May I recommend
Bird feeders.
In these soft middle years, as I get really into flavoured teas and increasingly worry about the health of my feet, one consolation has been my discovery of birds. Oh sure, I knew about birds before (you probably did too), but now in my forties, I care about birds.
Their beaks are still a little bit scary and their tiny claws are certainly off-putting, but from a distance, say behind a window, looking out into your yard, they are enchanting. The flitting! The cheeping! The squirrel interactions! The sighting of a woodpecker!
Anyway, to up the bird-involvement in your life you need one simple thing: A bird feeder. (Not to brag, but I have two). Fill that bad boy up with seeds (I just get giant bags from the grocery store. If you want to go full “create-your-own-sourdough- starter/ source-recycled-plastic-yoga-pants on this, there is ample room and many fancy ways to get fancy birdseed).
Anyway. Buy the birdseed and now, this is the tricky part, find a bird-feeder that deters squirrels. Those wily little bastards want to eat the birdies’ bird seed but we DO NOT WANT THAT (unless you don’t mind feeding the squirrels, then go nuts -ha!).
The best one that I have found is from my beloved Eastern Townships. You should certainly buy it and support a local business in a tiny, depressed part of the world. That would be a good thing. I am sure there are others, but just buy this one, okay?
Once you’ve gotten your feeder filled, just hang that sucker on a branch or a pole (one of ours is on our clothesline… I know I’m being super braggy right now, but I’ve got one of those, too. )
Once that’s done, just sit back and watch those tiny creatures joyously partake in the bounty you have provided.
Of course, this might just be the pandemic talking, but those feathery little fuckers are wonderful.
What’s your take? Where are you on the bird-love scale? Tell me in the comments below.
Scandalous Euro Art Shenanigans
A Fabergé Scandal Is Brewing In St Petersburg
I’m always interested in juicy international art theft/fraud stories. My forthcoming novel THE HONEYBEE EMERALDS features a mysterious diamond and emerald necklace. This story is particularly good if you want to know about Fabergé eggs, but then also has catty asides about the unlikelihood of Russian Empresses “demeaning themselves” with third rate gems.
The tiara, which fetched more than $100,000, was offered by an unnamed "gentleman of title" and was presented in a fitted case from S.J. Phillips Ltd., a London antique firm. ArtNet reached out to a "a prominent London Fabergé dealer" for an assessment of the tiara. The dealer, who was granted anonymity by the publication, noted, "It is inconceivable that Russian Empresses, with the unmatched Russian crown jewels at their disposal, would demean themselves with composite low-quality tiaras of this type."
This is an excellent time waster
The 101 Best Movie Endings of All Time
Casablanca is only midway through and it’s beaten out by some surprises, including My Best Friend’s Wedding.
I almost missed this Butter Scandal Story
Buttergate: Why are Canadians Complaining About Hard Butter?
I must have missed it because our house is quite cold, so butter never softens at room temperature (until July when it melts because we don’t have central air).
Something is amiss with Canadian butter, according to local foodies, who have been arguing for weeks that their blocks are harder to spread than usual.
Good article on the Joss Whedon controversy
Inside Joss Whedon’s ‘Cutting’ and ‘Toxic’ World of ‘Buffy’ and
I loved Buffy when it aired. I rewatched it a couple of years later and loved it even more. In Pandemic times I considered another rewatch, but I was leery, figuring the “girl power” trope might not be as satisfying… With all of the allegations flying around show creator Joss Weedon, I think I’ll skip the rewatch and just remember the show fondly.
Whedon created a “cult of personality” around himself, according to these sources. Those on the inside of Whedon’s circle basked in his attention, praise and friendship; those on the outside got the opposite: scorn, derision and callousness.
It really is a weird line
Including this to support this week’s bird theme
Heartwarming
Enjoyably low coping skills
Terrifying
Not a cat person, but here for this
TikTok
Nerdy delight. How to pronounce “synecdoche.”
This really made me chuckle. I might have watched it three times. The way it just KEEPS going. “NOOOOOOO!”
I do not approve of the fat shaming inherent in this question, but that little voice…
Particularly fascinating as a short-torso'ed person
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I recently bought Sibley’s Guide to North American Birds, but I don’t know how to use it. If you don’t know what bird you’re looking at, how do you look it up in an index? The only birds I recognize in our yard are cardinals and sparrows (or something sparrow-like). Those, plus the dozens of pigeons roosting in an alcove in our neighbour’s top floor in the alley between our houses. We don’t have a bird feeder because we already have skunks, tomcats, raccoons, squirrels and possums frequenting our backyard. The last time I put bird seed out (in our old house), it attracted rats. I have enough vermin. I’m not lucky enough to have a fancy clothesline to hang a feeder on.
At first I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with that house , then I clicked on the photos. And did a little yelp when I saw.