the recipe for a big nasty mess...

I had marked it on my calendar weeks ago, so I wouldn't  let other stuff encroach on an interesting morning at the Botanical Gardens. You might think it sort of lame/cheezy, but it sounded like it would be mildly amusing, and nicely social-able event, as well as helpful (plus getting in those all important volunteer hours for credit with the County Agent for Master Gardening program). It was an opportunity to make the decorations to put on a tree for the local wildlife - that I am sure consists almost exclusively of birds and squirrels.

The 'recipe' part is where I got there early to help with whatever prep./set up I could always wanting to be useful.  And was given the assignment of stirring the birdseed up with (theoretically) suet, that was actually a three pound container of Publix-brand shortening. I don't know if 'lard' would have been the preferred ingredient,  but it was quite a big mess (or as PSI would say 'hot mess'!). I put on some latex gloves, and dipped about half the can of shortening/lard in the bowl, and poured several pounds of bird seed in, proceeded to squeeze it all together, to thoroughly mix. Similar to the process of making meat loaf - but with a nasty factor of x5 due to the greasy part. Before the contingent of volunteers arrived, a couple of us cut navel oranges in half, remove the good part, leaving a little cup that would be filled with that combo of bird seed and fat. Then  as volunteers arrived, we began to put some wires through the 'cup' that is the orange shell to hang from the tree branches, for the birds and squirrels to enjoy. And filled the orange cups with the 'hot mess'.

Others in the group spread peanut butter over pine cones - an exercise in futility if ever there was one. Let me tell you this: it's just not possible.  There were several people putting wire around the top of the cone, to be used to loop over a branch and attach it to the Christmas Tree for the Birds. But applying peanut butter to something as uncooperative as a pine cone:  just not possible. Won't work with a knife, or a spoon or spatula, or gloved hands. You just can't do it. But not for lack of trying … so we did our best, then passed them across the table to be rolled in bird seed and cornmeal, also going on the tree for the birds.

I deliberately slipped out before the actual tree trimming. So can only imagine, envision what it was like putting all those things on the tree… I'll report on the outcome when I go for the Open House on Sunday afternoon.