Baby Cardinals

Last Monday, I discovered a nest of baby cardinals in the bushes right beside the gazebo. In fact, as I watered plants, I could look over the gazebo rail and see them. You may remember my Cardinals and Grandmama story from the winter. All year, I've been working on a "For The Birds" theme and found something bird related on every junkin' trip leading up to our show last weekend. Sunday when I came home from the show, there was a different bird sitting on the gazebo rail as he was learning how to fly. Then on Monday, I found this nest. When the cardinals flew out of the bushes, I was able to identify what these ugly little things were! Today, one week after finding the nest, Jeff alerts me that my babies are leaving the nest. I was really surprised it was so soon, but according to my search, they are only in the nest 9-11 days before flying away. They have chirped all day as they cling to tree branches and get brave enough to flutter through the yard. The daddy cardinal has been coaxing them along a lot and give me a few ugly looks as I observed them. Hope you enjoy the pictures of the cardinals!

Monday - the day I discovered the babies.

Monday - wee little babies.

Friday afternoon - yikes!

Saturday evening - big difference in a day! 

Sunday evening - that nest is getting crowded.

Monday morning - Baby number 1 made his way to the Bridal Wreath in the yard. 

Monday morning - bird #2 left the nest

Monday morning baby 3

"What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?" - e.h.

 I finally got a picture of the red bird, although he wasn't too happy with me! (I've tried off and on since December to get his picture.)

 He would coax and call to the babies and bringing them food. I can't tell exactly what he has in his mouth. I left them alone and went back inside to work, expecting that they would be gone this afternoon.

Late this evening, I went outside to photograph some wedding bouquets I had finished today and heard lots of little chirping going on. They were still here! Bird 1 was sitting in the crepe myrtle in the center of the yard, eye height, and I was able to get lots of pictures of him. I could have reached out and grabbed him up easily, instead, I just took lots more pictures and a video of him. 

 I mean, they are so ugly they're cute!

 Those toes, that fuzz! I shot some of these in macro, about a foot away from him!

 Birdy #2 was in another bush in the yard, but I never found the last one. I think he was in the trees beyond the yard fence.

 I'm glad my yard can be a place for the birds to live. I don't buy feed for them, but our yard and surroundings provide for them and I sure like getting to witness their journey as they find their wings and fly away (or maybe they will all stay here!)

Now, I'm an empty nester...

Things we love...

We only make and collect the things we love! As the final days of preparation for the Backwood's Marketplace are underway, we've got lots of things to finish up and tag, before we start loading the trailers. We are drawn to the things we love and make us happy and hope you will love them too. If not, well I guess I'll just have to bring them home and keep them in my yard. 

This time, we have added some plants to our area. Angea and I picked up a truck load last week and now we keep saying "oh, this would look good here... I need that chandelier...and those chairs..."

Can you feel my pain?!? I mean these chippy chairs and gorgeous plants look right at home in my yard! I'm thinking we should have got more plants, because we want to keep half of them. We may be like BlueBell Ice Cream - eat (plant) all we can and sell the rest!

I mean this succulent chandy fits perfectly under my tree. For years I've dreamed about having trees large enough to hang things from them and its finally happening. Bird cages, chandeliers, and lanterns can hang from our trees in the yard. 

But I must remember we are Flower Peddlers and must share our pretties with all of you! That is why we've been junkin' and collecting things for months. This old bike is one of our recent finds. I even found an original bike basket that attaches to the back of it, so it will hold several plants! 

I've been having fun using my new cutting tool to cut out fun shapes and repurposing random items into yard art! Jeff even let me use his riveter, so I have been able to attach the pieces together. 

Tin campers, truck, wings, birds all created from reclaimed items. 

Some buckets that we found at a farm estate sale. - Some will have plants in them! 

See - I love the chandeliers hanging from the trees! Now, do understand why I say it's going to be hard to load some of these items? 

These items are already loaded in the camper, so they will be there! 

Angea and I will have an Americana and Texas themed section of our area with flags, wreaths, cemetery pieces, art work, baskets arrangements and the such. 

Rustic frames made from reclaimed lumber and vintage lace will hold old photos or documents. The wood camef rom my Granddaddy's old barn

Sunshine is always Welcome and this wreath is cheerful yellow! We will have wreaths in an assortment of colors and styles. 

Roots and Wings... more things I love and hope you will too. 

So the details: 

~Backwood's Marketplace 

~April 8-9 Saturday 10:00 till the last customer leaves. Sunday 1:00 to 4 ish

~Beautiful spring weather forecast for a wonderful weekend! 

~That's us on the poster, with our booth from last spring. ( And when I say "booth" I mean camper and two tents with stuff spilling out everywhere!) We've got lots more items this time, so come see for yourself what all we will have! 

~What you won't find - mass produced items being pulled out of a box from foreign countries. All items are handmade or repurposed by all the artist and creators. 

~FREE parking and admittance! Bring a chair and enjoy a day in the country! 

From Ms. Carla Blackstone about the Market -

The Backwood's Marketplace is a group of artists, designers, crafters, and collectors who come together twice a year to sell their work at the old Blackstone Ridge Homestead. They have been juried to maintain the quality of the show and their work reflects this. The marketplace is not what you expect to find at a common craft show, it is so much more. Each one of the group sets up large areas in a themed atmosphere. It almost looks like an outdoor mini-mall. The theme for this marketplace is "yester-year in the backwoods."

A group of western Upshur County family and community researchers set up in front of the research room. They have books of old documents, pictures, and family histories for you to go through. If you have deep roots in this area, you will want to bring a chair and spend awhile visiting with this group. The Outlaws, a cowboy group, will be at the old homestead from 1-4 on Saturday afternoon for "conversations" about this area and picture takin'.

The concession area is always a great area to sit and enjoy the "country atmosphere", while enjoying some great food.

The marketplace will be open 'til dark or after (until the last customer leaves). The old homestead is so pretty and cool in the late afternoon.

This FREE event is made possible by Blackstone Ridge Small Engine Center L.L.C. It is located at 9553 FM 49, nine miles west of Gilmer, Texas. 

We love being a part of this group and being able to take part in something like this that is only a few miles from our home. (Less than 10 minutes through the backroads!) We do hope you can come out and say hi! 

I'm For the Birds

If you've listened to Miranda Lambert's newest album  The Weight of These Wings, on repeat like I have, you've probably heard the song 'For The Birds'. I've decided it fits me pretty well and has inspired a spring line up of items, that you'll find at the Backwood's Marketplace April 8-9 and available online after the market.  

I'm against the days
When the skies stay bummer-grey
And the cake just tastes okay, okay
Well I guess I'm anti-yuck
Against the stuff that sucks
Pulls the life out of your soul 
And shuts it down

(Yes, yes, yes...bummer-grey skies are so depressing - I'm definitely solar powered by the sun and who wants just okay cake? I've never been a big fan of the color grey and I think its because of bummer-grey skies. I try to avoid the stuff that shuts down my creative soul, which is one reason I listen to music while working and not the television.)



I'm against the doc
Letting good tomatoes rot
Being someone that you're not, when you're not
Well I guess I'm anti-hate
Cause that ain't what it takes
It's love that makes this crazy world go round

(Be yourself and this world is way too full of hate right now.)

I'm for the sun, I'm for the breeze
Old dogs sleeping at your feet
I'm for the girls with the curls and the curves
I'm for questions
I'm for freedom
Celebrating every season

(YES, on all accounts - I just wish I has some curls!)

For the bees and the trees and the dirt
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)


I'm against the notion
Of drinking with cheap potion
And causing big commotion
You know son
I guess I'm anti-confrontation
I'd rather have a conversation
About nothing in particular at all

(I prefer the drama free, no confrontation, discussion about nothing  in particular at all...)

I'm against them feelings
The once that get revealing
Slamming hearts right in the ceilings
You feel me
And I guess I'm anti-tears
I'd rather sip an ice cold beer
Listen to some country music until dawn

(I'll sip on ice cold tea...)

'Cause I'm for the sun, I'm for the breeze
Old dogs sleeping at your feet
I'm for the girls with the curls and the curves
I'm for questions
I'm for freedom
Celebrating every season
For the trees and the bees and the dirt
I'm for feathers
I'm for wings
I'm for Tweedle-deedle-dee-dee-dee

For what it's worth
For what it's worth

I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)
I'm for the birds (I'm for the birds)

Tweedle-deedle-dee-dee-dee



Take a listen to For The Birds audio from YouTube

Since the album came out and I've fell in love with this song, I've been finding bird related items on all our junkin' trips, so it all just seems meant to be. We will have a collection of wings, bird cages, bird houses, art work, tin birds, etc at the Backwood's Marketplace along with a lot of other items and our spring garden center!