words of wisdom

By Walter Eugene Davis Senior Helpers – Stratham, NH

“You plant seeds every single day, in the world and in others, with every thought you think and words you speak and action you take. You have influence. You are making a dent in the universe and you matter, in a very real way.” Jennifer Williamson a writer from Spencer, Massachusetts captures the essence of planting seeds perfectly. It is not always the planting of a seed that then grows into a flower, it is the planting of thoughts and ideas that grow into action. As the days grow longer, we have more daylight to spend outdoors, to explore and influence our world.

It is time to prepare those feeders! The hummingbird has started its

migration north from its winter home in the Gulf of Mexico and Yucatan Peninsula. This trip begins annually in March. The male will arrive first and the female about 10 days behind. They can cover 23-plus miles per day, and their wings average 55 strokes per second. This spectacular tiny creature can hover, fly upside down and backwards. If you put your feeders in the same spot as last year, you will have return visitors. There is no reason to use nectar with red dye either, they are attracted to the color of the feeder. Make sure to change the nectar weekly especially in warm weather. To find out more about their migration and when they will be arriving in your back yard, check out:

Don’t kill the milkweed! If you are wondering where all the Monarch butterflies have gone, when was the last time you saw milkweed in your backyard or on the side of the road? This “weed” is the sole plant that the caterpillars eat and where the monarchs lay their eggs. Since the future of the Monarch depends on milkweed, consider planting some.

To bee or not to bee! Bees play an important role in our food chain; they collect and transport pollen from plant to plant. With the increase of chemicals and insecticides used on lawns and gardens, the bumblebees are facing extinction. Consider creating a chemical free back yard by using organic treatments that do not harm bees, birds, butterflies or your furry pets. Plant bright flowers that will attract them and consider hanging a Bee House, a natural place for bees to live. Have not heard of this?

Check them out at Lowe’s.

I hope that I have planted some seeds for you. Take these seeds and pay it forward, as we all need to do our part to protect our environment; and you are nature’s best hope!