The manger scene never works out as planned. Hughie was going to be Baby Jesus this year. We have it all-the sheep, the manger, the straw, Joseph, and Marcella would be Mary. Earnest offered to step in as Baby Jesus....but it was all getting overly complicated. So our Christmas morning is much like other mornings-spent together, in Nature, among animals and rooster sounds...a beautiful blue sky today with thirties and big gusts which make The Wood alive with tree music.
A red cardinal has been coming to the bush outside our bedroom window. I know it's my father. He loved Christmas and loved to go all out with wrapping and cookies, stocking stuffers, good food and wine. He loved birds too and my parents always had bird feeders. We laughed that they must be looking over us this holiday because for the first time in our marriage we have bought a bird feeder and seed-something we never did in Oregon because of the cat population. I felt my dad saying,
Finally, you're feeding the cardinals!
