I was at my favorite local butcher shop (Prime-N-Tender Meats) the other day, and asked if they had any suet I could have to make homemade suet cakes for the birds. They went in the freezer and came out with this bag containing a big bag of fatty glop. I'm not really sure what I … Continue reading Homemade Suet Cakes
Angel Wings in the Snow
Of all the tracks in the snow this winter, I have been the most fascinated by the ones that look like angel wings. Every so often in the newly fallen snow, I've found soft little wing-like brush marks. Are they from birds dancing? Showing off for a potential mate? Or just stretching in the sun? … Continue reading Angel Wings in the Snow
Freezer Slaw
Back in the fall when I was preparing all the garden goodies for winter storage, my friend Kathy told me about a family favorite, Freezer Slaw. Her family has made this for generations with the extra garden cabbage heads left in the fall. I was a little skeptical about not ending up with a pile … Continue reading Freezer Slaw
Trips Down Memory Lane
One of the things I've really enjoyed while blogging is having my memory jogged by reading other blogs. For example, reading about lichens and mushrooms on another site brought back memories of when I was in high school and my family went to a huge Audubon gathering in the Allegheny State Park called the Allegheny Nature … Continue reading Trips Down Memory Lane
Blustery Day
I felt a little like Winnie the Pooh yesterday. Oh the wind is lashing lustily And the trees are thrashing thrustily And the leaves are rustling gustily So it's rather safe to say That it seems that it may turn out to be It feels that it will undoubtedly It looks like a rather blustery … Continue reading Blustery Day
Great Backyard Bird Count
Great Backyard Bird Count February 14-17, 2014 Since 1998, birders of all kinds have come together for a four day bird count in February. Counting birds at the same time every year provides a snapshot into the overall health of bird populations around the world. Years ago as a service project, my Girl Scout Troop … Continue reading Great Backyard Bird Count
A Yard Full of Snow
Since I moved to Chicago about 20 years ago, I can't remember having this much snow on the ground for this long. It would snow, be pretty for a few days, and then melt leaving everything covered in a layer of depressing gray and brown. So for as much as this winter has been a … Continue reading A Yard Full of Snow
Painting Rock Garden Markers
Every year I try to mark which plants are which in the vegetable garden and always end up with something missing or mislabeled. While this might not solve my problem, it'll jazz up things a bit for sure. It's also a fun project on a cold, wintry day. Here's how I made these cute garden … Continue reading Painting Rock Garden Markers
Nest Cams
Over the winter, I have enjoyed watching birdfeeder cams (see previous post "Birdfeeder Cams"). Now that spring is around the corner somewhere, it's time to start following some of the nest cams. The first nest cam that I began following is the Ferris State University (MI) Osprey Cam. They've been streaming video of a nesting … Continue reading Nest Cams
An Icy Chicago River
This past weekend we were downtown and had a great view of the Chicago River that runs right through the heart of Chicago. With a winter like this, it's no wonder it's covered with ice. Even Lake Michigan has the most ice cover to date in 20 years. The ice in the river did make … Continue reading An Icy Chicago River