29 Winter Days Remaining

Spring is showing it's face little by little in our neck of the woods. My bulbs have broken through the ground and there are buds on the tree outside our dining room window. The other day I saw a beautiful, bright red cardinal hopping from branch the branch, like he was claiming his territory.


Today I hung the birdhouse. After the staining, varnishing and assembling of those seven little pieces of wood, it had finally become a semi-recognizable object, and it was a proud moment. Siena just stared during the staining phase, grabbed during the varnishing, and left the room once the hammering began. Ideally, we would have built it together as a family, but Juan was too busy studying and applying for a scholarship, and I got too anxious.

This was also a strategic project. The purpose of the birdhouse was not just for entertainment or aesthetics, but also to keep the birds from pooping on our front walk. Hopefully, now they will just keep it near the tree; this also means near the tulips--there is always a price to pay.