It has been bitterly cold this past week, and the birds are stuffing their beaks to get enough energy to keep warm. Of course, this means the feeder empties out quickly on some days. We have a pair of hairy woodpeckers that live here year round. Here the female hangs off the bottom of the feeder, while a goldfinch sits on the left keeping a close eye.
The goldfinch flew off, and a bluebird stopped by to take its place. More goldfinches were visiting and taking turns.
A titmouse landed on the empty suet feeder looking for more sustenance on a cold day. My Sweet Babboo had to make a run to the hardware store for suet cakes as I was out of suet to make them a homemade one.
Later, he was a lot happier with a brand new berry suet cake.
The male hairy woodpecker was delighted with the new addition, and pecked a good section into his beak.
Our resident Carolina Wren was hopping around on the ground. He prefers to take what falls from the feeder. I sometimes scatter seed on the ground so he and the other ground feeders like the juncos will find food.
Four bluebirds were here at once when the feeder was full again. Two started on the sunflower seeds while the other two went for the suet cake.
I have to show you my lunch from last week, when a long time and very dear friend and I shared a meal together for the first time in months. I have missed her, and was so grateful that we got a chance to chat. This is a Spicy Volcano. It is sushi roll slices of fried oysters and cream cheese stacked up, garnished with seared salmon, crab, green onions and tempura strings, and dressed with oyster sauce and sriracha mayonnaise. Oh, my, it was heaven on a plate! I didn’t eat again until the next day. Sushi Chef Jesse is an artist, isn’t he?
I was complaining to My Sweet Babboo about no snow last Friday. He left to play pickleball, and I was happily sewing away it the basement, when this started. I was delighted, even though it only snowed about an hour and nothing stuck. At least it was something.
In the sewing room, I am working on some small projects to have for our guild’s Quilt Shop at our show in May. I still think this embroidery design is hilarious. I’m going to make some hot pads with it. So I stitched out a couple of the designs on beige background in red rayon thread to use with the tomato print. More on that later. The design file is available at EmbroideryDesigns.com (no affiliation) if you are interested in having it for your embroidery machine.
In the den, I have my hand sewing project, the flower appliques for the National Quilting Day challenge project. Here’s a sneak peek, I’ll have more on that later in the week as I am working on it today during the football games.
My Sweet Babboo was getting low on treats, so I baked some of my Cinnamon Banana Bread. This is not a special recipe, just add a couple of teaspoons of ground cinnamon to your favorite banana bread recipe. The aroma of fresh baked goodies is so nice on a cold day.
I was in a baking mood, so I decided to bake up a mix that a friend gave me, along with her secret for spectacular corn bread. She adds a handful of shredded cheese and some chopped green onions to the batter, then tops it off with more cheese before baking it. She gave me a mix last week at the guild meeting, so I figured I would use it. Oh, my was this good! The cheese makes it come out softer than my recipe, and it holds together a bit better.
It went beautifully with the Ham and White Bean Soup that I had in the freezer, and defrosted for our lunches.
I have only seen the new squirrel once this week, but he came right up when I stepped out to ask if he was hungry. He grabbed his sandwich and ran into the woods, so I didn’t get his picture. Reader Tammie suggested that we name him Chester, and that has stuck. So, Chester it is. This photo is from 2 weeks ago, but here he is. I hope he comes around soon, or I’ll have to throw out the bread I’ve saved for him.
I got my new pots and pans and have been very happy with the ceramic coatings. So far they are performing well. My only problem is needing to find another steamer for vegetables. The one I have is metal and will scratch the pot, so I need to find another pot just for boiling water. I looked up the silicone steamer inserts, and found that they can also leach chemicals which have not been tested for toxicity. So, steering clear of all plastics for cooking.
So, a little bit of this and that today. I’m ready for some football, it is divisional playoff weekend! What are you up to this weekend?
From My Carolina Home 
I love my (inexpensive) Black and Decker electric steamer for vegetables. Also makes great rice. I can set it and forget it because it turns off automatically. I see them at garage sales all the time and I wonder why they want it gone when I find it so useful.
Winter finally took hold here although places to the east & west took the brunt of it. The speaker for our quilt club meeting this week was snowed in & cancelled. The squirrels have to scramble if they expect to win any seeds at the bird feeder. We buy suet cakes by the dozen, they’re disappearing fast with temps in the teens. The snow drought is over! We’ve had some every day – not a lot, just enough to keep the landscape fresh & sparkling. Roads are cleared so getting out for groceries is no trouble ;-).
The soup and breads look delicious, Carole. I am enjoying the pictures of the birds who come to visit and have a meal at your home. After I finish (well, I need to start them first) chores, I’ll be working on my challenge quilt. I need to take the dog outside before starting anything, but he has curled himself up with a quilted pillow and doesn’t want to move; can’t say I blame him. Have a good day.
I put out a new suet feeder bar for the birds now and then but not often as the squirrels try to get them too much, they hang on it eating away (I do not put out extra for the squirrels as we have dozens of them & we consider them pests) I do enjoy seeing the birds and they love the seed.
So you are not using any pots and pans that are coated? I like anything that cleans easy LOL and have so many pots and pans from cast iron to ceramic coated to who knows what – even some old revere ware. My cast iron and ceramic coated quite often are too heavy for me to use with the arthritis in hands I’m afraid I will drop them
I love your bird captures Carole, and the photo of Chester the sandwich loving squirrel! Your sushi lunch looked amazing! It’s good weather for cooking and baking except my kitchen is so cold {lots of big windows} that I don’t want to even go in there 🙂 Have a great week, and enjoy your football Sunday~
Jenna
I especially enjoyed this week’s post. My dad loved his Jenny wrens and we made sure he had his special houses and food well stocked at his birthday time. I never “messed” with the birds much until about 10 years ago when I adopted 2 kittens who were to be solely indoor pets. I had read that cats like their “outdoor tv” and I set up bird feeders outside my kitchen window where they could watch the birds safely. I have discovered I love watching them as much as “Miss Gen” does! I love it when a cardinal visits but especially love my doves. One day I counted 11 doves grazing on the ground! I also indulge the squirrels. Thanks for a lovely morning.
The birds have been hungry at our house, too, and we also had to stock up on suet! We had a visit from a flock of cedar waxwings – always a treat to see them. Your lunch looks amazing – so glad you got to do that. I put cinnamon in just about every baked item around here – Mike loves it. Have a great Sunday, Carole!
Our have been very busy during this cold spell with loads of titmouses, chickadees, nuthatches and a variety of woodpeckers. You are so lucky to have bluebirds at your feeder.
Yesterday was the concerto contest, so Friday and Saturday were very full. I played for 5 and had one of my own students in, which was exciting. She is the first one advanced enough to participate since I opened the studio full time. One of the cellos I accompanied won second place in the Sr. Division and my student received honorable mention in the Jr Division! I was especially thrilled because she was the only piano to place out of 5, and the other 4 had teachers with piano degrees. I was afraid my kids wouldn’t match in phrasing and musicality, but Evie obviously did, and her family was so excited for her! Today I will sew, I have active wear tops cut out, and I want to finish using up that material before the end of the month. Now I can concentrate on that I hope!
This weekend, I’m in the process of working on 14 pillow inserts for 14 pillows and 2 quilts that I will be making from my father in law’s clothes as family momentos to give out during our July 4th family gathering. I have an embroidery piece to do on it as well. I’ll post pics as I’m done with the project. I will be using old pillows that have been washed as the fillers and his t-shirts as the inner pillows so nothing goes to waste. I suggested it to my best friend for her husband’s clothes and gave her a step by step process to help her through the grieving process and suggested that she contact her local grief support group and invite me as a guest to demonstrate. Who knows, we might start a quilting bee.
The IL birds & squirrels have been very hungry around here too. I have a heated bird bath and have enjoyed watching the starlings bathe in it. I’m not really a fan of the starlings but they are so cute splish-splashing. We’ll be watching football here too but I’ll sneak off to my sewing room periodically. Wonderful way to spend a Sunday!
Hi Carole, my friend & I have been sick for about a month now. His was sinus problems, mine I
My week sounded a bit like yours. I baked last Sunday, made ham/bean soup on Tuesday. I’ve made a cornbread like yours before, oh, so good.
We got surprise 2″ snow on Mon, and 4″ accumulations on Tues and then again on Fri. With the temps, very little has melted. Hoping it melts slowly with warming temps before we get the rains starting this Tues. It’s been a hard week.
Carole, there was snow all around us, but none for us. It has been extremely cold for us. Warming tomorrow and then rain for a few days. I love seeing the bird photos, we haven’t seen a bluebird or blue jay, lots of cardinals though! Happy week to you!
I particularly enjoyed this post with snow and birds. I love watching both.
What a fun, newsy mix! My birds are chowing down, too! Love your woodpecker. And the wonderful food you showed looked so good! I hope this is a terrific week for you! (Here we’re geeked about the Lions MAYBE going to the SuperBowl — one game to go!)
Good morning. What a lovely post full of birds, food and fun out with a dear friend. That sushi lunch looked amazing. Glad you got to see a bit of snow. Ours came twice and stuck around when it came Thursday and Friday. It never got above freezing 2 days in a row. Fingers crossed things are supposed to warm a little this week. I don’t venture out to the sewing room in the bitter cold. Thanks for the peek at the flowers!
I saw a bag you made using the Ghee’s 18” straight hex-open frame. I can’t find the frame online. Do you know where I might buy the frame?
Karen
Amazon has them HERE, but Ghee’s has stopped manufacturing them.
Thanks!
I love to read your Sunday Chat blogs! We share the same interests. Quilting, birds, wildlife, flowers, good recipes , making cards and reading. It amazes me how much you accomplish!!! You are an inspiration to me and many of your readers so please keep posting!!
Linda
The bluebird facing the camera is so sweet. Great shot!
Alexandria