St Petesburg Fun with BirdsThis Is For the Birds!

Bird Feeder window mount

Give Your Porch a Facelift

You've probably already found yourself spending more time out on the front porch. Or perhaps you're selling your home and understand the importance of curb appeal. Whatever the reason, it's time to clean up your front porch and give it a fresh look for the season.

Start by removing all the shovels, hoses, garbage cans or other items that have collected up over the winter, and then proceed to give every inch of your porch a good cleaning. You many decide to use a pressure washer for the floor and walls. Otherwise mix up a gallon of warm water combined with 2 tbsp. of Dawn dish soap and give the windows, furniture and soffits a thorough wiping.

Repair any loose boards or balusters, touch up caulking, and check the railings and columns for signs of wear. If they are in need of repainting, now is the time to do it.

Replace any burnt out bulbs in your light fixtures and consider updating the lights entirely if they are dated. If it's not in your budget, just clean out all the cobwebs and make them shine.

Now the fun begins. The quickest way to add punch to a front porch is by adding color. Add some hanging planters with bright full blooms. Assess your lawn furniture – instead of replacing, maybe all it needs is a facelift. A new paint job and a set of colorful floral cushions will have an old set looking like new.

Visit your favorite garden center and replace your old doormat with a new one that shouts "spring".

The latest trend is to make your outdoor spaces an extension of the indoor spaces. Consider purchasing an outdoor area rug and arrange your furniture around it. Hang sheer curtains and gather them together, tieing them back at the posts or letting them hang free. It reinforces the living room look and can add a splash of color as well.

Assess your front door – touch up the paint if necessary and add a colorful spring garland or wreath.

When you're sitting outdoors, nature is your entertainment, so do what you can to build on it. Add some bird baths, small birdfeeders and a Hummingbird Feeder. Just the addition of some red flowers will probably attract those little guys. If you don't have the trees for hanging, add a decorative post or wrought iron hanger.

Consider adding plants especially suited for butterflies. They like sun, but require shelter from the wind, and a nearby mud puddle to drink from. Plants that provide good sources of nectar for butterflies include Aster, Dogbane, Mallow, Dogwood, Wild Rose, Butterfly Bush, Marigold, Sunflowers, and Purple Coneflower.

Consider adding a focal point to your front porch for added interest. This may include an unusual planter, urns, sculpture or trellis. If your porch is protected, there are some beautiful framed or mounted prints that look wonderful in an outdoor setting.

Finally, tidy the area around your porch by edge trimming, raking, sweeping or whatever is necessary to create an inviting walkway. Now poor a cool drink and sit down and enjoy this delightful space you've created.

About the Author

Search Smyrna real estate listings at TinaFountain.com, the home of Smyrna real estate experts.

Feeding birds?

I really enjoy wild birds. I live in Florida where birds are in abundance so I decided to purchase a bird feeder that mounts on a glass window pane with a suction cup.

I also live in Florida and feed birds like crazy! I put one of those on my mothers window and birds go to it most of the time. All the birds are just now coming back around this time of year. Try a mix, not all birds eat sunflower seeds. Dove are the easiest to attract and they like the millet and miso. Cardinals and bluejays like sunflower but cardinals prefer to eat off of a flat surface. Try putting some on the ground or on the sill to lure then in. Good luck.

Half Round Window Mount Feeder $19.95 Half Round Window Mount Feeder This Is A Beauty For Hummers Half round design hummingbird feeder that mounts on a window features a bright red base with three feeding stations. This hummingbird feeder has an etched hummingbird on the clear bottle. Removable Perches Window Mount Included For Best Results Use Garden.com Hummingbird Nectar Bird Feeder Details Feed Capacity 14 oz Dimensions 6"L x 3.875"W x 6.625"H Mounting Window Mount Weight 2 Pound Material Resin Feeding Ports 3 Ports In Stock-Ships Fast

Bird Buffet Feeder $27.95 Bird Buffet Feeder Great for Larger Windows CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) This attractive feeder is made of high impact material and the heavy-duty suction cups attach directly to the window. The patented seed trays easily lift out of their bases for filling and cleaning - without detaching the feeder from the window. 3 removable trays 3/4 quart capacity Birds That Use This Feeder: Chickadees Finches Goldfinches Grosbeaks Juncos Kinglets Siskins Sparrows Titmice Towhees Woodpeckers Wrens Redpolls Nuthatches Type of Seed or Feed Options: Safflower Seed Mixed Seed Sunflower Seed Cracked Corn Peanut Chunks Sunflower Kernel Bird Feeder Details Feed Capacity 2 cups, 0.75 lb Dimensions 8"L x 4"W x 5"H Mounting Window Mount Weight 2 Pounds Material Resin Feeding Ports 2 Ports In Stock-Ships Fast

Cathedral Bird Feeder $29.95 Cathedral Bird Feeder Decorative And Functional CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) Clear viewing window with a cathedral design feeder. High quality powder coat rust resistant finish in copper color. Comes with adjustable height hanging cable. Fully Assembled Hanging Cable Included Birds That Use This Feeder: Chickadees Finches Goldfinches Grosbeaks Juncos Kinglets Siskins Sparrows Titmice Towhees Woodpeckers Wrens Redpolls Nuthatches Type of Seed or Feed Options: Safflower Seed Mixed Seed Sunflower Seed Cracked Corn Peanut Chunks Sunflower Kernel Bird Feeder Details Feed Capacity 5 lbs Dimensions 9" x 13.5" Mounting Hang or Pole Mount Weight 5 Pounds Material Metal, Resin Feeding Ports 4 Ports In Stock-Ships Fast

Dine Around Window Feeder $19.95 Dine Around Window Feeder Making Bird Feeding Fun & Easy This new line of feeders are designed to provide an easy and enjoyable bird feeding experience for all levels of birders. This feeder features a wide mouth that allows for easy and spill-free filling. Easy Fill Wide Mouth Top Rotating Ring to Select Seed View Birds from Inside Window Birds That Use This Feeder: Chickadees Finches Goldfinches Grosbeaks Juncos Kinglets Siskins Sparrows Titmice Towhees Woodpeckers Wrens Redpolls Nuthatches Cardinals Bluebirds Type of Seed or Feed Options: Safflower Seed Mixed Seed Sunflower Seed Cracked Corn Peanut Chunks Sunflower Kernel Bird Feeder Details Feed Capacity 1 Qt; 1.5 lbs Dimensions 8"H x 6.25"T x 5.25" B Mounting Window Mount Weight 1 Pound Material Resin Feeding Ports 3 Ports In Stock-Ships Fast

Deluxe In-House Window Feeder $129.85 Deluxe In-House Window Feeder For Your Feathered Friends This In-House Window Bird Feeder allows you watch and feed your birds on a more personal level. The classic styling of this feeder will enhance any room. Especially nice on cold or wet days because you'll never have to go outside to fill this feeder. This easy-to-install feeder mounts to your windowsill with the included Velcro strips and comes with two almond colored side panels (7-7/8" x 12" each) to close off the remainder of the window. Features: Shatterproof One-Way Mirror allows you to see birds without them seeing you Allows multiple birds to feed at one time Add fresh seed from the comfort of your own home Note: This feeder may be mounted in any window between 24"-39" wide that opens to allow a gap at least 12.5" high. This feeder is designed to rest inside the window. The windowsill and frame must protrude at least 1.5-2" inside the window for this feeder to mount properly. Birds That Use This Feeder: Chickadees Finches Goldfinches Grosbeaks Juncos Kinglets Siskins Sparrows Titmice Towhees Woodpeckers Wrens Redpolls Nuthatches Cardinals Bluebirds Type of Seed or Feed Options: Safflower Seed Mixed Seed Sunflower Seed Cracked Corn Peanut Chunks Sunflower Kernel Bird Feeder Details Feed Capacity 2 Qt; 3 lbs Dimensions 22"L x 8"W x 13"H Mounting Window Mount Weight 10 Pounds Material Wood, Resin Feeding Ports 1 Port In Stock-Ships Fast