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Apr. 23rd, 2008 @ 10:15 am Meanwhile, back in the garden . . .
More writing thoughts.

Things are not always what they seem:



Sometimes a flower pot is not just a flower pot and if you hang around long enough you will discover its true purpose. When I was working on my last manuscript there was a scene where I wanted to bring out the vulnerability and hidden tender side of my tough cookie MC. And so upon visiting her home where she hadn’t been in several years, she would discover that her doll collection was gone from the shelf where she had displayed them–and have a bit of a meltdown. I assumed the dolls were discarded and I would never see them again–just as my MC thought. But we were both wrong. Later I discovered a deeper purpose to the dolls--that this impromptu detail would be pivotal in revealing a secret later on. I love those surprising moments in writing. If you hang in there long enough, they are bound to come.
On Sunday when I was toting that barge and lifting that bale in the yard, I noticed some small birds and their preoccupation with a hanging pot on my patio. I thought they were just taking moss for a nest somewhere, but this went on all day long so I finally got curious and peeked . . .



oh boy.
Not what I expected to see at all.
It is more than a flower pot now.
It is their home sweet home . . .



with triplets on the way! A nice surprise. Needless to say, I didn’t trim off the old flowers or add water to the pot, although before I knew they were there, I was probably drenching the poor darlings on an almost daily basis and it didn’t seem to deter them from moving in. On the other hand, I don’t want all the leaves to shrivel up and die and stop providing protection.

To water or not to water, that is the question. My writing metaphor doesn’t seem to be helping me anymore. Maybe if I hang in there long enough I will figure it out . . . or I will get some great advice from friends?
talk to me . . .
Brody
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From:[info]missrodeo
Date: April 23rd, 2008 05:27 pm (UTC)
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What a beautiful nest. It looks like it could be in a Martha Stewart magazine!
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From:[info]marypearson
Date: April 23rd, 2008 06:43 pm (UTC)
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ha! Yes, maybe they subscribe to Martha Stewart Bird Living. : )
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From:[info]watchmebe
Date: April 23rd, 2008 05:50 pm (UTC)
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Keep watering it, but carefully-- not only do the leaves provide protection from predators, but also from the sun. Remember that birds are used to rain :)
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From:[info]marypearson
Date: April 23rd, 2008 06:44 pm (UTC)
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yes, good points. We do have Ravens around here that raid bird nests. I wouldn't want them to catch sight of those sweet blue eggs.
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From:[info]watchmebe
Date: April 23rd, 2008 06:47 pm (UTC)
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Ooo, yes, keep them away. Blue jays do that here. Evil, mean birds....grrr.....
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From:[info]barboconnor
Date: April 23rd, 2008 06:00 pm (UTC)
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Oh, wow!! That is SO cool!

Good omen, for sure.....
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From:[info]melissawyatt
Date: April 23rd, 2008 10:22 pm (UTC)
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I love when that happens in writing, when the threads that you think are random bits of string turn out to create a beautiful pattern. I suppose it's all attributable to the subconscious, but I find it utterly fascinating that it just seems to "happen."

Good luck with the nest! I've had this happen several times but have driven the parent birds away with my watering. Maybe you could water from the bottom, since that container seems to be pourous. Is it loose enough that you could stick a poultry baster into it and sort of inject it with water?
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From:[info]marypearson
Date: April 24th, 2008 12:10 am (UTC)
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yes, I figure it is all happening inbetween the folds of all that white stuff when I'm not looking--hurray for the subconscious.

No, it's lined with plastic except for the very bottom, but I think tomorrow when they are out chirping for looking for food, I might try watering around the edge so I don't flood the nest in the middle--and keep my fingers crossed.
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From:[info]tezmilleroz
Date: April 24th, 2008 01:41 am (UTC)
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What's your Flickr username, may I ask? (Mine's TezMillerOz.)

Have a lovely day! :-)
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From:[info]marypearson
Date: April 24th, 2008 04:53 pm (UTC)
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just plain old Mary Pearson : )