Bird Is the Word

Sometimes serendipity shocks me. Stops me dead in my tracks. Something happens, so perfectly aligned and harmonious and balanced that it takes my breath away.

That's what happened recently with Amanda of Bird for Bread. Here's the play-by-play:

1) About two weeks ago, I mentioned to my sister, Devan (who flies into town this Wednesday from Florida to visit and help prep for the Nugget Warming soiree on Saturday) that I wanted us to make some sort of natural decor or embellishment for the party. Something that could go up in his room afterwards, that was hand-crafted and played up on the "forest" theme we're shooting for in the nursery. I told her that I didn't know quite what I wanted, but for us to both put our thinking caps on.

2) Later that day, I checked my Twitter account, to see if anyone had sent me any messages or made any "@ashley_english" tweets I might want to reply to (I always try to reply to folks who mention me, out of courtesy, because I like to both express my gratitude and make myself accessible).

3) On Twitter, I saw that @birdforbread had mentioned recently purchasing my "Canning & Preserving" book. I sent her a return thanks, and then, because I am an inherently curious person, went to check out her own website.

4) It was there that I witnessed her garlands. "EUREKA!" They were exactly the decor I'd been looking for, but didn't quite know how to visualize.

5) I wrote Amanda, who runs Bird For Bread, inquiring into the garlands and whether they were available for purchase, or in a tutorial format so that I might make them myself, with Devan's help during her visit.

6) A little bit later, in my personal e-mail inbox, I received a message from Amanda herself. Turns out, she's read not just my "Canning & Preserving" book, she's also gifted her neighbor with my "Keeping Chickens" book. She proceeded to tell me that she'd like to GIVE me some garlands for the shower!

7) I write her back, detailing the above series of events, practically on the verge of tears, so moved am I by both her generosity and the auspicious, serendipitous nature of the whole thing.

8) She sends me the garlands, which are pictured above and are so, so very perfect, and then tells me she's also sending along a mobile, to go above Nugget's crib.

9) I am floored and humbled beyond words.

10) In a handwritten note, Amanda details the following: the acorns, black walnuts, and birch branch slices were gathered by she and her children during a stroll in the forest; the twine was hand-dyed with fair-trade black tea; the metal on the acorn tops and leaves is recycled scrap metal; and the oxidation finish used on all of the metal is obtained via an egg wash from her neighbor's chickens, so as to avoid use of chemicals.

Stopped you in your tracks, too, didn't it? Thank you, Amanda, from me, Hubs, and Nugget!!! Bird is the WORD!