Bird’s Nest Omen

by Bonnie Manion on July 30, 2010

Bird's Nest Omen

Bird's Nest Omen

Quite by chance, on a general “clean up mission” in my front yard, one of the last strongholds of our remodel process, I happened upon an abandoned, cleverly engineered bird’s nest. I intuitively knew this nest had served its purpose well. I sensed right away the symbolism it represented. It was an immediate “deja vu” and an incredibly great omen, as we finish up our home remodel and make plans to move in.

Ten years ago, just weeks away from moving into our present home (we are currently remodeling), I was jogging in our quaint village, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, and found this rather large intricate bird’s nest near the road. Strong winds must have sent it sailing from its anchored spot in near by eucalyptus trees. My husband John, and I were soon moving into our new home, but 1930’s vintage.

This property had been neglected and needed a lot of tender loving care. We knew this property was special, but could we really transform it. I took that new-found bird nest home and placed it in a nurturing spot above our fireplace hearth. I still have it, and cherish it to this day.

Fast forward ten years, and I’m no longer jogging,  but enjoying swimming, walking, and sweep rowing instead.  My husband and I created  soothing gardens, a potager, an orchard, and backyard vineyard. It was time to turn our attention to our home, hence, our ensuing remodel this past year. In actuality, it has been many years in the planning and decision-making to make this dream come true. Now, we are closing in on the last week of our ten-month remodel. Once again, I find an incredible bird’s nest, “out of the blue.” It is a great omen, for our remodel, and our lives moving forward.

This beautiful bird’s nest is an engineering feat. It has twigs, leaves, cotton-like puffs, and even snail shells, woven meticulously together with tender loving maternal care. It is strong, yet delicate. It speaks to me as a symbol of many things. The birds and wildlife are so much a part of our life here. This beautiful bird’s nest  is a “welcome home” message, a new chapter in our lives, and symbolic meaning of “home is where the heart is.”  I couldn’t have asked for a better gift at this time, than this beautiful bird’s nest omen.

Please share if you have had an experience like an omen that is so grand, it thumps you on the head. Please comment on the bird’s nests you have found.

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Buffalo’s Urban Roots Community Garden Center

by Bonnie Manion on July 21, 2010

Outdoor Shed at Urban Roots

Outdoor Shed at Urban Roots

While attending Garden Blogger’s Buffa10 in Buffalo, there were many exciting places on our itinerary. One of them was Urban Roots Community Garden Center, an innovative community garden co-op. With over 600 community owner-members and growing, this garden center is a mecca for Buffalo’s gardeners. Urban Roots sells plants for the garden, tools, artwork, hosts a slew of garden workshops, and much more.

Urban Roots was a brain storm of a group of people who wanted to have a garden center for its community in the heart of buffalo. In 2005, in an up and coming neighborhood, literally minutes from any “Garden Walk” garden, they began modestly with a plant swap and heirloom seed sale.

Borrowing the “mission statement” right off of their website, Urban Roots, their mission is a beautiful idea which obviously is growing and flourishing for Buffalo. Perhaps, there are many garden co-ops across the country, but this is the first I have seen, and there are certainly not any in my neighborhood. Once again Buffalo, what an innovative garden idea. Hum….

Our Mission
Urban Roots Community Garden Center is a consumer cooperative business whose mission is to provide quality products for gardening in the City of Buffalo and be an active and enriching member of the community.
• We will offer affordable, unusual, heirloom, organic and local plants, and gardening supplies.
• We will foster a working relationship with the greater neighborhood in order to encourage beautification and urban renewal.
• We will engage the community through education, employment, outreach, expertise and volunteering efforts.

Although it was a rainy Friday afternoon, we all hopped off our bus, ready to eagerly explore this community garden co-op. It was busy, despite the rain. There were two lectures in progress, one on “backyard chickens” and the new city ordinance allowing chickens in Buffalo, and the second inside the Urban Roots shop and next to a sinfully-scented bakery, it appeared to be a well-attended “plant” lecture. Needless to say, my fellow garden bloggers and myself, generously spent and supported Urban Roots in our brief visit.

Slightly Wet Chickens Love Their Limelight

Slightly Wet Chickens Love Their Limelight

If you are ever in Buffalo, for Garden Walk, Urban Roots Community Garden Center is a must stop destination, and a “place for you to know”. We all could benefit from an Urban Roots model in our communities.

Please share if you have a garden co-op in your community. Please comment on some of the innovative garden ideas you have ongoing in your community.

VintageGardenGal Tidbit Thyme….

If I have given you enough of a tease on on Buffalo’s beauty and innovative garden sense and want more, check out Buffa10 for more beautiful writing and photos from my fellow garden bloggers.

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Buffalo’s “Garden Walk” Beauty in the Details

July 14, 2010

Earlier this week I wrote Whoa, Buffalo! A post on Buffalo’s Garden Walk from a “broad stroke” perspective. I described what Buffalo’s “Garden Walk” is all about, who started it, when it is, how many gardens, and how the neighborhoods and homes are such a part of Buffalo’s rich history and architecture. What I didn’t mention, [...]

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Whoa, Buffalo!

July 12, 2010

If you haven’t ever been to Buffalo, New York, or haven’t been back since that visit to Niagara Falls, you must plan to visit Buffalo in July for their impressive and innovative annual Garden Walk which attracts tens of thousands of garden lovers each year. Garden Walk is usually hosted the last weekend of July [...]

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Vegetable Edibles to Plant in July

July 7, 2010

I was caught off guard the other day, and didn’t have anything convenient with me to collect my eggs, squash, and cherry tomatoes with. Remember I’m going through a remodel, and life is not normal. Then I thought of my faithful garden hat. It sent me into a philosophic moment, about “using what you have,” [...]

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Surprise at Orange County Fair

June 30, 2010

My husband, John and I had been encouraged to enter our wines in this year’s 34th Orange County Fair 2010 Home Winemaker Competition. The Orange County Home Winemaker Competition is larger in number of participants and California geographical representation than the San Diego County Fair Home Winemaker Competition.
Last year’s Orange County Fair Home Winemaker Competition had [...]

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A Chicken Coop To Love

June 25, 2010

As you may or may not know, VintageGardenGal announced its premier “Chicken Coop Photo Contest” last month. I had some wonderful photos submitted, and thank those who participated. The number of photos submitted, however,  were not enough for a true contest. Stay tuned for next year’s spring chicken coop photo contest with prizes.
I do have [...]

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Trifecta at the Fair

June 21, 2010

This past year we have been so busy with our home remodel, I haven’t written much about our backyard vineyard, now in its fifth year. With one’s own vineyard, life does go on. The grapes need to be tended to, the grapevines do grow, the grapevines flower and tiny grape clusters begin to emerge. [...]

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Romantic Iceberg Rose

June 17, 2010

White iceberg rose is another of my favorite roses, and one that thrives in my Mediterranean Southern California climate. I planted an entire hedge of iceberg roses as an entrance to our syrah vineyard and nearby nestled sitting area. My intention was to create a pleasing color palette for one’s eye from our home and [...]

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Climbing “America” Rose

June 11, 2010

I was first introduced to climbing “America” rose in garden guru, Pat Welsh’s garden years ago. I was drawn to its vibrant salmon-coral blooms, but it really is an ideal climbing rose for the home garden for many reasons. I now have a climbing “America” rose on the entrance gate to my kitchen garden.
First introduced [...]

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