Providing Food For Winter Birds

As winter approaches, you may need to change some of the foods you offer to birds. Providing high calorie and high fat foods can be important to the birds. The birds visiting winter feeders may be arriving in flocks or may come to the feeders as individuals, so you will need to provide different options for the birds. Oil sunflower is a great overall seed to offer in the winter. It has a high calorie/ounce ratio due to its high fat and protein content and its relatively thin shell. Oil sunflower has twice the calories per pound than striped sunflower and its smaller shells make less mess when discarded by the birds. Suet is a great food to offer many of the birds that will visit backyards in the winter. Suet is a high energy, pure fat substance which is invaluable in winter when insects are harder to find and birds need many more calories to keep their bodies warm. Peanuts & peanut butter are another great food to offer birds in the wintertime. Peanuts have high protein and fat levels and are often an ingredient in suet products. Offering peanuts in a peanut feeder can provide a good source of protein for birds. Other good winter options are niger seed and white millet seed. Providing Cover for Birds Roosting boxes or natural plant covers can also aid birds seeking protection from cold weather. Shelter is also needed for protection against natural predators, such as birds of prey. Cats are unnatural predators and birds also need shelter to escape from them. Be sure to clean out old nests from houses to help reduce the possibility of parasitic bugs surviving the winter. It also allows birds the opportunity to roost in a clean house.

1. Eastern Phoebe 2. Baltimore Oriole 3. Chimney Swifts 4. European 5. House Wren 6. House Finches 7. Song Sparrow 8. Carolina Wren 9. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10. Chipping Sparrow 11. Gray Catbird 12 American Robins 13. Common Grackle 14. Blue Jay 15. American Crow 16. Sharp-shinned Hawk 17. Downy Woodpecker 18. American Goldfinches 19. Evening Grosbeaks 20. Cedar Waxwings 21. Northern Mockingbird 22. Northern Cardinal 23. Tufted Titmouse 24. Dark-eyed Juncos 25. Mourning Dove 26. White-throated Sparrow 27. White-breasted Nuthatch 28. American Tree Sparrow 29. Black-capped Chickadee

Keeping Rodents Out of Your House

As the weather turns, small critters often look for refuge from the cold in your nice, warm home. What can you do to deter them from becoming uninvited guests in your humble abode? Here are a few suggestions that are easy to apply. Moth balls! Throw them under the house, just enough that they don't smell inside the house and redo about once a month. Also throw them around the footing of the outside of the house. Moth balls also deters snakes, bugs, ants and such. You can also put a little of the spray foam in the holes around our pipes, then put in steel wool and spray more foam on it as well. Mice will not chew through the steel wool. An unusual tactic for controlling the rodent population is to give them Exlax... super strength if you can. Rodents love Exlax! Place it outside & inside. If you think a cat or dog could get at it, cover it so that only a rodent could get in and eat it. Even if a bigger animal does get it, it isn't deadly. Rodents are smaller, their digestive systems are smaller. A little Exlax goes a long way! Rodents live in communities or families. If one gets sick in "home space". They learn fast and leave for a safer environment. A mouse/ any rodent loves the chocolate wax like bar of Exlax! Add peanut butter to the bars if you like. It is "Dairy Queen Deluxe" for rodents. Once the word is out among fellow rodents about the "after effects" of the food supplied, they leave the area for healthier food, as well as, communicate and smell the "Gastric Distress and Results" of the afflicted Exlax filled rodent to the community! Mice do not like the smell of peppermint. Put some on cottonballs and place in the drawers, basement, or anywhere you think or see mouse evidence. Peppermint oil is a natural mouse repellant.

Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

INGREDIENTS 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon fine salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature 2 cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs, at room temperature 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, shaken and at room temperature 3 cups shredded Gala or other baking apples (about 4 medium apples), shredded on the large holes of a box grater INSTRUCTIONS Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners. Alternatively, coat the wells with butter; set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until very light in color, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until the mixture is airy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl. Set the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the buttermilk, and mix until combined, about 15 seconds (the batter will look curdled, but it’s fine). Add the reserved flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the shredded apples and any accumulated liquid until just combined, about 1 minute. Fill the muffin wells about three-quarters full (about 1/4 cup per well). Place the muffin pans side by side on the rack and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, rotating the pans front to back and side to side halfway through the baking time, about 20 to 25 minutes total. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks before frosting. CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING 1 cup butter, softened 3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar 3-4 TBS milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon Directions: Combine butter and sugar and beat till well combined. Add milk, vanilla & cinnamon and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minute or until creamy.

Protect Your Patio Furniture From the Elements

It is time to prepare your furniture for the winter months ahead. With outdoor living spaces becoming more popular than ever, most people have at least a few pieces that need to be stored. Even furniture that is treated to be weather-resistant or is under a patio cover needs to be cared for and maintained. Clean it up The most important step in preparing furniture for storage is to get it clean. Moisture and dirt left on outdoor items can cause mold or mildew to grow in the winter months. Pieces made from wicker, wrought iron, mesh or plastic can be cleaned with a simple dish soap and water solution. For wood furniture you can use Murphy Oil Soap and water, then rinse and let dry. For stains that are difficult to remove, make a mixture of 1 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 gallon water. Use a soft brush to work on the stains, then rinse and let dry completely. Cushions also need to be clean and dry before you put them away for the winter. If you have cushions covered in fabric or canvas, prepare a solution of 1/2 cup Lysol and 1 gallon hot water and use a soft brush to scrub them clean. Rinse cushions thoroughly and let dry. Give it a coat After your furniture is clean, a protective coating will help keep it looking good for next spring. Aluminum or plastic pieces can be covered with a thin coat of car wax to protect them and use a coat of paste wax for wicker furniture. Check metal furniture for any signs of rust and remove with a wire brush, then spray metal furniture with a silicone sealant. Under cover Furniture covers are great for additional protection from the elements, even if you are storing your pieces in a shed or garage. Covers come in a wide range of sizes and weights, depending on whether you will be storing items outside or under cover. Brush off all of the snow collecting on the furniture throughout the winter months. As the snow melts, water has a knack of finding its way to the furniture, causing damage when it freezes again. Visit our website at: www.suesutto.com