I’m gratified to see that there’s some interest in the post I’ve promised to write about this grandmother’s developing relationship with her family, and the commonalities I’ve been interested and relieved to find, on chatting with numerous friends, that might indicate that “It’s not just me.” I’ve begun drafting that piece, but it’s probably going to take me a few days, perhaps even a week, before I’m ready to click “Publish.”
So today, instead, I thought I’d give you a Five Things Friday report on how we’re Feathering the New Nest:
1. Our new Sleeper Sofa arrived, and we’re so pleased with it. Its dark brown leather and simple, fairly classic shape look good against the wall covered by Ikea’s Billy bookshelves, jammed full of my books. I’ve got the fiction alphabetised, and almost have the memoirs, poetry, reference, and academic stuff sorted as I want them, but the shelves do need tweaking yet. The opposite wall has more bookshelves, but creating a deep shelf for the TV has rendered some of the remaining shelves less useful.
2. Minor Problem currently on Back Burner. . . .At the moment those very shallow shelves are hosting a plethora of tchotchkes and mementoes — having made it past last spring’s culling, these artifacts are not ones I will chuck easily into a giveaway bin, but we haven’t much display space here (so many windows — great for light! not so great for shelving or even furniture placement). I suspect more culling will be the eventual answer, but honestly, I’m leery of doing too much now and regretting it later. Might be making a trip down to the storage room for now. . . .
3. The Eames chair we ordered before Christmas has arrived, and suits the space well to complete our seating for the “living room area.” So much smaller than the big leather club chairs that served the function in our last place, but it’s surprisingly comfortable and with a small footprint expands our guest seating so that six can sit easily for drinks or after dinner. (Two each in the leather love seats we brought with us; one in the Eames and another in a very comfortable leather swivel armchair we brought home before Christmas — Important Note: Swivelling chairs are to grandkids as Catnip is to Cats. . . . only cats aren’t as likely to have sticky hands, and no one minds much if catnip gets dirty. . .
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| This one swivels. Toddler grandson thinks it’s as good as a carousel! |
4. We’re now searching for a rug that will (I hope!) integrate this seating, but I thought I’d use my two remaining numbers to wander outside onto the terrace. It’s finally warmed up enough to imagine sitting outside — that happy day is still weeks and weeks away, but easier to imagine when the ice and snow are gone. I’d like to make that winter dreaming even easier by planting some bulbs next fall so that next January we might find crocuses and daffodils spearing their greens upward. I also need to research the best winter-flowering fragrant shrub for a container on an elevated terrace — keeping in mind, of course, that the space is limited and I can’t immediately turn it into a jungle.
5. Another indoor project I’ll mention before wandering back out to the terrace is one we’ve begun in the walk-through closet, dismantling the custom shelving, drawers, etc., I just couldn’t stand the open cubbyholes, the obviously wasted space, the dust that settles on surfaces. So far, we’ve just taken out one unit, replacing it with two teak dressers we had in our old bedroom — turns out that they stack very neatly, constituting something like a six-drawer highboy, very efficiently using the space. More on this project (and the accompanying trepidation) later.
For now, let me close, as I began, with an Avian reference. We’re taking so much delight from the two bird feeders I bought just before Christmas. So far, we’ve had several flickers at the suet feeder, too many English sparrows at the seeds I scattered on the ground to introduce our new Bird Café to the neighbourhood, several song sparrows, a hummingbird looking for water, I suspect, a few crows who, just as well, haven’t deigned to try our dainty dishes. We’ve been pleased this week to see several congregations of chickadees — apparently, other birds will watch where chickadees feed and then check out the menu for themselves, so we’re counting on good word-of-mouth.
Most delightful have been the bushtits. Some of you will laugh at the name, if you’re not familiar with birder terminology (which, don’t forget, also includes the blue-footed booby — and many other tits, for that matter). But if you ever get up close to these fellows, you’ll see their clown repertoire goes far beyond their label, and you’ll be chuckling even more at their antics.
Having tried for the last half hour, without success, to upload a short video of the bush tits playing at our suet feeder, occasionally dipping into the dinner-bell seed tray, I’ll have to leave you to imagine these feathered acrobats. Otherwise, my Five Things Friday will surely drag into Five Things Saturday, and then we have no alliteration. Oh dear!
Weekend plans? Or one or two or three or even Five Friday things of your own? Or any comment you care to share?
Those bookshelves…that sofa…how do you resist the temptation to just curl up and read all day? It looks so cosy.
I went for a walk this afternoon and was listening to a podcast of Gardeners' Question Time. They were discussing Jerusalem Artichokes…of course I thought of you immediately and paid special attention, so I could report back. Two things of note: they are excellent for gut flora, and the 'impacts' become less severe when you eat them more frequently. If you dare, I guess 🙂
It's an ongoing temptation to which I regularly succumb!
As for your second paragraph — so you're saying that I will forever be linked in your mind with the sunchoke fiasco?! too funny. . . . but interesting to note that the gut both benefits and adjusts (there's something of this effect with kimchi, actually, for different reasons obviously)
Your sofa looks great. We have a lot of little ornaments that I change about (dust-collectors really). We're getting flickers to our suet feeder as well. I plan to finish two books this week-end as book clubs are coming up.
You're lucky to have those two book clubs, but it's work to keep up sometimes, isn't it?
Looking cozy and inviting. I have those open shelves and cubbies in my closet, and the dust drives me crazy. I did replace some of them with dressers. Just saying.
I'm so much happier with the dressers. The cubbies seem to require baskets or boxes and then it's hard to see what's there…. Plus I'm not enough (at all!) of a neatnik to want the "everything's exposed" approach!
I love the bushtits — I see lots of them at my two suet feeders and they are so entertaining! They don't seem as interested in the seed feeder, which leaves it for the chickadees and sparrows. I enjoy watching them all. As to the garden, the snowdrops are about ready to bloom and the crocuses and daffodils are finally sprouting from the ground! Love this time of year for the new growth! As for the weekend, I am seeing a play at the Stanley tomorrow with my girlfriend and then plan to sew for much of the rest of the weekend (I need to finish the jacket and skirt I'm making for my daughter's birthday next month!). Enjoy the weekend. Lyn
I was surprised to see the tits dipping into the seed feeder, as we were told they'd only come to the suet — probably just a "getting acquainted" exploration.
Your garden sounds like one I'd love — all those spring blooms getting ready.
That play will have been a demanding one to watch — you'll have time to sit with it over your sewing. Hope you manage to make significant progress.
Looks like all is going well inside. The leather sofa and shelves really work. A rug will definitely cosy up everything. How about a daphne odorata for outside? B x
Daphne odorata is a great candidate, and from what I've read, they can do well in the right container. Thanks for the suggestion.
I've looked up bushtits & chickadees , neither of which we have here . I envy you your hummingbirds , we've loved watching those on holiday . I thought maybe a Daphne too , mezereum has a lovely scent & stays quite neat . Lovely to see rows of books – not killed by kindle after all !
Wendy in York
Another vote for Daphne, thank you! I had a D. mezereum in my last garden and I love the scent and the gorgeous, rich, magenta blooms. I might be better this time with D. odorata just because we need more evergreen for winter cheer….
You had me at the bookshelves! Already looks like a real home.
It's true, isn't it?! Books do that.
Love the combination of sofa and Billy bookshelves :-)! And books….
I'm going to the cinema ("Jackie")and drinks tonight
Dottoressa
Such great taste you have! 😉
Hope you enjoyed Jackie — we just saw Manchester by the Sea — beautiful, but devastatingly sad….
Do some apartments/condos ban bird feeders?
Apparently they do.
I very much warm to the idea of organising the books. I like to do this every now and then and huge pleasure results. When you can put your hand on the very book you want then life has little more to offer. I shall now go off to bed with John Buchan and roister around the Britain of a century ago. Thank the Maker I never have to go out on the town on a Saturday night. Books..
Saw Thirty-Nine Steps on a London stage several years ago, but that's the only Buchan I've read, despite the Canadian connection. . . enjoy!
I always find arranging bookshelves to take much longer than anticipated, for there is always the temptation to read just one poem, or one chapter, or find my favorite bits.
The birds have been busy around here, too. They are full of life and energy!
Yes, it's very easy to get waylaid on this task….
We don't see the birds here as much as we did "before," not surprisingly, and hence our efforts to entice them with food. I envy you their constant company.
So nice to see you settling in, and I love that sofa against the wall of books. So familiar to me, although it doesn't look like anything I physically have lived in, my mind lived there.
Yes! True for me as well — Even though this configuration of books, dark leather, tribal rug and windows is new for us, it pulls together elements we've always lived with in a way that instantly felt familiar. Like a bird migrating solo, a first flight, getting there by something DNA… (and in the case of this human, not the bird, guided, admittedly, by countless images absorbed over the years through friends' homes and many shelter mags! 😉
Looks really cozy and rug shopping is fun but I find it rather daunting as there are so many beautiful choices…good luck!
It was very daunting, L., but we did it and are very pleased…