February 3, 2011

Big Time Herb Gardener

Yes, it's true that I'm into herb gardening in a big way. Take a look. Okay, to be truthful it's herb gardening in a small way. Chives and parsley seeds planted in two-inch pots.

Another fun project enjoyed with P3 last weekend was making homemade suet cakes for the birds. Here's the secret recipe that's been in my  family for generations. Not really, it was in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago.
Homemade Suet
1 C. crunchy peanut butter
1-1/2 C. minute oats
1-1/2 C. cornmeal
1C. lard
1C. white flour
1/4 C. sugar
Soften the peanut butter and lard
in the microwave until soupy.
 

Mix in flour and sugar.
Add cornmeal followed by oats.

Put in 8-by-8 inch container and refrigerate.
When suet hardens, cut into pieces to fit
your backyard suet holder.

 P3 doing the mixing.

After all that seed planting and cooking for the birds, we capped off the day by going to a GB Gambler hockey game. It was the 12th Annual Teddy Bear Toss. Bring a new teddy bear to the game and throw it on the ice after the Gamblers score their first goal. All bears are given to young patients in our area. It was announced that 7,066 bears were collected. How'd they count those so fast?


26 comments:

  1. I hate that I have not found the time to do this, this Winter. Making suet balls for my Chickadees, Woodpeckers, and others was a joy for me, But this winter these activities escaped me.

    "oh well, I think they'll for give me. I'll make up for it in the summer.

    Love the cute photo of P3 and the Mascot. looks like the two of you had lots of fun. I bet you are the coooolest grandmother around your neck of the woods. I'm sure P3 would agree.

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  2. These look like some fun projects.

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  3. I'm sure the birds are enjoying the suet cakes no matter where the recipe came from. :) We got a killer pumpkin bread recipe from the newspaper over 20 years ago that I still bake every Christmas. I'm a chocolate freak and the pumpkin bread edges it out.

    I agree with you about 'Twilight Prairie Blues' being kind of a strange color. I figure it'll have to be the specimen "unique plant" in the garden.

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  4. Thanks for showing the suet recipe...can't wait to send it to my cousin...I gave her a suet feeder for Christmas, and she is getting into making things like this! That is one cute P3 you have there!!! :)

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  5. You have an amazing blog. I love your sense of humor, pictures and content. Well I just love you all around.
    xoxo
    Nicole

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  6. Where and in what form does one even buy lard?
    It all sounds so so fun. And you need as much fun as you can manage to make happen! I truly love the teddy bear idea!
    So glad to see you post!

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  7. Thanks for sharing the suet recipe. Sounds like it's very doable. Will be great for the birds in this miserable winter weather!

    Go Steelers --- mmmm sorry.

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  8. So coo, I am growing chives too.
    Thank you very much for the recipe!

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  9. What a cool post! I could actually do that kind of gardening. (Big-time, in a little yard/house ;>)

    Lovely of you to share your old family recipe my dear! And it looks like fun to make. (That I won't do though -- feeding birds is one of my past pleasures -- although come to think of it I might forward your post to my daughter and s-i-l who do enjoy it Still!

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  10. Can't wait to give this a try although I haven't bought Lard in a long time. I did see some in the grocery store not to long ago. Thanks for your nice comment about my header.

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  11. The suet bars look so....yummy (to a bird). Great project. I love the teddy bear toss idea. So glad the home team scored.

    And yes, the salad spinners works well. Now it doesn't completely dry it, but it certainly helped.

    Thanks for asking about Mom. She's seems to be adjusting well. Got to spend the night down at her house recently. It was nice to just kick back with her.

    I'm rooting for the Packers and so is all the family.

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  12. Love the suet making! Great idea. I love herbs-glad to see you getting an early start!
    Go Packers! My BIL is from Wisconsin.
    When r u coming to KY??

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  13. Herb lover here too, Donna. How 'bout that for a fun day! And ... FB today ... fingers crossed!

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  14. Congratulations Packers. Good Game!

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  15. I'm almost too exhausted from the Packer win last night to write! As always I especially enjoy the pictures on your blog!

    I really have come to like herb gardening. The chives in our yard come back every year. I love how easy they are to grow.

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  16. I have been looking for a good suet recipe. Thanks for sharing this Donna.
    Some of the best parsley I ever had was from one of those kits. I hope it does well for you! You will have bragging rights when you make dinner and garnish with your own home-grown herbs. Way to go!

    The coo-coo kid already looks older. Looks like he had a fun time.

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  17. Hi Donna,
    I hope your herbs are growing. I may try to make some suet when what I bought runs out.

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  18. Oh, and I like the photo of Phillip and the mascot. He is getting tall!

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  19. I have a few herbs in my garden but don't have chive yet. I am planning to plant more herbs this coming Spring. Hope your herbs will grow well.
    I love to try that homemade suet cake recipe.That's a great fun for the kids to make on weekend.Thanks for sharing the recipe.
    And nice photo of Phillip.Looks like he had a great time.

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  20. Thanks for the great recipe, Donna. I've made different bird treats in the last two years, but I've never tried to make my own suet. Looks like Phillip enjoyed the hockey game--was he also excited about the Super Bowl? I'm sort of a Bears fan, but I was rooting for the Packers anyway this weekend.

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  21. Well, we have to do all kinds of things to keep busy in winter, right? Will it ever end?

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  22. Thanks for the recipe! Now if I could only get permission to use a few window sills for indoor gardening. Maybe I'll propose a greenhouse. Fat chance! :)

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  23. in response to your note.....getting lost in the shuffle is so hard...we talk about that often, knowing our day will come....

    at this point our parents are 69 to 73, but still....we see it coming.....

    hugs

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  24. Welcome Donna to my new blog!

    I am very happy you are a follower on my blog again!

    Thank you so much

    Have a nice day in the snow!

    Gabriella

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  25. boy I bet your birds are really happy about the yummy bird snacks you made them. How great of you all! Hey I need to check out your Coo coo kids site to see if there is anything new!

    And the teddy bear throwing is so great! That is a lot of bears for sure!

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