FOR THE BIRDS

Star Mississippi is easy to miss. If the light on the highway is green and you don’t have to slow down, you’d never know it was there. But I know. Just off U.S.49, behind the tall pines, the laid back, little community keeps right on ticking. I was there on Friday, last. I like to cut boards up and then put the pieces back together. When I get through I’ll have a cedar chest or a table, or maybe even a bird house. I make wren houses for my yard, my family and some of my friends. I think they are stylish and the birds love ‘em. That brings us to the Cypress connection. 

A furniture maker, friend from Livingston, Louisiana told me about Heartwood and Star, Mississippi. “You’re going to love the bird houses and it’s the best place I know to get good lumber. You can tell ‘em I sent you.” Heartwood is the business and their business is cypress birdhouses. With the office in an old silo, the shop and warehouse occupy one metal building with another, smaller one to keep cypress lumber out of the weather. Larry & Jerry Glass run the show and whatever they did before bird houses, they don’t have time for any more. There must be 30 or 40 different styles and designs and their creations are marketed all across America and around the world. 

I’m in Louisiana several times a year and lately I have reason to drive my truck. On my way back north, it’s a short side trip over to Heartwood and my friend was right; I love the bird houses and the lumber is tops. Larry gave me a tour and sent me over to sort through cypress boards, pick out what I wanted and settle up in the office. Last week was my third time through and I knew what I wanted. My lumber rack in the basement is nearly full of top grade cypress but I didn’t have one of their exotic bird houses. Now I do.