Bye, Bye, Birdie.

It's winter in Wisconsin.  Some nearby counties got over a foot of snow this week. We didn't get the snow but we couldn't escape the cold.  The wind is howling at temperatures below zero. 

There isn't much color in a whitewashed Wisconsin winter.  For our family the bright spot, literally, has been a pair of northern cardinals that make their home in our backyard.  They've been here a long time.  Previous owners left a detailed history of the house, including a photo of the pair, and information about which bushes they prefer to nest in.  "Don't," they said, "cut down the overgrown chokeberry."  "That is where the cardinals live."

He is a vivid red.  She's a more subtle beauty.  They make a good lookin' couple.

Northern Cardinals mate for life.  They find a nice place to build their nest, hatch some eggs and make a life together.  I appreciate their commitment.  It makes me think of how feather-brained humans can be when we can't seem to honor our relationships.  This week, especially, it seems a certain Tiger could learn a lot from a cardinal.

I just came into the kitchen and saw the male sitting on the wall of the patio.  Not his usual perch.  He's more of a fence dweller.  I wondered what he was looking at?  It's her.  Maybe the cold was just too much; our feathered friend has died.  She's on the porch, not far from where he is sitting.

This pretty pair has added a special charm to our home.  I've loved to see their flash of red against the drifting snow.  I've marvelled at their instinct to stick together.  When we re-landscaped I worried they might decide to move.  Gladly, they stayed with us.  Now his gal is gone.  I wonder if he will find someone new or if we'll lose him, too?

It's winter in Wisconsin.  It's mostly cold and colorless.  Take a look around your life and spend some time appreciating those people and things that add a pop of color, that make life more beautiful and charming.  Even in the stark white of winter, God gives us splashes of something special. It's up to us to see them.