Arlene Wright-Correll

Another Good Use for Your Window Boxes©



Posted: Thursday, September 18, 2008

by
http://www.learn-america.com

When winter sets in our window boxes look pretty shabby. Do yours? Winter is also the time many of our birds that do not migrate become little beggars and foragers. Winter is also the time that we help out our feathered friends by trying to keep our bird feeders filled for them.

I like color in my window boxes and it is never there after the first hard killing frost so the first thing I do is to clean them out.

One of our window boxes run the length of our big dining room window and in front of that window out about four feet from the window stand a bird feeder on a tall post.

The light bulb came on one day. Why not try to combine the two? It really was not possible, but the idea still stayed and I finally figured out how I could feed the birds and put some color back into my window boxes each winter. So when I clean out the window boxes I now take out the dead plants and leave a good deal of the dirt in them.

Nearby in our woods there are some seeded branches that I can snip off without hurting the trees. I can also cut some autumn branches with their colorful leaves. Along the way I can usually collect some big turkey feathers. Around the green house are usually some good clay or terra cotta containers that will weather the winter and we always have a birdhouse or two in the making. I save some big sunflower heads before the birds get to them plus any other "stalky" plant that I think will dry well and give some personality to the window box and perhaps some shelter or food for the birds.

Now I get artistic and start to arrange these items in my window box making sure I center or put slightly off center my largest item. I start to tuck in my pots or terra cotta containers, now I add my berry or seeded branches, artistically adding my autumn leaves, a feather here, and a feather there. Some times I have to invert a flower pot and push it into the dirt of the window box and then using some double sided artist sticky tape I put some on the bottom of the bird house and then press the bird house on top of that inverted clay flower pot. I now add those sun flower heads or whatever else I think the birds will like.

It looks very autumn-like, very colorful and pretty and welcoming for the birds.

The other clay pots may hold things I add during the winter such a pieces of stale bread or old cake or muffins for them to peck on. Perhaps I will add pieces of suet or peanut butter treats. These containers empty quickly and must be filled in order to bring our feathered friends back again and again. However, the window box maintains its charm until spring arrives and I am able to refill it with our summer flowers.

"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime May your day be filled with Peace, Light and Love,

Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com

About the Author & Artist. Arlene Wright-Correll (1935- ___), popular American award winning Artist, published author, columnist, & is the resident art instructor for Avalon Stained Glass School, at the age of 68, decided to pick up her paint brushes again after 54 years and paint.  She is a cancer and stroke survivor who is able to strive forward each and everyday to welcome the beauty of this small planet.  She also is a China & Porcelain painter, Sandblasting & Etching, Stained Glass & fused glass Artisan. She is one of the six KY Artists who worked 6 months to create the dolls for Journey Jots in 2006 and a Smithsonian Institute art exhibit in 2008. Her published books can be found here . She is also a featured writer for GreenThumbArticles.com and teaches Art Vacation Holidays at Avalon Stained Glass School and Creativity Center.

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