Quail.come in Silicon Valley
Saturday May 21st 2011, 8:44 pm
Filed under: To dye for,Wildlife

My husband says I can’t call him Dan nor a derivative of such, that would make him from Indiana and he’s a California quail.

Point.

Changing the subject, my mom mentioned once, and I pass the word along for whatever it’s worth, that pouring boiling water down a drain was an environmentally healthy way to unblock it, and that doing so once a month, good maintenance.

Well hey. (I know, there’s a $3500 tree root job needing doing, but it’s just this one sink in the immediate term.) Let’s try at least.

What began as a thought at the first pot of water carried clear across the house quickly became action: why not use that heating-up for something I want? I’d had some yarn and a project that had needed dyeing for some time; a little pink in the sink never hurt anything. And that colourmart yarn that was a tad dark? I simmered it, guessing it to have been done in reversible dyes and it was; my midnight navy is now a happy dark-while-it’s-still-damp royal blue.

The drain is running slightly faster. There is a fine lace scarf blocking in a beautiful new burgundy from the previous taupe-brown and two skeins drying and I am very very happy with how they came out. All kinds of housework got done between water-carrying stints and that Malabrigo hat is finished, too.

We were off after that to a friends’ house for a dinner party.

Coming home, there was my quail, meandering about. Made me smile. I guess maybe this really is where he’s choosing to call home now after all; I like that.

I meandered about too, inside.

Finally, I came down and sat down at the computer a moment, my chair seven feet from the window, wondering where he might be now. That male quail immediately came *running*, so fast that he skidded on the concrete and one foot went right out from under him but he recovered fast and dignity reclaimed came right up against the window at the closest point right there–and looking in a few minutes, his head turning this way and that then facing straight on, the dear little thing sang to me.

When I made mamamama gestures back as if I were singing silently in return, he puffed out his chest and repeated himself.

It was so sweet. I am so charmed. But–dude…

I’m so sorry to have to break it to you. You’re just not my kind.


9 Comments so far
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You win. You have the cutest quail. Who can beat that? Are these ever kept as pets? He’s definitely enamoured of you…

If the drains are blocked because of other things than tree roots, there is nothing better than stuffing a cup of bicarbonate of soda in the hole, followed by cup of vinegar. Stand back and watch it fizz. Ideally, you let that mixture do its magic overnight and next morning you pour a kettle of boiling hot water down that drain.

Comment by tinebeest 05.21.11 @ 11:03 pm

Awww! Your quail has a crush on you! LOL!

Comment by Jody 05.22.11 @ 5:18 am

Maybe he was singing for his supper?

Comment by Channon 05.22.11 @ 6:14 am

Calvin Quail? Maybe he just wants to do a duet with you.

Comment by Don Meyer 05.22.11 @ 9:51 am

Oh my…what a delight! Now as to the drain? I also find that vinegar and baking soda seems to help my drains.
🙂

Comment by Knitnana 05.22.11 @ 10:12 am

Did you know about this “quail”?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387131/plotsummary

Comment by LynnM 05.22.11 @ 1:01 pm

You aren’t quailified for the role?

Comment by Lanafactrix 05.22.11 @ 6:05 pm

I love the dual purpose use of the water! My SIL lives in northern AZ and she has moved us all along the road to water conservation, even living in the water-rich Midwest as we do. Even if we have plenty, it still has to be treated at the sewage treatment plant, so less going there is less of those resources used.

And I swear you are an animal charmer.

Comment by twinsetellen 05.23.11 @ 6:56 pm

Hm… Think that’s a tame quail that’s lost his home?

Comment by Nancy 05.24.11 @ 11:58 am



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