Mother Nature Strikes!

Up at dawn

I started shortly after first light this morning and sanded the hardtop yet again. I disposed of much dust, taking great care to have a pristine surface. I rolled on the third coat of Snow White Interlux Perfection two-part paint. It was done about 10:15 a.m.

A beautiful result

After cleaning up my tools, I left the roll-up garage door only partially closed in an effort to get some air flow and dispel noxious paint vapors. There was about an 18-inch gap between the bottom of the door and the concrete sill.

I went inside for a shower and a cold drink.

The honeymooners arrive

I was away from the job site a couple of hours. That was all it took for a pair of Carolina Wrens to start construction of a nest in the roll-up garage door mechanism which happened to be centered over my still wet paint job.

Carolina Wrens are perky little things and they have a very pleasant call. But they are not neat nest builders. This pair must have been new at the job too, because they had spilled more dried grass and twigs on my wet paint than they had managed to stuff into the door lift box.

As it turns out, this variety of wren is the South Carolina State Bird. Here's what a South Carolina website says about them:

"The Carolina Wren, sometimes referred to as the Great Carolina Wren, was adopted as the South Carolina state bird in 1948, replacing the Mockingbird. It can be found in a wide variety of habitats including fields, woodlands, and swamps.

Carolina Wrens build their nests in the holes of trees, on fence posts, or in the eaves of houses and barns. However, the wren is also known for nesting in unusual places such as bags, boxes, flower pots, and even shoes. Both the male and female participate in nest-building, but the female generally adds the finishing touches prior to laying her eggs."


Salvage attempt fails

After locating and shooing the pair out the side door, I swept away much of the debris with a dusting brush and tried to wipe the rest off with a solvent rag. The result was not pretty -- an obvious basketball-sized smear on an otherwise glossy surface.

A fourth topcoat impends

A new quart of paint is on its way from Savannah and should be here tomorrow. Perhaps I will sand and roll yet again in a couple of days. I have installed an exhaust fan in a screened window. I will keep the doors closed. I will hope for the best.