Here are just a few links and a video I found interesting and enjoyed over the past week or two. Maybe one of these will capture your interest, too.
Maybe you will enjoy Judy Martin's brief post, a language of care, with its gentle thoughts about quilts.
Althea Crome is a micro knitter who creates sweaters that fit on a fingertip! Watch a video interview and see her knitting at Tiny Stitches. Read more here.
I have always been fascinated by bird nests, how they're created, and how remain intact when so many are made of mud and sticks, bits of debris, etc. But I think woven nests are the most amazing. How can birds possibly create a nest with only a beak and claws?! Watch!
And since we're on the topic of birds, can I mention how beautiful I think feathers are? I enjoy looking at them, often pick them up from the ground, and rarely keep them (except for a few too beautiful not to save. But there's a lot more to feathers than I ever imagined. I enjoyed this article, Why Feathers Are One of Evolution's Cleverest Inventions, by Michael B. Habib in Scientific American, in which the author tells of a small bird that made a non-stop flight of 8,425 miles in 250 hours and how his feathers played a part in that flight. The article is filled with information about the wonder of feathers. Though a little long, it was well worth my time.
Enjoy!
--Nancy.
Thanks for all the links, Nancy -- that's not the Judy Martin I expected, but I enjoyed her meditation. The micro knitting is incredible. I admire birds' nests but not when they are made by robins in the crook of our downspouts or atop our front-door light fixtures. I learned the hard way how territorial broody robins (I couldn't go out in the back yard for a week) so now I knock down the nests-in-progress. There are plenty of trees they can use.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Nann. I think there must be at least three Judy Martins who are quilters. I have books by two of them....
DeleteI can't imagine myself knitting on such a small scale. Incredible, I agree.
Yes, I'd rather enjoy birds from a distance and not near my home. I don't know how to keep birds away from places we don't want them, other than removing the beginning of nests as you've done. I didn't realize robins were territorial, either!
So many tiny stiches on those quilts of Judy Martin's. I guess there are thousands of stitches in our quilts too but the texture of her quilts makes it more obvious somehow. One thing I'm doing a little different on the current quilt I'm working on is slowing down. I'm usually in such a hurry to get it done that I'm anxious the whole time. I'm trying to just enjoy the embellishment of stitches on this quilt. It's very calming. I have a tiny hummingbird nest that fascinates me. How do they make a nest out of spiderwebs?
ReplyDeleteI find Judy Martin's quilts amazing for the stitches. She uses them very often. I wonder if the texture comes because of the direction she stitches. Often they seem to be parallel.
DeleteGood for you to take a different approach to quilting, and especially good that you're finding it calming and satisfying.
I don't think I've ever seen a hummingbird's nest in person but from photos they look tiny. I have no idea how they collect the spider webs. They must be bunched up by the time they get them to the nest.
I too am fascinated by birds. I just put out a bird feeder and am hoping the birds will come! So far, just a few, and I'm afraid they get scared when they notice movement through the window. Thank you for the links. The Judy Martin post was wonderful. Just soothing (like quilts).
ReplyDeleteBirds are so interesting to watch, aren't they, Cynthia? I suspect that they won't be able to see into your house. Usually the windows reflect the outside--sky, trees, etc. I hope you have lots visit. We had a feeder at our old house in the city. The birds seemed to love it and many visited, but then they dropped seeds onto the ground and one day I saw a rat there eating the seeds. Oh, ugh!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the links. You're welcome.
Thank you Nancy for those links. As you know I particularly love birds so feathers and nests are two of my favourite things. Those woven nests are miraculous in my opinion. I have a Phoebe nest on the back of the house and a robin building on the front. I've removed the material twice (we are in a small forest so lots of trees) but she is back at it again this morning.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome for the links, Jocelyn. I remember that you love birds. I don't think I know what a Phoebe is but I'll check google for images. It's wonderful to have nests nearby, not so wonderful when they're so close or on our homes. Can you place something where the robin was trying to build her nest until nest-building season is over? I suppose mama bird must think her location is a safe spot....
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