Sub Zero Window Art (It’s Cold Out There)

As the snow finally subsided, the temperatures dropped and the winds picked up. We went to sleep with temperatures already below zero and that was to be the high for the day. We were at -18 in the morning and it hasn’t become much better.

So of course I had to go out and try to take a few pictures, but it was honestly so cold I could only snap a few before my fingers became painfully cold. That was enough, back inside to enjoy the sun from the warmth of the house. Watching the TV news, it is obvious that not everyone was able to make it home last night. Many highways and roads became closed from blizzard conditions, black ice is making open roads treacherous and the airports are still a mess. Hopefully this passes soon and everyone is home safely.

Outside this morning, the snow was squeaking under my feet and the sun was shining brilliantly. Snow drifts had formed in the driveway and everything had a smooth, wind blown look to it.

Outside one of the porch windows there was this beautiful frost.

Snow and More Snow

The last couple of weeks we have already had what feels like, and may turn out to actually be, a whole winter’s worth of weather here in Chicago. The problem is, it’s only early January. I grew up in the snow belt of Buffalo, so I should be used to this. But, over the last 20 years, I’ve become a bit more used to the weather here. And the weather we’ve had lately is highly unusual both in low temperatures and snowfall. In some cases even record breaking and we I know we aren’t alone!

Storms all seem to be needing a name these days. The Weather Channel has officially named this storm “Ion”. But, really, I find the whole concept of officially naming snowstorms like hurricanes odd. The US NWS Chicago is using #chiberia to tag photos and comments. That’s actually fun since you can easily follow storm reporting from everyone on Facebook and Twitter. Then there’s #windchillmageddon. That’s my husband Steve’s contribution. Do you have a name to add? Whatever the case, this has been quite a couple of weather weeks, and I’m sure this will be a stretch of weather we’ll all remember.

I finally got all my feeders and seed out there just in time. I wish I had already picked up the heated birdbath my mom is passing on to me since she got a new one. I think the birds could be using some spa time. She says hers is busy all the time.

The feeders are all full.

The arborvitae and other shrubs are providing the birds with some winter protection from the snow and wind. They collect in the shrubs, then pop out to the feeders. Back and forth all day, until something invisible scares them off for a bit.

Daisy spends most of her time outdoors staring at the tree…

..and the squirrel quite boldly staring back.

Here’s some more storm images from my yard. Doesn’t look quite as inviting as in the summertime.

As of Sunday night (1/5/13), we’ve had about 8.5 inches in the last 24 hours, and about 21 inches since New Year’s Eve when this all started. The water content has averaged about 8%, making it nice and fluffy snow. While I am writing this Sunday night, the temperature has just dropped below zero with significantly dangerous wind chills. It’s not expected back above zero for about 34 hours. Brrrr. The kids are getting and extra day off so they are happy. Hope you are all warm and safe!

ICYMI Top Posts of 2013

In case you missed it, these are the posts that got the most views in 2013.

It’s a Great Day to be Red! November 2013
Whoops-Giant Zucchini August 2013
Holes in the Mountain Ash September 2013
An Unwelcome Visitor October 2013
My New Rain Boots November 2013
Pelicans in Illinois September 2013
July Garden Photos July 2013
Time to be Thankful November 2013
Visiting a Glass Pumpkin Patch October 2013
Birdfeeder Cams December 2013

and if that’s not enough, here’s the next 10…

Ominous Weather November 2013
New Bird Feeder November 2013
A Little Civic Duty August 2013
Wildlife on the Golf Course August 2013
Tomato Season = Fruit Fly Season September 2013
Purple Beautyberry Bush October 2013
My Michigan August 2013
Hens and Chicks July 2013
Kiawah Island, SC-Overview August 2013
35 Pounds of Tomatoes September 2013

Blog-Themed Christmas

The gifts under the tree this year from my kids definitely had a outdoor theme to it. My daughter has been one of my first blog followers, and even a photo contributor to my site, but who knew my 17 yr old boys paid attention at all? (To be honest, I may have given the boys some hints, but they put their own spin on it)

First, I already get a few gardening and cooking magazines, but now I can add Organic Gardening (sorry no longer in print) to my reading list. I already follow it on-line, and I’m sure it’ll come in handy as I expand my gardening skills and knowledge. Then, they got me a new bird tube feeder, a suet feeder and suet to go with the nyjer sock feeder. I’m enjoying the visits from the goldfinches, but I hope I’ll be seeing more birds arriving in my yard with these new feeders. I also put the feeders out just in time too, with the frigidly cold weather and snow settling in for a while. The cute snowman feeder I saw on the Feeder Cam, also mysteriously made it under the tree.

Luckily we had a couple of days above freezing and I could get this pole moved into the right spot.

Then, I added the suet feeder and moved the snowman to the area. I filled his brim with seed and hope we don’t have any winds to knock him over. This area has the added bonus of being visible from the kitchen window. But, this was the view and as soon as the birds started showing up, I knew there was a problem.

The screens were going to have to go! Now the view is much better! Cardinals, Juncos, a Downy Woodpecker are already visiting. Being at the sink is going to be much more fun now.

My daughter surprised me with a very cute air-plant terrarium from a garden shop near her apartment. I’ll show that in an upcoming post.

Hope you had a lot of fun things under your tree, too.

Happy New Year

As we celebrate the New Year, I wanted to take the time to thank everyone who has supported me over the past year as I started blogging here at Stephi Gardens.

So,

to my family and friends who gave me the confidence to start this adventure,
to my early followers who have stuck with me and helped me grow my audience,
to all who have taken the time to offer kind words, make comments or answer questions,
to my family who puts up with all my new projects and picture taking,
to my mom Peggy for all her help with photos and ideas,
and to all my Blog, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter followers–

THANK YOU and I wish you all a very happy and wonderful 2014!

Stephi

Winter Birds

I showed you my mom Peggy’s bird feeders in a recent post (Peggy’s Feeders). A natural follow up is to show off some of the birds that visit her in Northern Michigan in the winter. Enjoy!

Junco

Blue Jay

Mrs. Cardinal

Mr. Goldfinch

Tree Sparrow

Black-capped Chickadee

And of course where there is bird seed, there’s a squirrel.

Photos by Peggy

Peggy’s Feeders

While watching the Cornell Bird FeederCams, it got me to thinking about the very creative set up my mom Peggy has in her backyard in Michigan for feeding birds. She’s been watching and feeding birds for as long as I can remember, and I owe her for passing on her passion for nature and gardening to me. Although I often feel as though something has been “lost in translation” when I look at my yard, I always know who to turn to for an answer.

I love sitting on her back porch and watching all the different birds come to the feeders. It’s really a party out there. She gets all kinds of interesting birds that either live in the area year round, or just seasonally. Some even visit every year while passing through on migration. I think they know she’s there every year for them. She changes things up a bit from summer to winter based on who is in town for the season and she recently sent me some pictures of her feeders this winter.

Do you have feeders in your yard? Do you have someone that you’ve learned your passion for gardening or nature from?

Looking for feeders and birding supplies? Check out Amazon, The Bird Shed, Wild Bird Unlimited, Gardener’s Supply Company.

Merry Christmas

From our Stephi Gardens family to yours,

Stephi, Peggy, Emily and Steve

Our Family Christmas Tree

Our family room Christmas trees is like a trip down memory lane. It’s a true hodge podge of ornaments and lit with my favorite colored lights. Some years, when I have more time, I have a smaller tree I put in the living room that has the white lights and “pretty” ornaments on it. While it is a beautiful tree, it’s just not the same.

Every ornament has a story, so opening the ornament boxes always sparks lively conversation about a place we’ve been to, the places we’ve lived, a favorite childhood ornament, or what may have happened that year. Here’s some of what’s on our tree:

We have a year ornament with our names on it for every year. Started out as just the 2 of us, now we are 5 and a dog.

I try to remember to get an ornament from all the places we’ve visited and vacations we’ve taken. Brings back memories!

The kids’ each got one of these the year the White Sox won the World Series.

Remembering placers we’ve lived. Sorry Philadelphia, we missed you somehow.

Of course, when you get a pet, there’s all kinds of ornaments to collect now.

There are gifts from the kids, knowing my favorite things…

…and handmade gifts from friends.

Childhood ornaments of the kids’ favorite things that year.

Lastly, there’s the anticipation of what this year’s ornament additions to the tree will be.

Here’s hoping your Christmas is also filled with wonderful memories.

Peanut Butter Candy Cup Cookies

Here’s another family holiday favorite snack. By changing up the colored M&M’s, this can be made for any occasion. This recipe has been adapted from MyRecipes.com

You’ll need:

Peanut Butter Cookie dough
Mini Snickers Bars (24)
M&M’s

Prepare your favorite Peanut Butter Cookie dough. This is mine:

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c margarine or butter, room temperature
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray
Combine sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add peanut butter, vanilla and egg; blend well.
Add flour and baking soda

Roll into 1 inch balls
Place each ball into mini muffin pan cup.

Bake at 350º for 15-17 minutes, until cookie cups are puffed and golden brown.
Remove from oven; press mini Snickers into each one

Return pan to oven for 30 sec. to melt the top of the candy bar.
Remove pan from open and put 3 M&M’s on top of each mini Snickers bar.

Cool slightly, remove from pan by popping out with a knife.
Cool on wire rack.

With any extra dough, make some Christmas Peanut Butter Blossoms

After rolling dough into 1 inch balls, roll in colored granulated sugar
Cook for 9-11 minutes at 350, or until cookies are set and golden.
When done, press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie.
Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Peanut Butter Candy Cup Cookies

Recipe type: cookies

Author: Stephi from Stephigardens.com

Ingredients

½ c sugar
½ c firmly packed brown sugar
½ c margarine or butter, room temperature
½ c creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1¼ c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
Mini Snickers Bars (24)
M&M's

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray
Combine sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add peanut butter, vanilla and egg; blend well.
Add flour and baking soda
Roll into 1 inch balls
Place each ball into mini muffin pan cup.
Bake at 350º for 15-17 minutes, or until cookie cups are puffed and golden brown.
Remove from oven; press mini Snickers into each one
Return pan to oven for 30 sec. to melt the top of the candy bar.
Remove pan from open and put 3 M&M's on top of each snickers bar.
Cool slightly, remove from pan by popping out with a knife.
Cool on wire rack.

As we celebrate the New Year, I wanted to take the time to thank everyone who has supported me over the past year as I started blogging here at Stephi Gardens.

So,

to my family and friends who gave me the confidence to start this adventure,

to my early followers who have stuck with me and helped me grow my audience,

to all who have taken the time to offer kind words, make comments or answer questions,

to my family who puts up with all my new projects and picture taking,

to my mom Peggy for all her help with photos and ideas,

and to all my Blog, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter followers–

THANK YOU and I wish you all a very happy and wonderful 2014!

Stephi

Merry Christmas

From our Stephi Gardens family to yours,

Stephi, Peggy, Emily and Steve