Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Feed the Birds: a journal quilt

     The snow falls, night and day, but birds are abundant. The bushes by my front porch are filled with puffed up feathered friends. The bushes look like snow cones; and birds are under the snow canopy, chirping in chorus for food.
      My grandchildren painted a birdhouse for Mother's Day and gave me a bag of seeds. I am not informed about bird needs. However, when I wondered why these sparrows and chickadees didn't fly south and I could not imagine where they were getting food, I started sprinkling my seeds on one side of the front porch. Surely my comfort food of seeds and bread crumbs couldn't hurt.

       Nancy, bird guru and beader, said that some of these birds have evolved to extend their world, staying in the cold north to feed on berries and seeds they have cached. But with all this covering of snow it is good to supplement. Chrissy has a heated bird bath. I have tried to take the birds' photos but they are wary of predators, my dog and family's watching through the window.
       I will sew on some yellow and gold seed beads for these fabric feathered creatures in my journal quilt, and then get some real seeds and bread to feed those sparrows, chickadees and blue birds. I read the little ones need more than the larger birds when it is so cold.

6 comments:

  1. I think this journal quilt is truly lovely. Both pretty and rather quaint. The birds themselves are charming; I assume that is a neat bird fabric you found. And I love the photo, too. Is that a blue bird or is it a blue jay? Don't ask me; I know next to nothing about birds! I saw a gigantic, ugly, black bird on top of our roof today when I went out to get the mail. I went next door to ask Bill to come out and identify it. He said, "I'm afraid that's just an ole buzzard!" Ugh. He was truly ugly, with a huge wing span!

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  2. Where in the world did you find fabric with the "right" birds? I love your journal quilt! Telling the story about their trials during the snow, feeding them, AND planning how to accommodate the various birds' needs and tastes is all heartwarming.

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  3. I love your birds and mounds of snow! So cute. So original. I love your birds eating outside the window. I don't know why birds are such a fascination to me. Love watching.

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  4. The added beads in both gold and seed colored do add a neat touch to the quilt. Love that actual picture of the birds!

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  5. If I were a snow-bound bird, I'd hit your window early and often. Love the quilt almost as much as the story.

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  6. Beautiful and SWEET - both the picture and the quilt journal - an ideal subject for your snowy Belmont scene. To me, there is little about nature that is more thrilling than watching beautiful birds...new "dinosaurs," so we're told.

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