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My late mother and step-father enjoyed feeding, housing and watching birds. This winter I liberated a Purple Martin condo from their backyard that Harper erected. Housing up to 12 nests at a time and made of aluminum, it sits on a steel pole and can be lowered for maintenance by a rope and pulley.

It joins the two Bluebird houses I put up last year, our Hokie House, and a Hummingbird feeder outside the back porch that provided no end of amusement for our cats.

In addition, yesterday, finally, I was able to erect our new Bat House. I cut down a nearby recently deceased tree to provide the necessary elevation. It proved more heavy than expected. But I eventually secured it where I hope it will attract a small colony. By providing additional habitat, we may be able to add to our local community of bats which can be seen at dusk reducing the quantity of neighborhood mosquitoes - something, as it turns out, Purple Martins do not.

I think mother and Harper would approve.