"Necessity is the mother of invention" was one of my mother's favorite sayings. It was usually said with a crow of triumph and a pat on her own back. I grew up with parents who were children of the Great Depression. They knew how to save and stretch money. Recycling was just the way everyone lived and very little was ever actually thrown away. If we needed something, Mom or Dad might have a way of making a reasonable facsimile rather than buying it new. Over the years, it became more a challenge than a necessity, I think, because times and family finances did change.
But, the habit of re-purposing items still is part of my life. I get the same charge out of 'inventing' that my mother did and the saying always runs through my head. I could go out and buy the thing at the store but it's way more fun to make it myself.
Here we had a hanging basket we were reluctant to get rid of. The birds need a bath in the summer. So, voila! add an old ceramic pie plate, a few plants and you have a bird jacuzzi. Oh, yeah, I forgot. You do have to invest in some irrigation tubing for the 'fountain'. It's our garden water feature...a great invention.
7 comments:
I love that!! I have one of those baskets I'm not using (the plants always seem to dry out too fast in them) and that's a great idea. Do you have some type of pump for the water?
Oh, this is just wonderful, so lovely! And the cats can't get at them, either! I did click to get a better look, but can't see a fountain, did you put one in? I imagine that would keep the water fresh all the time.
Ginny - The fountain is really just the drops of water coming from the little hose. It hangs above - out of sight in the photo - and the chickadees drink right from the tube.
Rose - this is one-way water. In the summer, it's on a constant but very slow drip into the pan. I know it's not a good thing where water is in short supply. I think a pump could be used but don't ask me how that would work. Mechanics isn't my strong point.
What a great idea for a birdbath and looking at the photo the little birds think so too.
I agree, it is more fun to make something like this than to buy one.
I have never heard of Thrills, so It must just be in Canada. Sounds like something I would love! So are they your Chicklet story? You can't find them anymore?
You are right, there are also good parts of this economic downturn -one is that that we are less focused on buy, buy, buy! And another is that we are more creative in recycling our things!
This bird bath is so romantic and cute!
Great idea, now do I have an old empty basket? Might have to use anew one. I love your birds. Yesterday I watched (from the window) a Willy Wagtail having a bath.
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