The value of "junk"

I was going about my little chores this morning, distributing water and feed, snuggling kittens ( ahem, socializing kittens) and it struck me how many things get repurposed around this place and how useful it can be to have a bit of what other people might call "junk"lying about the place.  I am starting to really understand how old farms end up littered with it.

The kittens are a good example.  Didn't see that one coming.  And they can't just bounce all over the garage because they're in that trying to climb-up-your-pants-leg stage.  So.. the kittens are safely cornered off in a little play area by sections of fencing from an old wire rabbit crate held together with zip ties.  Their area has an old pet carrier scored from a yardsale (purchased for $2 with a broody chicken in mind) along with a tiny litter box (from when Bee had surgery, but also useful as a duckling pool) a cat bed (also from Bee's surgery) and vintage bowls for food and water.

My "feed scoops" are plastic coffee containers that I brought home from work.  Water buckets came from who-knows-where.  Plastic pots are saved for frost covers and seed starting. When I wanted to get quail I started stalking Craigslist for a used rabbit hutch.  Around here, for some reason, that will set you back $60-$100.  The quail are here for eggs and those would be some expensive eggs. So when the people down the road were moving and set this out for pickup I stopped and grabbed it.

Yep, that looks like crap.  I'm not crazy.

But, add some spray paint, hinges and scrap wood and you get this:

It's not wonky, my photography skills are. The decorative part at the top is from an old pump organ and we had the hardware cloth. 

It's really useful to have just the right thing on hand, especially if the project only needs to be thrown together short-term like the kitten room.  I guess the key is not to let too many "useful someday" items pile up.