I have a story to tell of a huge geranium plant my DD gave me for Mother's Day.
It's HUGE! I love seeing that pop of color outside my kitchen window.
Mr. Carolina Wren liked it too.
We watched him carrying bits into the pot to make a nest.
I blocked off his entrance because I wasn't sure I wanted him to make
his nest in my plant.
He pushed the block aside and kept on building.
Soon after he brought Mrs. Carolina Wren by to check out his work.
Evidently she approved, because she stayed.
I was able to carefully water (the rain helped) and deadhead the flowers
without seeming to disturb her.
DH just had to check it out and got a mad bird in his face!
While she was away, he shone the flashlight into the nest and we
could see three eggs.
After a couple of weeks we noticed both the Mister and the Mrs. flying
in and out. Each day they made more and more trips.
After a couple more weeks, I spotted two fledglings on the deck.
The little ones flitted and tried their best to fly. They were pretty clumsy but
made it off the deck and into the surrounding foliage.
Not a good picture of one of the fledglings. He had feathers sticking straight up
on his head! He's getting ready to fly here. See his wings flapping.
I have my geranium back. But I kind of miss the Carolina Wren family.
For this week's Power Poppy Creative Confetti Challenge, Julie
has asked us to show what inspired us for a card. She used a sketch.
I've chosen the view from my kitchen window and back door.
Challenges:
Krafty Chicks #514: Stamp Act (wren)
Power Poppy Creative Confetti: Source of Inspiration
Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.
Enjoy!
Card Recipe
Stamps: Geraniums (PP Digital printed in sepia), And Open Heart (ret. SU)
Ink: Antique Linen Distress Ink (DI), Rusty Hinge Wild Honey, Vintage Photo (DM), Cajun Craze (SU Marker)
Paper: Neenah, Sahara Sand (SU), Mixed Media (Strathmore)
Other: Copic Markers (YG03, YG07, YG63, YG67, G29, R30, R35, R29), Anytime Tags (LI)
30 comments:
What a sweet, charming story! Such a nice start for the 4th of July weekend and such a nice reminder of how nature can soothe us. And, of course, amazing coloring!
LOVE the card and love the wren story even more! How fun to see nature in action! We have two bluebird houses at opposite ends of our yard. Bluebirds went in one, swallows TRIED to get in the other. We blocked the hole with grocery bags so they would give up. They finally seemed to give up, and the swallows went away. Then the bluebirds left their other house and moved into this one and a carolina wren moved into the original bluebird house. Between the songs of both of them, there is never a quiet moment in our yard!!! Your little stamped wren looks like it could fly right off the card...very realistic, and your geraniums are delightful...both of them!
Wow! That is so perfectly painted, Bonnie! I swear we will line up for lessons. This is just incredible! I enjoyed your bird nest story. We have one here. After four times he removed a nest from his ladder and the robin kept coming back to build, He finally relented and there are baby robins in there now. We have to leave the door open so she can get in and feed them. Silly birds- trees all around yet it chose the ladder in the garage.
Gorgeous geraniums, Bonnie - just love your water coloring!! Love the birdie story too - those birds just find their spot and don't try moving them!! Funny, I got my mom a geranium for Mother's Day - just not as huge as yours since it went on her already crowded deck. The orioles there land on the pots with the grassy bases and carefully pull out twigs - so adorable to watch!!
Beautiful card. Love the geraniums and the way you popped the wren in front of it. Enjoyed reading the story of your wren family. That is so neat that you got to watch them. Thanks for sharing.
Happy 4th July!! Have a fabulous day!
Your card is so beautiful!! It's breathtaking.. I love your story and how lovely to see those babies taking flight. We grow geraniums but not so big as we don't have enough heat over here.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful story.
Your plant is gorgeous and your card colors is so beautiful.
You certainly nailed the colors for your card - look like the real deal.
There aren't many things I love more than Geraniums [just love their scent] - you are very lucky to have these darling Carolina Wrens -love their darling tails!
Thanks for giving these wonderful friends a safe place to repopulate our/their world!
Bonnie, your card is as fabulous as the real things!
=]
Oh what a sweet story. Your card, géraniums and view from your kitchen window / back door are beautiful... you are so lucky!
Happy Independence Day... enjoy it!
Thank you Bonnie for sharing your sweet bird family story:-) Your geranium card is Gorgeous and so is your huge geranium plant. Loved seeing the photos of your plants and flowers and bird feeder:-) Wishing you a quiet, relaxed and thankful 4th of July. We will be outside gardening after my walk and Denny's run:-) Love and Hugs..Nancy
What a great story, Bonnie. The beautiful geranium is HUGE, I'm not surprised that it was the perfect spot to build a nest. Fabulous card. xx
A gorgeous card Bonnie and a wonderful story for your inspiration... that would be so lovely to see the wren making a home and family in your geranium. Hugs Robyn
What a gorgeous geranium card, Bonnie! Your coloring is so beautiful, as always! I really enjoyed reading your sweet story of the Carolina Wren family. What a wonderful gift your DD gave to you, and the gift brought you happy memories of the Wren. Thanks for sharing!
Hideko xx
What a lovely story Bonnie and the persistence of the sweet wrens paid off, birds can be very determined. I love your bright and beautiful geraniums and the wren you have added to the front outside of the rounded topper, and your colouring is fantastic! x
Hey Bonnie! This is such a lovely card and I LOVE the little wren! Coincidentally, I just read your bio and I happen to live in Cary as well...small world, huh?
Rachelle : )
Loved your story about the wrens as much as your card! I love having birds in my backyard, and especially love watching the fledglings. Your geranium is incredible - what a great gift! Your card depicts the whole story perfectly - wonderful colouring and shading of the geranium and wren, and a great layout.
Oh Bonnie, how gorgeous to have the birds nesting so close to you - and to be able to see the chicks fledge! I have seen starling chicks fledge, and as you say, they are clumsy when they first leave the nest, but gain 'their wings' and fly strongly in such a short time.
Loving you stunning card to commemorate the story - your colouring is fantastic
Stay safe
Blessings
Maxine
Wow on many levels Bonnie...
Marvellous to have the wren family and yes I bet you do miss them x
Wow to the fabulous geranium plant and it is absolutely beautiful...no wonder the Wren family wanted to nest there...LOL x
And a super Wow to your amazing card. It is a stunner Bonnie with fabulous colouring and I so love the cute Wren too x.
Thanks for sharing the photos Bonnie and what an uplifting post x.
It’s a beautiful card! I love the bright colors and the wonder wren stamp. Carolina Wrens (and maybe all wrens) build lots of dummy nests and then the female goes round and chooses one to finish. He always is building one in our grill, so I have to be vigilant in the spring to check it and remove the bits of debris before they have a chance to choose it! If they choose it, by law, I can’t remove it anymore...
Beautiful plant - beautiful card!
When we lived in the Mountains of NC, a bird built a nest in a basket of an artificial plant I had hanging on the side of the house. Just like you, I watched a mama and papa fly back and forth to feed their babies. One day I took a peek and there were 3 wee ones, eyes closed tight and peaks wide open. Everyday I would take a peek then one day they were gone. My husband said he saw a nice size black snake near the porch. You guessed it - that mean ole snake ate my babies and the parent birds were flying around like crazy. Broke my heart.
Sandy xx
The wrens loved your geraniums as much as you did! It is a beautiful plant and seeing it every day as you look out is so cheerful for you. What a sweet story about the wren family and no damage to your plant. The card is pretty and the way you colored the leaves is awesome. The depth is beautiful on both the flowers and leaves.
Your geraniums are beautiful Bonnie ... both the potted ones and the ones on your card! Amazing depth on your watercoloured flowers. And your wren is adorable!
Love the story and how facinating to watch it all unfold. Poor Bruce, having a mad bird in his face is not fun! :) xx
I loved this post Bonnie!! And how perfectly fitting for this challenge! Birds sure do pick some crazy places to build their nests...I have a grapevine wreath on our front porch and two years in a row now Mr and Mrs Robin have built a nest in it and get really ticked if we go on the porch while they're waiting for their babies to hatch! But anyway, your card is SO pretty and just beautifully colored my friend...love it!!! Hugs. :0)
Goodness, a gorgeous card with this geranium which has always been one of my PP faves and I've colored it so many times I've lost count. It's so warm and beautiful in your hands! I enjoyed your story so much, too, Bonnie! It's funny how the birds can be so comfortable around us. I don't know what they're thinking. We had a sparrow couple nesting in the barberry bush right next to our deck where we hang out with the dogs and friends all the time. It was so cute!
Beautiful card, and your inspiration is perfect! I love the large geranium, my mom has had some birds nest in hers as well. Having a little bird family is always fun to host :o)
Amazing colouring of the geraniums Bonnie and I love hearing about your little nestlings in the pot :)
So gorgeous, Bonnie! Love the little wren too. We have wrens nest somewhere around our patio every year but I haven't been able to find their nest this year. Glad you played with us at Krafty Chicks. Hugs!
Oh, such a beautiful story, Bonnie. Thank you for this story. Who would expect a bird to wind its nest in a pot with geraniums :-) I love how you painted geraniums, all these spots of color and its gradation look stunning
xoxo
Love this mister and misses story, or biography? What great inspiration for this awesomely painted geranium. I am impressed. Happy belated Mum's Day ;) ...what a beautiful gift for you :D
Oh Bonnie, I love, love, love the story and how you created a card in the spirit of the new baby birds you got the chance to watch hatch. I love your card just as much -- what a beauty! And, knowing the story behind it is just too fun!
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