Archive for the ‘Birdhouses’ Category
The Perks of Country Living
When my wife and I relocated from midtown Manhattan to a rustic cabin in upstate New York, we were seeking a lifestyle change. At first, the culture shock was almost too much to bear. We had to go without many of the cultural touchstones and conveniences that had characterized most of our lives. No more quick trips to Whole Foods or daily walks through Central Park for us.
In time, we came to embrace the peace and solitude that country life has to offer. I began taking our dog for romps through the thick undergrowth in the forest, and my wife put up a few decorative birdhouses. Right around twilight, it’s relaxing to sit out on the back stoop and watch the colorful winged critters flocking to their food. At this point, I can’t imagine returning to the hustle and bustle of city living.
Observing
Today was a beautiful day here and it made me think of the birds. Soon we will be seeing them come back and make their nests and raise their young. The only fowl that have stayed around are a large flock of geese. I know this is mainly because we have a large pond and they stay near it or on it. They are not very afraid of any of us, but they fly before we can get really close to them. They have figured our that our dogs can’t get out of their large dog pen so they can search for bugs or whatever pretty close to the fence.
One thing that we can enjoy right now are the birdhouses
. Most of the ones I like are too nice to let the birds have because for some reason they do not understand housekeeping! The latest one I have really liked looks like a little mobile home. We used to go camping in a small trailer and this brings back memories. Get out your binoculars so they can be ready and watch for the birds when they come. You may even want to put out a house for the birds even though they do not understand housekeeping!
Just for Fun
A new year is well upon us. Some of us are “suffering” from an unusually cold winter. We wanted it to be spring when January came, I guess. In our case, the snow melted , but now we have fog. Sometimes it lifts and we are so happy! The geese have stayed on the pond, but the small birds are all gone. Still we think of the nice, warm spring time that surely is just around the corner. We are making plans for what we will do when “the weather clears up.”
At least at our house, the garden catalogs are not arriving yet. The big lawn mower started, so that means things are warmer. We sometimes think of those decorative birdhouses and the pretty little birds we might expect them to attract. It is still too wet for our little next door neighbor children to be out playing and coming over to see our dogs. Those are all things we can look forward to when the cold gets us down. If you love winter, enjoy it for a few more weeks. Us lovers of spring are standing here waiting with our garden tools all ready to go!
Pretty Birdhouses
Lately, when we pull into our driveway, I have been noticing a bird nest that remains from the spring. It is not really a pretty sight. However, it was once home to some baby birds who have long since flown farther south. Contemplating that birdhouse set me to thinking. What is our fascination with birdhouses? Is it a memory for us “used to be” little girls of the doll houses we once had? We find birdhouses in all designs. Some are definitely not to be put outside. They might just scare the birds away. But I like them. A lot of other people like them. They are cute or pretty or handsome or whatever you want to use to describe them. If we did not already have a plane for our curio cabinet, I might just fill it with birdhouses. That is enough theorizing about birdhouses. You either like them or you don’t. If you do, you want a sturdy one outside or you have a place inside for the pretty ones. Just enjoy those you have and if you don’t have one, maybe you just need to get one to place in that empty corner cabinet…or outside on the patio.
A Teaching Tool
Being a former teacher and grandmother, it is only natural to think of things as ways to teach. Tiny tots can learn to pick up toys. Children a little older can learn to fold washcloths and small towels. Older children can learn to vacuum and dust. Teenagers can learn to do laundry. Many things come to mind that children can learn just by living in their home and observing. It usually takes an incentive to learn to do things that are not fun in and of themselves. However, these things are necessary to a neat and tidy home.
Thinking of an incentive, brings to mind some wooden birdhouses
that we have had. One stays in the house and is used as a decoration from time to time. Another was built as a tool to help a teenager learn to use a hammer and saw. Wooden birdhouses can be both decorative and useful. Our decorative birdhouse has been home to at least two different birds. The house holds up better than those pretend birds. The outside birdhouse was actually used by some real birds. It is interesting to see them choose and use something you have put out for their comfort and safety. Additional learning was obtained by realizing that birds need food and you can help provide it by putting it on their “porch” while they are gone. It was also a learning tool that birds make messes and that they do not clean them up themselves. That can be done, but is not as much fun as putting out the food and watching the birds. Anyway, using daily life as a learning tool is something we need to do. Using wooden birdhouses that can go inside or outside is one way to do it.
The Simple Charms of Country Life
My wife and I had good reason to move away from the city after identifying as urban dwellers for most of our lives. We both retired within a three-year span and began to find that the hustle and bustle of the city no longer had the same appeal. Rather than feeling in tune with the thrum of activity, I felt as though we were being brushed aside. As our neighborhood gentrified and young hipsters started taking over our favorite bars and restaurants, we felt marginalized.
Moving to a forested area proved to be our salvation. Gone were the nights lying awake thanks to countless blaring car horns and shouting voices. Now the crickets and bull frogs that live on our manmade pond provide a delightful evening lullaby. Best of all, I have the chance to pursue one of my lifelong passions – ornithology. I set up a few wooden birdhouses around the property and enjoy walking from one to the next, taking note of the feathered friends I encounter at each station.
Decorative Birdhouses
A birdhouse is an artificial, man-made structure provided for birds to nest in. Birdhouses are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, but some mammal species such as bats may also use them.
Decorative birdhouses are usually wooden, though some for birds are made from concrete a mixture of wood and concrete. While some are made from metal, these are generally unsuitable for outdoor use, as they can overheat easily in sunshine.