martins have ruined my life

[Veronica G]

Martins have ruined my life...as I once knew it. My house is a mess, dishes are piled high, I never go out anymore, and if I had children I'm pretty sure child protective services would be at my door asking why my children are running wild. I think about them all day while I'm at work and spend way too much time on the forum (only on my lunch break I promise!). Now I spend my evenings on a lawn chair, binoculars in one hand and air rifle in the other (I've only gotten one sparrow so far - must work on my aim). They even infiltrate my dreams. I had no idea what I was getting into when by boss gave me a purple martin house. I didn't even know what they looked like. Now I don't know what I'm going to do when leave in August. But, I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

[Guest]

Me too Veronica! We are "Die-Hard" martin lovers. They are something else but I have one little granddaughter here I am in love with more but find time to babysit & take care of them beautiful birds too!

[Guest]

Veronica,
Me too! But you failed to mention... your friends, family, and neighbors avoiding eye contact so you won't accidentaly spill the whole day's martin events in a single, 20 minute run-on sentence.

Your BOSS bought your martin house for you?? I bet he didn't know about the hours you can spend (invest) on the forum!

It's a wonderful life! Enjoy your birds!

[Al Denton]

Don't even get me started I didn't even have a pair to look at this year, but no one is more nuts over martins than I am...nobody

[Guest]

Martins, Martins, in the air,
Perches, porches, treetops bare;
Dust on my toothbrush - I don't care,
As long as I have Martins E v e r y w h e r e !

[CMF]

Decisions decisions, do I spend $800.00 on a new dig camera with a long lens or build a new gourd rack for next year. The forum moderators need to have a disclaimer that they are not responsible for this addiction and reduction in productivity.
CMF

[The Olsons]

Veronica,

Welcome to the Forum and great thread you posted
It is always very upsetting when the martins leave after the season, but fortunately we now have Sparky's Rehab Center where we all can recuperate and take care of our depression. I think he is also offering a "dance class" this year for all the different "martin dances" so we are all up to date in that department for next season (welcome back dance, first egg dance, etc.)


Like Kelly said not to forget family,friends and neighbors who avoid eye contact, because they are afraid you start about the martins and never quit....oh, I just remember, I did this to my accountant yesterday. I do not even remember why he initially called.......poor guy

There is also the little white truck probably parked somewhere in your street like in our neighborhoods.....

I am glad that you are enjoying your martins as much as we all do and am looking forward to your posts.
Astrid

[The Olsons]

Liz,

We need to start collecting all your poems and put them in our "Adventures of a Purple Martin Landlord" book.....I love them

Astrid

[TrkrBob1949]

Veronica:

You said, "I never go out anymore," so that must mean that you are single. The answer to your problem is simple:Get yourself a man. A man requires more care than the largest purple martin colony ever could;by the time you get thru waiting on and cleaning up after him, you won't have time for the martins. Plus, you'd be wore slap out if you did. And I'm sure you'd be broke most of the time, too, so you wouldn't have any money for more birdhouses. Yeah, that's the answer to your problem, a man!


Sincerely, Bob Bozeman

[Guest]

At the Senior Center where I take my daily walk, I began to tell an elderly lady about Purple Martins. On and on, many details, all the time thinking she and her husband would have so much to look forward to each day with Purple Martins in the back yard, and the Martins would have a good home.

After about 45 minutes, she told me she had enjoyed my TALK, and now she was going in to play Bingo as that is what she comes for!!!!!!

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Bob:

Are you telling me that the WOMAN is suppose to be taking care of the man? To think; all these years, I have been doing all the cooking, doing the dishes, cleaning the house and all of the yard work. No wonder I don't have any time to watch my martins. Her and I are going to have a long talk this evening; as soon as I get back from walking her dog.

Tim

[Veronica G]

You guys are too funny I'm glad I'm not the only crazy martin person out there.
Bob, don't worry about me. I happen to have a man, and luckily for both of us, he loves the martins as much as I do (he's killed more sparrows than I have). But you are right about one thing - he does require much more time and attention than the largest martin colony ever could! But you are most certainly wrong about the cleaning and cooking and picking up after him! I only do that for my martins because I love them more

Tim: Bob gives bad advice. Don't listen to him

Astrid, sign me up for those classes. I'm definitely gonna be in martin withdrawal

[The Olsons]

Veronica,
You are signed up and glad to here that you also have a supportive hubby....
Astrid

Tim,
You are too funny Please let us know how the "talk" went; if you do it right you might have lots of free time on your hands in the future and just relax and enjoy your martins. You sure sound like a great husband and martin landlord
Astrid

[Mary Dawnsong]

Veronica I refuse to believe your life is utterly ruined if you don't have a nestcam.

Watching and hearing what happens inside a martin compartment is even more fascinating that seeing what happens outside. And with an infrared camera you can watch all night, too.

Add Purple Martin TV to your life 24x7 and your breakdown will be complete.

[Veronica G]

Mary Dawnsong
You're right, having a nestcam would clearly be the end of it all for me I think I should definitely stay away, for my own sake

[Sparky]

I have 2 nestcams! I really don't have a "normal" life 6 months out of the year.

One thing about the nestcams is that I have learned a ton of information on the behavior of these birds you normally never see.