Landscaping decor

Hay or Straw Bale Art

Small and large bales have been around for a long time. There is not an item that can be so versatile. There are some people that create hay or straw bale art.

Small bales can be used for front porch or outside winter decorations. From creating outdoor tables, chairs, and sofas that do not blow away to uses in the garden. They come in handy for making cold frames for starting early seeds to creating raised beds for planting.

The larger round bales can be used for art. Various areas are known for creating displays of hay art. If you happen to be driving by Alpena, SD next fall on Hwy 281 and 37, you should see hay are made by local families.

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Wildlife

Winter Birds

Do not forget to feed the birds especially through the hard part of winter. Winter food should have a little fat, dried fruit, and sunflowers for ingredients. Suet becomes important for winter birds because of its fat content.

Here is one recipe for cheaper homemade suet cakes:

  1. ⅓ cup sunflower seeds.
  2. ⅓ cup Nyjer seeds.
  3. ½ cup dried fruit, soaked overnight.
  4. ½ cup unsalted peanuts.
  5. 1 cup lard or beef suet or peanut butter (crunchy or smooth).
  6. Hanging bird feeder(s) suitable for fat balls.
  7. Mix and refrigerate a couple of days.
  8. Put in suet feeders or suet socks and hang in a tree.
  9. You can roll pinecones in the mix and hang.

If you want to use bird feeders from the store, then is great also. Use a higher energy bird food with nuts and berries when it gets really cold outside.

It is always fun to watch birds like colorful blue jays, cardinals, woodpeckers, and finches in the dead of winter. Birds will also eat many weed seeds still on the plant in your yard or garden that otherwise might grow.

Christmas, Seasonal Decor

Winter Decorating

If you like decorating, forget Christmas and go for winter decorating. You can leave it up all winter past Christmas and New Year’s. It adds that special something like creating a welcoming statement on your front deck or front door.

Using vintage containers like baskets or cream cans with some evergreen clipping and ribbon (purple for Advent, white for Christmas, and the rest of winter).

Old chairs or bench with an old blanket and lantern (solar-powered) create a cozy area. Use some of your old planters filled with evergreens and birch cuttings.

Create a front door statement with a hanging basket with evergreen boughs and pinecones. Get some frost paint to make it more winter-like.

Let your imagination be your limiting factor!