today

     Finished the balaclava for my youngest son last night. It is HUGE!  He loves it.  I made an adult sized hat because he hates things that are too tight and I figured it will continue to fit for years to come.

 It is so long in the neck that he can fold up the bottom to have a second face/neck covering!

At least he will be warm!

   The birds are very happy that the feeders are filled.  We have hanging feeders, feeders on posts and one on the fence (it can't make up its mind - hee, hee).  This year I hung a suet cage out, and I will do so forever more.  The woodpeckers love it.

  We have always had the occasional one at the feeders, but the suet has attracted two or three at a time, on a daily basis.  I am finding the nuthatches and even the blue jays, whom I adore, are all enjoying the suet.  The cardinals have become very territorial in regard to the fence feeder, and the male will sit on the top of the evergreens and chase away the sparrows and chickadees when the female is eating.  

My ferocious cardinal guarding his territory -
the picture was shot through glass and snow, so a bit fuzzy

None of the smaller birds even try to feed when the male cardinal is at the feeder.  I think he is taking lessons from the jays!