why i count birds (& why you should)

Undeservingly overlooked when it comes to hardscaping, the old window box is a fantastic exterior design feature that can add a unique touch to your home and make heads turn. It really is a thing to consider if the best-looking house on the block is what you’re going for. Here’s why:

Birds make a great addition to your garden, they’re great to look at and they’re useful as well. For instance, they will eat slugs, snails, aphids, insects and other well-known troublemakers.

If your attic has been the main source of storage for all your home items, it may be time to go through it all to sort out what needs to be thrown out or stored elsewhere.

We’re sick of the Carrie Bradshaw slander. Say what you will about the Sex and the City and And Just Like That lead, but a woman that orders her Cosmopolitan with a side of fries? That’s our kind of girl. We are of the opinion that the iconic Cosmopolitan cocktail—and its counterparts, like the Porn Star Martini or vodka cranberry—deserve the reputation they’ve acquired over the years. The internet has classified these classic, sugary-sweet beverages as “cringe cocktails”—a label that maybe shouldn’t be taken as wholly negative.

Basements are a boon for those homeowners lucky enough to have one. They are cooler, expansive, and offer a lot of opportunities for extra living space or storage.

DIY projects are a budget-friendly and fun way to change the look of your home and furniture. If you are looking to repurpose an old, worn-out dresser into a new treasure in no time and want to take on a creative project, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

You’re not the only one who dreams of a Clueless-inspired bedroom closet. To create an oasis of organized outfits though, you have to clear out the dusty boxes full of childhood photos, bridesmaid dresses you cringe at the sight of, and that stack of shirts you intended to return. Here’s the hard truth: your closet is finite, and if you keep unnecessary items in there, it can quickly turn into a chaotic abyss.  To make Cher Horowitz proud, we tapped three organizational experts—who have all seen their fair share of cluttered closets—to reveal eight things you shouldn’t keep in your closet. Read on for their advice.

As health and sustainability continue to take precedence for consumers across the globe, the popularity of edible aquatic plants has shot up like never before. Enter sea moss, a sea green that addresses these concerns—and then some. Here’s what to know about its health benefits, eco-friendliness, and how to use it cooking and in all of its forms.

Aeration is a cultural practice that does not need to be done often but can provide immense benefits for your lawn.

Are you looking at plants in your garden and wondering why they aren’t flowering?

“Like the week in Lake Wobegon, it’s been mostly quiet,” says Ellen. “For the most part, the birds have stopped singing.” Turning their attention away from establishing territories, finding mates and having families—what the songs were mostly about—they’ve shifted focus. “Some birds even lose the ability to sing after the breeding season is over,” she adds (learn more about that in this BirdNote show and transcript).In the Q&A that follows, Ellen’s answers contain green links to audio files from BirdNote’s archive that you won’t want to miss. A recap of earlier stories in our series is at the bottom of the page, along with information on how to get BirdNote daily.the midsummer bird q&a with ellen blackstoneQ. So what are the birds doing as we enter midsummer?A. Many birds–wrens, robins, and others–may raise more than one brood in a breeding season. Depending on what part of the country you call h

Garden visitors, average early January 2015 day:30 dark-eyed juncos 11 goldfinches 1 male Eastern bluebird 3 Northern cardinals 5 white-throated sparrows 12 American robins 7 mourning doves 9 blue jays 3 tufted titmice 6 black-capped chickadees 2 white-breasted nuthatches 1 red-bellied woodpecker 2 downy woodpeckers 1 hairy woodpecker 1 yellow-belli