How to Afford Birdseed, (Part 2) and a Question...
Hi,
Before we start talking about saving money, Mrs. CapeCodAlan and I have a question for you folks... Below is a picture of a hawk taken in Harwich MA, Oct. 1, 2007... What type of hawk is it? (We think we know, but we'd like your opinions!)
Onward!
Let's see... When last we met we were talking about saving money so that you can afford food for both your birds and yourself. As promised, I'm going to let you in on a few "energy-conservation secrets" from the shadowy world of a retired plumber's helper...
See you by the feeders,
CapeCodAlan
Before we start talking about saving money, Mrs. CapeCodAlan and I have a question for you folks... Below is a picture of a hawk taken in Harwich MA, Oct. 1, 2007... What type of hawk is it? (We think we know, but we'd like your opinions!)
Onward!
Let's see... When last we met we were talking about saving money so that you can afford food for both your birds and yourself. As promised, I'm going to let you in on a few "energy-conservation secrets" from the shadowy world of a retired plumber's helper...
- Actually follow through on government energy conservation tips... Any contractor will tell you that the site I mentioned, (U.S. Department of Energy, Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home) is going to save you a ton of money.
- Pay for initial consulting to assess your home or apartment's energy efficiency... Ask trusted friends, neighbors, co-workers, clergy, real estate agents, etc. for the name of a reputable home inspector, contractor, or handyman. Don't blink at spending $100 or more at this stage of the game. That $100 can save you thousands down the road.
- Once a problem area has been exposed (for example, the heating system), call in the appropriate expert for a consultation and ask what you can do to prep the work area... Yes, this too may cost $100, but it can save you $500 and up. (Years ago, my boss and I went to what we thought would be a "simple clogged-toilet job". When we got to the house, we discovered a cluttered, dirty home crawling with small children and a bathroom with a quarter of an inch of standing, filthy water on the floor. What should have been a simple 1-hr job turned into a 4-hr ordeal. The homeowner paid dearly for that.)
- Offer "sweat equity"... But only do so when you can be more of a help than a hindrance. (Admit outright that you're woefully ignorant, and that you'll simply
do precisely what you're told to do.) Example... The wife and I are replacing our old wood/coal burning stove (pictured below) with a high-efficiency gas fireplace insert.
And one of the uglier jobs in the process is to bore a 1.5" hole through both sides of a cement block located roughly 6 feet off the basement floor as an entry point for the flexible gas piping. To have a pro do it, that's time consuming and therefore expensive. Instead, we bored the holes ourselves and saved quite a few bucks...
No one said it was going to be easy!
- Be proactive, and be timely... Don't let small energy inefficiencies grow into nightmare energy problems, and then call in the pros. You'll pay for that in more ways than one. Contractors really don't like fixing needless messes.
- Offer to barter... Better to spend 4 hrs helping a contractor get his computer running (or getting his garden in order, or performing a root canal, or doing what ever you do) than plunking down for 240 minutes on the couch, watching the one-eyed brain bandit, eating pie, and then writing out a $500 check.
- If your oil or electric heating system is on its last BTUs... Contact the local gas company. Sometimes, there are deals to be had if you agree to switch over to gas. At last check, the local Cape Cod gas company would provide a new "conversion" customer with a top-end furnace for apx. $500 delivered on site...
- Watch for discounts on energy efficient windows... Some gas companies also offer coupons on energy-saving windows.
See you by the feeders,
CapeCodAlan
Comments
Hmmmm, and we're supposed to be able to tell what kind of hawk it is from how far away in a blurry pic? Ok, best guesses - because I can't decide between the two - and if you can pick out the difference in the pic to distinguish it for me I'd appreciate it...1. Red-Tailed Hawk; 2. Red-shouldered Hawk
{CCA responds... Hi Teresa... In the New England area, we typically have 6 types of hawks...
i.) Broad-winged
ii.) Cooper's
iii.) Red-shouldered
iv.) Red-tailed
v.) Rough-legged
vi.) Sharp-shinned
Mrs. CCA and I think the outline of the tail IDs the bird...}
Posted by: Teresa | October 10, 2007 6:17 PM
Well, I think I'm going to have to pass on this one. I chose the red-tailed and the red-shouldered because of the coloring underneath in the picture - but if you're going on the tail - and the fact you listed additional hawks - I'm just out of my league!!
{Mrs. CCA replies... Given the narrow tail, we were thinking it was a Cooper's hawk...}
Posted by: Teresa | October 11, 2007 4:28 PM