Feed the Birds

Aunt Kelly saw this cute Valentine idea on a blog and thought Caleb and Nana might enjoy it.

If you want to see the REAL project, go to the link above.

If you want to see the Nana/Caleb version, read on.

The idea is to make a heart shaped bird seed feeder.

You start out with bread.

(Yes, that's two slices of bread, slightly out of focus because of one excited little boy.)

Place the bread very carefully on a cookie sheet and toast it.

If you are like Nana and burn the first two slices of bread, just start again.

Since we didn't have a heart shaped cookie cutter handy,

we used the mouth of a glass to cut circles out of the toast.

Aren't our circles pretty?

Now you need peanut butter.

Our choice is Peter Pan Creamy because it tastes good

when you need to lick your fingers after spreading.

Spread the peanut butter somewhat evenly on the slices of toast.

For this next part, you will need a package of bird seed.

One so large that you cannot lift it is the best kind.

Spread the bird seed, again somewhat evenly, over the peanut butter.

If a little falls on the floor, don't worry about it. Nana will sweep it up later.

While the bird seed toast is baking for about 45 minutes at 200 degrees,

take a break and eat a popcicle.

It doesn't matter that it is cold outside.

If you turn the heat up high enough, it will feel like summer.

Cool the bird seed toast, poke a hole in the top and put a string in it to hang.

We used florist wire.

In case you are wondering why Caleb is wearing a tag with his name.....it is not because Nana cannot remember what grandchild she is helping. That will come after April when I have 3 grandchildren, instead of 1. It is because we were labeling everything in sight today as part of a pre-reading strategy. You can take teaching away from the girl, but you cannot take the girl away from teaching.

Hang the finished project where the birds can get to it.

We hung ours on an antique porch chair just like the one that Nana used to see at her Grandparents house when she was a little girl.