During this keep or donate ongoing packing frenzy I came across a non-working clock. The face shows a different bird next to each hour number. My plan was to make sure it worked before I donated the clock. An hour later I had this “What in the world was that?” I looked all around the house but saw nothing amiss and went back to working. An hour later I heard a Goldfinch sing out – I realized it was coming from the clock. Upon investigation, the sound the hour before was a red-headed woodpecker or some weird facsimile. Now is two days later and I laugh when I hear the various calls, some more bird-like than others. The thought that began this post was about learning to enjoy the audible reminder that an hour has passed. Cutting the day (and night) into bite sized chunks. I have gotten a lot done in the last few days, I wonder if hearing the reminder actually makes working more effective. I am sure it does when I realize I have spent more than an hour on the computer just looking around. How time can fly.
Do you have a clock that chimes or tweets? Do you think it is helpful or do you secretely grumble at it? I find it amazing that the sound can make me jump during the day but I don’t hear it at night. Anyone want a clock cheap?
mountainmae 
Very enjoyable piece. I would have loved to have seen your face when you heard the woodpecker.
LikeLike
I still laugh when I think about running around the house looking for the noise.
LikeLike
We used to have one in my lab at school. Since I was usually in the lab alone, it made me jump almost every time it chimed. I finally hid it in a drawer to muffle the sound. I love the sound of birds and nature, but I think I like it better on a Nature CD or outside!
LikeLike
I love bird calls but I might change my mind if I am startled every hour by one. 🙂
LikeLike
If the sound of the birds was anyway close to accurate, I would keep the clock and love it. If is such a big word.
LikeLike
😀
LikeLike
I think it would be fun to be suprised by strange bird calls all day, what would really make me sit up and take notice would be a series of jungle animal calls as well, such as shrieking monkeys and roaring lions…. 😉
LikeLike
Oooh what a good idea!
LikeLike
I have seen those bird clocks in classrooms, it seems to keeps the room very calm. My Uncle collected antique clocks, when I stayed at his house about 30 clocks would clang, buzz, ring or tweet not every hour , not ever half hour, but every quarter hour, I thought I would do mad, I tell you mad! Sleep was impossible. I still am a little jumpy around those creatures from he##! 😉
LikeLike
Thanks, I actually laughed aloud. It has to go.
LikeLike
So funny! My parents have got a cuckoo clock, and at first I would wake up all the time when I slept there. Now I’m used to it and hardly hear it! It plays a melody at half past and on the hour, as well as cuckooing the time at the full hour!
I also find it comforting and useful when working in the garden to hear the village church clock strike every quarter hour.
LikeLike
I like the marking of time….bells would be better than scary birds.
LikeLike
I have a cuckoo clock from Germany that doesn’t work anymore. I’ve been keeping it for sentimental reasons. Perhaps, I haven’t fixed it because the cuckoos startle me too! It might be time to give it away or get it fixed. 🙂
LikeLike
“They” say having a clock that does not work is keeps us trapped in the past. Who knows.
LikeLike
I would love to have a chiming or tweeting clock … think I’ll making a point of getting myself one. As a child I we lived near the city hall and the bells would chime the time every hour which I found most useful 🙂
LikeLike
I think I like the marking of time but I do need to change from the scary birds.
LikeLike