Bay view bird houses

For as long as I can remember these birdhouses have been here.  We’re talking many years.  Passing by them this spring on a daily basis to and from work made me think I’d like to photograph them, but they’re on private property so I knew I had to ask permission.

Just my luck the gentleman who owns the home happened to be outside one morning so I stopped in and introduced myself.

Robert and I talked for quite a while.  Turns out he is 80 years old and he’s lived here for 50 years! He was quite the character telling me about his wife, her son who is ill with Parkinsons disease and the support group his wife started, how the business next door used to be a barn, and much more.

I asked Robert if these were new birdhouses because I didn’t remember them being so brightly colored.  He told me they were the same old houses but he took all the houses down during the winter, repainted and cleaned them out, and put them all back up in the early spring.  He also said at one time a local paper had put a photo of his birdhouses on their front page, but that was years ago.

We talked about the birds too, of which he mostly gets Sparrows. Birds were definitely the theme here.  Even inside his 3-season back porch was all about the birds.

I’m telling you Robert might be 80 but he was full of life! Always on the go (he was rarely home) and he had me laughing with his quick wit and sense of humor.  I’ve always enjoyed talking with older people anyway.

 

I can’t imagine having this view for 50 years, can you?

 

Robert wasn’t sure how old his house is but he guessed around 100-150 years old. Being that it has a brick foundation I would say at least 100 years. Cute little place though.

 

* Love this funky photo re-do!