Home repair

For the past month I have been working on my house. I am moving to Berkeley in September and the house was still in major construction zone when I got back in late May. It is finally coming together and I have even turned my attention to landscaping.

Two and a half years ago, when the evil contractor Chuck did some work on the basement he left a six foot high pile of dirt in the middle of the yard. Things sprouted and last week it was a jungle. There were weeds 8 feet tall, on top of the 6 feet of dirt. A woodchuck and who knows what else took up residence.

Last week I rented a bulldozer and went to work. In four hours, the pile was gone and had been replaced with raised beds around the side of the yard. Someone was giving away plants, and I spent a few days digging up viburnum and dogwoods. Now the yard is looking good! I even planted grass. Unfortunately, sparrows discovered the lawn. First just a few birds, then a small flock and now I believe half the birds of ithaca are eating my grass seed. I am not sure if all the sparrows ate so much they had millions of babies or if they put something out on the avian equivalent of craigs list: "xxx Farm Street. All the grass seed you can eat. You pick." There is a robin that seems to sit back and watch over the feeding frenzy but never partakes. I bet he is the pimp who is selling my lawn.

So, if you can't beat them, feed em. I bought some bird food to distract the little fuckers. I figured I would get them A+ quality primo food and then they would leave my lawn alone. Oh no, they ignore the feeder and keep feasting on the lawn. $12 bucks worth of deluxe bird food that the birds don't eat, and I am leaving in a month. Maybe I should put lawn seed in the feeder and bird food on the ground. Maybe something will have a chance of sprouting that way.