I am a misanthropic nature lover, an amateur (with capital letters) gardener. The editor in chief and my partner in crime is also a misanthrope who, with allergies, loves to stick his nose in any flower I offered him to smell. We prefer to be in the garden with our avian orchestra and pollen a-plenty than in a party with loud music and synthetic perfume.
This blog is just about our experience in our little garden. The observance of little friends around us, some of whom I fall head over heels for, some I would love to get rid of. Well, so far I haven’t gotten rid of anything other than a few earthworms that the shovel smacked by mistake and a few mosquito lava that I dumped out of the birdbaths. Then again, the grackles know that I don’t care for them very much. But they still come around. They just stay out of my way.
There may be a few things here and there that I stumbled over that you may find helpful. No one can know everything I think, even Michelangelo wrote that he was still learning when he was 80 years old. But I’m just a happy punter.
Petals and Wings 
Looking forward to reading your gardening adventures. Nice to know that you’re finally able to properly showcase your awesome pics.
Cheers!
notify me of site updates. Thank you.
I look forward to more of your beautiful photos and humorous stories. Well done, friend! Now, leave those grackles alone.
Beautiful photos and stories. Keep up the great work. Can’t wait to see and read more! Happy Gardening!
Congrats on the site!!! I’ve been a fan of your photos for years already and know others will enjoy it!
Keep up the great work… amateur pishaw!!
hugs Kim
I just found your blog when researching to write an article on ladybug larvae. I want people to recognize them as amazing aphid eaters so they won’t kill them! Your larvae photo lead me to your blog and your amazing photos. Do you ever give permission to others to use one of your photos?
I certainly would permit your organization to use one of my photographs since you’re a non-profit organization and it will be used for educational purposes. But on one condition: Please credit my blog name with each use. I have reduced the file size on most images posted on this blog to less than 2MB, if you need a larger file I’ll be happy to supply one, just let me know.
“Michelangelo wrote that he was still learning when he was 80 years old” a life long learner always been my goal in life…great life purpose:-) look forward to reading more about your little garden:-)
Life long learner is a great goal to set for ones life. There is so much out there still, that I am clueless about. I learn new things every day it seems and I never get tired of learning.
Hello, I was wondering if I could use one of your photos for a Botanical Perfume class I teach. I can’t find your contact information, could you contact me? roxana illuminatedperfume/com Thank you!
Thank you very much for asking. Please feel free to use the photo.
Hello, Can I use one of your photos in a poster presentation? I’m a graduate student studying viruses in bees. Thank you!
Please do so. Thank you very much.
Beautiful photos. May I use the eastern baby bluebird photo “last of the brood” May 23, 2014 to create a page in a non-formal Bluebird Hatch Report for the City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation?
Yes, you may. However, please credit the source if you would. That’s all I would ask.
Thank you. Where are you located? I am reading about your snow and warm weather. We have not had more than a wish of snow for most of the winter in Des Moines. Every snow shoe stomp that I planned was cancelled.
We are in New York and the Bluebird is our state bird. We’re trying hard to keep the House sparrows from making our state bird extinct.
Greetings,
I am writing to ask if I might use one of your pictures for my thesis defense on songbird’s use of supplemental feeders in winter?
Janel: Thank you very much for asking permission. Please feel free to use the image but credit my blog. Some of my images have been expropriated by commercial concerns without permission. I always credit any images, quotes or references I use on my blog. So please feel free to use any of my images, just credit my blog for each. That’s all I would ask of you and thank you.
Good luck with your thesis.
I am curious about overwintering your jasmines in the basement. Details please. Lights? How many/how much? I would have more plants in my sunroom but in the winter I try to keep it at about 50 F and there is sun but I am not around to water a bunch of pots. Last year I tried some large ferns in “self-watering” large pots that a friend tried to keep alive by coming in about once a month. It sort of work. They lived. Winter dormancy would be another possibility if I could figure out what plants adapt to this. Thanks for your thoughts and experience.
Thank you very much for your enquiry. The newest blog I just posted is about my jasmines. Unfortunately I don’t know how to address leaving your jasmines for extended periods of time. I admit that my vacations are never more than a week or two at a time so the jasmines and other plants I have are never lonely, …so to speak.
Hi
I’m writing to ask permission to use two of your photos. One shows drone brood and is from 2013, and the other shows pollen on a bee entering the hive. Your photos are clear and professional. They are for a book on bees I’m writing which is to be published in October. I would obviously credit your blog and send a copy of the book to you when published.
best regards
David Cramp
New Zealand
Hi, Thank you very much for your interest in using images from my blog. It’s an honor. Please feel free to use them as you wish. But please do credit my blog for each one. That is all I ask. I would, of course, love to have a signed copy of your book when it’s available if you can. I will visit your site when I have more time to browse.
Many thanks
David
My pleasure.
Hi. Your photos are beautiful! I am writing an article for the Garden Club of America’s Bulletin (4-color magazine) and I need a photo of Clematis ‘Betty Corning’ to accompany the article. I am writing to ask permission to use one of yours. I need a large-sized file (minimum of 1 MB, preferably 2 or 3 MB). I will, of course, see that you get credit. Thank you for your time!
Thank you very much for requesting a permission to use my photo. I will email you a couple of them in a larger-sized file version.
I just stumbled onto your blog while looking for reference pictures of birds for my needle felted sculptures. Your collections of photos of all things avian and botanic is really spectacular! I am also working on some fabric collages of flowers and pollinators and some of your images would make a beautiful collages. Are your images copywrited? I usually try to use my own photos and then manipulate the image for the composition I want in a collage. Would you allow me to use your photos? I could credit the photographer on the back. Thank you.
Thank you very much for complimenting my photos. Yes, they are copyrighted. However, you have my permission to use them for your own artistic designs as long as you credit me for the image. I really only withhold permission to monetize them.