Fine Feathered Friends
19/04/17 07:58
I admit to being a sucker for high tech gadgetry. The bigger, the better, the more resounding the bells and whistles, the happier I am. Voice controls, interactive screens, consistent feedback, it's all there for the taking. I'm talking about my new car. The new car that in all likelihood Nancy may end up driving more than me but that's a discussion for another day. Or, is it? We're going to the dealership today not to buy the car but rather so that Nancy can have another test drive. How many test drives do you need? For the record, this will be her second test drive. I'm more than satisfied with the one test drive I took but understand Nancy's desire to take another spin. Why she is so interested in the car that I've already decided I want is another question.
When you move up the dollar scale in terms of what you are willing to pay for a car it goes without saying that it becomes more about aesthetics than utility. This particular vehicle passes every conceivable threshold when and where it comes to utility and aesthetics. It lacks the pretentiousness of some of the higher end models like the BMW's, Mercedes, and Jaguars, but is a capable competitor nonetheless. I'm less interested in how quickly the car goes from zero to sixty mph than I am on how it feels getting to that speed. Is it going to piss and moan the entire time or is it going to whisper sweet somethings in my ear every inch of the way. It has to feel right and this car feels right. Then again, other cars I've bought in the past have felt right and others I've been interested in have felt right. In retrospect, I'm glad I never bought one or more of them. Maybe I want my fascination to be an enduring one in a world that is otherwise sadly ephemeral at its core. Love interests come and go and I suspect this one will lose its luster over time as well. For now, both Nancy and I are in the get-to-know you phase with this car. Where she and I are on that continuum varies widely on any given day and at any given moment. That should surprise no one.
We had our eye on this little birdbath of sorts in the last month or so and thought that it might be a nice complement to our many bird feeders here and there on our property. It would provide a source of fresh water to our fine feathered friends year round. We would need a model with a heater for the winter months and we would have to stay on top of providing fresh cool water during the hot summer months. The one store we visited had a few different baths varying in size, color, cost, and capability. All were reasonably priced and any one or more of them would be a nice addition to that which already have on hand.
With that in mind, I've begun to pay more attention to the sources of water currently available to the birds and I am perhaps not surprised that they are rather resourceful when it comes finding a drink when they need one. I saw one little fella drinking from the handle on a plastic tub sitting on our back porch where rain water had accumulated. I wouldn't have even noticed that water had accumulated there had I not seen the bird sipping generously from the handle. I found yet another bird sipping from the water accumulating in my gutters which have been clogged since last Fall with leaves that have no doubt since turned to sludge. How they determine which sources of water hold the most promise and least amount of risk I'll never know. Bugs or other invertebrates either seen or unseen may be a plus and part of the allure depending on which nutrient is most in demand. In other words, these bird are more resourceful that we can probably ever imagine so wanting to add to that array of sources may be an exercise that benefits me more than it does the birds. Nonetheless, it is an admirable goal and will not be shirked for lack of a good rationale. In the interim, I've placed a ceramic pie plate out on the back porch and, not surprisingly, have seen birds here and there enjoying a sip or two. Just what the doctor ordered!
When you move up the dollar scale in terms of what you are willing to pay for a car it goes without saying that it becomes more about aesthetics than utility. This particular vehicle passes every conceivable threshold when and where it comes to utility and aesthetics. It lacks the pretentiousness of some of the higher end models like the BMW's, Mercedes, and Jaguars, but is a capable competitor nonetheless. I'm less interested in how quickly the car goes from zero to sixty mph than I am on how it feels getting to that speed. Is it going to piss and moan the entire time or is it going to whisper sweet somethings in my ear every inch of the way. It has to feel right and this car feels right. Then again, other cars I've bought in the past have felt right and others I've been interested in have felt right. In retrospect, I'm glad I never bought one or more of them. Maybe I want my fascination to be an enduring one in a world that is otherwise sadly ephemeral at its core. Love interests come and go and I suspect this one will lose its luster over time as well. For now, both Nancy and I are in the get-to-know you phase with this car. Where she and I are on that continuum varies widely on any given day and at any given moment. That should surprise no one.
We had our eye on this little birdbath of sorts in the last month or so and thought that it might be a nice complement to our many bird feeders here and there on our property. It would provide a source of fresh water to our fine feathered friends year round. We would need a model with a heater for the winter months and we would have to stay on top of providing fresh cool water during the hot summer months. The one store we visited had a few different baths varying in size, color, cost, and capability. All were reasonably priced and any one or more of them would be a nice addition to that which already have on hand.
With that in mind, I've begun to pay more attention to the sources of water currently available to the birds and I am perhaps not surprised that they are rather resourceful when it comes finding a drink when they need one. I saw one little fella drinking from the handle on a plastic tub sitting on our back porch where rain water had accumulated. I wouldn't have even noticed that water had accumulated there had I not seen the bird sipping generously from the handle. I found yet another bird sipping from the water accumulating in my gutters which have been clogged since last Fall with leaves that have no doubt since turned to sludge. How they determine which sources of water hold the most promise and least amount of risk I'll never know. Bugs or other invertebrates either seen or unseen may be a plus and part of the allure depending on which nutrient is most in demand. In other words, these bird are more resourceful that we can probably ever imagine so wanting to add to that array of sources may be an exercise that benefits me more than it does the birds. Nonetheless, it is an admirable goal and will not be shirked for lack of a good rationale. In the interim, I've placed a ceramic pie plate out on the back porch and, not surprisingly, have seen birds here and there enjoying a sip or two. Just what the doctor ordered!