The 21st Century Male Cardinal

A couple weeks ago, I was trimming up some bushes in the backyard. That is when I happened upon a bird nest nestled in the branches of a wild rose bush. The Mama Cardinal was sitting happily on her little birdies until I got too close. She flew away to a nearby branch and glared at me. I peeked from a distant at the three little birdies, ugly as could be, beaks turned upward, wanting food. So I backed away.

A few days later, I showed Weebok and Nike Girl my recent nature find.  The baby birdies had grown bigger but still were ,well , quite homely. Kind of like the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and Elaine go to the Hamptons to visit friends and meet their new baby. "Is it me, or was that the ugliest baby you have ever seen?" ...."I couldn't look. It was like a Pekinese."......" Boy, a little too much chlorine in that gene pool." Poor baby birds.

A small thunderstorm blew through the other night. So yesterday, The girls and I went to check on the birdies.The rose petals had fallen on the ground and unfortunately there on the ground laid two little birdies. Nike Girl shed tears. Then we heard a little chirp. And this is what we saw....

 One birdie had survived the storm! As we started jumping up and down with joy screaming,  the birdie fell off of its nest! Uh... Houston we have a problem! The Mama Cardinal came flying in screeching at us and landed next to her baby to make sure all was ok. Step away from the bird! What do I do? Nike Girl is screaming do something Mommy.....Do I pick it up? Do I let nature take its course? The neighbor's big scary looking cat likes our yard. I can't take the pressure!

Then in absolute amazement, we witnessed the Mama Cardinal AND the Daddy Cardinal begin to teach the baby how to fly! They both chirped and took tiny little flights around the bird. The baby bird would hop and try to fly then crash. This happened several times in a row. Just like a toddler walking between her parents. The only thing missing were camcorders. Finally the little bird was able to fly up to a nearby branch of a lilac bush and sit there looking so proud. The parents stayed by its side the entire time! Amazing! 

We proceeded to have a celebration service for the other birdies as I buried them under the rose bush. Nike Girl said a few words that went something like, " We did not know you , oh little birdies, but we wanted to. But really we didn't have a lot in common. The neighbors cat might have gotten you anyway. God loves you.Amen." 

A few hours later I went out to check on the birdie in the lilac bush by the garden. It was on a higher branch with mom and dad still looking over it. Today the entire family was gone. It earned its wings! I hope.....

So kudos to this little Cardinal family with a 21st century dad! Helping out 50/50. Who would have known that nature had evolved through the generations, too!  I imagine when the Cardinal family made it home, they put the birdie to bed, the Mama Cardinal finished dishes and made lunches for tomorrow while the 21st Century Cardinal Dad sat on his branch and peered into our living room window just in time for our 21st Century dad to turn on Sports Center to get the baseball highlights.  There is no place like home.

Peace.

The New Balance" Gal

Running Report: Lots of cross-training this week. Lots of reading articles on increasing your speed over the distance. Lots of fun outside with bubbles, sidewalk chalk and learning to dance. Weebok has found her moves!