EARLY BIRDS
I've been fixated on birds...could it be my empty nest?
The walls in the front room were covered with them!
Deep red cardinals, cerulean bluejays, robins with bright orange bellies, yellow canaries, hummingbirds with purplish green wings stopped in midflight, and tan finches. Some were flying against a white background; others were perched on tree branches or almost hidden in the leaves. I loved that wild bird wallpaper. I don’t remember the rest of the room except for a fireplace. I probably remember the fireplace because of the time my brother started a fire and forgot to open the chimney flu. Grandma told us to wave wet rags through the air to soak up the smoke. She always knew what to do. And she knew how to make a house feel like a home.
Birds have been on my mind a lot lately. When I’m shopping, I always notice throw pillows decorated with birds. Incidentally, I love throw pillows but have forgone buying them for years. Throw pillows and large pet dogs don’t seem to mix very well. When perusing the aisle displaying figurines and ceramic knickknacks, I narrow in on the birds. From small doves offering an olive branch to giant eagles, their wings spread as if soaring in flight. I love them all.
Last week, we thought a cardinal might be building a nest in the ficus tree in our atrium. My husband and I couldn’t stop peering through the window, trying to confirm our suspicions. We didn’t want to go out and disturb the process. A few years ago, a cardinal family set up house in that same ficus tree. It was the highlight of our month as we watched the baby hatch and learn to fly. My husband went to great lengths to put the tiny bird back in the nest each time it fell out and began hopping around on the ground.
And then, one day, the family was gone.
Some might say—obviously—that my empty nest is the reason I’ve been so fixated on birds. I’ve been writing about the kids flying from the nest for three years. But I’d like to think that it’s my love of birds and fond childhood memories, rather than a subliminal feeling of loss, that is sparking my returned infatuation. Recently, I’ve spent hours searching for Grandma’s wallpaper online, and I hate searching for things online! It always feels like such a waste of time, and I often end up settling for something I don’t want out of frustration. And then, when it arrives in the mail, it’s a miniature of what I thought I ordered! Note to self … don’t forget to verify the measurements before adding items to the cart. Anyway, if I can find Grandma’s wallpaper, my plan is to paper my kitchen ceiling. I’ll keep you posted.
However, last night, my husband and I had a different kind of bird encounter while out to dinner. We were both complaining about how expensive it has become to eat out! He blames my glass of wine; I blame him for ordering two full meals—for himself. We were throwing barbs at each other across the table when I noticed a note at the bottom of the menu: Four course meal only $25 per person from 3-4 pm daily!
Perhaps that’s the perfect solution … we could be early birds.
