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Life is too short to eat bad food! Sharing great recipes, farm life, stories and photography from our Northern California dairy farm.

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February 13, 2010

Hoping For The Return Of 'Boss Hog' ~ A Hummingbird Story

We have Hummingbird feeders hanging from the eve outside our kitchen window. During the summer we usually have 15 or more regular visitors....you get to know them because of their individual colors and sizes. Last summer we even named one of our visitors....'Boss Hog'. Boss Hog was quite 'spherical' in stature and would shoo away or chase the other Hummingbirds from the feeders. It's all quite entertaining. Boss Hog always had first dibs on the feeders. We are hoping for the return of Boss Hog. Our little, high energy swarm visits frequently throughout the day and evening. I've slacked off during the winter months and feel guilty, considering this is the time of year it's most difficult for the hummingbirds to find food. So, today was the day to clean the feeders, make more nectar and wait for the Hummingbirds to return. It may take up to one week for them to find the nectar..... I'll keep you posted. I make my own hummingbird nectar instead of buying the 'red dye' concentrate at the store plus it's much less expensive if you make your own. If you look on-line for a recipe, it will tell you to mix four parts water to one part sugar, but I add more sugar (4 parts water and two parts sugar), which is probably why I normally have a swarm of Hummingbirds at the feeders all summer long, and need to re-fill my feeders every three days or so......maybe I should purchase larger feeders. Mix the sugar with very hot water and stir until sugar is dissolved. Store any remaining nectar in the fridge. Enjoy! Oh, and the kids totally LOVE watching the Hummingbirds.....hmmm, wonder what Chloe will think?
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