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An Unexpected Gift Outside my Door & Lessons Learned

June 27, 2015 by Patti 23 Comments

“This thing isn’t working out too well,” declared Mr. OTN after being jabbed in the side of the face for the umteenth time by a wayward piece of faux lavender.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with it.  I keep pushing the flowers back in place and they keep getting all messed up,” my answer, as I once again began rearranging the floral arrangement on our front door.

Spring Basket on Front Door 029

I loved THIS Spring Floral Arrangement.  I took pictures of it and blogged about it and lots of other people liked it too!  So what WAS wrong with it?

A couple of times I chalked up the mysteriously mutilated arrangement to inclement weather, high winds and rain . . . but then I would go out to the porch on a perfectly calm Spring day and find it all messed up again.

While fighting the daily battle with the mysteriously out-of-control flower arrangement, different people would stop by for a visit and when they did we would open the door really, REALLY wide so they could get through the opening without having to dodge around the wild branches sticking straight out from the door.  I would apologize, straighten everything up again and invite my friends inside.

You’d think I would’ve suspected something . . . the day I opened the front door and a bird whooshed right past my head into the dining room.  The bird was terrified and I wasn’t feeling too brave either (my first horror movie was The Birds) but after a chase and a scream and a lot of barking by the dogs, I opened the front door wide while we retreated to the back of the house, to wait for the bird to leave.  She did.

You’d think I would’ve suspected something . . . when I went out to clean up the front porch and it was littered with bits of dried leaves and twigs (in the Spring?), as well as a few birdy droppings.

Finally . . . there came the day when a very tall man rang the doorbell.  Hubby and I were expecting him so we went to the front door together and I did my usual thing of opening the door really, really wide so this stranger wouldn’t receive a poke to the eye as he came inside.

He didn’t step over the threshold though.  He pointed his finger at my once pretty floral arrangement (was he about to point out what an unholy mess it was?) and said,

Bird's Nest 1

“Is that a bird’s nest?”

And yes.  It was.  A sweet little bird’s nest built right into my flower arrangement.  Hidden from my too-short-to-see view behind the flowers in front.

Bird's Nest 039

We let it be after that and decided to wait until we were sure that the nest was empty.  I only hoped I hadn’t crushed any eggs in all my pushing and shoving and rearranging of flowers that would never stay in place.

Bird's nest 029

Finally yesterday, when I felt that any baby birds would by now have safely flown the nest, I carefully began removing flowers to reveal this precious little nest (and . . . PHEW . . . no evidence of broken eggs!).  If I was thinking of doing something new and different for my summer door decor those ideas flew right out of my head as I realized that this was the best door arrangement ever!

Bird's nest 027

I tucked couple of flowers back in to fill space around the nest and it was done!  It was enough.  It was and was PERFECT!

If I was a little impressed with my floral arrangement before this one far exceeds my own attempts at beauty.

Bird's Nest 041

Lessons learned:

Sometimes when frustrations come into our lives and we keep trying to “fix it” to no avail, it might be that God is in the midst of building something new.

Sometimes our very best attempts, the things we take pride in, are overshadowed by that which is simple.
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Sometimes the best gifts aren’t the showiest or the most expensive, but those that are absolutely free!

Finally. . . don’t be short-sighted (look up, look down, look all around) and don’t miss out on the wonder that surrounds you!

Blessings,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
 NiftyThriftyThings,
SilverPenniesSundays, SundaySoiree, SundaysAtHome
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, RedheadCanDecorate
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles, 7Alive,  Maison de Pax, VintageInspirationParty
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse,
BeyondThePicketFence, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, Inspiration2
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat,
KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,  ShabbyliciousFriday,  Fabulous Friday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks,
TheInspirationGallery
Bird's Nest Wreath 027
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Filed Under: Flowers, Inspiration, Spring Decorating, Summer, Wreaths Tagged With: Flowers, Inspiration, Spring Decorating, Summer, Wreaths

Summer Decorating at Our Lake House

July 20, 2014 by Patti 19 Comments

So what am I doing spending time decorating my house when I should be packing for our upcoming move to Greenville?  I know, right?  But when I saw Linda of Coastal Charm‘s recent post sharing her Coastal Vignette I just had to dig out my own coastal decor to do a little summer decorating at our lake house.  I need to get back to packing so I won’t talk much, just share my pictures.  Let’s start in my living room with the addition of a few coastal touches, some things old and some things new.

Coastal Decor 062

Coastal Decor 060Summer Decorating 002

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Coastal Decor 091Summer pillow covers replaced heavier covers for my entry hall bench and other living room furniture.

Coastal Decor 083

Summer Decorating 003

Coastal Decor 073Here, a sea fan I bought last year from Sherry at No Minimalist Here.

Coastal Decor 053An old tool box I also bought last year and added a driftwood handle to.  It is filled now with a collection of things from the sea.

Coastal Decor 058

Coastal Decor 002

Coastal Decor 088My giant Japanese float atop my kitchen cabinets.

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Coastal Decor 016My frog sugar and creamer always make me smile.  Love their colors!

Coastal Decor 001bAnd now for several shots of my table centerpiece made up of a random collection of items.

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Coastal Decor 003

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Coastal Decor 036Coastal Decor 002 (2)bWhere is your happy place in summer?  Is it the mountains, camping in the woods, poolside or simply sitting on your front porch?

Whether it be at the lake or beside the sea, The Beach is my Happy Place!

Blessings,

My Signature-001

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, TheTablescaper,LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
ThreeMangoSeeds,  NiftyThriftyThings,
SundaySoiree,
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday,
BetweenNapsOnThePorch
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles, WeCallItJunkin’
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, The36thAvenue, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, BeyondThePicketFence, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat
Friday:
MyRomanticHome, FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,
ShabbyliciousFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SayG’DaySaturday
1-Coastal Decor 100 with script
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Filed Under: Coastal Style, Home decorating, Lakeside Living, Summer, Table Runners, The Beach, Vintage bottles Tagged With: Coastal Style, Home Decorating, Lakeside living, Summer, The Beach

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OldThingsNew

I am Perfectly Imperfect Patti, daughter of the King, wife to the amazing Mr. OTN, mom to two grown daughters, a great son-in-law, and companion to two spoiled dogs. At Old Things New I share DIY’s, budget friendly home transformations, as well as posts about how God transforms our souls. I myself have been made new and I love to share what I’ve learned through WRITING and SPEAKING. To view a short Vimeo of “Our Story” (Mr. OTN and I) please follow the link at the top of the page.

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