Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Pie~Birds

Sing a song of sixpence
a pocket full of rye
Four-and-twenty Blackbirds baked in a pie
And when the pie was opened
The birds began to sing
Wasn't this a dainty dish to set before the King


I bet you thought my title today was about pie birds. It isn't, though while we're on the subject, I think I'd like to have a pie bird or two. Why, if I had a pie bird, I might even bake more pies. Lest you're unfamiliar with pie birds, they're the whimsical little ceramic figurines you place in the center of a pie when you bake it. They vent out steam from within the pie to keep it from boiling over and making a dastardly mess. Hmm...I know a few humans who could benefit from a Pie Bird. Moving on, some people collect pie birds, which aren't all in the shape of birds, by the way. I wouldn't mind collecting them. I imagine they'd look quite charming on a shelf in my kitchen.

I photographed these birds while visiting my sis-in-law who has a beautiful home and acreage out in the country. I try not to covet. She and her husband have put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to enhance the landscaping. There's a large family room on the backside of the house with windows on three sides which overlook luscious landscaping, an abundance of colorful flowers of all kinds, scads of tall trees, and a small lake. I told her the next time Mr.Studley and I go camping, we'll skip the campgrounds and haul our RV out to their backyard. It's as pretty as a picture out there.
My Kodak Easy Share has a 10x optical zoom on it, but it wasn't enough to get a good close-up shot of the woodpecker in the picture above. It's the first woodpecker I've ever captured in a picture. I do occasionally see them in the trees in my own yard, but I've never been able to get their picture. They just won't stay in one place long enough. They're constantly on the move. A lot like Mr.Studley.
Click on pictures to enlarge the view
Ooh, aren't you a pretty bird.


Why, thank you for posing for me.


Oops! There goes Woody Woodpecker. Click on the picture for an enlarged view to see him flying off to the left.


Oh, I almost forgot why PIE was in my title today. Remember when I posted a picture of my Bisquick Impossible Buttermilk Pie, along with the recipe? Natalie, my bloggy friend over at Tins & Treasures, left me a comment on that post that she had a recipe for a Bisquick Impossible Pumpkin Pie. She obligingly posted the recipe on her blog, along with pictures of the pies which her students baked yesterday. I am anxious to try it out myself. Thank you, Natalie!


Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
~Psalm 106:1 KJV





31 comments:

nikkicrumpet said...

I have never heard of a pie bird....well I don't bake..and I'm pretty sure I've never made a pie in my life...but I still am surprised I didn't know about those cool little venting things. Ya learn something new everyday! Loved the woodpecker pictures...they are just the coolest things!

cinnamongirl93 said...

Hmmm, a pie bird. I never heard of one. It makes perfect sence to use one.
I think your right about your sister-in-laws property. It looks lovely. That may be the perfect camping spot for you and your hubby.
I love the pictures of the woodpecker. He looks like he posed for you!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Nancy said...

I have a pie bird just like the one in your photo. I have used it once, and it does work. However, I always forget to use it until the pie has already bubbled over.

Carol said...

I've never heard of pie birds. What a fun collection that would be indeed! Love your bird photos!! Funny about camping in their backyard. That sounds like fun!

Tins and Treasures said...

I actually have a sweet little pie bird on my shelf...haven't baked with it tho'
Thanks for adding a link to my blog...our pies tasted great.

Renna said...

The only reason I knew what Pie Birds were is because I've seen them advertised in catalogues. When looking around for a picture of one, I found antique ones that people collect. Some were darling!

Just to clarify, we won't really be camping in my sis-in-law's yard. That would be a tad too ghetto for her subdivision, I fear. ;-Þ

MSM said...

We had a pie bird once, but didn't know what it was. We gave it away...

We "had" a woodpecker once too, when I was a child it was in our backyard and drove my mother CRAZY.

Your birds always just look enjoyable : )

randi said...

Pie birds are so cute, although I don't have one either!

I have a Kodak Easy Share too. Those are fun little cameras!

Tracy Batchelder said...

The bird photos are really nice with the backdrop of colorful leaves!

Paula said...

I love the little black bird!!! What a little cutie!
I love the real birdies, too... I just love to listen to the little squeaky sounds the woodpecker makes!!

Schotzy said...

What a great imaginative post! You captured it all, especially my imagination. I can just imagine that pie!! And btw, you're tagged. Check my site for details! Happy Thanksgiving!

Sharon said...

I've too, have never heard of a pie bird, but will keep my eyes open for them from now on.
Have always enjoyed seeing birds through your eyes, Renna. What lovely surroundings your family have, and there must also be a diverse flock of fowl. :)
Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Glad you had a very nice trip with Mr. Studley.

Juri said...

Oh, now I want a pie bird collection, although I don't think I have ever seen one to purchase! Love your pictures!!! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Juri

Brenda Pruitt said...

What beautiful scenery! I do covet their space! I think I would just camp out there. Good times for all. I want so badly to get some closeup shots of the birds! Soon, I hope.
Brenda

Anonymous said...

i think they are so cool (pie birds, I mean)! I am a lazy baker, so I am all about the cobbler and crumbles, but a pie bird might inspire me.

Isle Dance said...

Amazing! :o)

stitching under oaks said...

I cracked up when you mentioned you know some people who could use a pie bird...so true. The pictures are beautiful. Can't believe the leaves are still so plentiful on the trees. Ours are long gone. Enjoy your weekend.

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Tipper said...

I've always wanted to try a pie bird but haven't. Beautiful pics-pretty as a park for sure.

Anonymous said...

Renna! We were on "tiny happy" at the same time. I know bc I posted a comment and then saw you had just posted. What a coinkydink, huh? It just feels so good to have all that holiday cooking out of the way for a while that I'm interspersing my knitting with catching up on blogs. I'll keep my eyes out for pie birds with you in mind. The little town closest to us - Florence, Colorado - has been transformed into an antique mecca. Lovely wildlife photos! We have some friends who are slowly building their own place just up the next draw from us - they despise the pileated woodpeckers who persist in pecking perfectly round holes all over their shop walls.

Renna said...

It would seem more people have not heard of pie birds than have heard of them. I'm not sure if it's because they aren't used as prevalently as they once were, or there's just not as much pie baking going on these days! ;-)

Anonymous said...

pie bird is new to me but interesting guess i must try that idea on my baking magic...those pictures are wonderful, i like taking pictures of birds too but, sad to say,im not fast as you did...flying yet you still captured it...good job...happy thanksgiving Renna

Unknown said...

BEAUTIFUL photos, and pie birds. :)

Joyfulsister said...

Hey Sis..
You know I never saw a live woodpecker..just woodie woodpecker in the cartoons lol. It was good to see you today, I did that spotlight a litle after starting blogging I think, it's been awhile. It's been so hectic lately I've been blogging only twice a week. I got my smile today from your cute furbaby lol.

Luv ya Lorie

Debra said...

Hello Renna!

What a handsome woodpecker! I think you take great photos too.
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I love visiting your blog.
Love, Debra

magnoliasntea said...

Cooking is one of my favorite things, and I love pie birds! Love the woodpecker pic, too!

Unknown said...

I have never seen a pie bird or even heard of one, except those four and twenty blackbirds that were baked in a pie of course.

And I loved your comment on my post. I DID think about it ... and you were so right. I WAS wishing to be there and now I am home from where I was.

Have a happy weekend.

Renna said...

Thank you, ladies, for all your comments. I think I'm going on a Pie Bird hunt! ;-)

Joe said...

I bake and have needed a pie bird and finally got one. Then I discovered I didn't really know how to use it, so I looked it up. While continuing to follow links I found your post. The pictures are very nice and the top one is a woodpecker. The other bird is a Jay, and it looks like an Eastern Jay with the crest. Out here on the west coast we have Scrub Jays (no crest) and Stellars Jays (charcoal colored head and crest and dramatic blue eyebrows).

What really made me write is the idea of an emotional pie bird. That is a GREAT phrase and one that I will use. Thank you!

Joe

Renna said...

Joe, so glad you found your way here. I got some interesting comments about the pie bird. I was surprised at how many had never heard of one.

Yes, emotional pie birds would probably be good sellers. ;-)

The bird you thought was a Jay is actually a Tufted Titmouse. We do have Blue Jays here in north Texas. Though the Blue Jay is similar in appearance to the Tufted Titmouse, the Blue Jay is a much larger bird, with a much longer beak.