By Lori Bledsoe and Mary Hay Davis
The Alpine Sun

     ALPINE — The 10th annual Sage & Songbird welcomed thousands of visitors throughout the weekend-long festival. From tours through local gardens and habitats, to the vendor-filled Viejas Outlet park, there were activities for everyone.
     Filling the sky with butterflies was this weekend’s theme at Viejas Outlet Center in honor of the Sage and Songbirds Festival. Booths were set up all over the grassy field in the middle of the outlet center, with information and products to fill your garden. The flowers are out, all through Alpine, in full bloom while everyone turned out to celebrate this annual springtime festivity.
     The “butterflight” was a huge success with everyone who witnessed it, especially all the young people who were clamoring to glimpse their own butterfly. Photographers gathered heartily around the stage, moving in as close as possible to catch that special image of wings taking flight. And parents were smiling to watch their children, who were enraptured as the princesses of the day were readying to release the little flutterbies that were crowded in little labeled hat boxes, slowly winking their wings unaware that they would soon be out in the world, free to flit around the flowers and enjoy.
     Once the lids were lifted on the boxes, butterflies slowly made their appearance, sifting upwards, and with a little more coaxing, the rest of them decided to come out and play. Fragrant flowers were used by many to lure the delicate creatures to come and visit for a few moments.
     Young children were amazed when butterflies graced their presences by perching coyly on fingers, shoulders, hats, and heads. Nothing gives the impression of springtime more than watching as a butterfly flutters about in a dizzy little path.

     Once the butterfly emancipation was complete, children were invited to participate in a butterfly drawing competition where they could win a $50 gift certificate to the outlet center. Parents were able to enjoy the treats on display, such as custom-built birdhouses fully decorated by a company known as Bird Houses with a View. There was handmade jewelry, handmade quilts, handcrafted knits, dried floral arrangements, garden supplies, information on organic gardening along with supplies to support that endeavor.
     At the official Sage and Songbirds booth, there were baskets up for auction, including a huge blue ceramic pot that looked like it could hold a tree. There was garden art, colored bowls and baskets full of blooming flowers among many other items that would add a beautiful country touch to your well-groomed garden.
     The day was a springtime bevy of activity that made you feel like you needed to go home, get on your garden gloves and start digging up some earth. The excitement and energy that infused the area, was only enhanced by the beautiful gardens that were open and on view during a self guided tour.
     Viejas outlet center is always beautifully groomed, but the garden tour included several home gardens that ranged in styles from floral to natural foliage to specially designed bird and butterfly gardens.
     This year’s tour provided an outstanding opportunity to view six different residential interpretations of songbird-friendly habitats in Alpine, including a party-garden habitat, a home brimming with native plant species, a Mediterranean-Tuscan Vineyard themed garden, a tropical paradise garden, and a florist’s habitat collection.
     Each garden was unique and as individual as the homeowners who envisioned what their yards could become. While the plants and layouts varied greatly, the one common trait they all shared was the abundance of songbirds.
In the three hours spent on the self-guided tour, no less than 15 different species of birds could be seen, including a covey of quail, a blue jail, house finches, and an abundance of happy, well-fed goldfinches feasting at the tropical garden. One of the tours also brought visitors to a local Raptor Rehabilitation facility.
     The garden tour is a perfect way to scout landscaping and habitat ideas for your own yard, as well as spend a relaxing afternoon enjoying nature and meeting other garden enthusiasts.
     Make plans now for next year’s tour, and mark your calendar for the first week of May. Who knows — with a little planning and TLC, it may be your garden we visit on the 2009 tour!
     The Sage & Songbird Festival is a yearly event that honors Alpine as America’s First Community Wildlife Habitat. Ten years ago the National Wildlife Federation gave Alpine the designation.