Saturday, February 28, 2015

Birds


I've been practicing taking photos with my new camera.  Practice makes perfect--right?  Well maybe not perfect, but better.  I realized that there is a theme going on with a lot of items around our home.  There are birds everywhere.  I love birds--we feed them and they give us so much joy in return.  Our feeders are right outside our windows and there is usually someone visiting them.  

This is a swan pitcher that belonged to my Mama.  I remember this being in one of the corner cabinets in our dining room when I was growing up.  I believe it belonged to her grandmother.  It has been repaired as the tell tale glue implies.





This small plate was another item that was my Mama's.  It always resided on our coffee table and most of the time had cigarette butts in it.  Both of my parents smoked.  My Mama smoked cigarettes.  Her Mama worked for Liggett Meyers and the factory gave free cigarettes to all of its employees.  My Nanny didn't smoke, but all of her children did.  Free cigarettes--Can you imagine bringing them home to your children?  I'm sure that is how a lot of folks became addicted to them.  My Daddy was a pipe smoker.  Sometimes I smell his pipe tobacco--really I do and so does my Sister.  I feel strongly that smoking shortened my parents lives.






My Mama and Daddy loved to go to auctions.  I believe they bought this plate at an auction.







This is a lamp in our bedroom.  It is rose medallion.  Notice the birds on the side.









This is a vase that my sister gave me.  There is pair of them--a woman and a man.  She is holding bird that has a broken wing.  I had not noticed this until I started photographing it.





A Ginger Jar from my parents.







I bought this little wrought iron bird at an antique shop.




I don't remember where this cutie came from, but he loves our living room.





I have roosters in our kitchen.  When we painted, a couple of years ago, I removed quite a few of them.  This was a gift from our son, so he stays on the counter.  He's watching over these little chicks.




I think it's time to turn the lights out on this subject.




Have a great weekend, friends. ♥






18 comments:

  1. Gosh you do have a collection of birds! They are quite beautiful treasures.
    I had to smile over the free cigarettes! Imagine indeed! I grew up in a house of female smokers, so it is a wonder indeed that I do not smoke ~ have never had the inclination to do so.
    I am not surprised that sometimes you can still smell the pipe tobacco of your Daddy. These things are, and always will be, an unexplained mystery, yet they bring comfort to those left behind.
    I hope you will soon share some photographs of your birds outside too! ~~~Deb in Wales

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    1. Deb, I never wanted to smoke either. I found it rather disgusting. As a young teen, I did try one of my Mama's Chesterfields and nearly choked to death. I guess that was a good thing!
      I'll post some of the real birds soon! ♥

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  2. You know, when Christmas rolls around, you should show off the small Christmas tree with all the birds. I love that!

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  3. You have such a lovely flock of feathered friends there at your house!

    No, I cannot imagine bringing home cigarettes for my children. Such different times, weren't they? My father smoked cigarettes all of my growing up years. (He quit cold turkey after a heart attack nearly 20 years ago.) My mother's father and his sister (my great-aunt) and my aunt were also heavy smokers. Even today, if I happen to smell a certain brand of cigarette smoke, it is almost pleasant to me as it stirs up pleasant memories of the people I love(d). I find that odd, as all but my father died of illnesses directly related to smoking...but the olfactory sense is so powerful.

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    1. I'm so glad for you that your father quit smoking, Cheryl. It was a different time. I've even seen vintage ads that show doctors recommending smoking- so crazy. I'm happy that we now know better now. ♥

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  4. Congrats on your new camera! Looks to me as though your practice is working! : - )

    I love all your birdies, Martha Ellen. But you already knew that I would, right?

    Something to consider, if you never have is using a free online super easy photo shop called PicMonkey - they say "so easy even a monkey could use it!" It helps lighten, straighten, clip, darken, etc. It corrects a multitude of sins, and helps a new camera really work its magic. A free easy photo shop along with a good camera can be absolutely amazing together.

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    1. Michele, so glad you came over to see my birds.
      I used PicMonkey this week for the first time as I was trying to come up with a header. Would you believe my 11 year old grandson got me started on it? I need all the help I can get with this blogging thing. Thanks for the tips! ♥

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  5. I do believe your home is bird infested! :) You really do have some pretty pieces! My Daddy was a big smoker but praise God he quite in his 60s and never picked up another cigarette. When I was little I just hated smoke and would hide his cigs. He thought my mother was doing it! :)
    Thanks for popping in to see me.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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    1. Even as a little child you knew cigarettes were bad for your Daddy, Shelia. It's wonderful he quit! Thank you for stopping by. ♥

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  6. I have a new camera as well and am completely in awe of it. I should learn from your good example and practice. You must be doing well - the photos are lovely.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Amalia, I'm finding the more I take photos the better. I still have a lot to learn. Your photographs are lovely. xo ♥

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  7. I enjoyed seeing your birds and bird related items, many seem familiar to me. You, like me, cherish old things that remind us of loved ones and times past. It is nice how scents, like music, take us to a time or place or person.

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    1. Dotsie, I am comforted when I smell my Daddy's pipe--even though he's been gone almost 10 years. No one smokes in our home and it always takes us by surprise when we smell it. ♥

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  8. I did a post about all the hearts in my house and like you I found heart-shaped things I never noticed before. It would be a good exercise to pick an item and see how many you can find--sounds like something a grandchild would like. :-)

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  9. Still enjoying your pretty snaps and thanks for popping in to see me.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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