prepared for the storm.

A winter weather advisory has been posted, and by the looks of things on the handy-dandy interactive weather map, something's coming! So early this morning I stocked up the food offerings outside.
I have taken to making my own woodpecker/chickadee/junco/squirrel food. Crisco, chunky peanut butter, whole wheat flour, unsalted peanuts, old kashi cereal and whatever else is lying around. Melt the Crisco, add the peanut butter and stir until that is melted. Add the flour and other stuff until it is stiff to stir, put into the molds and freeze. I have a small glass casserole that is just right for sizing-so a couple cuts with the big knife and they fit right into the suet cages. Whenever I fill the cages, I mix up another batch, so I always have some ready. I currently have three regular woodpecker visitors-two small ones that I think are downy-but both have a red patch on the head, which would mean two males-not usually seen in the same area. The larger one has similar markings, but is double the small ones' size-not sure what he is. Besides fun to watch.
I also filled the 4 sunflower seed feeders and checked on the thistle seed feeder-the goldfinch have finally discovered it, but it holds so much that it rarely needs a refilling, just the occasional topping off. The birds did fly and the squirrels did run-but not far. I was scolded or thanked by a chickadee the entire time I was filling. Before I was back in the house, the feeders were full and the squirrels were dropping down to grab the leftover bits I had dumped out of the suet cages.
Now I need to figure out what we'll be eating while it snows, sleets and freezing rains outside. We will also be keeping a close eye on the dining room ceiling. This will be the first precipitation we have had since the mystery spot appeared.