for the birds // the solstice is upon us

For the past several years we've marked the winter solstice by decorating trees with edibles for birds and other forest critters, and we plan to continue this December twenty-first.  This year I found a lovely, easy, inexpensive crafty idea to create simple ornaments from bird seed.

I came across the idea via Daisey at Creative Compulsive, who I know will be celebrating the solstice as well. She is doing a series of great DIY holiday gift ideas; this one is from Saltwater Kids. I absolutely love the way good ideas travel via the blogging community.

While we intend to take a nice walk and leave these in the trees in the paese Saturday, I also wrapped up a selection of them to be sent to my grandmother, who always keeps her bird feeders full. I have a feeling she'll love them as a Christmas gift.

Another part of our solstice tradition is to read Eve Bunting's Night Tree again each year, a story about a family who visits the woods to...decorate a tree with edibles for the forest creatures. Frankly, one of my favorite things about the solstice is that we have reached the peak of the darkness! Hello, sunshine. Hello, daylight.

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I read several comments in the original blog post with caution that these will fall apart in the rain. In the end, I suppose some little animal will benefit nonetheless, but it could lead to disappointment for little people and grandma's. I duly sent mine a warning of such.