Christmas for the birds...

Christmas time is filled with thinking of others and choosing gifts you know they will enjoy for the years to come. This year, don't forget the birds nesting in the trees around your house.
It won't take long to make a few hand made bird seed ornaments for your feathered friend. Hang your ornaments in you trees out side for the birds to find or hang them in front of a favorite window so you can watch them nibble your gift away. These ornaments also make an excellent gift to give to your friends who enjoy birds too!










Mix the following ingredients in a large bowl:

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup water
5 tablespoons honey- use enough to keep your mixture held together very well
4 cups bird seed mix- you can also use sunflower seeds










Roll the mixture out on 1-2 pieces of wax paper. Make sure the mixture is only about 1/2 inch thick. Using Christmas cookie cutters, cut out shapes. You could also make wreaths out of the mixture. Cut a hole in the ornament while the ornaments are still "wet" to add ribbon or string after the ornaments are dry. Dry the ornaments on the was paper for approx. 12 hours.










One batch makes approximately 12 ornaments and two thick wreaths. If you make your ornaments thick-like the wreath pictured below, make sure you add additional time to the drying process.

Blue Jay photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/lidarose/ / CC BY-ND 2.0
'>Linda Rose via Flickr

Don't forget your favorite hiker: Top Christmas gifts for under $15

Don't forget your favorite hiker: Top Christmas gifts for under $15

Posted using ShareThis

Oak Moon and Cold Moon

December hosts cold weather, crystal clear nights, and a beautiful full moon at the beginning of the month. An Old English name for the December full moon includes the name: Oak Moon. Some Native Americans have called the moon the Cold Moon and other names for the December full moon include: Frost Moon, Long Night's Moon, and Moon Before Yule.



Tonight, grab a blanket and some hot Russian Tea, and go outside to enjoy the December Cold Moon.

A December Day

Waking up to a roaring fire and Christmas lights on makes me feel as though it is Christmas day, but I know today is just another day in Dec.



Why do the colorful lights we hang spark such a feeling of excitement? When I plugged the lights in and began to hang them for the first time this year, both of my kids got so excited they began to oooh and ahhh, they tried to touch the lights, and they danced around in the sparkles glistening all around.


I can remember when Christmas lights could make me get excited. My mom always made getting ready for Christmas exciting and fun. She would make a special meal on the day we would put up the decorations. She had a story to tell about some of the old decorations we would put out, and she would always give my sister and I a new ornament. We would listen to Christmas music, the deep voice of Anne Murray mixed with my mom's singing lingers on my memories.


When my mind pulls me back to my memories of Christmas, I realize how there was nothing glamorous or glitzy about our simple decorations, our meal was nothing extravagant, and our tree, at times, tended to lean in one direction, but the love and effort put into the day and the season was what made everything so special.


For an ordinary day in December, I hope our little house with simple decorations will sparkle enough to keep my children excited for the season and dancing.

Russian Tea Recipe

Nothing says Christmas like the smell of cinnamon and cloves. Drinking a cup of Russian Tea on a cold and blustery day, takes away the chill from being outside or the blues away from being inside. Plus the smell of the tea can only bring good memories and warm thoughts. A great alternative to coffee or hot chocolate, keep this sweet tea in mind when the snow has fallen and sledding with the kids is on the schedule for the weekend. They'll like having this tea along, and so will you!

Russian Tea
2 cups Tang or orange drink mix (most of these contain vitamin C adding another good reason to drink up!)
3/4 cup Instant tea
1/3 cup Lemonade drink mix
1 cup sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
Mix all ingredients together and store in a glass jar. Use approximately two heaping teaspoons per serving (one mug).

• Keeping a jar on hand at your house is great for a quick drink to serve to your guests.
• Fill smaller jars, tie pretty ribbon around them and give them as gifts to people who stop by or to friends and family.
• Let your kids have fun by mixing the ingredients themselves!