An interesting weekend in our yard. No accidentals or other colorful
experiences but the sound was amazing.
While this was not on the level of the implosion of cicadas, or the
1999-2000 flux of robins through the area of Manassas Stone Bridge we
witnessed, we were hosting hundreds of robins in Vienna for Thanksgiving,
northwest of Cedar Lane, off Cottage Street.
Jays joined for some holiday chatter and enjoyed a slant on Roger Mayhorn's
recipe for home-made suet. That has been appreciated since he provided it,
for the store-bought stuff is not appealing in the least.
To make it easy on yourself, this is how my version goes:
Large pyrex square pan of glass (microwaveable anything will do)
Large jar of peanut butter
Two cups of crisco or other shortening
Corn meal about one cup
Cranberries or other nuts, seeds, raisins
Microwave until the mixture is soft enough to stir with a spoon.
Leave on high for about three minutes (for as long as it takes to soften)
Refrigerate until the suet is firm enough to remove from pan with spatula.
Various types of suet holders can be filled by taking chunks by spatula of
the size you wish.
Bon appetit
Ellen O'Donohue
Vienna VA
