Al Russell (our elder in Lewisville) makes awesome birdhousesAfter church a couple of Sundays back, I was talking to the elder, Al R. (we meet in his home), about the doll house business my father ran for many years. He told me he made birdhouses that were similar. I thought that was nice and interesting, but did not think much of it. Then he texted me a picture of his work and I was completely amazed. It is not just that they are beautifully done with a lot of ornate rock work, but the houses are weatherized so they can handle the outside, too.

Our new place in Centralia (keeping our fingers crossed) is a perfect place for birdhouses. We are right in the middle of a forested area with a river (with salmon and steelhead in it) just a quarter of a mile away as the crow flies. Al only makes them for fun to give to friends and family. I am going to have to be on especially good favor if I want to ever commission him for one. We absolutely need to have some bird feeders and some birdhouses, but my understanding is that to have any success with them, you have to do war with the squirrels. I suppose that is true everywhere.

There is enough wildlife in the area that the porch should be a great place to just sit with a pair of binoculars, a telescope and a camera. There are black bears, bobcat, mountain lion, deer, elk, etc. all over that part of Washington, but we really do love to watch the birds, too.