Thursday, May 20, 2010

Robins outside my Window...Tablescape Thursday...



Thank you for visiting me for Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch! Please visit Susan to see what she and her participants are sharing today!

I designed this week’s tablescape for my daughter Renee's, 30Th Birthday. Last week I had done a small table and called it My "Tweet" tablescape. This week I have gone with a bird theme again, it's NOT the SAME table and I have added quite a few different things this week. I can't seem to get enough of birds this year, as my family and I have been watching a Robins nest outside of my picture window for a few weeks now. We first spotted three beautiful, tiny, blue eggs that a "Momma" robin had laid. I have peeked at her nest daily. One night it was very, very cold here, we had a storm with sleet and the wind was blowing like crazy. My front porch light was on and I opened the door to take a peek at the "momma" bird, there she was sitting on her precious eggs, trying to protect them from the stormy weather. I looked at her and she at me; the tree was rocking back and forth and all I could think of was this pretty bird trying to keep her little eggs warm. A few days after the eggs had hatched and there were three of the cutest little robins I had ever seen. They were all fuzzy and so tiny, kind of funny looking. I would watch the "Momma" bring worms to her babies, being ever so careful to make sure no one was near as she approached her precious nest. Each day, as the birds got a little bigger, I would watch them poke their heads up out of the nest with outstretched necks; beaks wide open as far as they could go. The little robins were always looking for "Momma" to bring them another worm, such hungry little birdies. I snapped many photos of them and I think "Momma" was getting pretty annoyed with me and my flashing camera poised at the window, way too often!

The other day my daughter and I were out front weeding all day, not too far from where the nest was. We had some music playing and I don't think “Momma” bird liked that too much. I think she was afraid to approach her nest and feed her sweet babies, so we decided to call it a day and go inside. As soon as we got in the house we watched her feed them. Even my husband was enchanted with the birds and their nest, he would check on them before work each day and when he came home for lunch. It was the prettiest nest I've ever seen, when you see the pictures of it you'll understand what I mean. If you have been following my post's you may recall I did a cute bird jar with a bluebird sitting in a nest atop of the jar two weeks ago. You can view it here if you wish! I didn't realize at the time I designed the bird jar, that it was very similar to the very nest sitting outside my window, it just dawned on me a few days ago. Coincidence, I don’t know…

Tuesday morning I was setting up my table for Renee's birthday and I happened to look up and I saw a huge, I mean huge, crow sitting on the shrub next to the tree where the nest and babies were... I was horrified to see that big crow sitting there. I ran to the front door (I was on the phone with Renee' at this time)and flung it open and looked inside of the nest, no babies...I was so sick, I was yelling and screaming about the crow and the empty nest. My daughter and I were heartbroken to say the least. I've done some research and I have found that baby robins can jump from their nest when they are about 13 days old. It takes them another 10-15 days to become strong fliers and independent birds. For the life of me I can't remember the exact day they were born, I just know I have been watching them for some time. I am hoping that they left their nest on their own and the "Crow" just happened to be there that day. I had seen a crow on my railing days before this particular day, but I want to believe the baby robins are safe with their "Momma" and are learning to fly and become independent.

PRETTY RED "MOMMA" ROBIN...


BEAUTIFUL ROBIN'S EGGS IN NEST...


BEAUTIFUL ROBIN'S NEST WITH BLUE TARP WOVEN WITHIN...SO PRECIOUS...


RIBBONS OF THE BLUE TARP WOVEN ALL AROUND THE NEST...


"TWEET" BABY ROBIN'S ABOUT A WEEK AFTER BEING BORN...








BABY ROBIN'S LOOKING FOR FOOD...


"MOMMA" ON MY RAILING, WAITING FOR THE COAST TO BE CLEAR SO SHE CAN FEED HER BABIES...


JUST PRECIOUS...


BACK TO SLEEP AFTER BEING FED...


SHORTLY AFTER BEING FED...HUNGRY AGAIN...




This is the table I designed for Renee'; a very happy table, but sad at the same time...


For the centerpiece I used three "Tweet" Birdhouses (you may have seen these before), a tiny little cloche with a birds nest inside, ceramic crackled birds; and four other blue birds scattered about that I had purchased at Marshall's. The little bird cage tea light holders were found a few months ago at Michael's. The blue tea lights are from the Christmas tree shop. And the blue pillar candles are also from the Christmas tree shop.

BIRDHOUSES...


BLUEBIRD...


CRACKLED CERAMIC BIRD PERCHED ON THE CHARGER...




BIRD CAGE; TEA LIGHT CANDLE HOLDER...




BLUE PILLAR CANDLES...


The pretty white and blue, delicately, embroidered table linen and blue napkins where recently purchased at the Christmas tree shop, as well. The yellow and blue napkins are from Home Goods; they are Ralph Lauren in a pretty floral pattern. Four of the napkin rings are a pretty blue, with jewel like circles, I thought they were pretty and added more whimsy to the table. The beaded napkin rings on the blue napkins were purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond recently, they remind me of my "Trollbead" bracelet I received for Mother's Day! The clear wine glasses; also from Home Goods are Palm and the blue wine glasses are from the Dollar Tree.

TABLE LINEN...




BLUE NAPKINS WITH BEADED NAPKIN RINGS...


YELLOW AND BLUE FLORAL NAPKINS; WITH BLUE JEWEL NAPKIN RINGS...




BLUE WINE GLASS...


I found the beautiful bird and hydrangea chargers at the Christmas tree shop and fell in love with them immediately. The White ironstone plates are from JC Penney and the blue and white polka dot plates, with the little bead trim are from Home Goods. As soon as I spotted them I knew I had to have them, along with the square polka dot bowls! They are the sweetest set of dishes; I really have enjoyed using them. Since I didn't have enough of the polka dot patterned dishes I mixed in two blue, white and yellow, patterned plates purchased from Pier One. The three platters in the center of the table are from TJ Maxx, I picked them up a few weeks ago, along with the matching bowls, teacup and saucers pictured on the table. I snuck in a pair of bunny salt and pepper shakers, they don't really go with the bird theme, but I couldn't resist, as they are so cute.

BIRD CHARGERS...




HYDRANGEA CHARGERS...




THE POLKA DOT PLATES AND BOWLS...


PIER ONE PLATE AND TJ MAXX BOWL...


TJ MAXX PLATTERS...


TEACUP...


The "birthday" girl and our guest's enjoyed a shrimp alfredo dinner, with a nice big salad and garlic bread. For dessert we had coconut cupcakes, coconut cake and strawberry cheesecake. My husband and daughter's favorite cake is coconut and my mom loves cheesecake. To be honest the coconut cupcakes I made look so much prettier than they tasted; it was a new recipe and I was not very happy with it. I snuck in one "pink" cupcake, just in case I need a litle something for a "pink" Saturday.
I hope you enjoyed my table and I didn't bore you too much with my story of the "Robin's"!











Thank you for visiting, I appreciate your sweet comments and I hope you enjoyed your time here. Please be sure to visit Susan and see a list of other participants.










7 comments:

  1. Incredible detail. It looks so wonderful!!!!

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  2. Your table is gorgeous...love the blue and white. Your linens are beautiful, all that embroidery, just beautiful. The charger plates are so pretty. Have a great weekend!

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  3. I love those chargers with the birds and the hydrangea. I have a few of those aqua colored dishes but I have never turned them into something this pretty! What a wonderful tablescape. I am right with you about the birds. Just when you get used to hearing them cry to dinner they are there one day and gone the next without a trace.

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  4. Love your table and those pretty dishes of gorgeous blues. And wonderful chargers -- I hope that you're right too and the birds have flown away. Sweet pictures.

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  5. What a darling table! Love the blue-wish I'd picked up those blue polka dot dishes when I saw them! thanks for sharing with us!

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  6. This is a sweet table! I love how you displayed everything and it is so fitting with your posts about the Robin's nest. Marvelous pictures! I too am a bird watcher and have been watching the Eagles nest this spring. You chargers are fabulous, too pretty to cover up. Flags-a-wavin', Joan

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  7. So BEAUTIFUL! I love everything about it! I keep staring at the pictures over and over, lol!

    Sue
    xo

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