Advent and Nature

My theme for this first week of Advent is to "Cherish and care for the earth". I express my unity with nature by offering small gifts of love and attention in recognition of all I receive from the earth, and by finding joy and fulfillment in simply being alive, instead of in an excess of buying, eating, using, and wasting. 

I've been trying to do more than tolerate the cold and wet of the season. I've been-

Exploring the Amazon, looking for birds.

• Walking and biking everywhere, being careful to wear the clothes that keep me comfortably warm and dry. 
• Working outdoors for a few minutes everyday: Harvesting a little kale, raking leaves, and turning the compost.
• Paying attention to the weather, the sky, the outdoor temperature, the birds, the leaves, the moon.
• Collecting greens, pine cones, and other natural materials to use to make gifts and decorations.

We were looking for some of the rarer ducks that come
here in the winter, but all we found were lots
of charming mallards

Agenda Today:
1. Go for longer walks:
I walk a mile or more every morning with my beautiful dog, Sadie, but this week I have challenged myself to walk further, and especially to visit the creek path to watch for birds.

2. Learn more about the flora and fauna in my area: 
I should review the names of the trees in my neighborhood- I used to be able to recite them...


3. Bird food pine cones:
Right now, because of the cold, the wild birds are looking for high energy foods. 

Peanut butter is high in fat and full of protein, and could be considered the perfect bird food. Be sure to get natural, no-sugar peanut butter, or use vegetable shortening as an alternative.

Supplies:

• 1 c. peanut butter or shortening, or a combination
• 1 c. oatmeal or cornmeal
• pine cones
• bird seed
• yarn or string

Yield: Makes 2 bird cones-

1- Mix equal parts peanut butter or shortening with oatmeal or cornmeal until well blended. (I used half a cup of each and it just covered this one medium-sized cone.)



2- Choose a pine cone. Cut a long length of string to hang the bird feeder, and tie around the pine cone near the top (about 3 sections down).

3- Use a butter knife to spread peanut butter inside the pine cone and around the edges.

4- Fill a bowl with birdseed. Roll the pine cone in the birdseed. 

Go out and hang it in a tree where you can watch from a window.