Mockingbirds, sparrows and squirrels have been feasting on the few remaining apples hanging from our Yellow Delicious tree. I purposely left the apples on the tree, you see, to give them a helping hand.

The apples won't be hanging from the tree much longer, though. So shortly, I'll set-up our winter holidays animal-feeding station, a homemade holiday wreath that's stuffed with blemished apples that are in winter storage and won't keep.

The first holiday wreaths were made by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians. They were fabricated from olive and laurel branches and were worn as hats on special occasions. Their more elaborate wreaths, however, were saved and displayed in homes on walls.

Wreath for wildlife

I saved our holiday wreath, too. Made a decade ago by braiding together dry grapevines and then twisting the vines into a circular shape, our wreath, which does double duty as a wildlife feeding station, also sports a red bow that gives it a festive look.

I could have purchased a wreath, by the way — synthetic or otherwise — and decorated it with fresh fruits. But grapevines make excellent natural bird perches and beak-cleaning surfaces.

Other types of bird and squirrel treats may also be attached to our wreath. For instance, I often spread peanut butter onto pine cones. Then I push the cones into the wreath's crevasses. Occasionally, too, whole peanuts — strung together with twine — are also added to the wreath.

After the holidays, I'll retrieve the wreath and turn it into a hat. Just kidding. But I will wash it in a 10 percent-chlorine-bleach solution before putting it away until next year.

Don't worry. Birds and squirrels will still receive apples, seeds, peanuts and peanut butter after the holidays, from a conventional bird feeder.

In the meantime, it only takes wildlife a few days to get used to the wreath. Once they don't view it as a threat, I'll be enjoying the antics of the critters that visit us to feed from it.

This week in the garden

Don't forget to give the birds fresh water to wash down their holiday meals. Change the water often to prevent them from fouling it, and to make certain it doesn't freeze.