I love birds. I recently noticed that a little Carolina wren mother seems to have taken up residence on my front porch. I hope she knows she is welcome! When my 3rd child was born, a little delicate girl -(after 2 strapping boys)- we named her Nora. She reminded me of a bird from the start- a house wren or a little, sweet, sparrow. Nora is one of my thrift store companions and at the tender age of nine has started to develop a discerning eye herself. Recently, she said, “Is this Carnival glass?” She knows to look for McCoy type American pottery, depression glass and other things we like and with her young, eagle eyes, she points out chips and cracks that might preclude me from buying.
Many years ago, I started making bouquets for neighbors and friends for occasions happy and sad, an anniversary, birthday or death of a pet or a loved one. I would buy some inexpensive bunches from Produce Junction and supplement them with blooms and greenery from my own garden. Instead of using jars, I would take one of the lovely thrift store vases or teapots I had in my large collection and give it to them in that. Now we are in a new house and in the past year, Nora and I have started doing flower sales every few months. We go to the thrift store and look for the cheapest but best vases, creamers, pots etc and then we make beautiful little bouquets and sell them out front of our house for 5 to 10 dollars. Once we made a $75.00 profit! Often we make just enough to buy more and for Nora to put something in her piggy bank!
*UPDATE: I was right! A Carolina Wren has made a little tunnel nest in my fern. There are several little speckled eggs and as of 7 pm tonight, at least one teeny baby with its beak wide open! I will leave that area of my porch alone so that mom can do her good work!