Why This Scarecrow Means More to Me Than Just Bird Control
What You'll Discover in This Post
In this long, heartfelt garden diary entry, I take you through the full story of how I built my scarecrow from the frustration that pushed me to create it, to the quiet pride I feel every morning when I see it standing like a dusty soldier in the middle of my vegetable beds. You'll discover how it protected my spinach during a tough season, how the children reacted to it, why those spinning CDs became a secret weapon, and how this simple creation ended up changing the whole spirit of my Soshanguve garden. I'll also share subtle lessons about protecting young seedlings, timing, and working with our harsh Gauteng climate.
Introduction: When the Birds Started Winning
I still remember the week everything felt like it was falling apart in my garden. I had worked so hard preparing those ridges, shaping each row under the hot Soshanguve sun, watering gently in the evenings, and whispering the same quiet prayer every gardener says inside their heart: "Grow, please grow." Birds had completely different plans to mine. They came down from the sky like they were kings of the castle, ripping the tiny leaves that times parents had never even been made.
I kept looking at my garden every day with the eyes of hope, and each time I saw my seedlings had been smashed and their leaves partially eaten. I was feeling as though the birds were picking on me; as if it was a fight which I had no choice but to be involved in. The earth was dry, the sun was shining brightly, and I now had to confront these flying robbers who had lost their fear of me. The birds kept ignoring my attempts to get their attention through hand clapping, towel waving, and bucket banging. They treated me as if I belonged to their group while they laughed at me.
It was at that moment when I started to invent ideas. I needed something bigger than my hands, something stronger than my voice. I needed a guardian in this garden. A presence. Something that could stand day and night, even when I was too tired to fight.
And that's how the scarecrow entered my story.
Building My Guardian From Nothing but Determination
I hadn't thought of it beforehand. I made my scarecrow out of things that were lying around in my closet and an old thing that I didn't need or want anymore instead of making a scarecrow or checking the internet for instructions. I grabbed some old blue jeans with ripped knees, a tattered jacket, and a sun bleached cap.
I put them in the yard's center, paused, and thought about how it would all look later. I was building a scarecrow, making it piece by piece, like it was my first pal appearing between the rows.
The sleeves were all stretched out, like open arms, and the jacket just hung there on the wooden frame. I grabbed the pants and put them on the bottom part of the stick. Then, I took a step back, looked at it, and thought, 'Something's not right'. It lacked a head even if it was just a face that couldn't be seen. So, I got my knitted blue beanie which I wear in the winter months to keep my ears warm from the house, and I fastened it tightly to the top of the structure. After that, I took a pink scarf and tied it around the "neck" area, and I had to laugh because it now had a little bit of character.
It looked like someone ready for work.
Someone ready to protect.
Someone ready to stand with me in this garden.
The Secret Weapon: CDs That Flush Like Lightning
But I wasn't done. I required some activity, something that would bewilder the birds, something that would glimmer like a beacon in the sun. I fabricated a kite of my own by binding a couple of old CDs with a strong piece of fishing line and attaching them to both of my arms. The CDs, thus, would rotate in circles and produce a lovely bright ray of light when they met the sun and thus created a brilliant sparkling effect in the grass beneath them.
It really is great to see how something so simple can influence your whole mood when you enter a place. To me, the surfaces of the CDs seemed to be small shields throwing back all of the light around them when looked at in the sun. They turned reflections off the ground like small glints in the fresh air. And in that moment, I knew the birds would think twice before messing with a creature that sparkle fought back.
From far away, it even looked like my scarecrow was waving at the sky.
And honestly, that made me smile.
How the Garden Responded to Its New Guardian
The next morning, I held my breath when I stepped outside. I wanted to see if the birds had returned to destroy what little was left of my seedlings. The garden was silent. The ridges stood untouched. Not a single leaf looked damaged.
My scarecrow had done exactly what I hoped maybe even more.
For the first week, I watched the birds circle the garden from the fence, studying the strange new figure standing between the rows. They didn't dare land near it. They didn't peck. They didn't bully my seedlings anymore. They just observed from a safe distance, confused by the spinning light and the unmoving posture.
Slowly, the seedlings bounced back. The spinach grew stronger, the leaves turning that deep, glossy green that always makes me proud. My tomatoes lifted their heads again. Even my beetroot started flourishing with a new boldness.
It felt like my garden could finally breathe.
The Day the Children Fell in Love With My Scarecrow
I was arranging some wood for mulch when I heard laughter behind me. I turned around and saw a group of school kids in uniforms walking through my garden. They were all staring at the scarecrow.
Some of the kids were standing back, just gawking at it with their mouths open.
Others were coming closer while saying things like, "Is that real?" or "He's watching us!" Then there was the one brave kid who always comes through and walks straight up to it and pokes it in the leg and jumped back when the CDs turned in the wind.
I couldn't stop laughing. They were so fascinated, so full of excitement as if my scarecrow was a real character in a movie. I realized then that this dusty figure wasn't only protecting my vegetables, it was creating stories. Memories. Wonder.
I watched those kids circle it, point at it, study its clothes, and even try to imitate its stiff pose. And for a moment, the whole garden felt alive with joy.
The Emotional Part: Why This Scarecrow Means More Than Protection
I would sit on a bucket (upside down) when it was hot and I was tired, and my hands were dirty from pulling weeds; I would look at a scarecrow. Instead of seeing it as clothes on sticks, I saw more.
I saw effort.
I saw patience.
I saw the belief that something small could still make a difference.
The garden felt less lonely with the scarecrow in it. Sometimes, I will admit, I even spoke to my scarecrow. Just small words like, "Good work today!" or "These plants look great because of you!"
The scarecrow was a lesson in a busy world of how to pause and feel the little things that can make you happy. They bring to our mind that with creativity, trust, and giggles, we are most of the time able to figure out a way to deal with the hard situations that look like we cannot overcome them.
Working With the Harsh Soshanguve Climate
The climate in our area is harsh; it's hot as hell, the earth is just rock, and rain literally does not follow any predictable timetable! Then when the wind blows, the force is so great it appears as if the wind is attempting to uproot and scatter the entire yard into the clouds! Therefore, anytime we can provide our gardens with any form of shelter or assist in shielding and insuring them, it's a benefit!
The scarecrow didn't just guard the plants from birds it also helped break wind, cast small shifting shadows, and give the seedlings just enough psychological space to recover. I know it sounds strange talking about plants "recovering," but every gardener knows that young plants are sensitive.
They feel everything.
The sun.
The dryness.
The wind.
The birds.
Even our moods sometimes.
That's why creating a steady presence in the garden, even if it's made of old clothes, adds something stable and grounding.
Unexpected Lessons My Scarecrow Taught Me
It also taught me how to be patient and that by putting forth hard work today, you would put yourself in the best position to achieve the results you desire tomorrow.
The scarecrow also appears to have personality traits of its own despite the fact it isn't moving, it is independent minded and strong, and slightly fanatical with regard to the way it spins its CDs.
Just like me.
Conclusion: A Silent Partner That Changed Everything
As I stroll through my garden each day at dawn, I see my scarecrow beneath the glimmering first rays of light. His coat is still dusty, his hat still cocked, while the CD's reflect bright light on a beautiful morning.
My scarecrow reminds me of the long journey that is my garden, not just as a place for me to put my energy and my love, but it also represents my worries, and what brings me joy and laughter, such when I see the scarecrow's arm move from the wind making it look as though he is waving.
Firstly the scarecrow is a symbol of hope. It is one of the most creative street arts in Soshanguve and it is literally the only thing that you can look at and be reminded that with little resources, not only can you create beautiful things but those things have the power to uplift and motivate others.
Additionally, the scarecrow is doing the emotional support work for me. I see myself through its being find my purpose which is an existential thing that is common to all humans and which is necessary for their mental health.
