Wilson--New Look, Natural as Ever

For our household, "wild turkey" references the real thing, not straight Kentucky bourbon whiskey.

On any given day, as few as six wild turkeys, and as many as 23, make our suburban acreage adjacent to a creek their roost, dinner table and playground.

And, where flocks of turkeys shake their tail feathers daily some fallout is inevitable. With all the strutting, courting, primping and scrapping, stray feathers become a common sight in our lawn. I've been collecting them for a couple of years--since the turkeys first showed up.

Turkey feathers are so remarkable. The variation in size, shape, color and texture is amazing. From long, narrow and clearly striped to short, fluffy and irridescent, they offer tremendous versatility for use in home decor.

A couple of years ago, I introduced you to Wilson II, so named because he reminds me of Tom Hank's volleyball-turned-companion in the movie Cast Away. I've been re-creating Wilson II for several years now, using dried elements from my garden--grasses, seed pods, hosta scapes, twigs and anything else that adds interest.

To freshen Wilson's look this year, I pulled out the feather collection and combined a variety of feather sizes, shapes and colors, with plumes of feather reed grass.

A vintage metal flower frog facilitates the basic structure.

Feather reed grass creates the height, the turkey feathers add interest.

Welcome back Wilson II. Love your new "do."

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Sunday Show Off
Nifty Thrifty Sunday
Seasonal Sundays
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Wildly Original
What's It Wednesday
Time Travel Thursday

Muncha Buncha Pumpkins

After Thanksgiving, when the cold sets in and the neighbors abandon their pumpkins for Christmas wreaths, I always feel a little melancholy when I drive down the street on trash day and see all the discarded pumpkins in the yard waste cans.

I'm lucky, though. Living on an acre lot, I have a large garden area across the back of the property that ends at the edge of a steep ravine. When it's time to bring out the holiday trimmings, our pumpkins, gourds and squash find a new home in the then-barren garden and return to nature by becoming a smorgasbord for deer, squirrels, raccoon and woodchuck.

In the relatively short time before they're devoured or shoved into the ravine by an over-zealous deer or raccoon, they add much-needed color to the spent garden.

The dusting of snow makes them look like sugary treats.

My husband and I make a habit of checking out the autumn leftovers every day. The deer shove them around the garden as they munch on them. The squirrels sit on top of them and dig out the insides. Occasionally, we see a critter nudge its meal a bit too hard and it rolls off the edge of the ravine and down into the creek.

Sometimes the seeds that are left behind sprout volunteer plants in the spring--plants the deer generally eat before they mature into produce-bearing vines.

Every year, I look forward to giving our autumn bounty a resting place in the garden. It just seems so harmonious.

 Here's a view of the garden about five hours after I took the pumpkin photos.

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer
Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home