple for yourself and pick up a pouch of fine sugar and a mixing bottle (available at Wild Birds Unlimited) 
• Hummingbird nectar isn't actually red -- just the container is. DO NOT add red food coloring to your hummingbird nectar. The dye is bad for the birds' kidneys. Just make sure to use a feeder that has a red tint. 
• In fact, the more red you can incorporate around your feeder, the better. Hummingbirds have no sense of smell but very good eyesight so it's the red that attracts them. 
• Put your hummingbird feeder(s) where you can see it. That's the fun of attracting hummingbirds...getting to enjoy watching them!

Wild Birds Unlimited has all sorts of hummingbird feeder options, plus stands and perches, nectar, and pretty much everything you need to attract various wild birds to your yard.

A Twist on Traditional Southern Dessert: Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake is a popular southern dessert that combines pineapple and banana in a luscious cake, topped with rich cream cheese frosting. What's not to love? Southern Living first ran a recipe for this sweet treat in a 1978 edition of the magazine, and since then it is supposedly their most requested recipe. **Not made of real hummingbirds....it seems like that would be a given, but somebody might be wondering.** 

If you want to make a traditional southern hummingbird cake, check out these ideas.

I decided to create something a bit lighter that takes traditional hummingbird cake and gives it a simple twist: Hummingbird Parfaits. 

You'll need: 

Pound cake, chopped into small pieces

Sliced bananas

crushed pineapple

pecans or walnuts

whipped topping 

In a small parfait glass or jar, add a spoonful of crushed pineapple. Layer a few pieces of cake, sliced bananas, more pineapple, cake and whipped topping. Sprinkle with pecans or walnuts. 

If possible, make these ahead of time and refrigerate them while the juices mingle together. I know, it's not your grandma's hummingbird cake...but it's a new take on a southern staple. If we can't adjust and put our own stamp on things, what's the point? 

You could also make this in a trifle bowl and serve it in pretty vintage tea cups or other small dishes. 

All this talk of hummingbird cake got you in the mood to host a party? No party is complete without a signature drink! 

Mix up Signature Drinks - Hummingbird Cocktail 

As we covered earlier, hummingbird nectar IS NOT ACTUALLY RED...just the feeders are. But in the spirit of serving up what appears to be red-tinted nectar to hummingbirds, I'm mixing up a cocktail that's perfect for your next birding session. 

As I like to keep things simple, it only has a few ingredients: 

Sallie's Greatest Strawberry + Basil Simple Syrup 

Prosecco (or champagne)

For a non-alcoholic option, use plain seltzer water. 

Pour some of Sallie's syrup in a glass, top with bubbly and garnish with a few basil leaves or strawberries. Sip! Enjoy! 

Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival at Ijams Nature Center

Another great way to celebrate hummingbird season in East Tennessee is with other hummingbird enthusiasts at Ijams' seventh annual Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival! The festival will be held Saturday, August 26 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The event will include children's activities, guest experts speaking on various topics, wildlife demonstrations, arts & craft vendors, and more! 

A big highlight of this event for attendees is the banding demonstrations. Banding is a way to harmlessly capture, weigh and measure hummingbirds and then band them before letting them go about their way. Ijams notes that banding offers a way to document hummingbird movement through migration. 

[All hummingbird photos courtesy of Wild Birds Unlimited - Knoxville, TN]

3 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day is April 22nd and it's a great time to stop and enjoy the beauty and magic of nature. I'm not really much of an outdoorsy type, but I love the wonder of living things, the intricacies of insects and flowers, the way we all fit together in this big ecosystem we call home.

In honor of Earth Day, here are some fun and simple ideas that you can enjoy with your family to celebrate our planet!

Upcycled Soda Bottle Bird Feeders 

Not only is this project easy to do, it also creates a new use for something you might already have lying around the house. To make a simple bird feeder, you first need a soda bottle (honestly, y'all it's all Coke here in the south - no matter what kind of 'soda' you're actually drinking). It could be a 2-liter or a smaller one, depending on what you have on hand. 

Cut a small hole on one side near the bottom and cut a larger hole across from the small one. You'll also need a wooden spoon. Again, if you have an old one lying around, that's one less thing you have to buy for this craft. Stick the spoon through the bottle so the bigger side comes out through the bigger hole. 

Next, using a funnel, fill the bottle with birdseed. Be careful because some may spill out of the hole around the spoon. It doesn't really matter if it falls out while in use because you'll be feeding birds outside. 

I saw this craft on the blog, Handimania and thought it was worth re-creating! Click here for more info.

Install an Insect Hotel 

The insect hotel shown above is available here

Ever since I first saw these insect hotels, I've wanted one. Imagine my delight to run across an affordable version at my local Aldi grocery store! There are lots of types available online and you can also make your own. 

An insect habitat hotel is a great way to invite beneficial insects to your garden and yard. This includes pollinators like butterflies and bees, plus ladybugs and lacewings. 

Different insect hotels have different sections, but many are designed to mimic what each insect's natural habitat would look like. You can also add your own special touches like nesting materials, dried grasses and bits of bark. 

Make a Batch of Grown-Up Trail Mix & Take a Hike!

Did you know that 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service? I'm lucky to have the most visited National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, practically in my backyard. GSMNP is doing a great hike challenge in honor of the centennial -- hike 100 miles over the course of the year on the park's trails. 

And what's better for a hike (or just to enjoy while hanging out around the house) but some good old fashioned trail mix? Although I'm not talking about your childhood raisins and peanuts. This is trail mix for grown ups. 

image via

The best part about it? You are a grown up so you can make it however you want! 

For my latest trail mix combination, I used the following ingredients (all from Aldi -- love that place!). But you can shop wherever you like ;) 

• Raw almonds (no salt)
• Cashew pieces (What can I say, I'm frugal and pieces are cheaper than whole cashews)
• Dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds
• Freeze dried peaches
• Banana chips
• Sesame sticks 

Mix up your favorite nibbles and enjoy! 

Happy Earth Day y'all! 

Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day - Easy Projects for the Family to Enjoy Together

Earth Day takes place each year on April 22. Whether you consider yourself to be environmentally conscious or not, Earth Day matters. We all share this beautiful planet. Why not take some time to really appreciate and celebrate it?

If you'd like to celebrate Earth Day this year, here are three simple ideas that you might enjoy making with your family.

Citrus Bird Feeders 

I ran across this idea here and thought my backyard birds would probably love it....was I right! Such an easy project that the entire family can help with. 

All you need to create cute citrus birdfeeders is some type of fruit (I used large pink grapefruit), birdseed, oats, peanut butter and a little oil. Scoop out the fruit from each half. Then mix together the birdseed, oats, pb & oil. Spoon it into the citrus halves and use twine to hang them from your nearest tree. 

You can refill the fruit halves over and over again and eventually, everything goes back to nature. So cute! 

Pretzel Trees 

Earth Day is a great opportunity to start conversations about conservation. While making trees out of pretzels doesn't necessarily help the earth, it can give you a way to start talking to your family and friends about how to think more earth-minded. 

Plus, these treats are just so adorable! For the full how-to, check out this fun blog. 

All you need are pretzel sticks and candy melts. And it's just that simple. Seriously. Take this opportunity to spread some earth love today! 

Eggshell Seed Starters 

Spring is here and the time for planting is upon us. I love gardens but don't really have room for lots of plants in my small condo. Still, I enjoy starting and tending to seedlings for transplanting later on. 

Eggshells are a great way to start seeds. All you need are clean, eggshell halves, potting soil and seeds and voila! Seedlings! Once they begin to grow, you can transplant them to a garden or larger container. The eggshells provide some nutrients to your young plants as they decompose and until then, they look so stinking cute! 

These are just three simple ways you can focus on the earth around us. There are plenty of others that have a greater impact...but it requires creativity and willingness to try! What other ways does your family celebrate Earth Day?

Drink it Up: A Honey of a Cocktail

I had the most delightful cocktail recently while traveling and I just had to share! If you aren't familiar with the Fairmont family of hotels, they are pretty special. For example, did you know that Fairmont Hotels have rooftop honeybee hives?

Each property is different, but the Fairmont I've stayed in is located in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. The hotel welcomed 105,000 Italian honeybees to its roof in 2009 and the area is now buzzing with three honey beehives. Not only do the bees enhance the hotel’s culinary program, it also provides a way to foster educational opportunities with local school students.

This spring, about 10 public schools in DC will have their own beehives and students will have a chance to learn about beekeeping and harvesting honey as they experience it firsthand.

We need bees because they are responsible for pollinating more than 80 percent of flowering plants, fruits and vegetables. So it's neat to see organizations doing their part to help. And I did my part to help as well by purchasing the Fairmont Georgetown's signature cocktail "The BeeTini." A portion of the proceeds from the drink support the DC Junior Beekeepers initiative.

You should definitely make this lovely drink...or better yet, if you have the chance to visit DC, try one at the Fairmont!

Fairmont Georgetown BeeTini

- 2oz Finlandia vodka
- 3/4 oz Sauza Tequila
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1/2 oz honey syrup spoonful of honeycomb
- Optional lemon or lime wedge

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice Shake for six seconds Strain while pouring into a martini glass Garnish with a spoonful of honeycomb A lemon or lime wedge may be added for more citrus.

Enjoy! (repeat as necessary!)