Squirrel's Vegan Pumpkin

We used to leave out birdseed when we lived in Phoenix so the cats would have something interesting to watch while we were at work all day. Since moving to Portland, we don't really want birds hanging around just in case this whole bird flu thing blows up like they think it could. But we have all of these squirrels that live in the trees behind us and I wanted a way to feed them, while not attracting any birds.

I rememeber back a few years to when we lived in Minneapolis (yes, I like to move :) ). We had a carved pumpkin in front of our house that the squirrels just destroyed by tearing it apart and munching on it.


Exhibit A: Organic white pumpkin from Trader Joe's. $2.99. Quite the deal, eh?


Exhibit B: Squirrel's vegan pumpkin, carved in Squirrel's Vegan Kitchen, for the squirrels. Say that 5 times fast!

I also carved out random chunks and shapes for them around the pumkin, so they have an easier time getting at it. The previous owners of our house acutally had a squirrel feeder on the deck, so we put some chunks of pumpkin and seeds in there, too. I hope to get some picture of them tearing it apart, so I'll post them if I get 'em!


Tonight was "Teach Jim How to Make Chili" night. When I get sick this winter I want more than bowls of cereal and Ramen, dammit! I set out everything and then walked him through it. It was a simple chili, a can of diced tomatoes, some kidney beans, pinto beans and some frozen bell pepper slices. We had it with a hunk of mini wheat baguette with garlic buttah. For dessert, we tried some of the new (I think, I just saw them recently) Soy Delicious ice cream and sorbet bars. SO good. And they're low fat. We got the raspberry ones, vanilla ice cream with a raspberry sorbet swirl in them. Yum!