More about Yvonne

Yvonne Watterson is a Northern Irish-born writer and educator, now based near Guadalajara, Mexico. Her career in public education spans 30 years, during which she led school reform initiatives featured in national outlets including The New York Times and Education Week. Her work as a high school principal in Arizona focused on equity, inclusion, and student advocacy, earning both local and national attention. Yvonne's writing life began in November 2011, after an invasive breast cancer diagnosis sent her searching for answers online. What began as survival grew into a practice of storytelling, with her work appearing beyond this blog in The Irish Times, Irish Central, Reading Ireland, and other outlets. Yvonne's essays and reflections explore themes ranging from The Troubles in Northern Ireland and the poetry of Seamus Heaney to personal experiences of illness, loss, and resilience after being widowed in 2013. She compiled and edited Documented Dreams, a bilingual collection of letters documenting her advocacy with young immigrant students, and she contributed to Bravados: An Anthology, featuring 21 personal narratives by expats living in the Lake Chapala region. Most recently, she collaborated with Stephen Travers on The Bass Player – Surviving the Miami Showband Massacre. Yvonne’s social justice advocacy has earned her numerous honors, including the City of Phoenix Martin Luther King “Living the Dream” Award and the YWCA Tribute to Women Social Justice Leader Award. She is also a musician, performing with her partner, Scott Henrich, in The Old Souls Band, a six-piece Americana ensemble based in Ajijic, Mexico and she plays violin in the Lake Chapala Community Orchestra. Her daughter, Sophie, also a writer, lives in Arizona. “If you have the words, there's always a chance that you'll find the way.” ― Seamus Heaney

little houses … for the birds

August 27, 2012 / 21 Comments

The boughs of a Chilean mesquite tree hang low in our backyard, weighed down with wind-chimes and things that twirl and spin in warm desert winds. From the uppermost branches, hang bird houses of weathered wood, treasures crafted from trash scavenged by artisan, David Bruce. In his hands, scrap lumber and sheet metal, random doorknobs, rusty garden fixtures, old silver forks and spoons are turned over and into art.

For about a decade, Bruce constructed these brightly colored whimsical abodes that could withstand the Phoenix weather. His shop, “Weathered Wonders,” a welcome splash of Dr. Seuss-decor on an otherwise humdrum street in Phoenix, was displaced in 2009 when the ubiquitous Circle K moved in. Were it not for that utterly depressing fact, my mesquite tree would be home to even more of his “avian art.” As Bruce says himself, “For some people, these birdhouses are like Lays potato chips. They can’t just have one.“

I am one of those people.

A Tree House ~ Shel Silverstein

A tree house, a free house

A secret you and me house,

A high up in the leafy branches

Cozy as can be house.

A street house, a neat house.

Be sure and wipe your feet house

Is not my kind of house at all –

Let’s go live in a tree house.

21 Comments

Renn

August 27, 2012 at 9:25 PM Reply

oh, I love these tree houses Yvonne! Super yummy! I would want more than one too! 😉
- Yvonne
  
  August 28, 2012 at 6:37 AM Reply
  
  Aren’t they cool, Renn? I’m just amazed that they have survived all kinds of crazy weather in Phoenix. And I’d like more 🙂
- DAVID BRUCE
  
  June 15, 2013 at 9:05 AM Reply
  
  WEATHEREDED WONDERS IS STILL AROUND IT JUST MOVED
  5027 # N. 7TH AVE PHOENIX AZ.
  DAVID BRUCE 602 576 7376
  - Editor
    
    June 15, 2013 at 9:05 AM Reply
    
    I am delighted to hear!! Are you open today?
  - Dan
    
    July 21, 2013 at 12:58 PM Reply
    
    My wife received one of your birdhouses for her birthday. She says you use flattened out license plates that you then re-emboss with a pattern. I said I thought you used a kind of metal tile (or ‘wallpaper’) that you cut to size for the roofs. Please, settle this little argument by sending the answer to my email address. Thanks for your time and consideration. You should also know that she LOVED the birdhouse! Thanks again. -Dan
    - Anonymous
      
      July 22, 2013 at 7:16 AM Reply
      
      CEILING TILE……I NEVER USE LIC. PLATES
Marie Ennis-O'Connor (@JBBC)

August 27, 2012 at 10:00 PM Reply

These are stunning and I love that trees also featured in your post today Yvonne.
- Yvonne
  
  August 28, 2012 at 6:35 AM Reply
  
  Love the synergy, Marie, and that we’re all writing about trees in our different time zones. Very cool. Thank you for lighting this fire!
Jan Baird Hasak

August 27, 2012 at 10:24 PM Reply

Gorgeous works of art, Yvonne. I understand why you want more than one. I’m sure the birds love more than one. Shouldn’t everybody?
- Yvonne
  
  August 28, 2012 at 6:34 AM Reply
  
  Aren’t they lovely, Jan? I want more 🙂
Anonymous

August 28, 2012 at 2:40 AM Reply

Ah lovely. And a verse from the great Shel Silverstein too. 🙂
- Yvonne
  
  August 28, 2012 at 6:38 AM Reply
  
  Great, he is!
chemobrainfog

August 28, 2012 at 7:33 AM Reply

Those bird houses are adorable!!! I have no wonderful trees in my yard from which to hang things but we planted an apple tree last year… it’s growing nicely, bearing fruit and I’m hopeful someone around here will cop to taking the apple so I can have a very “presidential” story to tell about the tree. When it gets larger, your birdhouses just set a long term plan in motion!
- Yvonne
  
  August 28, 2012 at 9:07 AM Reply
  
  But you have a sparkling clean pool 🙂
BreastCancerSIsterhood.com

August 28, 2012 at 9:10 AM Reply

Don’t you just love things that have a bit of whimsy to them? There’s a fellow who sells fabulous bird houses in my little town. I’ve bought a few, but came home from a trip and found someone had stolen them. I hope they’ve at least put them up in their yard and are feeding the birds.
- Yvonne
  
  August 29, 2012 at 9:28 AM Reply
  
  Oh no!! Who steals birdhouses?! I’m sorry you came home to that, Brenda. I’m hoping the birds are still being fed, wherever those houses may be.
Liz

August 28, 2012 at 4:09 PM Reply

Wow – these are beyond gorgeous!!! LOVE them…and am having serious case of birdhouse envy!
- Yvonne
  
  August 29, 2012 at 4:54 PM Reply
  
  I was glad to see you can still order them online, Liz. I’m sorely tempted 🙂
  - DAVID BRUCE
    
    June 15, 2013 at 9:12 AM Reply
    
    YOU CAN GET A CATALOG IF YOU SEND A REQUEST TO WEATHEREDWONDERS@HOTMAIL.COM
    - Editor
      
      June 15, 2013 at 9:20 AM Reply
      
      David,
      I will make sure to add this information to the blog posts. I’ve written about your work a couple of times and hope to see you later today.
betty watterson

August 29, 2012 at 6:44 AM Reply

O

h Yvonne they are so beautiful, I just love them, must let your dad have a look. Your birds are so lucky.,xx