|
|
|
Welcome to Shaggy's Nut Shack! Technically, Shaggy’s Nut Shack was officially founded about 37 minutes ago when my girlfriend Tracy came up with the name while we were out on a walk. I do this because I really enjoy, and simply have fun building things. I do this so that a critter who winds up moving into one of my houses can avoid getting soaked during the next rain storm, be able to avoid a predator or not be blown out of its nest during the next blizzard. I do this so that critters have a place to go where there’s going to be a food supply (It’s up to you to keep the feeders full!!!), and so they have something to entertain both them and you. If you purchase one of my creations, thank you from all of the critters who will benefit. So how did the Nut who goes by the name Shaggy every Halloween decide to start the Shack? Well…. During the spring and summer of 2020 (….and fall and winter….) neither Tracy nor I cared to roll the dice on catching COVID-19, so we stayed home the vast majority of the time. Mornings before work, during lunches and after work were spent in our backyard sitting on our deck or out by the fire pit. I had built and put up a couple of bird houses and we had a bird feeder, plus we noticed that a squirrel had a nest high up in one of our ash trees. That squirrel, which Tracy named Betty, got very used to us being out there, and we were both able to hand feed her pretty quickly. We also noticed that she seemed to be getting a little pudgy. Indeed babies were on the way. Not too long after that we figured she needed a better house. Sticks, leaves and part of a plastic bag seemed like it might be uncomfortable for an expecting mom. The next thing we know we’d spent most of a Saturday designing on the fly, and building a mansion of a squirrel house complete with a wrap-around porch and a shingled roof. Getting this rather heavy contraption up in the tree and securing it was somewhat of a challenge, but I’m sure our neighbors got a kick out of watching it happen. Although Betty never moved in (others now reside there), it became fun to try my hand at designing and building things for the back yard. First a peanut feeder for the squirrels, then an ear of corn feeder for them. After a while longer some strange looking new birdhouses came out of my shop, and eventually a top fill bird feeder that has suet cages on each end, a squirrel picnic table and a rope bridge for the squirrels to be able to go from tree to tree easier. I had a few requests to make some bird houses, and squirrel feeders for some friends to give as gifts. The gifts went over pretty well, and it was suggest that I try selling them. So here we are. Pitter patter. I make everything out of cedar so that there is little to no maintenance needed. All of the wood that I use is very rough cut, so there might be a little gap here or there. I call that character. Some think I’m a character. Some think I’m Nuts. Thanks for visiting the Shack. Shaggy
|
|
