Our bird feeder has been worse for ware for quite some time. I first took notice of this in winter when I was filling it up with sunflower seeds. Took a mental note to repair it, then nothing happened. Well, to be fair the birds kept coming and coming well into mid June and with everything that was going on, I just put it off.

Recently I was tending to the rose bush next to it when I noticed again how dilapidated it looked. The entire structure seemed wobbly and the twig roof was coming apart. Every time there was a strong wind I’d find pieces of it lying around on our terrace. To be honest, it looked gray and old. And no wonder, if I think about it, it is now 12 years old! So finally, I decided not to wait another season, and gave myself the task to mend the little feeder.

I decided I’ll start fresh and go back to the bare structure. Taking the twig roof off was easier than expected, because the twine simply came apart in my hands. You could say it was time to do this renovation.

We always have lots of branches, twigs lying around the garden. Either because of an overzealous dog who breaks this or that off at the heat of the moment, or violent winds that rip through the trees and bushes, or the scheduled pruning. So I collected some from (cough, raided) my dad’s stash and got myself some shapely branches and twigs.

And the rest? It was an extra screw and nail here, a little hammering there and then just zen. Twig arrangement, lots of twine and it almost felt like a little ikebana.

I am pleased with how the little house turned out! It looks fresh and shapely from the in and the outside. And I now have the added piece of mind that the feeder is not going to collapse right on top of an unsuspecting tit. I would never forgive myself!