Granny's Homemade Ways: More Winter Fun, Crafts and Lessons for Boys and Girls-February 4, 2010

It seems that Punxsatawny Phil left his burrow while the sun was shining and so he saw his shadow. Just like the story, Punxsatawny Phil went back in his burrow which means six more weeks of winter.

Although we were hoping that spring might be coming soon we sort of expected that winter was going to hang around a little longer. First, there was the news of the ground hog's prediction and then there was the two inches of fresh snow that fell on Tickle Belly Farm last night.

But not everyone at Tickle Belly Farm was unhappy to see the new snow. The horses were down right excited to get outside today. I've included some pictures of some them doing what most horses do in the snow: having fun. I bet they look a lot like you and your friends when you are playing out in the snow.

Although horses and children seem to love the cold, snowy weather, not all the animals that make their home at Tickle Belly Farm agree. I was watching the birds trying to eat at one of the many feeders this morning. They need to eat a lot to keep their body temperature warm enough to prevent them from freezing.

Around 4:00 pm, they have to find a safe place to sleep for the night. Some of them sleep inside the eaves of our barns and sheds. Others choose the pine and evergreen trees that surround the main house. The tree branches give them some protection from preditors and the frigid night temperatures.

The truth is: birds have a very difficult time during the winter. Not all birds go south during the cold, winter months. Many choose to winter over in the north. I can't explain why they do this.  I do know that I always feel like they come back to Tickle Belly Farm because they know we will help make their winter days a little easier.

Every couple of weeks, Papa drives his big blue truck to the feed and grain store where he buys bags of outdoor bird seed. We buy a special mix of seed just for the type of birds that live in our area. Papa doesn't have to pick up horse or dog food because we order so many bags each month that a big truck, driven by our friend, Joe, delivers them here to the farm.

But the birds need more than just seeds. Clean, unfrozen water is very important. Water is a basic need of all animals including people! Papa has made a simple heater that is made just for the bird bath. It keeps the water warm so that it can't freeze and the birds can get a drink whenever they need one.

Do you have wild birds living around your house? You don't need to live on a farm to help wild birds during the winter. Here are some easy things that you and your family can do help.

We know that most birds eat seeds, but just like people, they need more than just seeds to live. With one simple recipe and some recycled items, you can turn your backyard into a bird buffet.

To make bird suet you will need:

2 cups cooking grease

5 cups of cornmeal

1 cup of barley

3 cups of flour

2 or 3 eggs

1 cup of rice (cooked and cooled)

Milk or water

Mix all of the ingredients together and thin with the milk or water to the consistency of cake batter. Spread onto baking sheets at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Let cool and crumble. Sprinkle the crumbs onto a tray feeder or on the ground.

You can also fill old muffin or cup cake tins with the suet mix and nail the tin to a tree or post.

Other ideas include:

• Making suet balls and placing them in an empty orange half. Run two twigs through the suet ball to form an "x" and to provide a perch, Add some twine or yarn to the twigs so that you can hang the suet ball from a tree.
• Take the suet mixture and form a wreath for hanging. Use a bundt pan or round mold to form the wreath. Place the suet mixture in the pan and then put into the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove from the pan carefully and let it dry overnight. You can dress it up with a raffia or twine bow. Hang up outside for the birds to snack on.

Peanut Butter Treats

A simple bird feeder can be made with peanut butter and seeds. You will need:

• Peanut butter
• Pine cones
• Bird seeds
• Bag (big enough to place pine cone)
• Yarn or twine
• Spoon

Cover the pinecone with peanut butter: make sure to get in under the little petals. When the pine cone is covered place it in a bag and pour seeds over the pine cone. Close the bag tight. Gently shake the bag until the pine cone is completely covered in seeds. Carefully remove the pine cone from the bag. Give it a gentle shake to remove the excess. Hint: this is best done outside. Then wrap a piece of yarn or twine around the top of the pine cone and hang from a tree.

Once you start putting seed and suet out for the birds, you will notice that the number of birds coming to your feeders will increase. You may also notice that the same birds will come back daily if not more often. Remember, they need to eat a lot of food to keep their bodies warm. That is why you need to understand that if you start feeding the birds, you must make a commitment to continue to feed them until spring comes and they can find food for themselves.

Once the birds become dependent upon you as a food source, they will stop looking for food elsewhere. If you suddenly stop setting food out for them, they will be confused and may die. My advice is not to start feeding the birds unless you are willing and able to continue feeding them throughout the winter months.

This story is from a book called, "365 Bedtime Stories" which appears to have been published in the 1930's. Unfortunately, the publisher's name is missing from the book and no authors were identified. Please enjoy the story...

It was a cold winter day. There was snow on the ground. In the farmyard, the hens tried to find something to eat. The little sparrows, made bold by hunger, flew down among the hens: and the hens did not drive them off. But if larger birds came, the hens would fly at them. I went out and threw crumbs for these larger birds, and then drove away the hens back to the hen house. I then threw out bird seed for the sparrows.

For a whole week in the month of February, it was very cold. Jack Frost did not care much for the poor birds. He would go and breathe on people's windowpanes, covering them over with his ferny frostwork: he would hang icicles round the eaves of the house and makes the roads so hard, that they would sound hollow and rattle as the wheels went over them.

Some of the branches of the trees become so loaded with the white clinging snow, that they would snap off and fall to the ground.

At last, as spring drew near, Jack Frost took himself off. Then, down came a soft, warm rain, that washed away the snow and melted the ice and softened the ground, so that the worms came crawling out, and the birds once more had plenty of food.