The bluebird of happiness....

 While walking at the cemetery this morning I came upon a happy sight...

... a little bluebird sitting atop the halo of John, the Beloved Disciple.

What wonderful timing. I stood there and enjoyed his song for a bit before he flew off.

(antique filter)

I hope you all have a beautiful Sunday.

Donna

Tweeting ...

I don't tweet. Do you? One of my girls Tweets, but thus far I haven't had any desire to delve into this newest form of communication.


I remember when only birds tweeted.


But not these two. They play music rather than tweet. The bluebird plays "It's a Small World" and the robin plays "You Light Up My Life."


But the real birds outside are tweeting very loudly today! I can hear them even through the closed windows (it's a tad on the chilly side today).

I suspect they're trying to attract mates. After all, it's spring and love is in the air!

I don't have much to tweet about today. I did go to Weight Watchers. I've been VERY bad about attending weigh-ins or meetings the past few months, and my lack of commitment has been showing on the scales.

I went to WW last week after a month and a half absence from attending and I was up 1.2 pounds. It was definitely time to recommit to going weekly. Thankfully today's weigh-in was better. Down 2.6 lbs. Still a far cry from where I want to be, but better than a gain.

Wishing you all determination, courage, and stick-to-it-iveness with any challenges you might be battling in your lives!

Donna

Cottage bluebirds...

"About the time we first hear the Robin's ringing welcome to spring we may listen for the Bluebird's more gentle greeting. No bird's song is more associated with the return of Spring than the Bluebird's."

(Frank M. Chapman, Birdlife, 1897)

I've never actually seen a bluebird in our neck of the woods. Do they visit tiny suburban lots smack dab in the middle of neighborhoods? If they do, we've never been graced with their presence.

I have a variety of bird statues throughout the house but, to me, the queen of the cottage is the bluebird.

I love this old gravy boat. Yes, the gold is chipped with age... even worn off completely in some areas...

And yes, there is a significant chip at the end of the gravy boat...

All the more reason to love it...

Bluebirds = the promise of spring. What a lovely thought after such a long winter!

Right now we're being soaked with torrential downpours over the past several days, a "Nor'easter" of rain and high winds... But the robins are everywhere, loving the warmer weather and all the worms that the rain brings to the surface!

Happy spring!

Donna

Major Bird Alert! Especially for the Northeast!

Comment Update: As some of you have discovered, Christmas Tree Shop doesn't offer on-line ordering, otherwise I definitely would have given you the source. So if you have any relatives or friends here in the Northeast who live near a CTS...

Comment Update #2: I was so surprised to hear that some of you enjoy your blue jay visitors all winter long! I wonder where mine go? (Maybe to your houses!) Mine disappear in late fall and then show up when the robins do, usually late January or early February.

I don't usually do two posts in one day, but I just had to because I don't want any of you to miss out on this deal! (Spring must almost be here because LOVE is in the air!!)

(click any photos to enlarge)

Do you love birds?


Do you love lamps???


Then you are going to flip for the bird lamp I picked up last night!!! (I do love bird lamps... do you remember this post about the Urban Outfitters bird lamp my girls bought for me?)


About 17" tall and almost 8" across (from tip of tail on one bird to outstretched wings of the other) [insert drumroll...................] And only $9.99 - shade included - at The Christmas Tree Shops!!!!!



Just look at the sweet details on this little bird!!!

The first one I picked up happened to have an imperfection ... The bird on the left only had one eye (all the other lamps were fine)... Now I could have put it back and picked one that was perfect, but this one reminded me of our sweet Gizzy (who we lost last March), our little one-eyed terrier mix whose picture you've probably seen on my sidebar... So the lamp with the one-eyed bird is the one that came home with me (remember me saying the other day that I loved Rachel Ashwell's philosophy about perfection being daunting? ha ha)... Perfection is definitely over-rated, a lesson that has take me almost my whole life to learn (and that I continue to learn each and every day!)

Double your fun!!! You all know me and my love for robin's egg/cottage blue! But my daughter bought the green lamp for herself, and I have to admit I was torn... I have so much robin's egg already, and I do love that shade of green... but in the end the little "bluebird of happiness" lamp won out for me...

I really need to make a habit of going to The Christmas Tree Shop more often. Look at this adorable heart-shaped, wire-trimmed Valentine ornament I found! It was just laying near the bird lamps so I brought it to the customer service desk and asked where they were located in the store... I was told that was probably the last one because the section where they were located was now empty, and that they had sold very quickly... Well for 99 cents I can see why! They're huge and just shabby/cottage perfect! Doesn't it look cute on my dining room bird (another imperfect bird here at the cottage!). Shortly after purchasing this bird many years ago, Mr. B, my all black kitty, knocked it over. The bird now has a gaping hole in its chest (not visible at this angle) and the entire front of his face/beak broke off... So I got some kind of plaster type material and tried my best to form his face and beak (very visible if you enlarge the photo!). It definitely looks like a 'repair' job, but that's okay... He doesn't need to be perfect to live here...

So my advice to anyone living here in the Northeast near a Christmas Tree Shop is to RUN to your nearest CTS if you're interested in either the bird lamps or the hearts!!!!!!! They're obviously going fast (at least the hearts are), and for the $9.99, I doubt those bird lamps are going to be on the shelves for long...

And last, but not least (how perfect for a bird post)... While I was taking a photo of the heart ornament hanging from the bird in the corner of our dining room, who should show up at the feeder but Mr. Blue Jay! It's good to see the bluejays back after them being gone all winter. I suspect he's thinking, "What a nice buffet table! Where do I begin!!!"

"I think I'll try a peanut first, but I'll be back for the suet and sunflower seeds very soon!"

Enjoy your day! And let me know if you do go to the CTS and get one of the lamps - or find more hearts! (There may have been more bird lamp colors originally, but the store I went to only had them in green or blue)...

Donna

The Bluebird of Happiness...

I'm back from my mini-getaway and computer break, and just in time, too, because look who visited our yard today... Isn't he handsome?

A "little birdie" must have told him that I have an endless supply of water for my feathered friends!


Well, he must have flown in through an open window because a bit later I found him inside, sitting in the dining room window...


Not long after, he hopped over to Nana's hutch, settling in next to the bird's nest while chirping to me that he'd like to stay there forever, as he felt right at home with all the blues and pinks in the china pattern. Of course you cay stay, sweet bluebird!!! Oh, and he sings, too!! He has a little music box key on his base that plays "It's a Small World" when wound.
(Okay, here's the real story... I found this little guy in a junktique shop on my mini-getaway to western Massachusetts. He was only $2.50 - how could I pass him up?? He's the epitome of cottage charm!)


And speaking of bluebirds, have you ever seen this Shirley Temple movie? It's one of my favorites. It might be hard to locate a copy at a video/DVD rental store, but there are many video and DVD copies available for purchase on eBay and on-line... It's the story of quite a thoughtless, selfish little girl, and her search for the bluebird of happiness...


At the same junktique shop, I found this vintage blue flower brooch (again, for only a couple of dollars!)... A very cute pin to dress up a sweater or blouse...


...I'll just hang it on the nail head that my swan paint-by-number hangs from until I need it...

I'll share more photos of my little getaway soon... Western Massachusetts is so beautiful... I can't wait to go back again sometime!

And thank you, Alaura, for the lovely award - and Deborah, for tagging me! I will post about the award and tag later in the week!!

Donna