Hello, my gorgeous fellow earthlings. I hope you all are doing great. I thought of saying ‘Hi’ as it was “long time no see” on the blog. So here are two birds I did in watercolors. Not some artistic masterpieces but just some earnest trials of a neophyte. So When I was posting these two birdies, they happened to come under the brutal gaze of the MOH. Now, you can interpret MOH as you like. Like Man of the House, Man of Honor, Man of Happiness, Man of Horror. Well, that is up to you.
Anyway, coming to his reaction, he sounded more like a Man of Horror to me. Haa…You know what he said…” You did these Angry Birds and are sharing it on your blog.” The tone totally displeased the artist in me… if not enraged. No..No, let me not give myself any fancy labels, artists, and watercolorists. etc.etc. I am a humble blogger who wants to share some snippets of my very simple life. So actually, the blogger got agitated when the MOH tried to question the need for this post. Haha…
Hmmmm…So after a good hour of agitation, frustration, and confusion about posting or not posting, I googled to find the names of the birdies I had so diligently copied from postcards as I didn’t know their names. And I was pleasantly surprised to read some interesting trivia about my Avian angels.
So here we go…
- The Northern Cardinals are residents from Guatemala and Belize north throughout nearly all of Mexico. Then they live from Arizona eastward in the eastern half of North America to southern Canada.
- The Northern Cardinal is a fairly large, long-tailed songbird with a short, very thick bill and a prominent crest. Cardinals often sit with a hunched-over posture and a tail pointed straight down.
- Male cardinals are brilliant red all over, with a reddish bill and black face immediately around the bill. Females are pale brown overall with warm reddish tinges in the wings, tail, and crest. They have the same black face and red-orange bill.
- They have around 16 distinct calls used for various purposes like predator warnings, establishing territory, mating, and so on. This is of the rare species whose females also sing. Most commonly, only the males sing across the avian population. And not just that, both the partners sing duets as well, like a Bollywood star couple.
- Male Northern Cardinals are very good fathers and are known to be fiercely protective of their brood and sacrifice their lives when doing so.
- Their crest reveals their mood. If the crest is lowered, then they are happy and relaxed, and if it is raised and pointed, then they are agitated.
- Although very rare, Yellow Cardinals are also found. A gene mutation that hampers the processing of carotenoids present in their food. Thus retaining the yellow plumage. Now tempted to try painting this yellow fellow.
But the most interesting titbit is that sighting a Cardinal has special spiritual significance for some. Spotting a cheerful red cardinal means that their family member or friend is safe and happy, even if they are far away. Cardinals also offer a bright spot of color in the winter; they’re a symbol of hope and joy.
Some find the vibrant red bird an uplifting, happy sign that those we have lost will live forever, so long as we keep their memory alive in our hearts. As cardinals sing their pleasant song, people may recall cherished memories of better times. The beautiful birds are a reminder that loved ones will never truly be forgotten.
Curious to know your perspective on such spiritual symbolism associated with things (either Living or Non-living) around us. Irrespective of one’s belief, nature definitely has a positive effect on all levels. I also believe that our loved ones are never forgotten… they live on in our actions, beliefs, and memories…
Now, Angry bird or not…you decide… This red birdie gave me uninterrupted attention and happiness for two long pre-dawn hours…And hence deserves a post. And hope to do more of these. 😍
On that chirpy note…wishing you all smiles to start your day… A prayer to bless your way… A song to lighten your burden … Have a great day, dear all. 💕
Kalyani S Kakade
Many thanks to these amazing websites for the factual information.
This Adbhut Life! 