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By John Hunter

It’s January. The holidays are behind us. In front of us looms the dark, cold, miserable period of winter, which in Central New York can last until May or June. How are we to survive cabin fever until warmer weather returns? This daunting prospect faces those not interested in outdoor winter activities. For the comfort-seeking homebound, however, there is always the net.

For many, the thought of gardening is a good way to pass the time. Since I have already commented on various flower and fruit tree sites, we'll skip on to something else. What better takes the mind off snow and cold than brightly colored lawn ornaments? Lindees has lawn ornaments so www.members.tripod.com/~lindees_3211whirlygigs/-4k maybe the site for you.

The site features music to lull you into a relaxed consideration of various wind machines. Does your taste run to flamingoes? Lindees has pink ones with black details and wings that turn in the breeze ($22.95 plus shipping and handling). Maybe your preference tends toward the mechanical. How about a carousel with four children riding horses ($89.95 plus S&H)? The site also sells butterflies ($22.95plus S&H), hummingbirds ($49.95 plus S&H), leaping dolphins with lighthouses ($39.95 plus S&H), and the infamous Roadrunner ($53.95 plus S&H) beep, beep. You can even view all of the whirligigs offered for sale positioned in front of a not-so-new mobile home. The greenery in front of the mobile home suggests that the factory is located somewhere warm, which is an added benefit for the visit.

The lindees site has a link to another interesting search engine. This engine is SeekOn unusual gift registry that provides links to many other sites. At SeekOn I found another whirligig site for those who cannot get enough of lawn ornaments turning in the wind. This site is located at www.whirlibirds.com/. The whirlibirds site boasts the largest collection of whirligigs on the net (with 103 different models to choose from). You can buy a cowboy hat with moving boots (@$30.95). The cowboy hat whirligig picture is accompanied by an electronic version of “The Yellow Rose of Texas” as background music, which, I think, is a nice touch. For those who want more action, the site offers a cat chasing a bird (@$41.95) accompanied by an accordion version of “The Chicken Dance.” Another nice touch.

If you feel patriotic you can purchase an Uncle Sam Whirligig in Red, White, and Blue (@$30.95) accompanied by a medley of military songs including the “Marine Corps Hymn”, and “Caissons Go Rolling Along.” For those of you who can afford to spend a little bit more, you can purchase a flying pink pig with black-trimmed wings (@$35.95 post paid in domestic U.S.). This picture is accompanied by a stirring rendition of “Dixie”- where you can live and die, etc.

If you are feeling politically incorrect, the site offers an Indian in a Canoe whirligig complete with flaying paddles (@30.95 postage included in USA domestic). Those of you living in the Oneida Indian land claim area might wish to pass on this one. The number of lawn ornaments and the music make me wonder just how many whirligigs this person sells if he has all the time necessary to put this site together. Until next month . . .

John M. Hunter

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