Happy Birthday Mum!

Roadrunner! When I was a kid, I was amazed that roadrunners actually existed- they were part of the world outside of cartoons, and though they were unlike the brightly colored giant roadrunner, they had a dusty charm all their own. This was Mother's roadrunner pin- she gave it to me years ago- it is copper and turquoise, now patinaed around the edges. The color of roadrunners and the scrub land they frequent.

We got it years ago, on a trip out west, in commemoration of the sighting of the bird. Our family always knew their birds- one thing that I am grateful for is the natural lessons of naming the world. I know we had a HUGE hardbound Birds of America, with beautifully painted plates, but it was much to cumbersome to be a useful field guide- everyone just seemed to know what bird was which without need of a reference. We would sit at the table at Headacher or wherever and watch the birds on the feeder: sparrows, flashy cardinals, grosbeaks. We would throw seed in Jack's driveway so the lovely California Quails could come down. Marvel in the evenings at the orderly flights of pelicans along the beach. During drives we would keep our 'eyes peeled' to spot hawks and falcons, tiny bluebirds in hedges, graceful herons and the occasional roadrunner.

Just this past Sunday I spoke with Mum, and she talked about the great blue heron and the white egret outside of her window- and another bird, unidentified- a new puzzle. Thank-you mum, for the gift of being able to look at the world and really see it- to question and wonder 'what is that? what is that?' to appreciate the good things, the small things, the sun, the sea, the sky, the wind and the rain, the birds of the air.