Mom & I were having a chat yesterday about ‘the birds’. The former owners have a bird feeding ‘station’ out from the bay window. It’s a heavy post (4x4) with a wooden tray on top - no water drainage so it’s a mess of water-soaked seed hulls. There are two small feeders sitting on the tray that end up in the yard - I suspect Mr. Possum is the culprit. I don’t like this setup & would like to remove the whole thing, but that post isn’t budging. This goes on the “thinking about it” list.
Hummers - we are going to hang the feeders off the porch in front of the bay window. My SIL has a similar arrangement & I love watching the hummers from ‘up close’. I checked the migration map & there are a few sightings north of us, but to the east - they haven’t made it to the west for most of the state.
Roofers working on the balcony off the 2nd floor worked all day yesterday, left at dark & were back at 8 am this morning. The slate work hasn’t started yet. It’s 41, feels like 36 with the breeze - on a roof is not a great place to be. I am doing yard work today (again, still cleaning debris/mowing - will it ever end?), but I am waiting until it warms up a bit.
The last 2 days have been ‘eventful’....
Roofers arrived Friday morning to repair the slate roof (62 yo, normal wear & tear) & replace the waterproof membrane that had disintegrated on the 2nd floor porch/balcony. They worked until dark on the membrane issue & were back at 8 yesterday morning. Work on the membrane continued & cracked, slipped slate shingles were replaced or returned to their place & secured. The ‘boss’ had estimated 30 shingles needed work, but it turned out to be 60! Ridgeline is OK & all the flashing.
The ancient storm door had to be removed so it wouldn’t scrape the new membrane/floor. I either need a new one or I am thinking of replacing the French door (interior door quality & lock is like a bedroom door lock which doesn’t want to work) with a French door that is for an exterior entrance, can handle weather & not leak rain, & has a decent lock.
Weather was cloudy, windy, temps in the 40’s, windchill in the 30’s. I had moved the mower so the dump trailer could be put in a convenient place. On this mower, we leave the key in, but in my haste/confusion, I pulled it out .... couldn’t get it back in all the way. Bottom line, I got some lubricant & cleaned the key, sprayed a bit in the ignition & the key goes in enough to start the mower. I see a potential new ignition switch in my future.
So working on the ignition, I was sitting on the mower. I have a very nice cover, which I had put on because we were also having rain, snow & graupel showers. The cover was pulled half off to work on the key/switch & when I went to get off, in trying to avoid the cover, I got my feet tangled up & fell/toppled off the mower. The only thought was to avoid landing on my knees, which I did manage to do - pretty much chest planted in the grass. It wasn’t enough to knock the wind out of me, but scary all the same. I’ll be paranoid about getting off the mower for a while.
Sleep was escaping me last night, thinking about all the things I needed to move (garage to basement, garage to shop, truck load to shop/garage) & it finally got so bad that I got up at 12:20 am & got it all done by 3 am. The ‘sandman’ came sometime before 4.
It’s a beautiful Spring day, 50’s going to 60’s & I am going to do my best to finish up clearing debris & mowing. The birds are having a fabulous time - Robins are finding worms like crazy with all the rain we’ve had & the male Bluebird is showing off his aerobatic skills chasing down flying insects. I may have to indulge in a 15 minute ‘sun soak’ ... the warmth feels so good after the last couple of very chilly days.