Welcome to the Watch the Birds blog!

Hello and Welcome to the "Watch the Birds" blog, straight from the Green Mountains!

My name is Madeleine and since the age of nine, I have been writing a bird column, documenting bird activity and discoveries from my backyard. My beloved grandmother ignited my passion for birds at an early age, showing me the beauty and bounty of nature and the avian world. Now, an avian enthusiast and full-time student, I continue to explore and appreciate the world of birds around me.

Since 2001, I have written a seasonal bird column for the Manchester Journal, the weekly publication for the Northshire area of Southern Vermont. My very first column was published in another area publication the summer of 2000, when I was nine years of age. The following summer, I switched to the Journal, where I continue to publish.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter!


In spite of the fact that Easter comes shockingly late this year, it's still rather doom-and-gloom outside. A strange cocktail of snow, sunshine, and rain has kept me guessing these past few days, and made me crave something, well, a little more Springy.

Melissa Clark's recipe for homemade Peeps in this week's New York Times hit the spot (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/dining/20appe.html). I don't really know anyone who likes the taste of Peeps (if they have a taste at all...), but they're just so cute that, once you realize that you're eating flavorless heaps of pure sugar, you've inevitably gone through half the box.

These funny little critters are not too tricky to make, and will definitely win you some brownie points among friends and guests. How many people can say they have *made* Peeps? Few, my friends. Very few.

In addition, these pastel candies have a taste--and a good one at that. I opted to make the Pomegranate flavor, which results in a rosy batch of bunnies and chicks. Though the pomegranate flavor was unfortunately lost, the delighftul undertone of honey remained, making these a sweet Easter treat.



*Pro-tip: Take the mound of extra marshmallow you have after cutting out the first batch of shapes and melt it back down. Set it and cut them again!

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