Dubbing Around the Edges

When I'm working on projects and getting things done, but not working on the things that I think are most central to getting the JayBee project done... I call it "dubbing around the edges." I should be finishing the walls and ceiling inside the JayBee, but I cannot work on those things until the JayBee gets leveled up. It's too muddy underneath the JayBee to level it up, so I've been working on other things. In other words, dubbing around the edges.

For example, this birdhouse, that was gifted to me as a tiny JayBee, fell apart over the winter. I never did find the other gable peak that goes on the back side of the roof...

...but I managed to put the rest of it back together. It's a little weather beaten--as is the original, I guess, so maybe it's fitting.

On my way out to the JayBee many days ago, I noticed this little drop of mud on the front step.

Doesn't look like much, I know, but I instantly knew what it was. It was a clear sign of housebuilding activity. I looked up...

...and there was the beginning of a new nest. Aargh! I knocked it down, and washed all this mud off the side of the house.

Two days later, on the other side of the front door, was this new creation.

I knocked down the start of this new nest as well. I've been thoroughly checking under the eaves of the house every day since. So far, no new nests. That may be because there are new nests on the old house.

I have decided to let these two nests stay where they are for this season. Maybe this will save me from having to be quite so vigilant and ruthless about protecting the JayBee.

In the meantime, we had some warm days--so I've got everything set up so I can use the awning on the front of the JayBee during this building season.

We had snow yesterday! And this whole weekend is blustery and unseasonably cold. I could not  make myself document the snow with photos; I'd rather pretend it just did not happen. Waking up to the snow in early May did prompt this memory, though. I can remember studying for finals during a college spring semester when we were hit with a snowstorm. I did the research yesterday to confirm that 43 years ago to the day (May 9, 1977), Ithaca, New York, was hit with a snowstorm.

Some years ago, I installed this block to serve as a stop for the sliding bathroom door.

It worked fine, but it was permanently installed so it partially blocked access to the storage space behind it.

I woke up on Saturday morning two weeks ago with an idea for a better way to install a door stop for the bathroom sliding door. (I cannot begin to explain how these things percolate in the recesses of my brain only to surface randomly as full-fledged ideas.) I decided that a stop installed with french cleats would work better.

Step one: I removed the existing block.

I built a new door stop--with cleats on one side.

Then I installed matching cleats on the stud.

It's done! It effectively stops the sliding door from sliding any further back into the wall. And it's removable; I can easily lift it off the cleats when I want open access to the space behind it.

When out on my walks, I've been keeping an eye on this nearby bald eagle nest. The nest has been restored and enlarged for use this season. I've seen eagles up there, but I haven't been able to snap a photo of them up there yet.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!