[Silentgypsy]

We had a bunch of grapevines at our previous home and I used to get gallon-sized nylon paint straining bags and fasten them over the grape clusters that we wanted for ourselves and our neighbors. The rest were for the birds. Since they ripened at different times, the birds told us when they were ready. The mockingbirds put on a great show—some of them sounded like creaking gates, some of them imitated cell phone rings lol!

[mlizzy]

Great idea with the straining bags; I didn't even know they existed. Do you have a favorite grapevine? We've never attempted them, but my dad always did, but his had seeds and none of us kids bothered with them because of it.

Wonderful about the mockingbirds. We had a hummingbird visit recently (extremely rare for us) just a foot or so away from my face; I freaked a bit and thought it might be one of One's drones. :)