Treasures from Nature

 

We�re lucky enough to live in a place where we're surrounded by gifts from nature in their natural forms. This first piece, while not made by animal or insect, is something Mister Man found one day when poking around in our old barn area.

 

We call it our old barn area because there used to be a huge animal barn behind our house but was struck by lightening the turn of the last century burning it to the ground. There are still a lot of relics to be unearthed and luckily the husband found one. This is a small zinc-copper handle still attached to the original wood. The metal is somewhat soft and I love its patina, the shape of the worn wood and the small bit of brown moss still stuck to the surface.

 

We noticed a paper wasp nest being built last weekend up in the eaves but thanks so a very strong thunderstorm and high winds this past week it was sent down to the ground. It was either that or Mister man was going to spray it but now I have a beautifully shaped treasure.  I love the light gray color and the white band around it. I guess we aren't the only ones who like to decorate our homes.

 

The nest split open when it hit the ground revealing the inside brood cells that would have held the young. The nests are made out of plant and wood fibers and mixed with saliva and chewed into a papier-m�ch� like material. Look how thin the paper is you can almost see through it.

 

My next couple of treasures is a whole knot from a tree and the beginnings of a knot.

 

This one was just beginning to form into a tree knot but fell out before it was fully formed. I found this bit of information on google how a knot is formed�.

During the development of a tree, the lower limbs often die, but may persist for a time. Subsequent layers of growth of the attaching stem are no longer intimately joined with the dead limb, but are grown around it.  Dead branches produce knots that are not attached to the tree.

You can see on this half formed knot how other layers grew around the dead branch.

Here�s my whole tree knot! This was really a wonderful find but to be honest we didn�t find it in the forest. We found it in the dirt under Mister man�s workshop when we were starting the renovations on our carriage barn a couple of years ago. It must have dried out and fallen out of one of the whole trees used as the floor joists.  

 

I love this Grouse feather and picked it up for its delicate coloring, it has kind of an ikat design feel to it. The male birds like to sit up in our woods drumming away to mark their territory.

 

Mister man and Dylan dog were out hiking one morning when something blew across their way, a small birds nest and they carried it home to give me. Look at the delicate bits of pine needles used around the top.

While I don�t know what kind of bird who built this nest I do know it�s small. The paper wasp nest is slightly smaller then a golf ball and you can see how small and deep the nest is next to it.  

I love my little treasures and it�s making a wonderful collection. Have any of you found anything lately in the great outdoors?

We�re in for a week of rain so time for this girl to get outside and get something done. I hope you all are enjoying your weekend and have a fabulous week!

XX

~Debra~