white stuff

well, there's no doubt about it now. we'll be having a white christmas! yay!

i'm thankful for many things, not the least of which:

• neighbors on BOTH sides with snow blowers. it takes me awhile to do my steps and driveway, but i always seem to get help with the main sidewalk. plus, i like the straight edges ;)

• my new sorrel boots and the columbia jacket i got on clearance last spring at the outlet mall. i was outside for almost an hour in the snow and -4 degree weather, and i was actually WARM....

• mabel and her 30 year old furnace, which still seems to be working well! i am trying to keep the heat as low as possible, but still....what a huge blessing to have a warm home in a blizzard. and electricity. and the internet.




alas, but last night at 8pm, the plows came through. so, back to work this monday. the birdies still have not tried the new peanut butter cakes i made for them on saturday. birds are funny. they don't cotton to new stuff just because it's there. i'm hoping this week they'll dig in and try though. one blogger labeled the recipe 'bird crack.' now, that would be something to see!

Peanut Butter Pudding

• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 2 cups quick oats
• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup lard (no substitutes)
• 1 cup white/wheat flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
  

Melt lard and peanut butter. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into plastic freezer containers or forms (use previously purchased plastic suet containers). Freeze or refrigerate until use (if use is intended within a week - otherwise freeze). You can also add various dried fruit and sunflower "meats" to this basic recipe during winter months for woodpeckers, finches, and other grosbeaks of all varieties. Expect squirrel problems with this nutty, intoxicating stuff...hang the pudding in an "upside down" feeder, or location you can provide some squirrel patrol. Double or triple the receipt, but don't forget to use heavy duty utensils, this stuff is thick and heavy.