Not many people get a golden egg for his or her birthday. At least not that I have heard of.
If you have received one, please relate your story here on my blog.
I did. Recently, on the anniversary of my birth, after dinner, my husband, Pebble, placed an unwrapped box in front of me on the table. I removed the crushed newspaper concealing the contents and peered inside. A strange shape, color and texture filled the box. I started to use one hand to lift out the “thing,” soon discovering I needed two hands. It was very heavy.
I could barely hold the weight as I sat down and lowered the item onto my placemat.
An egg? A golden egg? Yes. A nine-pound golden egg made only of welded bronze nails sat in contrast to the red placemat.
Now to the beginning of this story.
I am in the process of building a house here on our property for my kids. The construction site is perched upon a higher point than our house with a 180-degree-view of Penobscot Bay and the islands. I decided to name the house The Crows’ Nest. A connection to our love of sailing as well as our love of crows whom my husband feeds daily. Crow’s Nest, known to seafarers, is a basket or a platform for a lookout sailor to stand near the top of the mast of a boat .The house needed a crow-in-residence, and after seeing artist John Bisbee’s small sculptures of birds created with nails, I commissioned him to make a crow—a large one. When my husband heard of this endeavor, he contacted John and asked him to add a small bird. They arrived as my Christmas present. Both magnificent design and craftsmanship. I’ve named her Elmira, 2.5 feet tall, 3 feet 3” long. The proud little bird with tufted head and long beak is named Poe. Fred, who works for us, made a beautiful wooden stand for them to alight. They look comfortable in their temporary home in our bay window.
Pebble couldn’t stop there. He was captivated and could see the crow laying a golden egg which would contrast and enhance the silvery shine of the steel nails. He wanted more “for better composition.” Inevitably, a nest and golden egg arrived after many witty to and fro conversations between John and Pebble.
Two more animals, two-legged, added to our menagerie. And who knows what the golden egg will bring forth!