nest collecting & the Baya Weaver

Sometimes we find nests that have fallen to the ground,
or that we know have been abandoned,

and we can't resist bringing them home to our collection.  

Like all of our collections, we run out of room for them and 

ultimately have to decide what to keep and what to return to nature or to give away.   

 (Otherwise, our house would be completely overrun with nests,

special rocks, feathers, leaves, books, and oh so many other things.)

I find that it's really hard to identify a nest properly, 

and despite our handy guidebook,
we're rarely able to narrow it down with any confidence.

 Finding eggs in a nest (or on the ground underneath) 

would help identify the type of nest, 

but we've never found any eggs, except robins.

One of the things I appreciate about winter

 is how nests that were previously hidden or hard to see in spring and summer,

become so visible and exposed.  

I spot them and

think about the birds I remember seeing in or near that area,

and then I keep those locations in mind for the next season 

when the leaves fill in.    

----------------------

The nest I love most was a gift from Boo's friend.

It's a partially finished Baya Weaver's nest.

 

The Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is an Asian bird 

that weaves these beautiful nests and they hang like pendants on trees.  

They live in colonies, so there are usually lots and lots of them

on any given tree.

This nest we have is in what is called the 'helmet' stage, 

before the entrance tube is woven on.

Here's an image I found online of some finished nests:

Here's another photo found online or a baya weaver (female?) flying in:

 And here's a brief clip of a nest in process,

it seems to be that the male is showing the female

the nest he has made

and she is mulling it over,

deciding whether his nest cuts the mustard or not:

red-winged blackbird

I love the call of the red-winged blackbird.

I never knew what their eggs looked like until I got this book, Egg & Nest

by Rosamund Purcell, Linnea Hall and Rene Corado:

Red-winged blackbird eggs are absolutely spectacular!  

I wonder if Jackson Pollock or Franz Kline 

got their inspiration from red-winged blackbird eggs?

You can learn more about red-winged blackbirds 

at Cornell's All About Birds website.  

They have lots of information, sound clips, and videos.

(Sometimes when I want to hear the sounds of spring and summer, 

I go on their site and listen to sound clips...)

New Year, New Seeds

new year  = new seeds = new garden.

Every year a garden is a new entity.  

A new creation. 

 

Dreaming about growing things 

and having a stack of seed catalogs 

somehow makes the winter more tolerable.

By this time of year, 

I usually have received a stack of catalogs several inches high, 

and this is how I bring in the New Year.  

I read seed catalogs like some people read fiction.  

I love every inch of them.  

Every photograph and illustration, name and description.

I think that would be such a fun job...  

To be the person who comes up with new names for new varieties, 

and who writes the descriptions 

in an effort to capture the essence of 

a particular tomato, and the nuance

of every bean.

 

Looking at the catalogs,

I can smell and taste things,

and I can practically feel the sun on my back 

and the ache in my muscles. 

Each year, I find myself longing a little bit more 

for that first thaw.

Each year, my dreams and plans are a little bit bigger,

and I am practically salivating to get out of snow boots and gloves

and back into boots and gloves of the garden variety.

So I will share with you some of my favorite places 

to get lost in the dream of the garden:

Fedco Seeds 

Fedco is by far and away the most affordable way to buy seed.

We just discovered them this year, thanks to our friend Wendy

 (sorry, it's not in the picture since we borrowed hers)

They cut costs on catalog printing (black and white, no photos)

and pass the savings on in better prices.  Waaaaaay better prices. 

Plus, they have a good selection of organics.  

Most things you can get for $1.00-$2.40 a pack!

They do have some fun illustrations 

and random political commentary scattered throughout, too,

which for me, is a bonus.

 

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Probably has the glossiest, sexiest catalog out there.

It's total eye candy.  

You'll want to take it up to bed and fall asleep 

with pictures of ripe, juicy deliciousness on your face.

But  it's not just looks -- 

they are the premier source for heirloom seeds.

Seed Savers Exchange

Another great source for heirlooms.

Very high quality seed.

If you become a member, you get special access to names and addresses of people 

around the world who have saved seed that they're willing to share with people.  

It's an amazing community.  

Plus there's an online forum...  

gardeners asking questions and sharing information with each other.

The Cook's Garden

 Their seeds are pricey,

but you can be guaranteed your rewards will be superbly tasteful.

This past year we tried their wild kale mix, 

and it was the most amazing kale (sweet, tender!) I've ever had in my life, bar none.

And they're not kidding about it being hardy! 

We were eating it right up until we got 16 inches of snow!

High Mowing Organic Seeds 

 100% organic, safe seed pledge.

It's a Vermont company, and we're fond of all things Vermont.

If it can grow in Vermont, it can surely grow here. 

Seeds of Change

 Also 100% organic.

And they sell seedlings to transplant of especially hard to start items like tomatoes and peppers...

(We tend to get our seedlings locally, though). 

Maine Potato Lady

The name says it all.  Loads of organic potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, onions, etc.

Horizon Herbs

 They have so so so so so many herb seeds and bare roots - 

a great source for medicinal herbs but they carry culinary herbs and vegetable seed, as well.

Territorial Seed

Overall nice selection, plus they have some instructional videos and 

customer service phone staff happy to answer questions about growing from seed.

John Scheeper's Kitchen Garden Seed 

 They have lots of herbs and some veggie seeds., 

some nice tips and an easy to navigate website with an online 'recipe box'.

Johnny's Seeds

They have a large selection of seed, including some organic,

but we especially like checking out their supplies and tools. 

R.H. Shumway 

 We don't usually order from them unless they have something we can't find anywhere else, 

but I really do love looking at their old-fashioned illustrations!

Sometimes I cut the illustration out and hang them up in our potting shed 

or save them for projects.   

holiday whimsy

 

 

Crooked, colorful trees!

Each stuffed, beaded and embellished

on a wooden base.

 

These handblown glass snowmen

were made locally by Sean Kennedy.

They're French, can you tell by the stylish beret

the fellow on the right is sporting?

'Frosty le Bonhomme de Neige'

or would it be

'Glacé le Bonhomme de Neige?'

 

These guys were meant to be Santa twins, but they became Wise Men instead.

They're stuffed, clothed in canvas, and handpainted.

They're looking after their treasure of frankincense and myrrh.

 

 

These wintry little sheep

are dressed in their finest hats and scarves,

are they sure are curious and gossipy creatures.

 

They found a mysterious shiny present

and all gathered around it.

 

They Baaaaaaa and wonder,

Baaaaaaat what is this?

 

The sheep here (and all of the felted items in this post)

are handmade by Suzie Poe, and can be found at Handwork. 

 

 

Our resident Toad Prince

decided to migrate indoors for the winter

and so he brought his small palace (made by PoFu Pottery)

along with him.

 

He's quite happy atop the piano,

because he really loves being regaled by fine music.

 

A winged angel sheep comes by to

give him divinely inspired counsel.

  

 

These sheep suffer from Christmas Delusional Disorder (aka CDD),

in which they think every day is Christmas.

 

They frolic about with their holly and ivy

and have such a jolly time,

all day, every day. 

 

I guess some delusions are fun if you can share them with a friend!

 

 



 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Sheep

is relaxing this holiday season,

letting that sucker Rudolph the Reindeer

do all of the work,

since he gets all of the glory anyway.

 

Vince Guaraldi Trio: Charlie Brown Christmas

Another favorite:

Vince Guaraldi Trio / Charlie Brown Christmas

 

 

O Tannenbaum

(the whole piece is great but I love it at 0:38 when it starts to gets jazzy!)

 

 

Christmastime is Here

 

 

 

Skating

(feels so free, light-hearted, & playful...)

December, by George Winston

One of my favorite albums to listen to this time of year...

 

December

by George Winston.

 

The whole album is lovely,

but here are my three favorite pieces:

 

 

Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head

 

 

 

 

Joy

 

 

 

The Holly and the Ivy

 

 

the 12 birds of Christmas

 

I found these wonderful hand-painted wooden bird ornaments at a local craft sale recently.

I decided to decorate our little tree with 12 birds of Christmas.

All of the birds are birds that we see (or hear) 

in our backyard at one point or another throughout the year:

 

Eastern Screen Owl, Barn owl, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker,

Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Goldfinch, Indigo Bunting,

Cardinal, House Finch, TreeSparrow, Black-capped Chickadee.



We got a little potted tree this year for the first time.

It makes such intuitive sense to me,

 rather than having a tree

made in China from petroleum byproducts,

or cutting down a perfectly vital tree...

 

This feels really good. 

 

No need for a big to-do for us at the holidays.

Just a quiet, small celebration

of light and love and life.

 

We'll plant our tree as soon as the ground thaws in the spring.

 

It makes me smile to see our bird friends on the tree.

Along with some glass pinecones and acorns and

other tree-things,

and our angel topper, which is

a felted wool angel, holding a bird.

 



 

And I never forget to hang the peace sign,

because peace is what it's all about.

 

 Plus some of my favorite ornaments from childhood.

This birdfeeder, filled with seed,

made by an elderly client of my mother's

when I was about 8. 

 

And last, and least in size,

is this delicate little glass tree.

 

So tiny!

 

I always loved putting it on the tree, each year as a girl,

unwrapping it from all of it's protective tissue...

 I loved having something precious that I had to be so careful with.

And the lights really make it shine.