When my mom was a young mother and new to Illinois, where I was raised, she was feeling particularly grumpy on winter day, missing Utah. We lived in the last house on a dead end and the house was surrounded by trees. She looked outside and saw what she thought was a piece of red paper in the tree. She stomped outside to find that no, it wasn't litter, it was a cardinal, a bird she would grow to love as she lived through 17 more Midwestern winters.
Yesterday I was housebound with my three little ones and Luke didn't have school. I noticed this flash of red in my trees. I smiled as I remembered this story of my mom and wondered how much I had in common with young Meg. What parts of Maryland am I failing to appreciate this winter?
2 comments:
Our backyard cardinals are also a respite from winter dull-drums. (I know that's not how you spell it, but it fits.) The cardinals remind me of mountain blue jays, which brightened Idaho spring mornings. Somehow it brings a touch of home to the very different but beautiful Midwest.
Wow Carrie, did you take that picture? Beautiful!
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