NO DATE - Getting on the Good Side of WinterThe Suffolk Times /'Second Section
Getting on the Good Side of Winter
By PAUL STOUTENBURGH
I wouldn't say we are completely in
our winter routine yet, but we have
started some of our daily chores that
will run pretty steadily for the next four
or five months. Bringing in the daily
supply of wood is one. The old wood shed
has kept the wood dry and out of reach
of the weather. The wide assortment of
round and split oak, hickory and pine
will hopefully see us through the
winter.
Of course, there are pluses and
minuses to everything, including the
use of wood for fuel. It's not as clean as
the old oil burner, and it does require
some labor in cutting and splitting, but
so far we've been able to live with these
minuses. On the plus side, there's no-
thing quite like backing up to the old
wood stove to warm you where it's most
needed. Then there's always that
steaming kettle of hot water for coffee,
tea or whatever need comes along. The
top of the stove makes the best place
for stews or soups to simmer most of
the day, and that's when we get the
added aroma that fills the house with
smells you'll never forget. Our stove has
a cooking oven off to one side, and it is
from here on cold winter days Barbara
brings forth from that dark and heated
opening some goodies as baked bread
and casseroles.
Checking on the bird feeders is
another sign that winter is moving in.
We don't feed during the summer, but
when fall comes and we see the white -
throated sparrows from up north along
with the juncos, we know it's time to
start again. It is also time to fill our
suet sock that Rose Newell made for us.
This is the best way to hold suet for the
chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and
woodpeckers. I call this the deluxe ver-
sion of the old onion or orange bag
which will do in a pinch, but when you
get Rose's hand - crocheted suet holder,
that's the best.
Red- Bellied Newcomer
Many of us have a newcomer to our
suet feeders this year. More and more
we are seeing the red - bellied wood-
pecker move into our area. This is a
large woodpecker from the south, and
it is one you can't miss. The extra - bright
scarlet top and the added raspy churr-
churr call will surely identify him
quickly for you. A good supply of suet
bought at your local meat market will
bring this new arrival to your feeder
along with the downy, hairy and the
occasional big flicker.
Just as the red - bellied is a relatively
new arrival, the titmouse is becoming
more and more common. This hand-
some addition with its additional top
notch comes from the south and is now
well established as a nesting species.
Sunflower seed will surely bring him to
your backyard. By the way, you'll prob-
ably find him enjoying your suet sock
as well.
Of course, the all -time favorite, the
chickadee, will never let you down if
you are a good provider. The trouble
some people find when it comes to feed-
ing birds is that it is pretty hard to be
selective, and here we open the door to
all the rest of our feathered friends.
House sparrows, the finches, the starl-
ings (those greedy ones), blue jays (they,
too, can be pretty greedy and pushy) all
want their share, and like people, some
take more than others. There are all
kinds of feeders being designed to dis-
courage this overtaking by some, but
most only partially work for the simple
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reason that pirates like the starlings
and jays have worked at it a long time
and know their profession well.
Red Cardinals Welcome
Aside from the chickadee, the cardi-
nal is the most wanted bird at the back-
yard feeder, and I must admit one of
these striking red birds on a snowy day
does add that bit of color that makes
the world a brighter place to be. I also
like the females in their subdued dress.
They even seem to have a different
temperament.
Bird feeding can be expensive if you
go into it in a big way, and some people
do just that. We don't think anything
of paying for cat or dog food, and if we
get enjoyment from feeding birds, why
not? Years ago when we were kids we'd
never have thought of spending money
to feed birds. We fed them all alike, but
it was suet in those days. We had an
old oak tree about six feet from our
porch window and on this my Dad would
wrap a piece of half -inch galvanized
mesh screening with suet underneath
around the tree. The screening kept
the raccoons and squirrels away and
held the suet for the birds. This was our
winter feeder. We never fed with seed.
Crusts of old bread and leftovers from
the table were often thrown out for the
birds, but no fancy sunflower seed could
we afford. The reason that suet was
used was that, in those days, the neigh-
borhood butcher would always throw in
a chunk just for the asking. Needless
to say, things have changed.
Soon there will be freezing nights,
and for a while I'll be able to break the
ice in the water trough for the cows.
But then there will come a time when
the northwest wind blows and the tem-
U.S.S. HOLLAND
Site of the first
Submarine Base
in the U.S.
DEAN BLAIKIE
ALL MAJOR CREDIT
CARDS ACCEPTED
BLUE JAY - -Put sunflower seeds.out for the birds and you are sure to
have this greedy one taking more than his share. Jays store the seeds
in cheek pouches so that when things get tough, they will have a hidden
supply.
perature drops and everything freezes
up. Then I'll be carrying water from the
house. That's not much fun, but nothing
lasts forever, and we usually get
through the winter without too much
inconvenience.
Everything has its plus and minus
side. If it gets too cold then the creek
freezes up and you are able to go eeling
through the ice. If you've never caught
eels through the ice and brought them
home for an eel fry, well, you don't know
what you are missing. But then I'm get-
ting into my winter stories. Let's just
take advantage of the good weather
while it lasts.
Joseph L. Townsend
INSURANCE
Commercial - Personal - Yacht
216 Main Street, Greenport - 477 -0153
New Suffolk, N.Y.
734 -5330
Galley Ho
Restaurant
The following are COMPLETE DINNER SPECIALS
which include a choice of soup, salad, potato, ice cream & coffee.
Monday - STEAK NIGHT
1 lb. Porterhouse Steak ............
$9.95
14 oz. N.Y. Sirloin Steak ............
$9.95
Sliced London Broil ................
$8.95
14 oz. Chopped Sirloin Steak ......
$7.95
Tuesday - VEAL NIGHT
Poached Flounder w /Shrimp Sauce .......
Veal Cordon Bleu ..................$9.95
1 lb. Alaskan King Crab Legs ..............$13.95
Weiner Schnitzel ...................$8.95
Fried Seafood Combination ...............
Veal Cutlet Parmigian ..............$8.95
(shrimp, scallops & flounder)
Wednesday - CHICKEN NIGHT
Chicken Cutlet Parmigian .........
$8.95
Chicken Cutlet Florentine .........
$8,95
(spinach & mushrooms)
Chicken Cutlet Kiev (herb &garlic) ....$8.95
LUNCH:
Mon. Fri. 11:30 -'1:30
Sat. 11:30 - 3, Sun. 12 -:3
DINNER:
Mon. - Thurs. 5 - u
Fri. & Sat. 5 - 10
Sun. 11 9
Thursday - SURF & TURF NIGHT
Chopped Steak w/ Fried Shrimp (4)..........$7.95
Sliced London Broil w/ Fried Shrimp (4) ....
$8.95
N.Y. Sirloin w /Scampi (3) .................$12.95
Friday - SEAFOOD NIGHT
Stuffed Shrimp w /Crabmeat ..............$10.95
Poached Flounder w /Shrimp Sauce .......
. $8.95
1 lb. Alaskan King Crab Legs ..............$13.95
Fried Seafood Combination ...............
$8.95
(shrimp, scallops & flounder)
Bluefish (broiled or broiled with herb butter) .......$
7.95
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