Bye, Bye, Birdies

Many years ago when I was much younger, my husband and I were looking at houses to buy. When checking out the kitchen, I opened a cupboard door. The inside was covered with pictures of birds, articles about birds, and information about feeders and seeds. We looked at one another, and laughed a little, because, obviously, this was a house that belonged to old people. Much older than us.

But now, I have noticed that I am very partial to birds. How does this happen? Is it a rite of passage to the world of Elderly? I think it must be. I notice that I am not alone. 

I enjoy a lot of British television, and I have noticed that birdwatching is often included in the plots. I did a little research and discovered there are three distinct varieties of people involved. They are the Birdwatchers, the Birders, and the Twitchers. 

The birdwatchers enjoy seeing birds in their natural habitat. They might like to take a little stroll and look for birds. Maybe they will take their cameras and binoculars, but basically they just want to enjoy the sights.

The birders want to take a little more time and equipment. They are ready to record every little detail, and maybe even report their findings to somewhere official.

And finally the twitchers. For these super explorers, it won't get much more serious. It sounds like they are on high alert most of the time, just waiting to find the best and most unusual of the species, and willing to travel miles to observe them. 

Of course, in my favorite British mysteries, someone is often likely to be murdered along the way!

In addition to the real thing, I notice lots of little birdies in my decorating style. When I look around my house, I see this:

I guess I started collecting pictures of birds without even knowing that it was happening

How could I resist this sweet little family?

I love these dishes. Unfortunately, I only have one lonely little saucer.

This charming little hat needed a bird. Many were endangered during the nineteenth century, when they became popular for millinery. The Audubon Society helped to protect them

More pictures!

Birdies hiding about the house.

There are many more, but I think I have proved my point.

Before we moved, we had two birdfeeders outside the kitchen window, and really enjoyed seeing our visitors. We left them for the new owners because our neighbor has countless feeders in his yard, so we get to watch them.

As with most items I keep, there are many legends about birds, and many stories about the things they mean. Goldfinches are bright and shiny messengers of good luck and optimism. Robins bring hope and synchronicity. Seeing a wren tells you that all is well and that your creativity is blooming. Sparrows signify love. Bluebirds are my favorite. They are associated with love, happiness, and harmony. They symbolize life and beauty. Cardinals often remind us that those we have lost are near.

Weekly On Wednesday

Recently, I have been trying to put my life into a notebook. I feel like I need to have it written out, so that I can just look things up. The things I need to do, want to do, forgot to do, and will never do. Do other people get this feeling, or am I living just a little bit on the wonky side of life?

There was a time that I did many things. I raised five perfect children. I was the Queen of the Carpools. I kept everyone's schedules in my head and in my planner, and mostly got them all where they needed to be. I had a job that I loved. I made and sold creative things. I volunteered. I wasn't much of a cook, but I kept them all fed. Most of that was my husband's department. After all, we owned a restaurant. No one starved.

Now I have lots of time, and less to do. I feel like I am frittering it away because I don't know where the time goes. I just know that it goes much too quickly. That's why I'm working on the (book!) notebook. Throughout my life, I have kept several notebooks and journals, but purely in a disorganized, mismanaged way. Now I am going through these notebooks, and trying to make them all more coherent.  It may not happen as I plan. I have noticed that my thoughts haven't changed a lot in half a century of writing. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. I like the same things and I have the same faults and values. I am basically the same as I was as a young woman, except on the outside. (And that's another story.)

And that is one of the reasons I am going through all the writings. I  have mentioned before that I like to follow rules. But I have discovered that I am really not too good at following routines. When a routine changes, either for the better or the worst, everything falls apart. And then I need to make a new routine.

 I knew right where things were in the last six houses that I lived in. I love to label things and put them where they belong. In my favorite house I had the best cupboard ever. I bought it at an auction and it had 119 drawers. Unfortunately, it was too big for the room. We had to modify it into two pieces with shelves at the ends. And then we had it built in so I couldn't take it when I moved. That was supposed to be my forever home, but I have moved four times since then. I will always miss that house. I had over 300 drawers and several bookcases. I felt very organized.

John and I moved more than a year ago. We plan to be here until we are even more old and feeble. I love this house. It is a good place for us. We downsized a lot, which was a good plan. However, I am still looking for things. I used to know exactly where my Irish tea set was. And the battery charger to my dremel craft tool. And my spare set of car keys. And the notebook that listed what was in all my little drawers and boxes.  And all of my craft supplies. But now, there is chaos. Our lives have slowed down a lot but the days haven't and every day ends before I feel that I have conquered that chaos.

I still have a few of my labeled drawers. One is metal and I know John doesn't like it. But I think it's charming in an industrial sort of way.

Most of my things are in small boxes and drawers now, and I spend way too much time trying to find what I need. 

My dream is still to find the perfect cupboard again even though I know my dream should be to get rid of the things I like to put into drawers.

Happy Mothers Day

 Celebrating

Today is a holiday for all the mothers, grammies, aunties, sisters, and daughters here in the United States. Although we think of it as a day to give women special treatment, and present them with gifts, dinner out, and flowers, it has a very different history.

Mother's Day was actually begun by peace activists after the Civil War. Ann Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe (of Battle Hymn of Republic fame) were responsible for getting the holiday started. Ann wanted to get mothers of both Union and Confederate soldiers to band together to promote peace. Julia was the author of the Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870. In it she urged the formation of an international group of women to prevent wars and bloodshed.

After Ann's death in1905, her daughter, Anna, made it her personal mission to make Mother's Day official. She wanted a holiday to honor mothers. The first church service of the new holiday was in 1907. In 1914 President Wilson signed a proclamation to make it official.

By the early 1920's it had become a Hallmark holiday and Anna Jarvis was not happy that it was so commercial. She wanted a simple church holiday to recognize mothers. She spent the rest of her life being upset at what it had become, and trying to get it removed from the calendar. She protested at a candy makers' convention and at florist shops, since pink and white carnations were the flowers associated with Mother's Day. She was even arrested for disturbing the peace.

Mother's Day is still very commercial and is one of the biggest holidays for sending cards and making phone calls to Moms everywhere. And I am sure there are a lot of homes where breakfast in bed and other surprises will be happening today.