Many many years ago I bought this small decorative birdhouse perched on a curvy wrought iron stand. The artist had a roadside stand in rural Maine...he was a really cool guy. The birdhouse was birch with a lot of rustic charm.
I had some pieces of barn board from the family farm in Wisconsin....and asked Jim, our handyman, if he could build me another house.
I told him to keep it simple. I wanted the house made from the red side of the barn board and the roof from the back of the board. I didn't want it functional...just decorative.
He took it home for a winter project...and just brought it back to me a week or so ago. He absolutely nailed it...pardon the pun!
I'll have to see if I can find the star that was on the original one....if fell off years ago. But I also like it just the way it is.
It sits along the fence between our patio and our neighbor Anna's. I may be done with the bottles...but they're staying for now. The wild blueberry bush wreath is new...and I still love my wrought iron dancer.
I absolutely love this view of my garden from the patio...which now includes this sentimental house from home. And the most heartwarming thing about it is that he gifted it to me and wouldn't let me pay him. As someone who is enjoying giving things away these days...I didn't even try and talk him out of it.
Thank you for this story of creativity, renewal, and generosity, MaryAnn. I just love envisioning handyman/friend Jim happily absorbed in this engaging winter project. The resulting reclaimed Wisconsin family farm barn-board birdhouse is SUCH a delight in every regard. Love seeing it in its wrought iron perch, love seeing it both up close and from a distance. This makes for such a sweet captivating bedtime series as my day begins to wind down now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for celebrating the creativity, renewal, and generosity! Yes, yes, and yes! I am delighted in it all!
DeleteSuch a darling birdhouse with extra special meaning, created out of kindness. What could be better? I can see why you love your window view with such whimsical decorations along the fence. It's delightful!
ReplyDeleteI think so too! I'm so happy with it all!
DeleteWhat an adorable memory birdhouse from your home boards...lovely addition to your fence display...hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteThanks Julierose! It's just perfect!
DeleteYour new/old birdhouse is so sweet! I have two pieces of art in my yard now - a copper person made by a long ago friend's husband as a thank you gift and Chuck's flowers. After seeing your wonderful items, I am thinking I need a few more, but they have to be meaningful and make me smile.
ReplyDeleteThank you Patty! I love that you have some special yard art too. I couldn't agree more about the meaning and smile factor....which is why the bottles may have to be replaced as I come across another thing or two. I have had blue bottles in my garden for years and years...but these could actually go somewhere else.
DeleteI like your blue bottles and hope they stick around. We have a bottle tree that DH made. Last year we had to replace the mish-mash of old bottles after a rough winter storm damaged too many of them, but now the tree's bottles are 2/3 blue and 1/3 green. Maybe your three need two new friends to hang out with?
ReplyDeleteThanks for chiming in Julie! I like them too...but if I find another piece of interesting art...I may spread the bottles out in the garden...or maybe the woods. Love the idea of your mismash of bottles!
DeleteChihuly's glass in the garden exhibits often feature drifts of glass 'fronds' (or staked bottles in our cases) in wooded areas and they're gorgeous.
DeleteI've see one Chihuly exhibit in person....and it did not disappoint. I do like the idea of some interesting things in the woods.
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