This is so eggciting. Yup, I just hit you with an egg pun. Watch out for those this time of year. Anyway, we really were excited (there, I resisted it that time) to discover an adorable and very Easter appropriate display of nature that’s actually been living in one of our former DIY projects. Can you tell what’s going on in this picture?
Yes, that’s a nest with two adorable eggs in it. And guess where that nest is located? Why it’s in one of our homemade porch lanterns (learn how we turned cheap bulb covers from Home Depot into sweet candle-lit porch decor right here).
Mr and Mrs Bird just built it right on top of the candle that’s inside of the middle lantern. Isn’t that cute? Even the UPS lady stopped to check it out.
And on the subject of eggs, we wanted to link back to this oldie-but-a-goodie post about all natural egg dying. It could be a fun project to take on this Easter weekend. Speaking of this weekend, we’re set to have a few lovely 80 degree days here in Richmond and we’re oh so happy to welcome the warmer weather after what seemed like a never-ending winter (something about being due in the spring had us jonesing for sunny skies even in October). We hope wherever you are that you’re having some great weather and enjoying whatever your yard has to offer. Ours has been serving up some pretty buds on nearly every tree in sight:
And some sweet blooms on a few of the bushes that surround our house:
Which means my allergies are back with a vengeance. Does anyone have any all natural allergy cures to share? I’ve tried the whole local honey thing along with the Neti Pot with limited success and I have a good air purifier (and am sure to drink lots of water) but I’m still pretty sniffly these days. Oh well, the spring scenery makes it all worth it.
So there you have one egg-tastic discovery and some exterior photos to keep you up to date with the nature situation here at Casa Petersik. Do you guys have any funny bird’s nest locations to share (last year we found one in John’s bike helmet in the garage)? Have any of you been snapping photos of blooms, buds or any other outside eye candy? Do tell.
Michelle says
Hah, that is so cute! I guess y’all won’t be lighting up candles in that lantern any time soon. =)
When I was much younger, around 10 or so, there was this bird’s nest sitting on my window sill with a little bird poking it’s way out of the egg. I remember sitting for a few hours, just watching this little life make it’s way out in the world. It was one of the best things I have ever witnessed and such a pity that I didn’t have a camera at the time. Hehe, and being 10, I do remember thinking how ugly the bird looked right after it hatched. =P
Andie says
I think that it is a Camellia Japonica bush.
Rachel says
Once on a family camping trip my sister had a pair of shorts hanging on a line to dry. A bird built a nest right in the leg of her shorts in a few hours! She was about 12 and not as amused as the rest of us were. No eggs of course, but it was so cool.
Pam C says
Yes, that’s a camellia – they come in so many beautiful colors.
The sinus wash is your best bet for instant help. It simply washes the offending pollens from your sinus passages. The local honey will work but you have to take it every day for several weeks.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the camillia comments. You guys know your stuff!
xo,
s
Kitsch Krafts says
Sorry to hear about your allergies. I was told during my pregnancy that stuffy noses can come with the territory later in pregnancy no matter if you are a regular allergy sufferer …er…er :o) or not. I was lucky! I have terrible allergies, including those to certain foods, and they cleared up while I was pregnant. Unfortunately, as my hormones get back to normal I am starting to feel the allergy symptoms coming back. oh well….it was so nice while it lasted! I used saline nasal spray when I get really stuffed up and it helps.
As far as the nesting, we had a bird build one in a box of wound up pieces of rope that we used for various things. It was high up on one of our garage shelves, so we did not notice it right away. We decided to leave it alone even after the birds left, and we ended up with another little family the next year. It was pretty sweet, but the birds would sometimes dive bomb us as we passed through the garage on our way out to work in the mornings. It was better than a cup of coffee to get us going in the am.
Shannon says
definitely a camellia.
Melissa says
It is not really a weird place for them to nest, but birds nested in both of our ferns last year. It was a little frustrating because I was trying to water them without drowning the nest but in the end I just let them die because I didn’t want to drown the baby birds. :P I really want to put up ferns again this year but i’m thinking we’ll have the same problem.
kelly says
everyone in blogland is making cute little nests and spray painting all kinds of plastic eggs and you have a real one right at your house that could not be cuter! my friend swears by the nettie pot, i guess you just have to use it regularly, sorry your miserable!
Christine says
Being pregnant, the neti pot didn’t work for me as well! It usually immediately clears me up, but this time I caved and had to take regular Sudafed for about 36 hours just to open things up for the neti pot to work. I usually only use natural remedies, but was desperate!
jennifer says
love your website
try looking into gluten in your diet, as it is a grass sometimes a cross reaction happens. if you remove it other allergies won’t be as severe.
Maggie says
caveat–this might make your skin crawl (sorry about the pun!)! Regarding your allergies, I heard an interesting podcast recently about having parasites may actually quell allergy symptoms. I don’t remember where I heard it, but I found this article that interviews the same doctor… http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/health/research/01prof.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
Anita says
I haven’t found a bird’s nest with eggs yet, but I do see a lot of hatched robin’s eggs in my garden beds. We did find nest of mice last weekend when we cleaned out the shed to break out the garden tools. Yeahhhh, not so cute as your find! :)
Yup, I’ve been snapping pics of my newly planted (in the fall) tulips, double daffodils, and of my veggie seedlings. We adopted a little french bulldog last fall, so he’s been a great garden buddy. He’s fascinated by what I’m doing and has been going around tasting my young veggies.
jessica says
I haven’t tried it yet, but I am this year…acupuncture is supposed to help. I’m surprised the neti pot didn’t work for you…it’s worked wonders for me!
Kristin says
As some commenters recommended essential oils, please let me point out that they are not always harmless, especially for people prone to allergies, pregnant women or small children.
For example: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/200553/dangers_of_essential_oils.html , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_oil#Dangers
Just because something is extracted from plants, it is not necessarily safer or healthier than chemicals. After all, some plants use these essential oils to protect themselves from being eaten.
What really helped my fiance who has allergic asthma was a hyposensitization therapy. It took quite a long time (3 years and lots of injections), but reduced his allergic reactions by, let’s say, 90 percent, and he can finally really enjoy spring again. So worth it.
Monique says
I have tried every treatment for allergies and I had the most success with the natural cures. I have used Alfalfa & Nettle tinctures with some success. But the cure I swear by is my chiropractor. I have been so busy with my 10 month old son this year that I haven’t been able to go in the past 2 months, and my allergies were horrible. My eyes would be watering in meetings and I was loosing my voice from the congestion, so I figured out that I hadn’t been to the chiro and I went….today, 3 days later, I am a little stuffy..but nothing compared to earlier. (Also my chiro was great while I was pregnant too, he kept my hips in line through all the weight gain.)
Meghan says
I just want to say how gorge the porch looks all lit up. Inspiring for a “curb appeal” style makeover I am planning this summer on our little bungalow.
sarah says
The key to the netti pot is to use it BEFORE you need it, as a preventative instead of a cure. Use it every day before the season, and it should help to reduce – if not eliminate – the really tough stuff. And then use it a couple times a week throughout the year.
If you are in the middle of a bad one, Sherry, use it everyday anyway, even if it doesn’t seem to be helping. Once you are back to “normal”, keep it up every day through the summer and see if it doesn’t help you prevent more than usual. I KNOW it will! — sarah
Jen says
That nest is so cute! And I’m loving this Virginia weather. I flew into Richmond yesterday and couldn’t believe how amazingly warm it was. I’m spending the weekend in Williamsburg with my sister. I hope the weather stays this nice!
Jen says
My whole family highly recommends D-Hist. You can even take it when your pregnant. It does say to consult your physician, ours said there was no problem with it, just a warning label. My cousin has 2 kids and took it the whole time with them. Heres a link on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Ortho-Molecular-Products-Natural-capsules/dp/B0006ON6D8
Jen says
Ohh I forgot another good thing is oregano oil pills. That and DHist combined really do the trick. DHist is an all natural pill, just FYI.
Alison says
My camellias are blooming too! They are so pretty. I also have my little vegetable plants popping out of the ground which is pretty exciting for me since I have never had a vegetable garden before. It will be nice to eat our own produce from our very own garden this year, maybe even saving a bit of money.
Kristina says
My mom and aunt swear by stinging nettle for their seasonal allergies. I’ve only ever seen it in vitamin shops, not the drugstore. Good luck…I hope you find something that works.
Erin says
I take a daily probiotic to help my immune system and I think this helps with my allergies a lot as well as preventing other sickness.
Wintry Mix says
I discovered this blog about 2 weeks ago and have been reading it voraciously ever since–my husband and I are about to buy our first house and it’s been great inspiration.
But what’s motivated me to comment for the first time is your question about allergy treatments. I know you say that the Neti Pot has only given you limited success, but the Neti Pot has been so life-changing for me that I had to weigh in. I don’t know how you’ve used it in the past, but I find that it works best as a preventative measure. In other words, I start using it religiously several weeks before things start to bloom in the spring, and I keep right on through the summer. During the heaviest pollen season, I use it in the morning and again at night. It takes just a few minutes, and it’s taken me from 4-5 sinus infections every spring without fail, to NOT A SINGLE ONE in the 2 years since I started using it. I’m normally all for drugs and pretty skeptical of natural remedies…but the Neti Pot has made me a believer! Truly life-changing, as I said. Good luck and thanks for creating such a great website!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks again for all the allergy tips and suggestions. You guys are the best!
xo,
s
Katy says
My husband has had horribly allergies and asthma for most of his life. He took Claritin every day until it stopped working for him. Same thing with Zyrtec. Since typical allergy remedies weren’t working for him, I did some research, starting with Dr. Andrew Weil’s Web site, drweil.com. He recommends stinging nettle leaf in capsule form for seasonal allergies. Taking two to four capsules a day has worked really well for us. Supposedly nettle leaf promotes “healthy histamine response” rather than being a histamine blocker. So, while my husband still sneezes or blows his nose every now and then, it’s not the absolute misery he used to experience. We buy it at a discount herb store for about $4 for 100 capsules. Good luck!
Megan says
I got allergies after I had my daughter and didn’t want to take any meds because I was nursing. Vitamin C did wonders to help dry up the sniffy’s.
AK Andi says
I am sure someone already explained what that flower or bush is. I believe it is a primrose. Very pretty!! Lovely nest. Yours and the birds!!
Sarah says
Sherry, how often do you wash Burger this time of year? Dogs can really get a lot of allergens on their fur when they play outside. Washing him every one to two days might help you.
What kind of air purifier do you have? My Oreck was expensive, but better than any other purifier I’ve ever had. Hope you figure out a solution that works for you.
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s the air purifier we have:
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/09/fab-freebie-all-time-lowes/
We love it and it’s definitely a top of the line model. As for washing Burger we do that as often as possible. The good news is that my allergies seem a bit milder this year (so far…) but I thank everyone for their tips and tricks! So many things to try…
xo,
s
Denee King says
I wish I had a magic allergy remedy but sadly, I don’t. :-(
But – the bird thing….mine became an ordeal. I loved watching the baby birds grow in the nest they were in that mama bird built in the corner of our front porch. But as they grew I could see there just wasn’t enough room!! Sure enough one day, a baby fell out. I was devastated. I googled “what to do if a bird falls out of its nest”. It said “Put it back in the nest”. Really? So like all the other birds were just going to move over and welcome him back? NO!! They all panicked – birds starting flying everywhere and quickly landing on the ground. I was scooping birds up left and right and crying because I just knew this was not going to have a happy ending.
I saved four but never found the fifth. So much for trying to help mother nature out.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no that’s so scary! Our fingers are crossed that these baby birds have an uneventful childhood and leave the nest when they’re good and ready!
xo,
s
Nikki says
I have terrible allergies, too, and have moved to natural remedies over the past year – I didn’t want to take allergy meds forever!
I use a neti pot and take a multivitamin every day (well, I TRY to do the neti pot every day), but my trick is elderberry extract. You can get it at Whole Foods, but it’s usually more affordable at places like the Vitamin Shoppe. It’s a proven anti-viral, and I’ve found that if I take a spoonful of that daily, it keeps me so healthy that it’s easier for me to fend off the allergies. I still pop a generic Claritin about once a month if things get really bad, but I’d definitely recommend trying the elderberry. It’s totally awesome. :)
Hilary says
Have you tried a nasal irrigation system that has a bit more control than a netti pot?
The netti pot relies on gravity to push the water through your sinuses. My allergist actually got me started on nasal irrigation, which uses a little higher pressure stream than a netti pot. It kind of looks like a plunger. I’ve used it for four years to great effect. I used to be that girl with an Epi pen, allergy shots, allergy medicine, multiple inhalers, etc. Now, the only thing I use is my Nasaline irrigator. I sound like a commercial, but it really worked for me.
http://www.amazon.com/Nasaline-Nasal-Irrigator/dp/B0001C0FLG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1270425477&sr=8-1
Another thing I do when my eyes are itchy, is I brew green tea. I drink the tea, and keep the tea bag. I then put the tea bags on my eyes. Helps the itching go away.
Mrs. Potts says
I feel you on the allergy thing. I have to have a prescription for my allergies because that’s the only thing that works for me. The worst symptom for me is itchy sinuses – just so irritating!!
What kind of birds have nested on your porch? I’m curious. That’s such a cute little nest.
YoungHouseLove says
No idea! We see the momma from time to time but she’s a blur because she’s always flying in or out at top speed!
xo,
s
Roberta says
Love the lights! Will immediately do and put on my front porch. Thanks!
neena says
I’m late to the party, but I had to second someones suggestion for no outside clothes in the bedroom. That made a huge difference for me as well as not opening the windows before 10am or after 6pm, which is horrible, because when it’s hot that’s exactly when you want to open them.
I also use the allergy covers on my pillow and wipe them down with a damp cloth every time i change the sheets (once a week). I’ve noticed that washing my hair every night seems to help too (not sleeping on the pollens that landed in my hair, I guess?)
Good luck! I had the same issue, due in May (2008) and my allergies were killing me the last two months (that’s before I knew the tips above!)
Tarnya says
Hi Guys
Just wondering if you use Vimeo to edit and add music to your videos or another program? They are always highly entertaining.
Tarnya x
YoungHouseLove says
We actually use iMovie ’09 which came with our Mac. It’s a pretty simple program and we love that it’s free!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Anyone know of a way to keep birds from building nests on your porch stuff? I really want to put up a hanging plant, but I hesitate because last year a mourning dove made her nest in it. Mourning doves sit on the nest constantly for weeks, so the plant ended up dying from lack of water. I don’t know if I made a nest area for the birds, if they would pick that over the hanging plant?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, good question. Anyone have ideas for Lisa? We’ve had hanging ferns on either side of our porch for a few years now and no birds have approached those- just our lantern this year!
xo,
s
Viv says
You need to buy the book “Mama Outside, Mama Inside.” It’s about a mom preparing for her coming child while outside, a mother bird builds a nest and lays eggs. As a bonus, the cover art would make the book a great addition to your new white shelf over the change table.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cute! And exactly our situation here at Casa Petersik!
xo,
s
Molly says
Sherry,
Do you know the name of the flowering bush in the last photo? We have one in our yard and love the flowers. Is it a camellia?
Love your blog. Good luck with the allergies!
-Molly
YoungHouseLove says
We actually didn’t know what it was at first, but then many people chimed in on this very post with that info. Camellia it is!
xo,
s
Hillary says
Sherry- Do you get headaches/head stuffiness with your allergies? If so, my dad claims Black Cherry juice works wonders. I believe you can get this at a natural foods store. It may, however, just be a crazy Pennsylvania Dutch remedy…
YoungHouseLove says
The greatest side effect of getting prego is that I have zero headaches! Not a one. It’s awesome! I do usually get a bit of head stuffiness with allergies when I’m not pregnant (not many headaches though) but this season it just seems less terrible for some reason. Perhaps being prego is making me less sensitive to allergies just like it has made me immune to headaches. That would be nice…
xo,
s
samet dedeman says
That would be nice…
Amie & Abbey Road says
This is adorable! While I haven’t had the pleasure of birds making nests at our place yet, my parent’s home is always filled with them. There’s a mommy dove that is constantly perched in their bougenvilla and it’s just the most adorable thing. Congrats!
Laura Durrer says
We found this lovely nest in our tree:
http://www.oliveandlove.com/2010/04/blue-jay-nest.html
Darla says
As if this is an easy thing to do, try completely eliminating dairy from your diet and see how your allergies improve. I notice a big difference when I have dairy and when I do not. Also, less sugar. (easier said than done.., I know, I know!)
Anna says
Last year, my husband and I were setting up our back patio for spring. The cover on our grill had flipped off a few months back, but we’d planned on CLing/junking it so we didn’t really care. Then, I noticed some twigs sticking out the side. I made H open the lid because I thought it might be a mouse nest and omgggg, heh. There were 4 or 5 little eggs inside!
We never found out what kind of bird it was… we went on vacation for a week and when we came back the entire nest–all the twigs, all the signs of eggs, everything–was gone. Luckily I took a picture. You can’t really see the eggs, though.
http://i40.tinypic.com/5qxbp.jpg
Jannell says
I agree completely with Darla on going sans dairy. I was a dairy junkie (milk w/every meal) and also thought I had horrible allergies to EVERYTHING all year. I literally couldn’t ever breath through my nose. I went dairy free in January and my everyday allergies are totally gone. I’m excited for spring- fingers crossed it stays this way! Feel free to ask any questions on going dairy free, if you aren’t already- it was a lot easier than I thought.
As for nesting stories, here’s one- I’ve been working away at siding our house. I joke that it’s just me and the squirrel at work, b/c this squirrel hangs out all the time making noises at me and running all over the outside of our house. Well, turns out the squirrel is a SHE and she had BABIES in the wall! The fascia board is off and she crawled in. We took a peak and spotted the wee one’s nestled in some blown in insulation! They are too cute. After some debate on what to do (aka phone call to mom), we decided to put finishing siding on that side of the house on hold until they’re up and hopping around. But when they are- time to find a new home!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the tips everyone! You guys are the best. My allergies are definitely less severe this year (the ground is coated with pollen and I’m not up all night sneezing like I usually would be) – so I’m not sure if pregnancy is making me a bit less sensitive to them (just like it has eliminated headaches and other odd ailments) or if I’m just slowly building up my immunity and finally seeing some noticeable results. Either way I’m not complaining!
xo,
s
Jess says
Sherry,
I’ve been reading my grandmothers ‘text book’ on her Young Living Essential Oils. My son has had some serious problems with allergies, so much so it has brought on asthma as a result of his allergies. So you can imagine I was at my whits end trying to find something, ANYTHING other than putting him on ‘drugs’ full time (he’s 6.) Anyway, the book suggests either peppermint essential oil or lavender. You can try putting it in the tub before you shower (careful not to slip!) or put it on a tissue at your bedside table, using it in your humudifier, or even just rubbing a small amount of the lavender (peppermint will burn) underneath your nose before bed… Unless of course you like the ‘oily-under-your-nose’ look while you’re out and about during the day? Lavender seemed to work really well for my son but of course he hates the smell so we’re back to a perscription nose spray for now. If you have anymore problems with allergies you might want to give the Essential Oils a try. You can order the Young Living brand online (www.youngliving.com) or you can pick up whatever kind you prefer at your local health food store.
I felt amazing when I was pregnant too so hopefully your allergies will hold off until next season!
Best,
Jess
Katrina says
wow, very cool!! Same thing at our house, we found a nest in our hangning planter on our front porch, the mother bird flew away and I snapped a pic!
Becky says
I have suffered severe allergies for years. Got a repreive during pregnancy, but they came back worse than ever about a year postpartum. Tried EVERYTHING. My allergist told me I was “in the royal family of highly allergic people”. I needed a shot of epinepherine during my allergy skin testing! Was taking tons of drugs and inhalers. Allergy shots made me miserable. Could hardly go outside, ever. Sick all the time. Allergies held me hostage. I finally decided to try Chinese medicine – acupuncture and herbs. I was very skeptical at first, but it’s been a year since I started and I am a totally new person. I have my health back, and I can not speak highly enough of finding a good Chinese Medicine specialist. I can play with my daughter at the playground again without being sick for two days afterwards. My life has drastically improved!
hjc says
Sorry this is a very late comment (was out of town for two weeks – just catching up on my reading!). I skimmed the comments and decided to let you know what has worked for our family since no one else has mentioned this particular product. It’s called Allermax by BioChem – you can get it at any vitamin store. My husband had such bad allergies we thought we might have to sell our home as mowing the grass about killed him every time. I had horrible sinus infections every year in the spring. Allermax saved us both. I take two pills a day for a couple of days at the first sign of a sinus infection (a little pressure/tickle deep in my head) and I haven’t had an infection in years. My husband is happily (okay, not happily) back to mowing the lawn with no allergy reactions. Just be sure to drink a lot of water when taking the pills, as they have a tendency to give you heartburn if you don’t…good luck trying all the recommendations!
Brooke says
I tried every allergy prevention that was ever recommended to me. We moved to the Phoenix area two years ago and I couldn’t breathe. So I finally sucked it up and went to an allergy specialist where they did the full allergy test. Turns out I was allergic to everything but horses, mold, ragweed, and cockroaches. I was allergic to the State of Arizona. So after a bit of research I decided to try the allergy shots. This was the ‘if this doesn’t show any help in a year I’m moving back to California’ last chance Arizona. :) Even after hearing it could take up to 5 years and it doesn’t work for everyone. It has been less then a year and I’m off all my asthma meds and I’m down to a half a xyzal or some days none at all. I was very skeptical and while it’s not natural but it works. After making it so far with one day of a flair up so far during this spring – I’m sold.