Early Sunday Around Bird Nest Cottage

 

 I took these photos earlier this morning....thought I'd show you around...just for a little something different.  I hope you don't mind....just some visuals.  I have a small kitchen, but it feels big enough to me and although it is cluttered (as is my whole house),  as I often say....I live in my own little world, but it's ok...they know me here. ❤️  Notice the sign....Yes, it hangs crooked.  We have found that no matter how we hang it...it remains crooked....I'm not perfect either, so it doesn't bother me and I love what it says....You have my whole heart!

 

 This is where I make my morning cup of tea...and other things too.  Of course,  as is my habit,  I have to put more things there than are necessary.

 And, this is one of my favorite prints in the house...I LOVE the colors!  And, this morning, there are tiny flowers from my tiny bit of yard.

 

 The center of the kitchen is taken up with this small island.  It does hold "lots of stuff" so is a very nice thing to have here.  Of course, you can see right into the dining room...I like the layout very much. 

 

 And, another photo of the dining room...remember the dress, the quilt?  And, did you notice the sign above the door....it seems to explain my whole house..."it is what it is."

 

 A TINY bit of a flower arrangement in an old cream pitcher, along with a poem I love.

You can probably enlarge to read it, but I'll write it out for you here anyway:

THE ARTIST

"She scanned the table with keen old eyes

There was the brown fried chicken

The creamy custard pies

The cool bright green of pickles

And the ruby glow of jel.

Then she hastened to the cellar 

Before she rang the bell.

And, brought the golden butter

With its drops of frosty dew

Chilled and sweet and delicate

In a deep bowl of old blue."

from

OZARK LYRICS 

by Mary Elizabeth Mahnkey

1934

I thank my friend, Kay, in Mountain View, every time I read this poem, as she gave it to me tied in a blue ribbon long ago.

 

 The sign isn't lit well....it says "OLD QUILTS."  Indeed!  A few odd flowers from the Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern, here at my ironing board.  They came to me via someone's collection of quilt scraps I was given a few years ago.  (Only a quilter would appreciate an iron and some vintage quilt pieces.)

 

 I recently moved my sofa so it's in the room diagonally.  It has given me room for a work area behind the sofa and yet keeps the resulting 'mess' out of sight from visitors.  Unless they want to see that stuff, of course.

This photo was taken at my new little work area behind the sofa.  It's by the window, which makes it nice.  This morning, I decided the space needed a little flower arrangement of it's own....along with a sweet card and a project I am working on.  More on that project this coming week sometime.

 

 I don't remember where this card came from but I do love it:

Kind Hearts,

Like Garden Flowers, 

bring

Grace and Beauty

to our World.

 Have a wonderful Labor Day celebration!

 from

Bird Nest Cottage

until next time

♥♥♥

From My Porch to Yours

 I thought a nice way to wish you a HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY was to show you my porches.  It's sort of like inviting you in without you actually being here.  As you will notice, the flags are out.
The old navy man likes the flags to be out on all holidays, and especially this holiday.   We have to have our American Flag and the Navy flag both waving!  ( My sister and her husband presented us with a beautiful flag that flew over the capitol in Washington, DC, but I keep it in the house so nothing will happen to it.  So, Debbie, just in case you were wondering...this one is not the flag you gave us!!)

 Our house is not large, but does have a generously sized front porch. We enjoy it a lot.  I thought you might want to see where I sit and watch the traffic go by when it's not too hot outdoors.  It's a good place to read or sew and listen to the birds, have a glass of sweet tea, or, as I often do...enjoy the porch swings.  (It's even more fun when there is a little kid here and we can swing high! Or, an adult who wants to remember being a kid!) 

 This old screen door came from the third floor stash of 'old stuff' at my son-in-law's family store when they sold it.  I have several things from there, including this screen door and one I have going from my kitchen into the laundry room/pantry.  Love the old things.  The blackboard/sign I got at a local flea market...with the writing on it. 

 I bought this long basket on the door at Green Alley the other day and  filled it with paper flowers from Hobby Lobby.  I like it so much.  And, you can see where we might sit were you here.

 Or, we might sit here.

 Yes, it IS a long porch.....I've never measured it, but I'm guessing it's at least 32 feet long, maybe 8 feet wide.  Two swings, two ceiling fans.  With the summers we have...those fans come in very handy.  Nothing at my house is 'fancy' as you can see, but we do use and enjoy what we are fortunate enough to have.

 I'm thinking this porch needs a little 'sprucing up'....but, for now...it's ok with me the way it is.  I think I'd like to paint the concrete....well, maybe not while it's hot out!

 If I say 'from my porch to yours' then I have to include THIS porch.  This is the porch to my NEST.  As you know...BIRD NEST ON THE GROUND, my backyard studio.  I took these tonight and it was beginning to get dark, so I left the lights on in the studio.  Another way to invite you in!

 And, with an open door!  Just a peek inside.  I've shown it to you before...but as you may remember, it never stays exactly the same for very long.

This is the perfect weekend to sit on one of these porches and REMEMBER all those who made it possible for me to have a flag and to sit on these porches in PEACE and to live in this great country.  The old navy man and I wish you all a very lovely, peaceful and Happy Memorial Day weekend!  Take care out there....pat

PS.  Special good wishes to my friend, Claudine, in France, for giving me blog posting tips.  THANK YOU, dear friend!

My Beautiful Hydrangeas

Well, it's late on a Sunday night...much later than I intended to be and with a different blog post than I had planned also.  It's been 'A DAY!'  So, I want to brief tonight.  Not so many words, just some beautiful photos.  These are my beautiful hydrangeas.  When I say I don't have a green thumb...believe me.  These are just about the only thing growing on our property at the moment....with really no help from me.  I think they are gorgeous.  Took some to my next door neighbor yesterday and will share some later this week.  I love hydrangeas.  They are kind of like life...you just never know what you're going to get...and these are wonderful.  Since I can't share them with you in real life.....I can share the photos, so please ENJOY!  take care, pat

The Last Tree Standing

On Monday, at my house, we had a storm. Well,here's what happened. I had worked at the studio until 2:30 p.m., then was driving out to WallyWorld to pick up some prescriptions. I could hear thunder. No rain, no sign of rain, no drops of water, nothing. That old navy man called and said, "Watch out, there's a bad storm coming your way...it's here now." I heard thunder, no rain, no sign of rain, no drops of water, nothing. So I went about my business. An hour and some minutes later, I turned into my driveway and first thing I saw was the tree in our front yard....most of which was on the ground. I felt so bad about it....as it is the LAST tree left in our front yard.

Have I ever mentioned to you that I believe that "trees are Nature's version of lace"? I love trees. When we bought this house, there were FIVE trees in the front yard. A very nice, shady yard it was. Two days after we moved in....we had a storm. It was a Sunday. We lost a tree in the backyard to that storm. Along the way, during these ten years....we have lost four of the trees in the front yard in the same way. And, now there is one....well, half of one. I'm sorry, I know it's terrible of me to whine about THIS one tree after the year we've had on the planet....thousands of trees everywhere perished in tsunamis, earthquakes, and fires. Not to mention what happened to PEOPLE. I can't help it though...as this was MY tree....the only one left. The remainder of this tree will have to be taken down....as soon as it cools off, I'm thinking. It can't live as it is....but I will try to enjoy what's left of it until that day.

I looked it over to make sure there weren't any bird nests that needed rescuing. None. So, thankfully, the birds that feast at our feeders in the backyard evidently live in the other four trees back there. Oh, yes, the tree nearest my own Nest is suffering from some disease...we can't figure out what....and this storm took several large branches from it and politely dropped them onto my roof. No damage, really, just lots of branches to cut up and take to the curb. Eventually, I guess that tree will be gone too. Sigh....

The old navy man isn't physically able to use a chainsaw anymore.....so I wondered what I would do with that downed tree in the front yard. The very next morning at 6:30 a.m., a truck and some guys from the city were out there cutting it up and loading it onto a truck. We never called them....so I don't know how they knew...but there they were, solving one of my problems for me.
Thank you, City of Searcy!

So, I'll sit on the front porch - when the weather cools - and just REMEMBER the trees - Nature's version of lace. And, then, I'll go out back and look at the remaining trees out there....oh, just after sunset....and really SEE the lace. Y'all take care out there and stay cool. pat

A Quilt Story

Here's my story and I'm sticking to it. The present day version of this quilt story goes like this:
the other night I was walking up the front steps into the entry way and the light from the entry just grabbed me in a certain way...and the quilt hanging there...well, just made me stop and look and remember. I like the way it looks here in the entry. I just put it there a few weeks ago when I moved the buffet from the living room into the entry. You know how it is - you have to move a piece of furniture from 'here' to 'there' every so often. So, I took this quilt out of the quilt closet to hang over the buffet, then decided I had to also add that framed applique too. I made these pieces in 1990 and '91.

Then, there's the 'historical' version of this quilt story. It goes like this: Way back when - my quilt guild was having a class on a machine pieced Lone Star. You'll remember that I don't care for working by machine, so I had no intention of taking the class, then ALL my friends started harassing me because THEY were all taking the class, while I was not. I gave in, signed up and showed up on time expecting to be totally frustrated with the work. Of course, I really didn't want to miss being in the class since my friends were going to be there. It turned out better than I thought and I actually did make a wallhanging in that class, to hand quilt later. Not only that, but I thoroughly enjoyed my friends.

There is more. It turns out...I'm the only one of my 'group' who finished the quilt. After the handquilting, I decided to enter the quilt in the Houston Quilt Show. It was accepted and the quilt ended up winning 1st Place in the Traditional Handquilted and Appliqued Category. Now, really, you know yourself that nowadays...this quilt would not even GET INTO that quilt show.
But, back then it was a different story, and when I look at this quilt, I remember that class and how much fun it was to show off that quilt that I initially didn't even want to make!

That appliqued framed piece was just an extra block, so I decided I wanted to write on it, then frame it. I had named my pattern "The Wild Rose"....a version of many quilts back then. So, I found this verse and thought it would fit the block perfectly. As you will remember, if you read my blog often...I love writing on fabric.....and paper too, as I'm in the process of writing those 27 letters to some of you! Here is the verse:

"There's a rose looking in at the window, in every condition of life -
In days of content and enjoyment, in hours with bitterness rife
Where there's the smile of a woman, as bright as a beam from above,
'Tis the rose looking in at the window, and filling the dwelling with love."
Paul Mason James (1780-1854)

Well, that's my story. Even all these years later, I can enjoy that long ago class with friends, the quilt show and it's prize ribbon, and these days the quilt hanging in my entry. And, I do enjoy it. Hope you enjoyed my story. take care, pat

PS. I still have the ribbon....just didn't want to climb a ladder to get it out of a box on the top shelf....maybe another time I will.

Some Re-Arranging and a New Blogger

I haven't posted for longer than I intended as I have been busy re-arranging some things in the house. It's fun when you don't have to do it....but I HAD to do it....so it seemed more like WORK! The grandson and his wife got a new apartment and since they did not have much in the way of furniture....and my house could burst anyday....I gave them several pieces from the house.
This led, of course, to said re-arranging. I've been at it all week as I move lots slower than I used to. All the work is done now (except for some cleaning...oh...it never stops, does it?). So, I decided today that I would show you a teeny bit of it. Teeny.

When you walk inside my front door, there is a little alcove immediately to your left and another on the right. This one is on the left. Just last week, there was a little dresser here...which now resides in my dining room. The little red chairs used to be in the dining room - sitting beneath a family quilt I made with lots of red in it. My friend, Jim, always said those chairs were in the wrong place, so when I needed to move something old/but new into the alcove I chose these chairs. The quilt wound up in the living room. Confusing to you, I know.
Hanging over the chairs is a heart quilt I made quite a while ago. I bring it out every once in a while and hang it for my own enjoyment. I think it looks pretty good hanging over my little chairs. Also in this alcove, are several kid/doll chairs. I seem to collect them and these are a few from the collection. My friend, Judy made the doll and gave it to me. She 'goes' with everything I have.

On the opposite wall, there is a framed quilt block belonging to my late friend, Sharon. Her grandmother made it long ago. Above it is one of my favorite things....a framed print of a quilt. You have to look really closely to see that it's a print and not 'the real thing.' I'm inspired by it and one day, hope to make one similar. The squares are six inches...and I think it would be fun to design sixteen six inch blocks of my own for this wonderful 'look.' Who knows...someday I may actually do it. (This photo was taken from the side as those little alcoves are only 55 inches wide...hard to take a proper photo and get the whole quilt in the picture and without a reflection in the glass!)

A heart....a closeup of one of the blocks in my wall quilt. This quilt was made with 'leftovers' from other quilts. It's one of my favorites.

Now for that new blogger I mentioned. I have a dear friend. Tom. For years I have wanted him to have a blog of his own to show you all his wonderful work. He loves to share with others the design ideas, fabrics, threads and techniques he puts into his quilts. They are WONDERFUL. You may have seen him on HGTV back when Alex Anderson had the show, Simply Quilts. I'm betting you will enjoy his blog, as I know I will, so why don't you stop in for a visit HERE.
Tell Tom I sent you!

Hope you are all well and that March brings you lots of wonderful days! take care, pat

The Way We Look Here These Days...

Well, can you believe it's the 22nd of January already? I can't. Time sure flies around here...seems to go by faster every day. Usually in January, as I seem to remember anyway...things are kind of quiet, giving me time to recover from the holidays. Now, I didn't say boring, as I have never been bored...so much to do...so little time and all that. But, I can remember when January seemed to give me time to be all calm, quiet and cozy so I could plan what to do with the coming year. Because of our weather and time going by so fast, THIS January seems to have flown by giving me only enough time to get to the grocery store and stock up on food and so forth before the next SNOW comes along. And, although the snowfall we've had so far seems to satisfy my need to actually SEE snow...I'm hearing we may be in for more. At this rate, February will be here tomorrow and the month I thought was quiet will be gone til next year. And, Christmas could be arriving any minute.

Because snow has been on the ground here so much lately, I thought I'd show you some photos I've taken. They aren't that great, but will give you an idea of what things have looked like this month. Now, granted, there are places around the country where the snow has piled many feet high (oh, how I feel for those nice people!!)....but remember, we usually don't get any....so our three to five inches seems like a lot to
us....and it's plenty for me.

Here is our house in the snow. I took this photo from the church parking lot across the street where I walk every afternoon. And, yes, I have been walking...even in the snow....except for a couple of days when the wind was so cold I couldn't stand it. Anyway, here's the house...even it looks cold!

This tree is in our backyard and one of my favorites to photograph. I thought it looked very pretty with a coating of snow. One thing I like about the trees in snow....is that I can actually see the birds in the trees easier. One afternoon I managed to snap this photo of several birds perched in this tree. They looked so cold, and unhappy with me - they'd really just like to come have a snack on our back deck - as we feed them daily. Actually, I took this photo from the doorway of the Nest....when I walk out of either house, they seem to know I have a camera and fly away in all directions. No matter how I try to sneak around here....I'm able to get very few photos of the birds. Darn it!

The fourth photo I took late one night. I wanted to come out to the Nest (my backyard studio)....where my computer lives....and check my email, etc. So, you can see my footprints. The last photo is of the Nest. I took this photo the night before from the doorway of my house around 10:00 p.m. and with no lights. Although the little house looks dark and gloomy....and cold, this photo is amazing to me because usually at that time of the night it's dark as can be. The snow just seems to light up the night~

So, that brings to me NOW. It's cold, but not as cold. The snow has melted except for shady places.....and I'm ready for some of that slow, cozy January I usually expect to get. Let's see...I've got my spiral notebook....I've got ideas....how about I hide all the clocks, start a fire in the fireplace and brew a nice hot cup of tea!
Y'all take care out there....pat