Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Friday, July 1, 2016

A Friday In The Life

Aliens From Outer Space?
The answer will be revealed,
later in this post.

I started out this morning with a great yard sale.
$10 Baby Scale.

Cute, right?



Check this book out . . .
did I pay too much?

 This was written inside.



I see many crafting possibilities with these pages.

 I never pass up a scrabble game, $3.

 Later in the day we took the kayaks out.
I tried to get in close to this bird's nest.
Can you see it?
It's woven between two reeds. 
Anybody know what bird makes these.

 Here are the nests from the first photo.

 We were going under the freeway bridge.
Can you see them up under the eves?

Here are our boats . . .
after a two & a half hour paddle 
we were ready to head home.

If you are still here,
thank you for sticking it out . . .
I know it was a long post.

Please leave a comment,
I love reading them.

Connie :)


57 comments:

  1. I hope somebody posts the answer to the nests. I've never seen anything like it.

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    1. Isn't it interesting to see how each creature has her/his own talent for creating the perfect home. I hope that I get some answers, too :) Come back and check, if you are curious.

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    2. Okay, I have the answers . . . The mud nest is a Swallow nest and the nest in the reeds is a Red Winged Blackbird :)

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  2. I love old things and that scrabble game looks like the one I have in the closet. Like the way you ended your post with the scrabble game. Love the old book. A couple of years ago I found 2 old ledger books filled with items and it's costs. I wish I had bought them at the time. House hold items were so much cheaper back then. But, I did not buy them...my loss. What are those nests?? Birds, hornets or what????? Please tell.

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    1. Hi Louise, nice to see you :) As for the nests, they are bird nests, but I am hoping that my readers can tell me what kind of bird built them. If you purchase a book for the pages to be used in crafts and you weigh that against the cost of scrape book paper that is made to look old . . . the book almost always wins as the better buy, even at $10 :)

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    2. Okay, I have the answers . . . The mud nest is a Swallow nest and the nest in the reeds is a Red Winged Blackbird :)

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  3. Great finds at the yard sale. I always look for scrabble games at thrift stores and yard sales but I never find them. Looks like a perfect day for kayaking. I don't know what bird built it's nest in those reeds but I know I've seen one like it on another blog before. Can't remember what they said it was. Doesn't seem like it would be a very sturdy place to build. Those other nests are very cool. What kind of bird makes those?

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    1. I think the nests under the bridge are swallow nests, but I'm not a birder, so I could be wrong. As for finding Scrabble games, they have been hard to find, but just this year I've found two . . . they always excite me, there are so many things that you can do with the tiles :)

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    2. Okay, I have the answers . . . The mud nest is a Swallow nest and the nest in the reeds is a Red Winged Blackbird :)

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  4. Hi Connie, I love old books and would have bid against you for those old ones! The bird nest in the reeds could be weaver? And the ones under the bridge are made by swallows. Thanks for sharing this beautiful post. Greetings Jo

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    1. Hi Jo, I am going to Google "Weaver", thank you for the information. Do you collect old books, for the books or the paper? I do both; I have some old Dick & Jane readers that I dearly love and would never cut a page from. They're a treasure that carries me back to early childhood :)

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    2. Okay, I have the answers . . . You were right about the mud nest, it is a Swallow nest and the nest in the reeds is a Red Winged Blackbird :)

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  5. I guessed swallow nests under the bridge. I've never seen so many of them though. Great capture.
    We have yet to take our kayaks out but I sure am looking forward to it. I have a pink one. : )
    Cute baby scale and I look forward to your crafty ideas with the pages of that book!

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    1. This is my first year with a kayak and I am hooked. If weather permits we will be going out tomorrow. It doesn't interest my husband, but he loves to barbecue, so while my friends and I go out on the water, Steve will be preparing our lunch and fishing from the dock. I just hope the wetlands that we have chosen to voyage won't be filled with too many, Forth of Julyers :)

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  6. Love your garage sale finds. And, no, I don't think you paid too much for the book - it's a piece of history.
    Love your kayaks - I haven't tried it yet myself, but perhaps next summer. Looks like such a relaxing way to spend a few hours.

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    1. It is so much fun! If I had only known, I might have purchased one years before, but then I needed a partner and my Steve has no interest at all. I'm fortunate in having a dear girlfriend that loves kayaking, so we partner together . . . when your on the water the buddy system is the safest way to go. As for the history of the book . . . I love what she wrote on the inside cover and the fact that she dated it :)

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  7. Neat buys! Plus I could always use a scrabble piece as we tend to lose some (although eventually we find what we lost). That book is in great condition! Those bird nests are neat. I've never seen any like them and in such quantities! Andrea

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    1. I had a pretty fun day, right. I've been doing so much work this spring that it's fun to take a day to only relax and have fun :) We all need that now and again.

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  8. What a great day!! I love kayaking, but don't do it often enough. I'm curious about those nests...both the mud ones under the bridge as well as the one in the reeds!

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    1. Me too! I have discovered that the mud ones are swallows . . . when I discover the other nest, I'll be sure and post it :) Now, go get your kayak out and have some fun . . . you know what they say about "all work and no play".

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    2. Okay, I have the answers . . . The mud nest is a Swallow nest and the nest in the reeds is a Red Winged Blackbird :)

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  9. So fun, great deals, looks like great supplies for more projects!

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    1. Oh, I know . . . I just haven't decided how to use them yet :)

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  10. Great finds! I never pass up a Scrabble game either! They are few and far between though. The old book is really neat. I don't know how people get rid of things like that. Good thing there are folks like us who come along and give them a loving home. LOL! The kayak adventure looked like fun. What kind of nests are those under the bridge. They are kind of creepy looking! Have a great weekend my friend!

    Hugs, Vicky

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    1. The creepy looking nests are swallows and the other nest I'm still reserving. The lady selling the book is a very creative artist, but she is selling her home and down sizing.

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  11. I was pretty sure they were nests of some sort.

    I love the scale, but that book is a treasure!

    Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend.

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    1. Okay Carol, because I value your creative opinion, please, tell me what you would do with the pages of a book like that :)

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  12. I recognize the little nests. They are forever trying to build them in my brother's boat house.

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    1. The mud nest is a Swallow nest and the nest in the reeds is a Red Winged Blackbird. I didn't know this when I published this, so by putting them here on my blog, it became a chance for me to get educated in a couple of the birds in our area. I like that :)

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  13. Great vintage finds! Your kayaking adventures sound like so much fun. I've never seen nests like that...they almost look like wasp nests!

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    1. They do look very strange don't they . . . like alien pods from a science fiction movie :)

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  14. Great garage sale items...I haven't been to one in about 4 yrs...just do thrift shops now..

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    1. Hi BJ, I find better buys at yard sales, but usually I hit one good one out of every twenty I go too . . . Most of the time, I'm a drive by non-shopper, LOL.

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  15. Love the scale. I have one like yours in my kitchen.

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    1. Hi Cindy, is yours like the red one in my kitchen or this baby one that I just found? I think that I will put this one in the Art Barn and stack fabric on it :)

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  16. we used to have the barn swallows make their mud nests on the front porch...every year, they'd return. Honey finally knocked the mud nests down (first making sure they weren't occupied) and sprayed and painted the area new... they quit returning to the porch. They were pretty messy.
    I have heard of the next among the reeds... didn't know they belonged to Red-winged black birds... I love seeing them in flocks! So pretty!
    I like your kayak... I am so encouraged by your willingness to try this new adventure. You previous shared how important it was to you at your age to try these new things-- you're brave and you're my hero/mentor and of course, CHRIST-SISTER!
    be safe out there!

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    1. Wow! I'm not used to being called someones hero . . . I kind of like how that sounds :) I just know that tomorrow I will be older than I am today, so if I want to give something a try, I better not waste any time :) If that is an encouragement to others, then I'm very happy about it, . . . Now, Go Have Some Fun!

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  17. Great book!!! And I just sold a scrabble game yesterday. 😀
    xo
    Lynn

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    1. I love the tiles in scrabble and have seen them used so many creative ways. Don't Pinterest it or you will be wishing you had it back :(

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  18. I recognised the nest as a swallows nest but was a little perplexed by the quantity, I have never seen anything like it what a great sight. Great bargains at the yard sale.

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  19. LOL! I took pictures of swallow nests under a bridge from my kayak a few days ago, so I knew exactly what I was looking at! One of my pics even included a swallow!

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  20. Wow, I would never have guessed swallows nests. :)
    xo Laura

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    1. I know, their nests look a little bit creepy, right? I also know that they are a pesty bird, but I enjoyed watching them flying around their nesting ground. They look like little fighter bombers.

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  21. You have some very good finds here Connie, which I know you will put to good use.
    I would never have guessed swallows nests, so pleased you were able to get these photo's and share.

    Enjoy some more kayaking - you really seem to enjoy it.

    All the best Jan

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    1. I really do . . . I'm excited that I have found something that is so much fun and so easy to do. My kayak is small enough that I can almost get it into the trunk of my car. So, I push it in and bungee my trunk down and take off :). I don't think that I would ever have the strength to put in into a roof carrier, not at my age and the fact that I am a shortie :) I'm always figuring things out, in ways that I can do them by myself. I'm not ready to sit in a rocking chair, Not Yet! LOL

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  22. I love vintage, Connie, and I love your finds, especially the baby scale! I also love a good game of Scrabble. :)

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    1. I couldn't believe my good fortune when I spied the baby scale. That's something you don't see very often :)

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  23. Love the scale and what a find in the book! I haven't played scrabble in years, but I should! Blessings, Pam @ Everyday Living

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    1. It's a fun game, we like to play it when we go camping. I really bought the Scrabble game for the tiles . . . there are so many things that you can do with them :)

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  24. The book is such a fun find. I love when old books come with inscriptions of who owned it before - makes it such a special purchase. My husband loves to Kayak too.

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    1. I'm thinking about making a banner with some of the pages from this book. I just see many possibility :)

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  25. So interesting to see the nests. Kayaking sounds fun! The baby scale is wonderful :)

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    1. I was so excited when I saw the baby scale at the yard sale. I love having it in my Art Barn, but I can't help thinking about how cute it would look in a baby's room that is decorated with a vintage theme :)

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  26. Hi Connie, Sounds like you are having fun and keeping busy this summer! Good for you! I wondered if you tipped over or doesn't that happen what would happen to your camera when you are kayaking? Cute scale! Seems to me I had a similar one when Our first baby was born! Finally got around to posting my blog today. We are still in limbo here waiting to hear for sure that the sale of our house went through. Did you pack your dishes when you moved? If so, what did you use for packing them? I am afraid to use newspapers for fear the print might come off on them. Enjoy your summer! Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, I am a huge saver of plastic shopping bags and when we moved I used them to pack my dishes. No newsprint :) My camera is waterproof and I have a floater attached to it, so I hope that I don't loose it. As for the kayak it is very stable and only feels tipsy when getting in and out. Mostly out, but at my age I have trouble getting out of my easy chair after sitting in it for a couple of hours, LOL.

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