Series after Series after Series (1)

It Is Easier to Make Six Than One

One chair demands a lot of attention.

I found a set of chairs on the curb one day as I returned from a long walk. The four chairs were made of sturdy oak, stained a dark colour, and the Captain's chair was heavy enough by itself to carry home. And it later demanded a lot of attention.

Working on just one birdhouse does the same at times, and I learned by experience that birdhouses feel easier to make if I make 4, 6, 8 or more at a time.

For the sake of having a variety of houses on hand I would follow a white pine series with a red cedar series, then move on to log cabins or small wren houses, etc.

For the sake of variety:

 A well-used house on my front porch

 Time for a new batch of white pine houses

 Three rustic houses on my back deck

 Lots of trim needed for lots of birdhouse

Time for another series

More photos to follow.

Please link to Go Fishing? Maybe Practice the Pole Vault?

Photos GH

The Workshop, Home of Important Repairs (2).

It's a Wreck? No, It has Good Bones.

This rough looking relic almost fell apart in my hands

Photographs prove that I occasionally have some good sense about what can be fixed and what cannot.

Annie Clifford asked if this rough piece of work - almost hidden by plants in her backyard - was worth saving. I knew a lot of it was rotted, or 'gone' - but the four main pieces (front, back, two sides) had lots of character. And I had lots of spare wood.

"Let me take it home, see what I can do," I said.

Good sense? Photos tell the tale:

Looking good. It would have been a mistake to throw out the whole kit and kaboodle : )

Please link to The Workshop, Home of Important Repairs (2)

Photos GH

The Workshop, Home of Important Repairs.

The Big Birdhouse - Stolen, Lost, Found, Repaired

I was happy once the repair job was all done. But...

The Big Birdhouse is looking pretty good as it gets close

to being fully repaired. But....

But my first reactions when I heard the news that the London Majors Birdhouse had been stolen were not pleasant. 

"That's a lot of hours down the drain! Who would do something like that?! Grrrrr. Will I be asked to build a new model? Youch. Be prepared with an answer if somebody calls!"

And while I was thinking about whether or not to start a new Big Birdhouse I learned that a resident of the Labatt Park neighbourhood saw my birdhouse - damaged - out her back window and in her neighbour's yard, and the police had been called and handled the situation. And then I learned the birdhouse was back at Labatt Park but it needed repairs.

The rest is history. I picked it up and did some repairs.

Lotsa Photos from along the way:

The white item under the perch represents the Labatt Park osprey carrying a fish back to its nest atop one of the left field light standards. And I'm pretty sure I put a bit of orange paint on the fish. And I was thinking of creating a cartoon bubble for the fish.... "Help me! Help me!" But I never acted on that thought : )

 Play ball!

And somewhere I have photos of the Big House back at Labatt Park, all safe and sound.

Please link to Go Fishing? Maybe Practise the Pole Vault?

Photos GH