Bringing the Outdoors In

Yesterday, Nester gave her readers a "Five Minute Assignment."  It was to go outside and cut some tree branches.

I'd just thrown away the Forsythia branches that I'd had in the house for a couple of weeks, so I was ready for something new.  I cut some Cleveland Pear tree branches and brought them inside, putting them in one of my favorite jars.

I first spotted this jar HERE, and pinned it, hoping to find one someday.  At the time, I wasn't sure if it was a vintage bottle, or something that I'd easily be able to find.  So, you know what I did, right?  I Googled the name on the jar, and learned that I could find apple juice or cider in a similar jar at my local Target!  Sweet.

I love this silly little jar, and have had all kinds of things in it including candy, and rolled sheet music strips.  Today, it holds Cleveland Pear tree branches.

Take the Five-Minute Challenge!  You'll enjoy having something living and changing in your home -- besides your kids and their clothes, I mean.  *wink  {Can you tell I'm once again catching up on laundry?}

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AN AFTERTHOUGHT:  In the evening, after I wrote this post, we all worked outside in the yard.  My daughter was going around with a bottle of vinegar, saying good-bye to the weeds.  In her "travels," she happened by a tree that looked similar to the one pictured above.  She snapped off a little branch of flowers, and brought it in the house to see if it matched the one in the jar.  It did, and she identified another Cleveland Pear tree.  In the process, she sniffed at it.  This is a habit of hers.  She believes all flowers will "smell."  Well, she got a nose-full this time -- and here's what we learned.  Cleveland Pear tree blossoms do not smell good.  In fact, they smell a little fishy.  My daughter thinks they smell like the elephants at the zoo.  It's possible that she exaggerates.  Just sayin'.

But anyway... WHO KNEW?  If the corner of my kitchen starts smelling fishy, I'll know the culprit!