I find myself on quite a birdhouse kick lately--and it is showing up in everything from my whimsical birdhouse cushion to this simple little painted cutie above.  I have a birdhouse wallhanging in the works at the moment, and there are  a couple of unfinished wooden birdhouses sitting in my workroom that are patiently awaiting embellishment.  Oh, the possiblities.

Apparently I am not alone in my love of these diminutive dwellings, and I was delighted to turn on CBS Sunday Morning this week and find a segment on the talented Thomas F Burke and his fabulous birdhouse replicas. 

According to his website biography, "Tom Burke spent 25 years building custom  homes with his  father in Delaware. He still builds houses but now his business  card reads: “Builder of Fine Bird Homes.”

Burke combines his craftsman’s  skills with  an artistic bent to create replicas of historic buildings or a client’s home. “These birdhouses are whimsical, not architectural  reproductions,” says Burke,  whose custom work can be spotted in yards all  around Wilmington."

His fanciful creations depict everything from Martha Stewart's Bedford, NY home to George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch and can take months to make--and can come with a price tag of upwards of  $20,000.  They truly are miniature works of art, and it is well worth watching the interview here on the CBS website.

It is when I see amazingly detailed and intricate woodworking projects that I regret never learning how to construct things with saws and nails...  I may just have to take a course of some sort, because I am quite intrigued at the possiblity of a project like this!

I hope you're all staying safe during this crazy weather we're having--I was horrified and saddened to see the breaking news of the Oklahoma tornadoes just this afternoon, as I have been through natural disasters (several times, in fact), and I am well acquainted with the sick feeling of resignation that comes when the evacuation siren starts up and you see danger advancing.  There is nothing to do but round up the things that mean most to you--usually people and pets--and head to a place of safety.

My heart is with any of you who have been affected. 

A note about my photograph:  I took this shot in June last year while wandering the streets of a little beach town in Choroni, Venezuela.  We arrived in the midst of an amazing religious festival complete with a procession through streets draped with colorful bunting and lined with chanting, jubilant locals.  The buildings were all old and Spanish-style with huge front doors tall enough for a rider on horseback to enter into the central courtyards.  This particular building stood between two splendid neighbors and was in a state of semi-demolition with not much other than this door and surrounding frame still standing.  I love how the wall opens up for a peek at the metal and wood structure beneath the plaster... 

Happy mid-week!

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