Birdwatching at the DC

A month or so ago, when my mom gave me a shepperd's hook that mounts to deck, I hung a bird feeder right in front of the front window of the playroom at the day care.  It seemed like it took forever for the birds to find my offerings.  I almost got discouraged thinking the feeder was too close to the house.  But finally I spied a few House Finches had begun to frequent and then a few Juncos, a few Chickadees and today we had a Red Bellied Woodpecker.  I was so very excited.  I called the kids over to watch as he took seeds from the feeder and flew to the Dogwood tree in the front yard to crack them open.  His red head really caught their eye.

To my delight the kids have begun to take an interest in our feathered visitors.  I even caught one of the boys at the front window with the play binoculars and I asked "what are you looking at" and he replied "I'm looking at the birds."  It just tickled me.  I wanted to make some sort of a log of the birds we've seen. I pulled out a felt board (that won't lay flat since the day I made it) and printed pictures of each of the birds we have seen so far.  I glued them to more felt along with the name of their breed, not specifics, and cut them out to go on the felt board.  It hangs next to the window where we bird watch.  It will help them recognize birds that frequent by picture.  I will add more birds as they come along and plan to offer a different selection of food for them this winter. 

I can't wait until tomorrow when I bust out the homemade suet I made yesterday. Boy is that woodpecker going to be jolly!

Feeding My Soul

Sometimes I don't even think we realize what is missing.  It might be something we enjoyed doing years and years ago that was simply put aside or an activity, like mine, that takes up so much time only certain times of the year.  On Saturday I tapped in to the canning part of my soul and realized just how much I miss it and how much of a part of my soul it has become.  It may sound odd if you have never canned food that you spent time with.  From seeds saved or bought, I planted it and watched it grow, worrying at times if there was enough water or not enough fertilizer.  Then took time to do something with it.  Saving for winter by learning the art of putting by, putting up and savoring flavors of summer.

Last year I grew black beans for the first time.  In my mind, I judge the quality of a Mexican restaurant by if they serve black beans as a side dish.  Not many do.  The experience of growing the beans was very satisfying and we wound up harvesting about... well more than a my largest Mason jar full from five plants.  I loved sitting on our porch on hot summer nights shelling beans.  There is just something about shelling beans and breaking beans that is very therapeutic.  Sometimes I will take them to summertime family gatherings to have help.  Plus I have a sister who loves breaking green beans.

I have gone through the whole process of letting the dried beans soak overnight or trying the quick soak method.  I've let them cook in the crock pot for hours at a time and don't mind that process if I know what's for supper tomorrow night and think that far ahead.  It wasn't until I read The Barefoot Farmer, as seen in a previous post, that it hit me and I could not wait until the weekend.  I had something else to do with my dried beans.  He said that they take their dried beans, fill a hot jar only half full of beans and the rest of the way with boiling water and a tad of salt if you wish.  Then process them at 10 pounds pressure in your pressure canner for 40 minutes.  That's it.  Easy as breaking beans and at the same time so extremely therapeutic to my canning soul.  The pride of what I made came rushing back in when those jars came out of the canner.  So beautiful and the next time we are having tacos or burritos for supper, all I have to do is open up a jar of summertime black beans and they are ready to heat up and season. 

I was so amazed at how the beans expanded.  Just like I had let them soak all night long and cook after that.  They may still have to cook for a bit when the jars are opened.  That is yet to be seen.  We are still eating left overs from my other suppers from over the weekend.  Canning just feeds my soul.  The fact that I can make something myself and put it away for several suppers to come and not have to worry about picking it up at the store just tickles me. 

 I couldn't even wait to to take a picture.  I should have wiped the jars off first!

 I also canned three parsnips and one big turnip that my boss had given me while the pressure cooker was out.  Might as well!