Mother’s day is over which signals the end of frost danger so I’m ready to put flowers for my garden on the deck. Living in Pound Ridge where the deer love plants it seems the deck is the only safe spot for my favorite flowers.

While planning my flower garden I make sure I have lots of Impatiens (I usually buy red) to attract my favorite little hummingbirds! I don’t wait until the flowers are potted to start attracting the birds so I set out the feeders the end of April to catch the early ones. It is such a delight to see them return year after year and I can’t resist setting out new and decorative feeders. I place my feeders in places that give them room to fly up, down, and around the feeder and they are close to branches of trees that give them camouflage cover. Some feeders have a ring for them to perch and drink without using their wings, others hang and offer the option of landing or hovering.

I make my own nectar and change it frequently when the summer heats up. By the middle of summer I also hang a bee trap away from the feeders (filling that with beer) to keep the yellow jackets from attacking the birds and competing for the sweet stuff. Here’s my recipe for the nectar:

Combine 1 part white sugar (be generous) to 4 parts water. Bring it to a boil for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and then let cool before putting in feeders. Keep any excess in the refrigerator for refills. Never ever use honey or artificial sweeteners, and do not use food coloring! The feeders and your flowers are the magnet to attract these sweet birds.

If you live in Pound Ridge, Katonah, South or North Salem, get yourself a hummingbird feeder and enjoy these wonderful birds. Capturing them with the camera takes patience, but I wanted to share with you what I see all day, every day!

Posted By: Sonja Lovas

When you live in Pound Ridge, Bedford, Katonah, or Lewisboro, the seasons provide you with distinct different points of view. It was amazing to me after moving to Pound Ridge (from Oregon where it’s just always green) that the change of seasons not only brought a change of weather but of the views outside. Those living in the city will notice subtle changes with the foliage on the trees or flowers planted for the summer, but when you live near the woods the scenery really changes dramatically and always displays its beauty. The points of view I am sharing with you were all taken from my deck, looking into the backyard.

You can also enjoy the beauty of the seasons. Just take a drive through the country in the summer months, you’ll see lush green heavily wooded trees, but you’ll never know of the beautiful estates hidden by the trees and leaves. Take the same drive in the winter and you’ll see houses in places you once thought were forests. Fall provides a blanket of gold, while spring surprises everyone with the lacey leaves, distant views and the beautiful wild dogwoods.

For city dwellers who want to enjoy my points of view as a visitor you can check out Walking Wild Lewisboro, for a guide to Lewisboro’s trail system. You can pick up your own guidebook at Houlihan Lawrence in Katonah for a contribution of $5.00 which only covers the printing costs. After you take a few hikes, I am sure you’ll want to contribute more (vi@westchesterlandtrust.org) to help preserve the land. If you would like to find a home for year round enjoyment near the woods, call Sonja Lovas.

Posted By: Sonja Lovas

I love looking at the variety of stonewalls while driving through Bedford, Katonah, Somers, Pound Ridge, South and North Salem. Some of the stonewalls are historic (especially those around cemeteries) and date back to the 1600s when settlers cleared the land for farming. As the land was cleared the stones were placed around the perimeter of the property to create fences. Since small rocks or stones made plowing difficult, they were moved and placed around cultivated areas while the larger rocks were used to contain livestock in pastures. Rocks and stones were also used as foundations for barns and houses. The size and shapes of the stones are varied, as well as the construction methods used to build stonewalls.

When the water levels are low in the surrounding reservoirs you can still see the stonewalls and where they they were before the land was used for water shed.

In an effort to preserve these stonewalls, many local towns require building permits and have ordinances regulating stone walls, everything from repair, new additions, and setbacks. Here’s a little slide show with some do’s and don’ts to building stonewalls.

While there are many methods used to build stone walls, my favorite walls are always the original rather than the uniform perfectly shaped and placed stone.

Posted By: Sonja Lovas