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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Monday, August 27, 2018

In a Vase on Monday: Broken

My friend and neighbor, Sandy, bought a set of lovely blown glass tumblers from an artist and, one by one, they were broken. Strangely, they all got holes in the bottom.  She gave them to me thinking that I would melt them in the kiln or break them to use in mosaic but I love looking at them and so they hold plant tags, writing utensils, etc.  Today, I found a jar that fit perfectly inside one and decided that it would make a nice vase to hold some of the blooms that were falling into pathways and would probably break off or be trod upon.


Japanese anemone

Hydrangeas

While I was out cutting these, the robin's nest that was built this spring and then abandoned came to mind.  Since birds don't reuse nests, I decided to rescue this one. The nest is resting in a concrete hand that suffered a fall and had a couple of fingers break off.  They've been glued back on.  The inhabitants were bought for a few cents at a sale and forgotten in the trunk of my car for nearly a year. A couple suffered broken beaks and seemed perfect for the broken theme.


Also in the vase are Angelica purpurea blooms, the only things that weren't flopping or broken.  Behind is a piece of inherited  green Bullseye glass, destined to be broken into pieces and fused  to create something else. 
In the garden and in life, how like nest-builders we are, gathering scraps of brokenness and assembling them to make some new whole.

Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting the addictive meme, In a Vase on Monday!  Click here to join the fun!

16 comments:

  1. The glass is lovely so it must have been disappointing to have them break one at a time. But it's perfect for your bouquet. The Agelica really makes it for me because it is so soft compared to the other flowers.

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  2. Perfect composition, Peter! Love blue hydrangea and your vase.Pretty.

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  3. I love the way you have taken 'inperfect' items and brought them together to make the most perfect of combinations....I think that glass deserves to have its glass liner for ever....it matches the blooms you chose so well.

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  4. A work of art, as ever. That vase is too good to melt down.

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  5. You are so clever at putting things together, Peter. I think the nest with birds is adorable. It brings a smile to my face!

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  6. That nest is a work of art itself, nice find.

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  7. Inspired idea to put a jar inside that beautiful glass. I love what you have done with the nest. I have a few nests saved from my garden and have been wondering what to do with them - must look out for some little birds in charity shops.

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  8. Beautiful. The hydrangea and bird nest gives this a springtime feel.

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  9. I like the broken theme of your post today. I'm glad you didn't melt those glasses down. I need to clean a nest out of one of my birdhouses. I tossed a couple of old ones when I tidied the potting bench earlier this summer.

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  10. You are always so enterprising with your props and what an inexhaustible supply of weird and wonderful stuff you have. You just happened to have a birds nest, a hand and some little birds.

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  11. Japanese anemones already?! Your broken glass story is a testimonial to the value of holding on to what's beautiful, if broken, until a solution to its use presents itself. Your vignette is altogether wonderful, which I could see once I got beyond my envy over the anemones.

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  12. Oh Peter, what a great sentence that is - 'In the garden and in life, how like nest-builders we are, gathering scraps of brokenness and assembling them to make some new whole' I love that philosophy, and you are such a great ambassador, as this Monday offering testifies. Thanks as always

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  13. The glass you used as a vase is just beautiful and looks great when paired with the nest. I've started a "nest collection" after finding one in the street at work. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. No wonder you didn't want to break up the glasses. They are gorgeous. Your bouquet and add ons are sweet, broken beaks and all.

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  15. I love your theme, and how you carried it out.

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  16. Love the bird nest, still having coffee here and thought the birds were real. Love that glass,great repurpose.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.