Making bird feeders from peanuts, pinecones, seeds and wool; Making daisy chains;
286 – Making pine cone bird feeders (again)
Friday 21 March. Cloudy. 13°C
We first made these in January when we spent a week doing bird related challenges (337). B was distracted by another idea but we persevered to get them out and up. The next day they’d turned white and I got a bit disheartened thinking it hadn’t worked. Then a few weeks later I realised they’d all disappeared and the tray of bits we’d stuck in the tree had been pecked clean. Now it’s nesting season and we’re going to do it again with confidence.
One big plus is that it uses things I’ve had hanging round the house and garden for months. We’ve got a big packet of shelled peanuts for birds still, which the squirrels in the park were too overfed to be interested in (see 304). I’ve also got a basket of pine cones which I gathered in Autumn and didn’t get fully used as Christmas decorations. We’ve got bird seed to hand as well.
- We put the peanuts in the food grinder and grind them for about 30 seconds. I added a little bit of water as the mixture still looked quite dry and it became a thick sort of paste.
- We got some wool (string or wire would do too) and tied it round the pine cones so we could attach them to the trees and bushes.
- B then used a knife to stick the paste into the pine cones. The nobbly structure is great at keeping the paste attached.
- Then we sprinkled and pushed seeds over them.
Final task is just to attach them to the trees in the garden. We spread the six finished cones around three different trees. We’ll monitor them closer this time and see which goes first!
285 – Making things out of driftwood and stones at the beach >
284 – Making daisy chains
Sunday 23 March. Cloudy. 12°C
It’s finally DAISY CHAIN day. It’s not that warm but the little flowers are properly coming through at last and there are lots everywhere. B is totally ready for this one. I’m a little surprised that she knows how to make them already. I don’t think we’ve done them but she says a friend taught her. I vaguely remember learning them the same way. It’s definitely the sign of a Good Thing.
We pick about 25-30 and get to work, slitting the stems with our fingernails and threading the next daisy through. We’re surprisingly quick. I remember making them in the past and getting very cross with stems that split too much and the slow pace. B is surprisingly accomplished and definitely benefits from having smaller nails.
The completed circle is so long it goes round her head twice and she proudly wears it for the next hour or so… before complaining it’s itchy.
Leave a Reply