Feeding the Hummingbirds

Written by LeAnn R. Ralph


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I have learned not to wear a red shirt when taking downrepparttar hummingbird feeder duringrepparttar 111079 day. A red shirt causesrepparttar 111080 hummingbirds to flit back and forth in front of my face, as if searching forrepparttar 111081 perfect access to this huge, glorious RED flower they see before them.

Instead of fillingrepparttar 111082 hummingbird feeders duringrepparttar 111083 day and risking a collision withrepparttar 111084 tiny birds, I often wait until after dark to take downrepparttar 111085 feeder, wash it and fill it with fresh nectar. That way, whenrepparttar 111086 hummingbirds are looking for food early inrepparttar 111087 morning, they will find a clean feeder filled with fresh nectar.

Asrepparttar 111088 season progresses,repparttar 111089 hummingbirds dramatically increase their nectar consumption so that by July, I am fillingrepparttar 111090 hummingbird feeder at least once per day. I like havingrepparttar 111091 hummingbird feeder in front of my kitchen window where I can closely observerepparttar 111092 hummingbirds as they perch onrepparttar 111093 feeder and dip their beaks intorepparttar 111094 nectar. Whenrepparttar 111095 light is just right, I can see their impossibly long tongues darting out to suck up more ofrepparttar 111096 liquid or to lick offrepparttar 111097 tiny droplet hanging fromrepparttar 111098 end of their beaks.

Whenrepparttar 111099 light is just right, it is also easy to see why they are called "Ruby Throated" hummingbirds. The red feathers atrepparttar 111100 base ofrepparttar 111101 male's throat glow likerepparttar 111102 ruby slippers inrepparttar 111103 Wizard of Oz.

All summer long I watchrepparttar 111104 hummingbirds, and as September approaches, they became more and more frantic to eat as much as they can, in preparation forrepparttar 111105 long flight back to South America.

And then, early in September, one day it will dawn on me that I haven't seen as many hummingbirds. As more days pass,repparttar 111106 remaining hummingbirds leave too. Eventually I don't see any hummingbirds at all, and I know it will be many months, with a long hard winter in between, before I can once again feedrepparttar 111107 hummingbirds that hover in front of my kitchen window.

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LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the books *Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)* and *Preserve Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for Writing Oral Histories).* She is working on her next book *Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam.* You are invited to order a book from Rural Route 2. You are also invited to sign up for LeAnn's FREE! monthly newsletter, Rural Route 2 News. Visit — http://ruralroute2.com


Parenting Starts Before Pregnancy

Written by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.


Continued from page 1

Being pregnant and giving birth are enormous events in a woman’s life, especiallyrepparttar first child, which changes your life so dramatically. If you do not know how to take responsibility for your own feelings of anger, hurt, anxiety, depression and loneliness, things will only get worse after giving birth. A child does not solve problems for you.

It’s hard to imagine before having a child what it is like to be responsible for another life 24/7. If you have not learned how to lovingly parent yourself before giving birth, you might find yourself getting lost as parent your baby. Good parenting starts before getting pregnant, with learning how to take loving care of yourself.

If you have a desire to be a good parent, here are steps you can take before getting pregnant:

1. Physical health: make sure that you are in good physical shape by eliminating sugar and artificial sweeteners. Start to shop in health food stores and buy only organic products. Eliminating pesticides and food additives is essential for good health. Also be sure to get enough exercise and sleep.

2. Emotional health: instead of having your eyes on your partner, turn your eyes inward and begin to compassionately notice your own feelings. Start to treat your own feelings inrepparttar 111078 same way you are planning on treating your future child’s feelings - with caring and understanding. In addition, start to practice taking loving action in your own behalf - standing up for yourself, speaking your truth, taking time for yourself. Practice taking loving care of your own feelings instead of making your partner responsible for how you feel. Begin to notice what you think and do that may be causing you stress. Changing thoughts and behavior that cause your stress before getting pregnant is essential for good parenting.

3. Spiritual health: practice opening to a higher source of guidance, wisdom, strength and comfort. This can be your own highest, wisest self within you, or a Higher Power outside of you. You will find that being able to turn a source of wisdom and comfort within or without will go a long way in helping you stay loving and stress-free with yourself, your partner, and your baby. In addition, this will help you know what to do in different challenging situations with your baby.

If you are planning on having a baby, start today in becoming a good parent!

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?", "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By My Kids?", "Healing Your Aloneness","Inner Bonding", and "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By God?" Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com


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