Bird Seed Cookies

Spring is here, finally!  Feathered friends will be hunting for food, so my grandchildren and I spent this week-end making cookies for the birds.  Don't they look adorable hanging from the trees. 

I thought you would love the recipe to make these treats for your backyard friends too.  Here's what you will need:

• 3/4 Cup flour
• 1/2 Cup water
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 3 TBS Karo corn syrup
• 4 cups of wild birdseed
• Mixing bowl
• Wax paper or non-stick spray
• Cookie Sheet
• cookie cutters

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl except bird seed and mix until well combined.  Mix in  birdseed.  Spray your cookie sheet with the non-stick spray or line with the wax paper.  Spread the bird feed evenly on the cookie sheet.  Use the cutters to cut out shapes.  You may find it easier to fill the cookie cutters by the spoonful.   Fill the cutters completely and pack down, so they will be nice and thick.   

                                                     My grandson mixing the ingredients

                                           My 1 year old granddaughter wanted to mix too

We used a birdhouse, bird and the sun cookie cutters to create the treats.  Use whatever you have on hand that the kids will enjoy using.  Once the cookies are created, use a straw to make a hole at the top of each cookie.  Allow the treats to harden over night.  Once the cookies become hard, place twine through the hole of each cookie.  Place them on tree branches and bushes, and go bird watching.  My grandson thinks the cookies are cool, and enjoys watching the birds eat the treats through the windows.   

This is a fun craft to make throughout the year and especially on rainy days.  Get the kids involved in gardening and nature.  Be sure to make extra, you can keep them in the freezer and use them to feed our feathered friends throughout the year.   Does anyone know the species of the bird in the top photos?

                                                                       

Music In The Garden

Vacation is over!  Those 7 days zoomed by.  I love traveling, but there's no place like home.  I returned home last night, and spent the entire afternoon in the garden weeding and cutting back the squash and zucchini plants.  It's amazing what can happen in a week.  Weeds have grown and all of my veggies have doubled in size.  Stay tuned for a Tour of the Garden Part 2. 

While I was working, I had a visitor.  He perched on top of the greenbean teepee and he chirped and chirped.  I was able to get these great shots and he didn't flinch.  So happy I had my camera with me, it's moments like this that you don't want to miss, and another reason why I love the garden and all nature has to offer.  Do you know what kind of songbird this is?