A Nice Man knocked on our door today and showed us a video he'd taken of seven rats on the bird table. Apparently the bird food was a draw for the furry fiends. He asked nicely, so we're getting rid of it. I don't blame him at all.
I haven't got any pics today, so here's an old one of the bird table.
It's from back in November 2022 and before the squirrel did too much damage. I'm going to research plants that are good for birds and see if I can support them that way. The berries on the honeysuckle and fuchsia are a help. And now I don't have Gladys (whose dormant) or the birds/rats/squirrels to talk about, I'm going to have to be energetic to have something to put in here.
On a slightly cheerier note, DH made an epic dinner. I was talking about using up things in the cupboards and we have some tiny bottles of wine in the cupboard. I wandered around the internet for a while and found a recipe which turned out completely and unexpectedly gorgeous. It's chorizo and chickpeas in red wine from Tesco. You fry half a pound of chorizo for a few minutes in olive oil, add a tin of chickpeas and fry for a few minutes more. You add 100ml of red wine and reduce by half, then add another 100ml and reduce that by half. When it's syrupy, add a good dollop of honey, cook for a minute, add fresh rosemary and serve. They suggest that it's eaten with bread. I quite fancied eating it with peas or cabbage. DH made a carrot risotto to go with it. It was splendid. And it was quite quick as well. It was supposed to serve 6 but made a decent but not over substantial portion for the three of us. It wasn't desperately inexpensive, but we will absolutely be bringing it out for another time. We finished off the last of the cake afterwards, which was also a recipe from Tesco.
Perhaps that's what I can write about - new recipes.
Bear today has learned a valuable lesson - if all your clothes are black, don't leave tissues in your pocket. I left a lint brush on the table for him.
Hugs and good health to all.
Sorry you have to get rid of the bird table, but, yes, you don't want to encourage those rats! I'm sure you'll find lots of plants with seeds that birds will love, including sunflowers and cosmos.
ReplyDeleteThe dinner recipe sounds wonderful! Your chorizo is different from the chorizo I've seen in the stores, here, which is Mexican chorizo - it will not hold its shape when cut and cooked! Your chorizo looks more like what we might call smoked sausage or kielbasa/Polish sausage, which is what I might use if I make that recipe you posted. :)
The chorizo is the Spanish version and I guess is like a spicy sausage or salami. It was beautiful. I absolutely have to grow sunflowers now - I hadn't thought of that!
DeleteWhat a shame about the bird table . We have three like that in our garden and have never seen a rat. We live I the countryside so any dropped food is rapidly eaten by the robin or pigeons. The squirrel does wreck the plastic bird feeders and also gets at the plastic tube inside the cage things . I put the nuts inside a wire mesh tube and squeeze the top together, that way squirrel can get at the nuts but doesn't wreck the feeder.
ReplyDeleteThe rats may see your bird table as an easy food supply, but I'm thinking their home/ breeding place is elsewhere and not your fault.
Jean.
We had a few challenges with the squirrels. The rats are coming from a small distance, but it looks like the bird feeder is bringing them towards the houses, so it's only fair that we stop.
DeleteSorry to hear about the bird table. It's sad, but understandable, why you decided to get rid of it. Planting some sustainable plants sounds like a good idea. It's something that I want to do in my garden. I'm sure the birds will appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteKnowing the birds around here, they'll probably heckle me as I plant! Bless suggested sunflowers so I'm going to try that.
DeleteLike the sound of chorizo and chick peas. Not had carrot risotto though, will have to investigate that one.
ReplyDeleteI think that it was nice but not brilliant, but we had some carrots that needed using.
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