h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was up at eight in the morning so I could bring stuff out to the dumpster during the coolest part of the day. Silly me, I left the front door open to make it easier to get in and out quickly.

A little bird flew into the house through the open door. Maybe a chickadee or a house sparrow. Just a little bird. I doubt that it was there to eat my crackers. It hardly stayed in one place long enough to find out what was worth eating.

This lasted about ten minutes. I decided to just let things take whatever course they were going to. Lo and behold, as I was ocming back to the house from another dumpster trip, I saw the bird fly out.

End of story.

That must have been quite an experience to have a garden bird to fly into your home. At least once a day, I will hear birds singing from the neighbour's mature fern trees but they don't stay long for me to retrieve my binoculars and watch them.

I've had a similar experience. More than once in fact. But these days I only have parts of birds in my house. Right now it's pheasant breasts. And by a tasty coincidence I just found the perfect to marinate them in.

I shall bathe the bird in a Southafrican Tabiso which is a blend of assorted grapes and holds 15% alcohol.

Some people frown at blends. More so when they come in cartons as this one. Bag-in-box as they call it. But this is an excellent blend for its price and can last for months after opening since no oxygen or any other gasses get into the bag when the wine is tapped.

I seem to have misplaced the recipe but will find it in due time. From the top of the head I remember seasoning with juniper berries and laurel leaves and of course salt and pepper. Double cream goes into the sauce also. And mashed potatoes goes well with this.

Usually not the proper season for a dish like this but then neither is our weather at the moment .

This will not stop me from savouring though

I wasn't trying to eat the bird, just re-educate it.

I have nothing that such a bird could really find useful or comfortable. It is better off in the outdoors.

it's also better out in the offdoors.

Of course it is. The times I have had birds inside my houses I have tried as gently as possible to release them into their natural habitats. Luckily I have always succeeded. Same with bees and other critters by the way. Even Wasps. I don't want my house to be a death trap.

I was sad to find a rat which had drowned in my sewer during a cloud burst. Of course I wasn't happy to have rats near me - even if I know they are not only very intelligent and - most important of all - very social beings - but because we have different interests. For instance I don't approve of rats gnawing into my power lines ...

There are mice in my house. I am giving my house a good, solid decluttering. The mice will still find places to hide, but my plan is to give them as little space as possible.

When it comes to gnawing are as bad as rats