Friday, August 14, 2009

A bigger home for our smallest bird

Before all the chickens and turkeys, before the guineas or the geese, the first and only bird we brought with us when we moved to Ecotone was tiny Lucile, my pet cockatiel, who was actually CJ's birthday present to me last October. Since then, she's been living in a cage, first in my tiny Nashville apartment, and now here in the outdoors. But that cage is just too small, and she seemed cramped in it.

This inspired me to build her something new to live in, and this is what I constructed: a curvy organic shape made of five diamond shape panels of chicken wire, with bamboo poles as perches. Best of all, it hangs from the walnut tree!

You can barely see Lucile in this photo, she is a light-colored speck on the lowest perch. The basket at the bottom of the cage contains her food and water, as well as a brick to help keep the whole apparatus stationary as the breeze blows.

Congratulations Lucile, on moving in to your new home. Maybe now--with all this newfound extra space--we'll be able to get you a boyfriend...

3 comments:

  1. This is lovely! Great work. Can't wait to see it up close.

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  2. The new home looks really nice. Am happy to learn about all the great stuff that is happening in your life Jen. Lonnie and I are settling in well but do miss our family and friends in Nashville. We will be in Nashville in November and will definitely look you up then. Tell C.J I said hello!

    Sonalini

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  3. CJ/Jen: Thank you for the Turkey experience for Thanksgiving. It was incredibly enriching. Several of my friends and colleagues have expressed interest in participating next year. Happy New Year. Susan

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