I've always loved birds. I love birds because they are beautiful, and their antics are a
great source of amusement for me, my Hero, and the Kitty Boys. Especially the bath
time free-for-all. But mostly I love them because they eat spiders. Lots of them. And
anyone who knows me at all knows that I am hugely freaked out by spiders.
great source of amusement for me, my Hero, and the Kitty Boys. Especially the bath
time free-for-all. But mostly I love them because they eat spiders. Lots of them. And
anyone who knows me at all knows that I am hugely freaked out by spiders.
Sometime way before we came to live here, someone with wonderful vision
planted two Trumpet Vines and added a bird condo between them. I don't
know if they lived here long enough to see how charmingly it all turned out,
but I hope so. ( It's a bit grainy and the condo doesn't show up well as
I snapped this one from my kitchen window and did not think to put up the screen. )
planted two Trumpet Vines and added a bird condo between them. I don't
know if they lived here long enough to see how charmingly it all turned out,
but I hope so. ( It's a bit grainy and the condo doesn't show up well as
I snapped this one from my kitchen window and did not think to put up the screen. )
Last year Sandy crashed ashore, the epicenter just a few miles north of us.
She then veered north sparing us the worst and we came through pretty
much unscathed. But our little bird condo didn't fare as well. It was pushed
forward at an alarming angle. I had visions of tiny birds, feet planted to either
side of their little round "doorways" trying not to plummet out of their nests.
If it had been time for egg laying, they would have certainly rolled right out.
She then veered north sparing us the worst and we came through pretty
much unscathed. But our little bird condo didn't fare as well. It was pushed
forward at an alarming angle. I had visions of tiny birds, feet planted to either
side of their little round "doorways" trying not to plummet out of their nests.
If it had been time for egg laying, they would have certainly rolled right out.
We stabilized it as best we could, and set about cutting away the
doubled-up 2x4 posts and cross beams. So there we were, my Hero
up on a ladder on one side of the vine-condo and me up on a ladder
on the other side, and he is cutting away old timbers with a Sawzall
electric saw and I'm trying to support this bird condo that is considerably
larger up close than it looks in pictures, and a lot heavier. About then I
was thinking, "This is probably one of the more stupid things I've done
in a while". That's when one very panicked little bird shot out of her nest
right through my hair, poor thing. ( She returned as soon as we were done. ).
Luckily, the old vines were so firmly attached to the condo that when my
Hero cut it free with me holding onto it up a six foot ladder they held it in
place with little support from me. Thank goodness, because I was a bit
worried about going over backwards hugging this thing all the way to the ground.
doubled-up 2x4 posts and cross beams. So there we were, my Hero
up on a ladder on one side of the vine-condo and me up on a ladder
on the other side, and he is cutting away old timbers with a Sawzall
electric saw and I'm trying to support this bird condo that is considerably
larger up close than it looks in pictures, and a lot heavier. About then I
was thinking, "This is probably one of the more stupid things I've done
in a while". That's when one very panicked little bird shot out of her nest
right through my hair, poor thing. ( She returned as soon as we were done. ).
Luckily, the old vines were so firmly attached to the condo that when my
Hero cut it free with me holding onto it up a six foot ladder they held it in
place with little support from me. Thank goodness, because I was a bit
worried about going over backwards hugging this thing all the way to the ground.
One new 4x4, two new cross beams, a hanging flower basket just for pretty,
and it was as good as new. Best of all, the condo has a No Vacancy sign posted.
Have a glorious day !!!
Cindy
PS Adding a Disclaimer here: a) we are old enough to know better
than to have attempted this without better safety precautions, and
b) being too stubborn to admit that, was no excuse.
Please do not follow our example.
and it was as good as new. Best of all, the condo has a No Vacancy sign posted.
Have a glorious day !!!
Cindy
PS Adding a Disclaimer here: a) we are old enough to know better
than to have attempted this without better safety precautions, and
b) being too stubborn to admit that, was no excuse.
Please do not follow our example.