Christmas is...for the birds?

This morning I worked at getting down the boxes into which I store the Christmas decorations.  I took down the Christmas cards and put away the Advent wreath and a few of the Christmas things.  Tomorrow I will take down the tree, although I hate to do it...I rather love our little Christmas tree.  But with school starting on Monday, I figure I should put our living room back in order.  I might keep the nativity scenes out until February 2nd (Candlemas).

After three days of bitter cold, I finally heard a bird this morning.   The weather being mild and clear, I thought it a good day to do our Christmas for the birds...taking a cue from Ginny, we got together a few sundries and made a fine mess.  Gemma and Dominic used chenille sticks to make little rings of Cheerios, and Gemma even discovered on her own that she was able to push the wire through the cranberries.  She ate a couple, too.  I thought for certain she would spit the first out, but she didn't even make a face and even ate a second one before declining the offer of a third.  We rolled pine cones smeared with chunky peanut butter in birdseed, too, and hung these up, and I even made a bird feeder out of an old distilled water jug.Couldn't get hold of the suet, as Bret hasn't been able to make it to the butcher.

  So far no bird has yet noticed the fine repast, but I've no doubt they'll find it in time...if it doesn't rain and spoil it all!