Recycled Christmas Tree...feed the birds!

 This year, I hated to throw my Christmas tree on the curb just yet, so instead I stood it on the back deck. My yard has no shrubs yet....and I think that is why I don't have many birds. They don't have any cover. Then I decided it looked pretty bare, so I collected some pine cones, and spread them with peanut butter and pressed birdseed into it. Just like we made in grade school!

 These were messy and fun to make.

 I tied them on to the branches with bits of ribbon. It looked great! Next thing I knew, it looked like this:

And the culprit is the squirrels of course. So I tied it off to the railings. That seems to have worked so far...no more falling trees.

 The squirrels are really enjoying it. I've had a few birds, and I hope they tell their friends.

The temperature dropped way down, and I went out and got a heated birdbath at the local Big R farm store. It's super cold now, below 0 and it is still keeping the water open. I also moved the bird feeder with the squirrel guard up to the railing.  Seems to be a great way to enjoy the Christmas tree a little longer!

Looking like Christmas!

A few years ago I bought a small artificial tree. I like it fine, but I miss the charm of a real tree. We always had a real tree while the kids were growing up. Next year if it fits in the budget, I will have a real tree. There are lots of lights on this little tree!

 Looking into the dining room. There is only one electrical outlet in the dining room..and that is it by the window. So I've been putting garland up with lights, otherwise it's kind of dark.

My tree has no theme other than "ornaments collected through the years." I especially love the ones made by my kids.

 The pictures on the mantle are of the kids and of my grandparents on the beach when they were young.

The mantle is a mix of lots of things. The little elf on the right is always decorating something every year...sometimes the mantle, sometimes the bathroom mirror, sometimes the tree...

The nativity set is usually the first thing set up, and almost always on this buffet...so from year to year it doesn't look much different, but I still like it. Yes, found a way to run an extension cord around the corner for some lights on this too.

Here is the outside. I got that little Christmas tree at a friend's garage sale. It's rusty iron..I love it, and just threw a bunch of lights on it. I'm not crazy about the those blueish icicle lights...I like the warm white lights better. Next year I hope to figure out how to put the big colored lights along the roofline. I have all the lights on timers. I was so glad that this house has some outdoor outlets!