On to the post title shortly, but first some more food photos.
Along with blintzes for breakfast, I do like the Kodiak Cakes protein pancakes. Most times with bananas, but this week I had them with cooked apples and a drizzle of maple syrup:
This just needs a boatload of whipped cream to be perfect 😀
I used the Instant Pot as a slow cooker to make this cheesy chicken chili, which I have made fairly often in the past.
With John going vegetarian, I don’t make it as much, but I was sort of craving it and now I have lots to eat this week! The IP worked great as a slow cooker. It really is replacing 3 appliances with one. I’m very pleased with it.
A different lunch: Toasted turkey and cheese sandwich with tortilla chips.
I don’t have lunch meat very often, but lately I’ve been craving more protein. Oh, and more carbs. So I guess I just have been wanting to eat more in general with the cold weather.
Cold weather dinner was heating this up:
And then adding it to lentil soup to bulk it up:
Does your taste for something ever just turn on a dime? I’ve had the soup before, but for whatever reason, tonight I just didn’t like it at all. That’s the second time this has happened recently with a food I liked previously. If only that could happen with Reese’s peanut butter cups…
Now on to Woody Woodpecker! We have feeders in our back yard and normally the hairy and downy woodpeckers visit them frequently. We also have one or two pileated that hang around the trees, but they’ve never been at the feeder – or at least that I’ve seen. John pointed out this to me the other day:
He was just noshing away on the suet. It a small feeder and pretty awkward for him, since these are big birds.
If that other feeder wasn’t below it, I don’t think he could have balanced enough to eat. He’s so pretty! Of course, I went right online to see what would be a better feeder for these guys. I need to build a tail rest extender for this. Or something like that anyway. The squirrel baffle works fantastic for these feeders, by the way. That’s entertaining in itself.
We had that tiny warm spell and now I’m all about gardening. The plant companies know this and I swear almost every day a catalog or email arrives urging me to purchase.
I wish I had another sunny area for more roses. If I decide to take over most of the front lawn, I can do that. Perhaps that will happen. 🙂  However, it’s back to below freezing again and just dreaming about the flowers.
Great photo of the woodpecker!
I’ve been craving carbs lately, too. I think it’s because it’s so gray and rainy here. Every day, all day, just dark and wet. Boo.
Love feeding the birds. Mind showing a pic of your squirrel baffle? Haven’t figured out anything that baffles those athletic little critters;)
Sure – it’s the one that looks like an upside down bowl.
The squirrel baffles didn’t work on our feeder… they still managed to get themselves up there… It may have taken them several tries but they are determined little buggers…lol We have red bellied woodpeckers here and pilated… i think i may have seen a downy a few times too.. Love to see them.. They really do love the suet.. Hugs! deb
We get the red bellied woodpeckers in the spring and early summer, but they don’t hang around. I found the baffles have to be used all by themselves. There can’t be anything the squirrels can climb up or jump onto them within a few yards.
How exciting to see that woodpecker at your feeder! I just get the little birds on mine. And surprisingly, I have never had any problems with squirrels. Maybe its the big dog in the yard. Or maybe its because they have more acorns than they can possibly handle!
Kodiak was on sale at Costco again, so I am totally enjoying my Kodiak pancakes and muffins!
That is such a gorgeous bird, and what great shots you got of him! We gave up on bird feeders years ago because our squirrels, who I do like, figured out every single “squirrel-proof” feeder. Oh well, the birds are managing, somehow. And the squirrels are pretty cute.
That toasted turkey and cheese sandwich with tortilla chips looked so nice! gotta make that for myself soon 😀
I read a book called Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight and i read some information about it a ahealthierbeing.com which was quite nice 🙂 Hope you all can use it
Glad to keep reading your posts 🙂
Read the recipe for the chicken chili and it looks yummy. If you haven’t already found an MSG-free ranch product, Penzeys Spices makes a great one. penzeys.com