New home models for 2007

I went out yesterday morning to evict the winter tenants (field mice) from the bird houses, and decided that the old houses were getting really in bad shape. I had a bunch of 1x6 short lumber left over from a miscalculated bookshelf project, so yesterday was "slap together some birdhouses" day. I made 4 to replace the 4 rotted out ones, plus one for my mom. I will probably make a few more later.

I've always planned on making a largish bat house, but we really don't have any place on our property that's a suitable place to put a house. I'd have to erect a telephone pole somewhere to get up the 16 feet that it really should be at.

The house on the left is the old one I went by to make the new ones. It was in the best shape of the bunch. It's hard to see in the photo without going to the full size, but the mice ate a couple of entry holes in the roof. I could probably slap a new roof on that and use it another 5 years. That roof has a great collection of lichen growing on it.


If you're worried about the field mice, I noticed the dog sniffing madly around the brush pile a few yards away, so I think they're camping out there until they find a summer hut. It's pretty windproof due to layers of evergreen brush, and I'm sure the sun warms it nicely in the daytime.

Snowbirds return

Sandhill cranes and killdeer have now both been sighted/heard here. Of course the stupid dog doesn't like birds as big as she is so she charged the cranes. I told her off for doing it but it's never stopped her in the past, she just looks abashed and 30 seconds later is chasing the next thing that wanders by.

The four birdhouses are up. I really need to go get longer bolts; I had to saw off a couple of the old ones and all I had were 2.5" long bolts, which barely reach. I don't want a house to fall while occupied.

In other news on this sunny warm day (currently 43*F) I did some long-overdue adjustments on my bike, postponed due to not wanting to fiddle with things in the snow. The front shifter is back in operation and the brakes are tight again. I have toyed with the idea of taking off the studded tires. That's a sure recipe for snow/ice but it's SOOO tempting... I love my studded tires because they allow me to ride at all in the winter, but when I don't NEED them I hate having them on.

I hope the ground thaws before long. I want to get the new garden plot turned once while it's still a mudbath, before it turns to rock.