Day 5

Bigger and still BLUE, wonder if they are smurf birdies.

The Birdie, we will call her Anne, with it's mouth open (Anne) has a big chuck of worm in it, which she is having trouble eating, but yet she can sleep like that.  Anne what talent you have.

location location location...

This is where the robin nest is...about 3 FEET OFF THE GROUND!! What was momma & dadda thinking?

Well they were thinking that , 3 feet off the ground in the garden area would be an excellent location for Dee to keep a photo journal of their babies' beginnings!  They are so cool like that.  Gotta go hand till the garden now since we can't use a rota-tiller because it would disturb the babies.

Flower of the week- Aug 17th, 2009

Coneflowers! Like everyone knows those - but I really wanted to feature my feather friend... A closer look-

It doesn't matter how many zillions of finches come to our yard, I will never trier of them...not only are they beautiful to look at, they sing beautifully too.

Flower of the Week- May 11th

Our yard is smelly because we have tons of lilacs blooming now. Three different colors....only 2 featured here, the dark purple lilac, my favorite, isn't completely open yet....but here are 2 that are.

Our house is smelly to, I have a vase of them in the house, just waiting for Fluffy cat to chew on.

Talking about cats....here is a photo I took of the Catbird waiting patiently for the Oriole to be finished snacking....

The Catbird is one my my favorite birds. Last year we had a Catbird couple stay around all season, and it looks as long as I keep bribing them with grape jelly and oranges, they are going to stick around this year too.

The Birdies Returned & Brought Cookies....

Finally I have been assured, by the birds, that Spring is definitely here. THE ORIOLES RETURNED SATURDAY MORNING! See......

We were all set for them:

Organic Oranges - CHECK

Grape Jelly - CHECK

Camera - CHECK

Then the BLUE JAYS migrate thru....

The above photo only shows a few of the birds....at times we've had 50-100 birds at one time. Well it helps that we bribe them with peanuts.

So now you are wondering which birds brought the cookies. I must confess, they didn't....but I did make some Peanut Butter Chunky Cookies per Goods request.

Sorry for such a poopie picture - I was on the fly when I took it, no amount of PhotoShop could help it either.....but the recipe isn't poopie - totally yummy. It comes from the Jiff Website, I'm reposting it with my changes.

Ingredients-
3/4 cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening (Spectrum)
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbs rice milk
1 Tbs vanilla
1 egg replacer
1 3/4 c unbleached flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4-1 c. coarsely chopped unsalted
blanched roasted peanuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Combine peanut butter, Shortening, light brown sugar, rice milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
Add prepared egg replacer. Beat just until blended.
Combine flour, salt and baking soda.
Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Stir in chopped peanuts.
Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

Bake at 375ºF for 7 to 8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown.
Makes 3 dozen cookie

Just a note - THESE ARE GREAT COOKIES!
Definitely 5 out of 5 forks.

And the answer is.......

...A MOUSE!

But not this mouse, this a mouse from the yard- friendly little critter isn't he? The mouse in the freezer was a house mouse that died, we are assuming naturally (we would NEVER use any kind of poison). Here is how it panned out....

Last Friday I was digging in your freezer for vegan sausage that I needed for Sun. – needed to see if I had to go to the store. Well - I was digging, I come across the white package in Goods' sausage section.
I said “I know what this is”
a semi-startled/sad look comes over his face and he said “It’s not what you think”
I said “really – then what is it” as I had it in my hand
he said “a mouse”
I went “ewhhhhh” and gently put it back into the freezer (you have to have respect for the dead - but Goods says i threw it, but I don't believe him)
and then I said “well at least it was in the meat section”

I didn’t have to question why he had it in there- we had a hawk in the yard one day that was dazed and the only thing we had in the house was bacon, so Goods fed it bacon. Well a hawk guy told us that isn’t good for a hawk to eat (well it was better then nothing) and he said if you ever come across some fresh roadkill put it in the freezer and save it. So Goods was taking out x-mas decorations and found this mouse, dead, and fresh, so he put it in the freezer.

Here are some pics of the reason why we have the Popsicle mouse.
He was first in our front yard - very beautiful

Then I went into the backyard to do some work, and the hawk flew back there too. He landed on the cable line. He loss his balance and fell off, thank goodness some evergreens broke his fall. He ultimately landed in a row of dense hostas. He couldn't get out of them so Goods came to the rescue.
After Goods put him on the fence....

Eating his bacon...
After an hour or so he flew off. We pray that he is safe and sound.

So the tip of the week is.....Keep a mouse in your freezer for emergency hawk food.

You can't BEET the day I'm having already.....

To start my wonderful day I'm having already, which it's not even 9 o'clock yet-

I ran almost 4 miles this morning. I've been nursing a couple of injuries for about 2 months and I haven't done too much past 3 miles on a run.

Then as I was getting ready for work - I looked out our kitchen window and there was a female oriole was eating the orange we had out - anticipating their arrival. I was super excited to see her this morning!

(The photo is from a previous year)

And when you just think you can't beat that morning, so far- try these-

BEET BURGERS....
This recipe came from "But did they eat it" blog (March 11th post)

I thought these were very yummy. I opted to grill some thinly sliced pineapple for the burger, which complemented it very nicely. But I thought something was missing as Goods & I were eating it. I suggested maybe some carrots in the mixture next time. Goods thought pickles....but he's a pickled beet freak. Then I read in "but did they eat it" post that FatFreeVegan made another version - which included carrots & sweet potato! I'll be trying that next time! But I do highly recommend the grilled pineapple on it. RATING - 3 OUT 5 FORKS

I'm going to leave you with some trivia - how many quarts of pickled beets do you get from 25 pounds???? That would be 16 quarts and 2 very purple hands.

Has Spring Sprung???

We could only hope....but I think this Robin has been hanging around all winter. The cowbirds were feeding in the yard yesterday, so that is a good sign is intending to come this year.

Then this Coopers Hawk decided to visit the "bird buffet" in our yard today...
Sometimes it's hard to believe we live 10 miles from Detroit.

And one last thing to leave you with, an appetizer I made last night

Helen's Extraordinary Tofu Spinach Dip

This was a recipe I found on Fat Free Vegan site http://www.fatfreevegan.com/appetizers/tofu_spinach_dip.shtml

I pretty much followed the recipe for once. Except - I cut the recipe in half, THANK GOODNESS! Just half made a ton. Then I added some grated carrot and finely chopped red pepper. I also used the whole can of water chestnuts- because I love them. I would definitely make this again, but I would add some chopped onion, add more garlic, and maybe use the whole packet of soup mix. I give the recipe 3 out of 5 forks.

On the next addition - I will be serving Mangotinis. I just can't bring myself to write about that today - oy.