Birdhouse

While we've had a couple of unusually sunny days last week, it's your typical Arcata day today, soft, grey skies muting the town. Construction work continues at Casa Dos Perros. Washing, painting, sorting, ripping, filling, caulking, more filling, sanding, more painting... There are a couple of guys upstairs sanding down the hardwood floors. This year we've actually been able to hire out some of the work. In the past, because we came during the summer, all the contractors were all booked up.

A Blackbird Family has taken up residence in the shack in our backyard.
"Studio. Not 'shack'," says Big Dog. Well, you tell me. Here's a photo of the structure, partially hidden behind the apple tree, on a prettier day.









Lots of people have lived here for years, but it is rather spartan. They have to walk across the yard to use the facilities in the house

But for the Blackbirds, it might be quite the mansion. The inside of the studio is untouched, but they've found a nice little nook between the walls. They come and go through a knothole in the outer wall. It's kind of like a magician's hat, with a false bottom. The birds fly into the cabin, but...look! No birds inside!

They keep me happily distracted from the aches and pains in my shoulders and neck these cold, cloudy days.