Get a Better One!

My father was an unknowing philosopher. He had various favorite rules of life (if work was fun, someone would do it for free), but didn’t know they were philosophy. One was “if you love something, and either lose it or someone takes it and you can’t find them and beat them to a pulp, get a better one”. I am a particular believer in the latter wise belief, so when someone swiped a bird I had made for my wife out of junk (reported on in a previous post), I could not find out who, and it did not seem a large enough theft to report to the FBI, so it was necessary to make at least a replacement, if not a better one. The result is shown at the left, and now sits splendidly overlooking our second floor deck and fastened securely to earth. Since I had much of the original material, it is the same as the first one, except for redder eyes, a different shaped head, and a better tail.

But that did not seem adequate, so I decided to make another one. Since my wife is often working in her garden, and I in my shop, our house doorbell doesn’t always do much good for visitors. Some time ago I suggested an outdoor klaxon (like submarines use before diving) instead of the indoor bell, but was vetoed. So I hung up an old-fashioned farm bell (see picture to the right). Hauling on the rope definitely lets us know someone is at the door, whether inside or outside. But I decided to add to that, and hung a no- longer-usable bottomless small welding gas tank by the back door with a stick beside it. (see left below) Hitting the tank with a stick also sends a noticeable signal. But not as splendid as the front door bell. So a few years ago I got another cylinder that was larger and cut the bottom off, thinking I would make a two-toned bell. But the cylinder was much thicker than I expected, so it made more of a clunk than a bell tone. So I put it in my “assorted metal things” pile and went on to other projects.

But I noticed while replacing my purloined bird that it could be a bird body , and right next to it was a scythe blade that could be a beak………..etc.etc.etc. The result is shown below. It is still under construction, but definitely bird-like. I apologize for the lack of legs, but after all, penguins don’t show much leg. And now I feel like I made up for the loss I received after some scum-ball(s?) stole my old bird. But fear not, some day I will find them.