Tag Archives: Squirrel

The Birdfy Feeder Ebony | Yeah, I got another one.

Posted on by Standard Reply

So, I have been testing the Birdfy Feeder Cyan & Birdfy Nest Cyan (both Walmart exclusive) for a while, and the Cyan feeder’s built-in solar panel recently popped out of the roof. I’m guessing a raccoon was trying to open the lid. I posted about it in the Netvue Birdfy Community Facebook Group, and Birdfy reached out right away to offer a replacement. The Cyan and the nest that I had been testing had the Birdfy 2 camera installed, Not sure if the replacement has that, or a camera more like the original Birdfy Feeder or Birdfy Camera.

Birdfy Feder Cyan - Test Model with Popped Solar Panel
WANTED: 🦝

They sent a Birdfy Feeder Ebony as a replacement, and the construction is notable better than the test run! This one has a magnet mount so you can access the camera without having to have an empty feeder (which is one of the issues that I had reported to them on the test run), and this solar panel mount can swivel and it’s hinged so you can find the best angle for your location. This feeder is great if you’re looking to test out Birdfy products. It has a matching Birdfy Nest Ebony too!

Birdfy Feder Ebony
Birdfy Feder Ebony
The Naughty Gnome Noshery
The Naughty Gnome Noshery
Birdfy Feeder Ebony & Birdfy Camera pointed at the squirrel feeder.
Birdfy Feeder Ebony & Birdfy Camera pointed at the squirrel feeder.

That’s a Birdfy Cam behind the ebony feeder pointed at my squirrel feeder picnic table.

Birdfy Feeder Ebony Close-Ups
Birdfy Feeder Ebony Close-Ups
The Naughty Gnome Noshery
The Naughty Gnome Noshery – Sign on the perch & the gnomes it’s named after.

I already got a Cardinal visiting:

Tell me about your setup! Do you have a Birdfy or other camera feeder? I have been looking hard at the Bamboo Feeder & Polygon Nest, the Metal Feeder, the Hummingbird Feeder, & the Bird Bath. Although, maybe I should slow down.

I currently have up & running:

Full disclosure, I get a small comission if you make a purchase using my affiliate link. I have been very fortunate to be able to test & provide feedback for Birdfy products. I also have a bunch of blog posts about Birdfy… like So, I guess I’m a birdwatcher?, I got to test a new camera bird feeder, & More Bird & Squirrel Videos. Of course there’s my YouTube playlist too.

If you have any questions about any of the products that I own, pop them into he comments and I will do my best to answer. I may even be able to help with mounting or what kind of seed mix. I can’t offer support or how to be a product tester, you would have to contact Birdfy for that.

🐦🕊️🪶🐦‍⬛🦜

🌱 Round 2? | Garden 3 : Slugs 0

Posted on by Standard Reply

Die, slugs! Die! Recently I had an issue with what appears to be slugs going to town on the bean & pepper plants in my vegetable garden. It has been rather wet lately. It certainly could be other nefarious garden pests, but I may have a prejudice for these creepy little mollusks thanks to my shellfish & mollusk food allergies.

In with the shellfish thing, I’m weird about diatomaceous earth. It; seems like breathing it in can be sus, and it can be harmful to bees. I have crushed up some egg shells and strewn them about, but I’m not certain how effective that is. I try to always rinse them well & add to my compost anyway.

I decided to make some slug traps out of stuff from the recycling bin & a PBR. It was weird to buy 1 can of beer. I rarely drink any more & didn’t need a case or a 6-pack. I did finish off what was left of the 24 oz. can after I baited the traps though.

Slug Traps made from garbage and baited with beer.
🚫🐌

I used two empty sour cream tubs, an empty cottage cheese tub, an iced tea jug, & a coffee container. We are perpetually excepting rain, so that’s why I made the covers. I made the cuts very quicky & very sloppy with my pocketknife because I’m impatient at times and of course decided to do this as the sun was going down.

I probably should anchor the covers somehow… but they have not blown away yet.

This morning, I counted 3 slugs overcome by a compulsion to consume delicious fermented hops.

Can you find the 3 dead slugs?
Can you find the 3 dead slugs now?

So, there you have it. Something that works. Unlike the supposed magical marigold repellant.

Pour one out for the dead slugs, and drink to their memory as you listen to my Beer 🍻 playlist. Or, if you wanna get crazy, I have a Pabst Blue Ribbon 🥇 playlist. Why are there so many songs that name drop PBR? All I can think of that mentions Yuengling is Nerf Herder’s “New Jersey Girl.” Do any songs mention Straub?

What has proven to work well for you to repel garden pests? I have a small garden this year. I do like to keep the pollinators happy, and the birds n’ squirrels too.

AiXeLsyD13's Vegetable Garden 2025
Pollinator Flowers Around the Yard
Pollinators around the yard this summer.
AiXeLsyD13's Garden 2025
The 2025 garden the day it went in.
Slug Damage
Leaf damage from those damn slugs.

🍻🐌🍻

Bird Seed Mix | Chaos Edition

Posted on by Standard 3

I have been slacking on the bird feeder filling lately as we have had some stuff going on, but I made a sure to get ’em filled today. I grabbed some photos of what I bought & mixed as people are always asking what others use. I wish I could tell you I am consistent. I generally grab whatever looks good, or is cheap, or whatever is available. This is what caught my eye today.

Bird Seed Mix

I put all this in a Rubbermaid tote, stirred it with an unused garden stake, and went to fillin’. The powdered spices seem to be cheaper than the oils or the hot seed mix. I think they work well enough for me. I feed the squirrels & chipmunks on their own anyway.

Anarchy Bird Seed Mix
Anarchy Bird Seed Mix

I do have suet blocks hanging too, I got the C&S Hot Pepper Delight and the C&S Woodpecker Treat to hang in my double-block feeder. I like to get the orange or berry varieties sometimes too.

The Pissing Gnome
Urine Speaks Louder Than Words

The pissing gnome is still hiding among the pollinator wildflower mix under some of the feeders… they generally look like weeds until august. Got any tips on how to keep a nice-looking pollinator garden? I do like how it obscures the scattered seed… and I’m growing some errant sunflowers.

If you wanna learn about Birdfy or my setup, check out these posts (or my YouTube Playlist of bird & squirrel videos):

I also put out corn cobs & peanuts for the squirrels & chimpunks. The deer have decided the corn is theirs.

OK, I showed you mine… now show me yours. What do you put in your bird feeders? What do you feed your squirrels, chipmunks, or other critters?

I may have a bird feeder problem.
I may have a bird feeder problem.

🥜🥜🥜

The Carolina Wren

Posted on by Standard 1

Had a neat visitor today that hit a literal pair of my Birdfy cameras!

@aixelsyd13

This Carolina Wren is busy today! The males will start to build a few nests and hope to woo & court a feemale. if she likes him, he will let her pick the best spot and they will build a nest together. He must have grabbed a bite ion the way. I hope he finds a mate & they build in this Birdfy nest box! #Birdfy #Netvuw #NetvueBirdfy #CarolinaWren #Carolina #Wren #Birding #Birdwatching #Birdfy2 #Nest #Birdhouse #FeederCamera #Birdfeeder #nature #outdoors

♬ original sound – Eric Carroll

I learned through Google (with help from Gemini) that the male Carolina Wren will start to make several nests in suitable spots before courting a mate. He started putting in some materials a few days ago, but this is the first time I have seen him on camera since. (I put in the peanuts in the meantime.)

Apparently, if he successfully woos a female, he then lets her pick the most suitable of his locations, and they will continue to build the nest together. These alternate locations can be used to mark his territory, confuse predators, and act as a quick location to start from again should they decide to move.

It’s interesting that he showed up on both of these, as they were sent to me to test out by Birdfy. They’re early versions of a Walmart exclusive product, or two I take it; The Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder with Camera & the Birdfy Smart Bird House With Bird Feeder Camera. I have what they called cyan versions and they appear to have an ebony version now too.

The Birdfy Nest & Birdfy Feeder.
The Birdfy Nest & Birdfy Feeder.

Mine look a bit different from the final product, but I was able to test them out and provide some feedback. They have a built in solar panel in the roof, which keeps them mostly charged after the initial charging. I have had to give ’em a boost over the winter.

The feeder has been busy from the onset as I put it out to replace a traditional feeder that I have had for years. As for the nest… A woodpecker tried to make the entrance wider, and some black-capped chickadees have popped in & dipped right out. Other than that, the nest has not seen much activity until recently. Perhaps spring is the best time.

I did notice mine have the Birdfy 2 camera, and the ones pictured at Walmart’s website seem to have a different camera or at least camera housing. I do think the seed tray is a better design than my Birdfy Lite Feeder, as the seeds don’t tend to stay in the tray, get wet, & clump together.

Full disclosure, I do get a small commission if you buy a Birdfy product from their site using my affiliate link: https://www.birdfy.com/?ref=AiXeLsyD13

I don’t think that works with the Walmart exclusive products, but in the links above I tacked on “?=ref/AiXeLsyD13” anyway just to see what happens. I have asked for a coupon code through GoAffPro, but have not heard back yet. So, maybe someday?

If you’re interested in the feeders, it’s a good product whether you use my link to buy or not!

You can check out my YouTube playlist mostly from my feeders (& some from the house cameras), and some other blog posts I have made about Birdfy products below.

🐦🥜🐿️

If you have any questions about bird feeders, cameras, feed, birds, or Birdfy products, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments, via my contact form, or social media. (I’m AiXeLsyD13 pretty much everywhere.)

More Bird & Squirrel Videos

Posted on by Standard 3

Just some stuff I caught lately. I dig all my Birdfy cameras.

@aixelsyd13

Some #squirrels at the squirrelfeeder. #CaughtOnBirdfy

♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – Suwat Ketpunt – Suwat Ketpunt
@aixelsyd13

that’s #notabird CaughtOnBirdfy¡ #deer #buck #raccoon #birdfy #squirrelfeeder

♬ Night Life – Willie Nelson
@aixelsyd13

🌽🦝 Another #raccoon #CaughtOnBirdfy ! #🦝

♬ Chomp Chomp – Alestorm

I got to test a new camera bird feeder.

Posted on by Standard 14

You may have seen my previous birdwatching post. I guess I have developed an affinity for my bird videos. I have a whole YouTube playlist of ’em. I have participated in the Netvue Birdfy Community Facebook group (& a private group for soliciting feedback), and posted stuff on my Instagram, TikTok, & other social media platforms.

I have really enjoyed seeing the wildlife in my backyard through my Birdfy Feeder & my Birdfy camera (& the accessories). The folks at Birdfy reached out to ask if I would like to test a new product, so of course I said yes! I have been using it, sharing my camera feeds with the company, & providing feedback for a while now with the company, & uploading photos/videos to a private Google photos album. It was exciting to see them respond & change features/settings as the testing went on. They really improved tracking, AI recognition, & picture/video quality rather quickly.

It has ben hard to keep quiet about it & not share the video or photos!

As a company, they’re constantly reaching out to solicit suggestions on product ideas, design, features, and more. They have recently updated their app to enable editing of AI tags as per customer suggestions.

I’m relieved to be able to share the fact that I have been helping to test the new camera, & to finally share the photos/video.

🐦

🐦‍⬛

Here my son helped me film the unboxing/setup, if you want to see a really poorly edited video. I have set up over 7 Birdfy cameras at this point through the app, and all of them have been really simple.

The product I got to try out is the new Birdfy Feeder 2 Pro, and full disclosure: If you use my affiliate link to purchase any Birdfy products, I earn a small comission: https://www.birdfy.com/?ref=AiXeLsyD13

The one that was sent to me has two cameras, the Birdfy 2, & the Birdfy 2 Pro, and it’s a Duo feeder with the Pro camera mounted in the middle, and the 2 mounted on the side. It also came with a solar panel. I mounted it on a pole that I had purchased from Amazon.

The Birdfy 2 Duo Feeder with the Birdfy 2 Pro & Birdfy 2 cameras.
The Birdfy 2 Duo Feeder with the Birdfy 2 Pro & Birdfy 2 cameras.

I like the looks of it, and the color when compared to the original feeder. It just seems a bit more elegant or classic of a design. The bamboo feeder is really nice looking, too. I also like that the lid of this newer model opens up & back, so you can see better into the hopper as you’re filling it… and that the cameras are wholly independent of the housing for ease of access. I have removed the two plates per Birdfy’s request, as the bords seem to have more room to perch without them in the way.

The cameras take a while to charge at first, but the solar panel typically keeps it close to 100%. Occasionally, I do have to bring a camera in for a recharge across all the products. (I don’t have a nest or a hummingbird feeder yet, but maybe someday.)

The app is easy to navigate from the setup of the cameras, to checking out the various videos and photos captured. It has a daily highlights feature, and a monthly recap. The FB community is great for ideas and seeing others’ setups and the birds (& other animals) #CaughtOnBirdfy, and Birdfy support is incredibly responsive.

The video & photos are what shines here, though. The Pro 2 has two cameras, one that moves & tracks the birds. Videos can be downloaded, shared with the community or “collected” in the app, and you can see both cameras at once from the live view. I had to quiet the notifications, because I literally get them all day. The AI bird recognition is pretty good, and getting better, especially now that functionality for correcting the tags has been implemented.

American Goldfinch, Northern Carinal, & Blue Jay - captured form the Birdfy 2 cameras.
House Finch, White-Breasted Nuthatch, & Tufted Titmouse - captured form the Birdfy 2 cameras.
Squirrels - captured form the Birdfy 2 cameras.
Screenshots of the Birdfy app.
Photos from the Birdfy Duo Feeder with the Birdfy 2 Pro & Birdfy 2 cameras.

🥜

If you have any questions about the feeders, my setups, or anything related to this… don’t hesitate to ask in the comments or reach out on social media. I enjoy vegetable gardening, keeping a nice backyard, and living in harmony with nature even here in the suburbs. These feeders add to the enjoyment. I don’t have to be outside all day to catch a glimpse of nature at work. I try to plant flowers for the pollinators, I’m working on a birdbath and may eventually make a little pond. I have bee/butterfly baths & bug houses.

Bird people seem to be mixed on the squirrels & chipmunks though. I love to watch them, too. Ha ha. I have a squirrel feeder out with a camera trained on it, but may use a Birdfy camera to build into a squirrel feeder eventually. Maybe a barstool style feeder? I’ll have to fortify the wires, as sometimes they can apparently chew them and be quite destructive.

🐿️

I am in the suburbs just south of Pittsburgh, PA, and I use a varying mix of fruit & nut mix, dried mealworms, a songbird seed mix, sunflower seeds, & sometimes some hot pepper seed mix or cayenne pepper or chili powder. The latter tends to keep the squirrels at the squirrel feeder, but the dust can smudge the camera lenses sometimes. I also tent to put out peanuts and corn for the squirrels (although that pulls in raccoons & deer, too).

You can poke through my whole playlist, or see some videos from just the Birdfy 2 cameras here:

So, I guess I’m a birdwatcher?

Posted on by Standard 4

I have been feeding the birds forever, and enjoy watching all the critters on our suburban landscape… even down to the bees pollinating in my zucchini flowers. I have enjoyed the Merlin Bird ID app for identifying birds that I have observed at my feeder since we moved here over 10 years ago. There’s a nice flowering tree out back that you can see perfectly from the kitchen window.

A gnome statue, he appears to have been caught mid urination.

This year for my birthday, my wife got me a Netvue Birdfy Feeder with the solar panel.

I started out with it out back by the old feeder, and a picnic table squirrel feeder from Amazon. The deer got crazy close and I was afraid of them destroying it… so I got a pole and moved it to the side of the house, right outside the window… and now the cats enjoy it there, too. I had to get the Pro Perch add-on, too.

So, of course, I got another pole and another Birdfy camera without the feeder attached and a solar panel from Walmart (they’re weirdly cheaper there in person & sometimes on Amazon than they are online at Birdfy). I couldn’t now miss the action at my old traditional feeder & the new squirrel feeder.

I have since caught deer feeding on the corn and bird seed, squirrels, a chipmunk or two, and so many trash pandas in addition to all the birds.

NAUGHTY GNOME NOSHERY

I thought I’d share photos of my setup and some videos that I have taken since I have had people inquire about it. I can see myself getting a hummingbird feeder or the nest camera down the line. Ha ha.

I have dubbed the backyard area the Naughty Gnome Noshery, and I’ll eventually work out some signage. (My wife calls it “Bird Kennywood.”) I planted some pollinator mix around the base of the tree to hopefully obfuscate the seed casings & spent peanut shells… and provide some help to bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, & other pollinators. I hung one of my 3 insect hotels out there, too.

Multiple views of my backyard bird feeder & camera setup, some brick trim around a nice little flowering tree that's hosting a bird feeder, squirrel feeder, corn posts, a hummingbird feeder, and a bug hotel. There's a funny gnome statue, too.
The Naughty Gnome Noshery
A squirrel dines on discarded seeds the morning after raccoons reigned destruction upon my entire setup.
A picnic table shaped squirrel feeder mounted to the tree, holding an ear of corn, filled with peanuts, and covered with a red umbrella.
A mourning dove, some flowers, and the naughty gnome statue.
A blue insect hotel mounted under the squirrel feeder & above the pollinator flowers.
A grey squirrel dining in our backyard outdoor cafe.
The back of the Birdfy camera pointed at the hanging bird feeder.

I ought to get a ground level camera for the rabbits, and I have seen the occasional red fox in the neighborhood, too.

Netvue Birdfy Feeder & Solar Panel outside of our window - front view.
Netvue Birdfy Feeder & Solar Panel outside of our window - back view.
Netvue Birdfy Feeder & Solar Panel with the Pro Perch - view from the window,
One of our cats, Waffles, looking out the window at the Birdfy Feeder.

I have gone through a few feed mixes, different suet block flavors, even suet pellets that no one liked, but I have arrived on mixing my own from a hot pepper or spicy sunflower mix, safflower seeds, and mealworms all mixed together (for now), with peanuts for the squirrels… but the blue jays and grackles like those, too. I have put out oranges and grape jelly to try & attract orioles to no success.

I do suggest getting both the Netvue and the Birdfy apps. I use the Netvue one for camera setup, and the Birdfy one to watch the videos. Sadly, the AI bird identification subscription service is per camera, not app… so I only have it on the first one, and I still use Merlin Bird ID a lot. I know my friend Jason has the Bird Buddy brand and he’s very happy with it. I’m sure there are lots of cool ones out there.

You into birding, too? Tell me about your setup or ask me questions in the comments! Or hit me up on social media, too. I’m @AiXeLsyD13 on pretty much everything. I put a bunch of Birdfy videos on my TikTok and I share them in a cool Birdfy Facebook Group. I even have an unlisted Birdfy video YouTube playlist.

@aixelsyd13

Is it a #birdfeeder or a #houseofhorrors? #pets #birds #cats #CatsOfTikTok #Butterscotch #Waffles #Netvue #Birdfy #NetvueBirdfy

♬ In the Air Tonight (2015 Remaster) – Phil Collins
@aixelsyd13

Dude is lovng life. Look up the song “The Squirrel” by #TeenageBottlerocket ! 🤘🐿 #NaughtyGnomeNoshery #Squirrel #Gnome #GardenGnome #PissingGnome #🥜 #🐿

♬ The Squirrel – Teenage Bottlerocket
@aixelsyd13

The #woodpeckers like the suet blocks. #Netvue #Birdfy #NetvueBirdfy #BirdFeeder

♬ Blue Jays – Days N Daze
@aixelsyd13

♬ Bottle Caps – Ann Beretta
@aixelsyd13

Had some #housefinches out back today. #HouseFinch #Netvue #Birdfy #NetvueBirdfy #BirdFeeder #Birding #Birder 🪶

♬ Where Are We Going To – I Voted For Kodos
@aixelsyd13

Feathery & furry friends today! #grackle #cowbird #woodpecker #chickadee #squirrel #starling #chipmunk #grinny #grinnie #birdfeeder #squirrelfeeder #finch #netvue #birdfy #netvuebirdfy #caughtonbirdfy #suburbandwildlife

♬ Turn! Turn! Turn! – The Byrds
@aixelsyd13

It’s a busy morning at the NaughtyGnomeNoshery. #Netvue #Birdfy #NetvueBirdfy #CaughtOnBirdfy #peanuts #birdfeeder #squirrelfeeder #bluejay #housefinch #cardinal #starling #grackle #redbelliedwoodpecker #squirrel #birdseed 🪶🥜🕊🐦‍⬛🐦🐿

♬ I Can See Clearly – Screeching Weasel
@aixelsyd13

Usually the #MourningDoves hang out under the feeder. 🤷‍♂️ #CaughtOnBirdfy #Netvue #Birdfy #NetvueBirdfy #MourningDove #BirdFeeder

♬ Sneaky Sneaky – Gold-Tiger

Inspiration from Hoke·E·Geez (My new ‘New York Pro’ Strat copy)

Posted on by Standard 16

So, I bought a guitar this past Saturday.  I wasn’t looking for a guitar.  This guitar was looking for me.

Hoke·E·Geez | INDOOR FLEA MARKET · CRAFTS

...and SO MUCH MORE.

Some of my extended family had rented out the lodge at our church camp for the weekend.  My cousin & I were out killing time and exploring while the ladies stayed in for their main objective; scrapbooking.  When in the area with time on my hands, a trip to Hoke·E·Geez is an absolute must.  It’s located right on Route 30 in Bedford PA by the Sheetz.  (Sheetz is a good bright red & yellow landmark, right?)

In what was once (perhaps obviously for people my age and older) an Ames department store, rests the one of the craziest/coolest places I have ever been.  My first trip there was in search of antiques… I collect old Coca~Cola & other glass bottles.  I had no idea what I was in for.  Hoke·E·Geez is full of …Everything. 

Stuffed Squirrel on display (& for sale!) at Hoke·E·Geez (Bedford, PA)

"Help! I'm not dead! Some redneck just stapled my nuts to this driftwood!"

It’s got crafts, antiques (from old pop bottles to the machines), furniture, a weird leather biker-jacket section, a hardware section like someone emptied a Harbor Freight in 1978 and dumped it there, of records, new stuff made to look old (think the store in Cracker Barrel), toys, tools, books, records, a section chock full of cassette tapes (mostly hair metal), musical instruments of all varieties, a stuffed squirrel that my cousin photographed with his phone, nunchucks, swords, toilets, knives, flooring, gun parts, cabinetry, pistol crossbows, stuff you’d see in a thrift store or at a garage sale, a Weinermobile pedal car, … and other scattered oddities/treasures.

Yeah, I said musical instruments.  Of course, I flock nearly immediately to the old guitars.  Hoke-E-Geez also serves as an aged acoustic graveyard.  They have several dried out yet beautiful acoustics ravaged by time & strings that pull the neck past the point of no return. They would be great as decorations, or for this…

Guiar Fail | Acoustic Guitar Recycling

Guiar Fail | Acoustic Guitar Recycling

There I Fixed It | First Smash, Then Season

There I Fixed It | First Smash, Then Season

In fact, if I ever find one for the right price, it might make a cool antique bottle shelf… with some glass shelves & a light or 2.

Back to the story at hand though…  There we are strolling through the wonderland that is Hoke·E·Geez, like a bee doing its “tell the others where the honey is” dance. We were exclaiming “Woah!”, “Look at that!”, or “What is that?” with each erratic hop to the next section.

Toy Accordion (or Button Box?)

I can already play "Iron Man" and "Happy Birthday" (very poorly).

The first beauty I spied was this toy accordion for $12 and change.  It seems ridiculous and awesome.  Maybe I’ve seen The Bloody Seamen one too many times lately.  Looking online, it seems to be a fair price… and not difficult to master. I’m not sure of the name brand.  I have no idea if it’s a Hohner, Schylling, Barcelona, First Act, or something else.  I have found a bunch online that look similar.  This doesn’t match the colors of any others exactly, and of course it has no brand/name/logo in it.  Also, it appears that I have been shorted a book.  Also, is this really an accordion, or is it just a button box?  What’s the difference?  Are the butterfly-like designs up top too girly?

The next thing of interest that I saw was this beautiful New York Pro Strat knockoff…

New York Pro - Natural Finish Strat Copy
“Psst… you, yeah you… buy me. Yeah. I know I’m not a goofy guitar, but you need me. Look at my woodgrain. It’s not fancy or elegant, it’s just ‘there’. Buy me. I probably have really crappy electronics and hardware. Buy me. I bet no one has ever heard of ‘New York Pro’ or knows where we’re made. Buy me!

New York Pro - Strat Copy

New York Pro - Strat Copy

Well, the photo to the left is the photo that I sent to my wife along with the price, asking (only half kidding) if I should buy it.  There was some other black no-name Strat copy behind it.  The body on that black POS wasn’t nearly as solid, hefty,  or well-cut.

My cousin pointed it out I believe, & remarked on the natural finish.  I was stuck drooling over the $95 price tag since the neck was straight, there were no cracks, and it was nice solid body.  This was about the time we got into a conversation with a local cat who was into weird guitars and punk rock… and actually in a punk rock band up that way.  I can’t remember the name of the band.  I need to pop stuff like that into my phone.  The guy stopped & asked if I really had an accordion in the box marked “Accordion”.  I showed it to him & he’s the one that remarked that it was a button box & not an accordion.  After talking forever about weird guitars, rocking out, and goofy venues… we moved on.  He mentioned that there were other guitars “over there” pointing to a little music store-like area within the hallowed walls of Hoke·E·Geez.

This is where we happened upon some beast, made by a local cat that goes by Merle Kegg or Merle R. Kegg.  One of his custom-built axes had the letters “M R K” on the headstock.  The first one I spotted was a doubleneck… one 6 string guitar & one mandolin neck.  Yeah.  You read that right.

Merle R. Kegg - Guitar/Mandolin Doubleneck

Merle R. Kegg - Guitar/Mandolin Doubleneck

I apologize for the horrible quality cell phone photos, but I’m sure you get the point.  I find it an odd placement for the pickups… but then again some people like that neck pickup sound.  I generally stick as close to the bridge as possible.  The custom cases are pretty cool.  Then I came upon this one…

Merle R. Kegg - White Guitar

Merle R. Kegg - White Guitar

It caught my eye, and I believe the price was only $64 or $65… but I didn’t even take it out of the case once I got a closer look.  If there was a Regretsy-like site for homemade guitars, this may top them all.  I mean, I love the shape… and I respect the intent and the labor that went into this beast, but… wow.  The placement of the bridge directly up the neck’s ass is crazy.  The pickguard looks like flooring or wall tile.  I’m hoping this cat is Amish or 97 years old or has 7 fingers total or something.  I hate to be so harsh, but when I think a guitar is ugly, we have a problem on our hands.  There was no attempt to smooth out the edges or anything… the paint is applied like it’s the side of an outdoor shed… not a guitar.  Wow.  I’d like to see more of his work, maybe these were the odd ones out.  If you know anything more about his work, please post in the comments!  There were some other cool guitars (not made by Merle), ukuleles, mandolins & other stuff in that section.

I still hadn’t received a reply from the wife.  I got the accordion, my cousin picked up a few things, and off we went.

When we got back to camp, I asked my wife if she had seen the text with the photo.  She hadn’t.  She checked it out & liked it.  She asked that if I got it I could place it on the stand in the living room instead of my Batman Logo guitar.  She liked the wood (which I have since come to learn is mahogany).  We talked it over and she suggested that I go get it.  I told her it would need new guts, but she was still behind the idea.  After lunch, my cousin went to a nearby farm to hunt coyotes, and I went back to Hoke·E·Geez to hunt that guitar.

I came back with my prize:

New York Pro - Stratocaster Copy

New York Pro - Stratocaster Copy

I also managed to stop by the Bedford Banjo Shop.  It was small but very cool and reasonably priced in there.  They had banjos, guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, & more.  They were also very friendly and quite busy.  I tried to stop by another store nearby, but they were closed as it was after 2:00pm.

I have plans for this guitar… GFS Lil Killer rail pickups, some wooden knobs, a leopard-print pickguard, black hardware (& bridge & tuners), and I guess a leopard-print strap.  As soon as I put away some money, I hope to get all this stuff & have it all set up nice & pretty.  My go-to guitar guy has been Aaron at Lawrence Music lately.  He helped set up the Batman Logo guitar… and dropped in my Seymour Duncans.

Oh what I'm gonna do to this guitar...

Oh what I'm gonna do to this guitar...

You didn’t think I’d leave it alone did you?  It needs something in order to fit in with my other guitars.

I’m still at a loss with any concrete information about the New York Pro brand.  I’m not sure if it’s pumped out of a Chinese factory that puts many different brands on the same guitars?  They do have an odd cut in the top of the headstock that seems to be on every NY Pro guitar I’ve seen online.  I’ve seen them as kit guitars, for $99, for $149.99 and for $279.95.  Maybe they’re made by Galaxy Guitars and the same as their Starfire line?  It looks like they might call it the “Galaxy New York Pro Star Gazer”.  They may be distributed by Lou Capece.  I may have to write to them for more information.

If you have any comments/stories about Hoke·E·Geez, any information about the accordion/button box, any info on that other guitar store in Bedford, any information about the New York Pro brand, or any comments/suggestions about my plans for the guitar… I’d love to hear ’em!  Please share in the comments below!

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Aviary Photos

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Bethany & I went to the National Aviary on Sunday, & I had the opportunity to photograph some really beautiful colorful birds.  We also walked through the park afterward, and found a squirrel who apparently had aspirations of a career in modeling.

You can check out all the photos at Photobucket as a grid or slide show, or you can see them all here: