Thursday 10 February 2022

Bark butter, and other chores

 Are you tired of my wee goldfinches? I'm not. We're still in chaos here in Ontario. Six of our automotive plants are shut due to the occupiers. It is defeating. They have gathered at the borders, Sarnia, Windsor/Detroit, shutting down the supply chain.

Our premier, who is the one with the authority to bring in SWAT teams (the feds do not), has been silent. He is up for re-election June 2nd. No one is happy with him digging in his heels. The crazy people, who don't listen to scientists, and entertain conspiracy theories, are getting air time. They aren't even making logical sense. OK, back to nature, and my goldfinches. 

I keep watching them for signs of their spring/summer colours. Below: now and Aug., 2015.



This is a photo fail! It wouldn't look at me! American tree sparrow. I kept waiting with baited breath!

The male house finches have arrived. I thought they might be purple finches.

Things have been treacherous here indoors. I had a bit of an argument with a sardine can. Nurse JB fetched a bandage, and went to buy more finger bandages later on. It's like a thick paper cut. Yowzers. 

Sewing a hem on my pants, after months of having it on the To Do list, I was making progress. Sadly, the pins were on the arm of my chair. They began to slip, and I caught them, and caught a needle in my thumb. My nurse wasn't home, but the finger bandages came in handy.


The front walk was slippy, I chucked some sunflower seeds on it. The birds eat the seeds, leave the hulls, and a little bit of traction. The freeze and thaw is difficult on walking. We're at 2 C., this a.m., with maybe rain and/or snow ahead. 


Cinnamon had gone back to bed, and didn't even venture outdoors. Clever lad!

I learned a word, or maybe I'd forgotten it: pareidolia. Where you perceive a face in objects. What better than a pansy face? It's a bright spot of colour for us. I'm happy visiting my blogger friends with lots of greenery and many colours, far to the south. We are getting there!



I made bark butter for my Fat Head, inserting it in the holes. This is great stuff. There are lots of recipes, a small batch recipe, or another. Cornmeal, lard, flour and peanut butter. I put it up at 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. We'll see what happens today. I may have to move it away from the underhang. Those raccoons will be awake soon. It's a dreadful photo, but you get the picture. I'll do more when the sun rises.

16 comments:

Tom said...

...the world is being over run by idiots.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
The birds do love the bark butter. I love the pretty pansies.
Take care, enjoy your day!

Olga said...

Your blog is good for my vocabulary development!

Anvilcloud said...

What is happening is a travesty.
Laws need to rewritten.
Whatever punitive repercussions that can occur as a result, need to happen.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Nope, can never tire of the goldfinches! YAM xx

DrumMajor said...

We could never tire of seeing those beautiful yellow finches. We have plenty of sparrows, especially at feeders in Kansas. Nope, they aren't going to pose for you or pay any attention. Just greedy little eaters. Linda in Kansas

RedPat said...

That is a new word for me. A good one though.

William Kendall said...

The birds are much better company than even the thought of that person calling himself the premier.

Phil Slade said...

I never tire of Goldfinches, even our own European Goldfinches. Your snow made me feel cold - we've had none, roll on spring.

Over here read that Trudeau ran away.

Karen said...

I need to fill my bark feeders up again this afternoon. They will clean it out quickly with snow and more cold rolling in. I desalt bacon fat too. Boil it in a couple of changes of water. The chickadees love it mixed with peanut butter.

Nancy J said...

JB, you might need to be on standby in case the accidents come in threes!!! Love the photos and your tales today, apart from the trucker idiots. Down here in NZ, there is a massive protest happening in Wellington, tents pitched on the grass in front of Parliament House, illegally of course, trucks, cars, camper vans blocking the streets, Just as well I am not in the Police Force down there ( Yesterday 900 Wellington Police and an extra 150 brought in, and more coming today) , easy solution, use tear gas, and tow away every vehicle, impound it, pay the fine before you can get it back.Hang in there Jenn, I,too, am trying to ignore all the bad news and focus on " Good Stuff" .

Lorrie said...

I find myself feeling so sad and yet angry about the situation in Ottawa. How is it that our beautiful country has come to this? All the politicians are at fault - Trudeau and his gang for doing nothing, Ford and his gang for trying to fence sit and please everyone, and in the end they please no one.

Much better to spend time making bark butter - a new term for me! Take care of those digits!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Love your bird pics, even when they don't look at you.
We are getting robins in addition to our cardinals and blue jays. I wish the Starlings would go somewhere else.
Quite a situation with your truckers. The US yahoos are cheering them on for some reason.

Christine said...

Horrible these truckers. Thanks for that new word I can't spell!

Crafty Green Poet said...

Your goldfinches are beautiful! Our goldfinches look totally different, but are equally beautiful!

Jeanie said...

I'm shocked (and thrilled) you have finches in winter! Beautiful shots and I love that spot of pansy color, too! I eagerly await them!