Still a tree

There’s something quietly affirming about seeing design embraced by nature.

In our outdoor bar area—just beside the live-edge teak table with its root chairs—one of the teak root bar stools at the counter has been claimed. Not by a guest, but by a small bird who found a hollow in the base of the stool just right for building a nest. She’s laid three eggs there.

Bird nest in bar stool stump

The nest is surprisingly bulky for such a small space. My housekeeper—who first noticed it even before the eggs appeared—gently taped it to the stump to keep it from shifting or falling. A quiet, thoughtful act that may well have made all the difference.

Birds often nest close to human homes. Our presence, oddly enough, tends to keep predators at bay. But perhaps something more is at play here. Despite being shaped into a stool, the teak root still holds the form and scent of the tree it once was. Maybe to her, it still is a tree.

I haven’t seen her during the day. She seems to visit only in the early and late hours, cautious and quiet. So I’ve blocked off access to the outdoor bar to keep footfall to a minimum and avoid stressing her. She’ll need to sit in the nest to keep the eggs warm. And once the hatchlings appear, she’ll need to be around more often—and feel safe doing so.

It’s deeply satisfying to know that our design choices, intended to echo the natural world, are being validated by the wild itself. Not just seen as natural—but trusted.

And now, for a while, the bar has a new guest. Silent. Watchful. Entirely at home.

...Amber eyes, summer light