Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Baby talk

We made a pleasant discovery this past weekend while sitting in our chairs on what will be our new terrace area. We have a view back at the cottage itself and noticed a pair of blackbirds busy going back and forth at the short row of conifers by the terrace at the back doors. We got up closer and you could hear the hungry cries coming from deep inside...

Looking closely...


There they were in a nest with open mouths waiting for food to help them grow. It was fun to enjoy breakfast Sunday morning on the terrace outside. We could hear the babies cries every couple of minutes as mommy or daddy blackbird returned with some more. It is a simple thing like this that makes both Jos and I feel very contented. I am looking forward to taking a little peek again when we go back up to the cottage on Friday...


On my last trip to Brugge, I had purchased this wooden child's hanger. I thought it was so cute and had been looking for one for an authentic baby shirt I bought in the villages of Bunschoten/Spakenburg. I was pretty sure it would not work for that shirt because of the form but really liked it so decided to buy it anyway. It doesn't work for the shirt but I got out the box of my own baby clothes.


Now my mother will correct me if I am wrong, but this is my first Easter dress. I know she has a photo of me taken in this dress in my baby book. It is a little white dress with a yellow pinafore decorated with flowers. This dress fits perfectly on the hanger and it is fun to use one of the dresses to decorate with as they are otherwise tucked away in the box.


"Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?
The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!"

17 comments:

Elizabethd said...

Heidi, how lovely to re use the hanger in that way. History goes on and on.

Carolien said...

How nice, this blackbird nest! Out little tits have left their nest already and I miss them ... We could hear them on the terrace screaming for food.
Your little Easter dress looks so nice on this hanger!

Have a nice day & hugs, Carolien

Karen said...

What a great picture of those baby birds. Mommy and Daddy work hard to feed those little birdies. I love the shape of that hanger and your little dress looks so sweet hanging on it.

Hugs - Karen

BittersweetPunkin said...

Oh how sweet...the baby birds and the cute lil dress! How wonderful that you still have it!
Hugs,
Robin

Nancy said...

OHHHHHHHHH NOOOO don't bake them in a pie. The king is too fat anyway (Henry). LOL. They are soooo cute.
That dress was bought for you by your Aunt Janey. I'm glad you kept it. It looks so cute on the hanger.
Love you just as much as I did when you fit into it.
Hugs and Kisses, Mom

Amy Marie said...

so neat to see those baby birds! Good picture!

Rhondi said...

Hi Heidi
What fun for you to watch the birds! You got great pictures too.
We are getting rain tonight and it is so needed. I hope it continues for awhile.
Hugs, Rhondi

Anonymous said...

Hi Heidie,

Wat fantastisch die mereltjes in de conifeer. Onze brievenbus is nu weer leeg maar wat hebben wij ook genoten dan die babykoolmezen, ze zijn trouwens alle 11 uitgevlogen. Binnenkort zal ik nog een foto van ze op mijn blog zetten! Wat prachtig dat oude houten hangertje en dan met jouw eigen jurkje erop, prachtig !!
Gaan jullie nog wat ondernemen als jullie in Cranberrie Cottage zijn ?
Een heel fijn weekend gewenst.
Janneke.

Terri said...

How wonderful you found that little nest. Little things like that just make your heart happy. Don't they?

Anonymous said...

I'm afraid the little baby birds are gone when you come back at Cranberry Cottage. They are very cute! And I think I told you before: I would like my mother had kept my babyclothes. I have a little dress here from my first daughter, Linda, who is 24 years old now. Time flies!
Hugs, Elly

Andylynne said...

What a fun surprise during breakfast. I remember a next of birds that saved my sanity at a job I had one time. I would see them outside the open window and hear them, it was proof that somethings in the world were still nice and normal. I love that hanger, and the dress is adorable. My mom is mending a dress of mine for a shadow box. Funny she just told me about it this weekend.
I have had fun catching up on your posts. Your garden looks so green and healthy. My cats have taken over every afghan they can get thier paws on :) Dagi after all knows his rightful place.

Pondside said...

Hello Heidi!
Those wee birds are so sweet! We also have a nest, but it is in one of our hanging flower baskets. I'll ask The Great Dane to take a picture of it.
Your idea to display your baby clothes is lovely. I remember when wee Lillypad was born 21 years ago, we made the very long trip home from Edmonton to Cold Lake with our new baby to find that my sister had decorated the nursery with one of her dresses and one of mine - such a pretty thing to do!

Anonymous said...

What cute little baby birds,a lovely discovery and a sweet little dress.

Mary said...

Heidi, I love baby birds - they start out so fragile in the nest and then grow big and strong in just two weeks to fledge and make a life of their own in this huge, sometimes cruel world.

We have four House Finch eggs in the nest in the hanging Boston fern on the porch - should hatch in about a week. Noisy, but such social birds, relatives visit the nest all the time, checking on the progress of their new members I guess!

angelasweby said...

Heidi,
What pretty pictures of the baby blackbirds. Those bright markings around their huge mouths are called their 'gape' Jack knowledgeably informs me. it's what the poor mum and dad aim for during feeding time which is probably every one and a half minutes.haha! Well that's how often the poor exhausted little blue tit parents were feeding the babies in our garden!

Your lovely little Easter dress looks perfect on the hanger you bought in Sophie's unforgettable shop :>)
Hugs, Angela

Anonymous said...

Heidi, those little birds are adorable! We've been fortunate to have a nest of robins on our porch and now a nest of finches. Your little dress is darling!
xo,
Lynda

Nan said...

Oh, my Heidi - a day before you wrote this, I posted a book report on Agatha Christie's A Pocket Full of Rye, and quoted the rhyme. If you want to read it, here's the address:
http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2008/06/book-reporta-pocket-full-of-rye.html