Doorbell

On By CarynIn Cats, repair

I purchased a Wyze door bell camera because it gets a camera at the front door, the old door bell doesn’t work, and I already have other Wyze systems.

Photo description: Wyze camera door bell installed in place of the old door bell

I’m pleased with the installation, for I was able to hard wire it with the old door bell wires, following the instructions. The hardest part was finding which breaker turned off the electricity to the doorbell. With it hardwired, and an SD card installed, I have continuous footage without a subscription, so I can see which neighborhood critter keeps marking the front door. I can also check and see if the sound I just heard is Sophie the cat wanting to come back inside (she is not the one marking).

Photo description: the real reason for having a camera, to check on Sophie the cat

The doorbell now makes a doorbell sound, which has been absent at our house for a number of years. The best part is that I did not buy an inside chime, so the noise is just for visitors to feel like they’ve accomplished something. Yes, I’m that kind of introvert. The dog tells us there is someone at the door, and I don’t answer the door unless I know who is there and I knew they were coming over.

Black Welsh Mountain Sheep wool

On By CarynIn Craft

The Black Welsh Mountain Sheep is also on the Livestock Conservancy’s Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em list as a threatened heritage species. I have finished single spinning my 4 ounce sample. It is very nice to spin, and I was able to achieve a nice thin single. My challenge for myself in this spin was switching direction half-way through, so I now have half the wool spun in the S direction, and half in the Z direction.

Photo description: spun Black Welsh Mountain wool on two spindles and one center pull ball, sitting on the original bag from Camaj Fiber Arts, and another bag with a lock of unspun wool

My plan is to do some parallel experiments with the two different spins in weaving, knitting, and crochet, until I run out of wool.

Throwback Thursday: Zentangle

On By CarynIn art

In December 2017 I was very much into my Zentangle doodle phase. I found it paired well with scratch-off art.

Photo description: general shapes etched and doodles started on rainbow backed black scratch-off paper
Photo description: finished doodle with a different pattern in each section of the drawing

The original is long gone. I’m glad I take pictures because I think I enjoy viewing this more now than I did at the time. I’m farther away from the process and don’t remember the “errors.”

Repotting African violets

On By CarynIn Flora, Garden

I was gifted a sprouting mother leaf of an African violet from a dear friend. Turns out that the mother leaf sprouted six new plants. When they had grown for awhile, I separated them out into individual temporary pots, but was unsure where to go next. When cleaning up the back porch I found six little pots that I loved, but didn’t have a use for, so they were sitting outside. Huzzah! I cleaned them up and bought liners so I could bottom water the violets.

Photo description: clear liners for small white and green ceramic pots

The liners didn’t go all the way to the bottom of the pots, so I found some watering wicking rope to help keep the water from pooling on the bottom.

Photo description: small section of water wick placed in the bottom of the pot liner

Then I repotted all the plants into their new homes.

Photo description: new pot with liner on left, old temporary pot on right, red dots on the counter are a reflection of the grow lights shining above

When it comes time to water, I’ll lift out the liner and put water in the bottom of the pot. The technique has been working well for my snake plant!

Watching a rat

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop

I scroll through camera footage to check on my chickens between visits to the coop. Mainly the scrolling is to count them (three) and see where they sleep (separately). I saw a dark blip on the floor as I time jumped, and went back to find a rat.

Photo description: rat on the floor of the coop, circled in purple. There is a hen on the roost, one in a nesting box (middle, behind curtains), and the third hen on a bench on the right.
Photo description: the rat is now climbing the back screen porch. It tried that a couple times. The screen is made of two layers of wire mesh.
Photo description: the rat is now underneath Wing Ding the hen, who can hear it and moves her head to listen, which spooks the rat and it leaves her alone.
Photo description: now the rat is near the nesting boxes where Seashell is sitting, it also leaves her alone.
Photo description: the rat also investigated the work table, peeking out from under the cover.
Photo description: the rat climbed up on the bench with Schmoo, who could also hear the rat and made it think twice about bothering her.

Rats will eat chicken given the opportunity, but not these hens today. Chickens will eat mice and rats, but not this rat today.

How the rat got in is no mystery, I keep the coop door open in the summer for the breeze. There is enough hardware cloth to keep the larger predators out, but not rats. I keep the food stored in a locked metal can, and the feed for the chickens is in a hanging feeder outside the coop area. I have no doubt the rat is able to get to the food outside the coop, rats are clever and dexterous. I think it was curiosity that brought it into the coop, looking for snacks.