Collections

Downsizing is a great way to organize your stuff. It forces you to only keep what you really love. I did not even realize I liked birds.


Obviously, I do like birds and nests. I think it all started when our friend Jane Mason came to paint in our gardens. Each year there was a duck that nested in the pool area and raised its young on the pool. It often caused a delay in the spring opening of the pool, but even the children did not seem to mind. Unfortunately, that spring the Labrador across the street escaped and took out the mother duck. Several eggs never hatched. It was such a beautiful nest. Jane sketched for hours in the 90+/-degree heat. Later a guest would tell me she was taking a class from Jane and remembered her working on “Judy’s Duck Eggs”. We think its one of her best. Jane displayed this at the Water Color Show at the Artists Guild and Mike and I were thrilled to be able to purchase such a personal piece of art. It continues to be a reminder of the wonderful, special summer Mike’s mom spent with us while under Hospice care.

You can visit Jane’s website at http://www.watchingpaintdry.com/
Jane also painted a quiet corner of our yard of large oaks, hydrangeas, white azaleas and a favorite bench called “Green Sanctuary”. It hangs in my office.

In the same room as the painting, in the small glass conservatory is a nest taken from the property. It is such a work of art. We waited until the baby birds had flown away before taking it down.

The dining room is another space where birds showed up. They are in the print on the draperies, the pullbacks, the table, and a very temporary grapevine valance (my husband removed it). I especially love using the little stone Mexican birds on the table.