Home Sweet Home
I have a lovely patio beneath my deck at the back of my house. I have carefully placed some rattan furniture that we bought while living in Indonesia which I painted weather-resistant white and paired it with some plastic furniture (on it's last seasonal legs) that I inherited from my mother-in-law who lived in Florida. I bought a cute little outdoor rug (actually fought with two gay guys over who would get to purchase it). We have a small iron fireplace unit. And yet, after all this careful design we use this place only a few times a year as we are busy people.
Yesterday I went out there to clean the place of leaves and spider webs to get ready for some company that were coming. One of the faded cushions with the ties that have long since broken was flopped over and the chair was covered in wind blown leaves.
Or so I thought! Those determined little wrens will build a nest anywhere. I have chased them outside of my garage many times. Fortunately there were no eggs inside this nest. Maybe they were just practicing and this was just a 'test nest'.
How funny! I can picture those adorable little busybodies fussing over this. Makes me kind of mad, though. Do you realize how many nicely constructed birdhouses I have bought and put up in perfect locations to entice song birds? To no avail?
ReplyDeleteLovely furniture, nice lines, and the surprise at the end with the nest was great. I wonder why those little birdies nest where they do. We had a wren that nested unsucessfully about a foot off the ground. Must be nature's way of slowing down the replication of the less clever birdies.
ReplyDeleteNice to have our choice of several areas to sit. My areas are smaller but have the screen porch, deck and front porch. Love that rug and have been looking for one.
ReplyDeleteThought I might find one on sale but guess they are all gone.
Your little guest will return!!
I'm glad that someone got to use that lovely, relaxing spot this summer.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet ending!
ReplyDeleteI love your outdoor area. I would be outside much more if I had an area like that... at least, I'd like to think so.
ReplyDeleteI was completely surprised by the last photo.
That is a pretty patio. Those little wrens have good taste.
ReplyDeleteI sat here reading the last page of posts as I ate my lunch, catching up. That was an interesting journey, coming to rest here with the wrens. One of the things I love about nature and creatures is that they never get discouraged, or so it seems. They never wonder what their purpose is.
ReplyDeleteThere's such tenacity there.
Anyway, your post about retirement had me thinking. Do you know, I'm not an important person, never have been, never will be. Oh I matter to the people who love me, don't get me wrong, I matter to my friends too, but I'm not important.
I guess when you can't do something important, doing something that matters is a pretty good substitute. Maybe volunteering. Did you know a lot of pet shelters need volunteers to walk the dogs there? It helps keep them in a good routine, lets them interact with people. There are food banks.
I could go on, there's a lot of stuff that matters, you know? You matter. Your home does too. If you miss that sense of purpose, that sense of power? I understand that, and by the way, commend you for speaking openly about it.
But that's what I kept coming back to. I don't think you need to find your sense of importance in the world, as much as you need to feel like you spend time doing something that matters.
Eh, what do I know? But it's a thought.
Ha---we have to chase the wrens out of our garage also... They will build nests wherever.... Guess they thought they had a nice safe place under that cushion.... I do think they are finished nesting for the season, so they probably aren't using that nest anymore...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Maybe the red bird tipped them off...."Hey, they don't sit on the patio chairs!" HaHa! I thought of that bird immediately...
ReplyDeleteOh that is funny!! Wonderful porch by the way!! I don't have a porch we can sit on...darn it! So I am drooling over yours.
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
You fought with two gay guys over a rug?
ReplyDeleteIf you really use this area as rarely as you say is it not possible that the birds have been and gone?
ReplyDeletePerhaps you had tenants all the time and they never paid you rent.
You could be right Friko...although I do water some potted plants near there almost every day and we do feed a fish in a nearby fountain...so I think I would have seen the activity.
ReplyDeleteA test nest? I did not know they did that!
ReplyDeleteNice spot. We had a charming deck spot like that....and never used it. Great nest. :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice furniture, Tabor.
ReplyDeleteLove your patio too.
Sounds the birdies loves the furniture...
My communion with nature is in a very old metal chair under a shade tree. It isn't a lovely spot like yours but I bet we enjoy the same peace. You are a fine decorator.
ReplyDeleteHa ha! I get mouse nests in my grille all the time. We don't even grill. I bought it for the propane burner so I wouldn't ever be without hot tea during storms.
ReplyDeleteAww.. nature loves you, Tabor. I'm glad there were no eggs too.
ReplyDelete