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The bird has come

to give us light:

from each of its trills

water is born.

Between water and light, air unfolds.

Now the spring’s inaugurated.

The seed already knows that it has grown

the root pictures the flower

and the pollen’s eyelids finally open.

All this done by a simple bird

on a green branch. 

~ Pablo Neruda, “The Spring”

 

Along with early spring and Easter, I have memories of decorating eggs with pastel dye to add on a bright-green ‘grass’ nest, tucked in colorful woven baskets with a chocolate bunny. (Naturally, I always went for that rabbit; the head went first so he never managed to escape this kid.) Colored eggs were hidden outside, lurking beside clumps of daffodils, deep in spring grass, under azalea bushes. No one ever got food poisoning, now that I think about it.

This morning, as gray mists rolled in, I stood at the kitchen windows watching birds, coffee in hand. Too cold and wet to enjoy being outside, it was a sideshow instead—because underneath the squirrel-proof feeder, I had tucked an old yellow metal watering can to catch bird seed. The feeder does thwart squirrels pretty well, but the downside is it’s messy. Birds pick and choose their favorite seed, flinging rejects down…high spillage alert! Therefore, the watering can underneath catches that seed: I’ve got half of a brick inside it as a weight. 

All morning, I watched, giggled as the squirrel poked his head up out of the yellow can, peeking around, then ducking back in for breakfast. Up, down. Up, down: a jack in the box with bright eyes and bushy tail. And I couldn’t be fussing about that—the feeder was left alone all the while, birds busy at it. Win-win. 

On the other side, I can look out and see bright pink flamingos planted in green moss and ferns throughout the garden. Some wonderful soul left a whole flock after I finished radiation. I still haven’t pinned down any guilty party, although I’ve tried without success to get any admission of guilt. There are just some delights in this life, unexpected and pure joy, given by silly squirrels in watering cans and pink flamingos doing a garden dance. Happy Easter, Dear Reader! 

• Saluda Community Land Trust’s (SCLT) “Walk in the Woods” will be to Twin Bridges on April 7, an hour meander through spring wildflowers with a side view of Melrose Falls. Meet at Saluda Library’s parking lot at 2 p.m. to carpool. Visit saludaclt.org or call 828-749-1560 for information.
• The 19th annual Saluda Arts Festival is May 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; volunteers are needed for section leaders and assistants, information tent, parking supervisors and golf cart drivers. Two-hour shifts make it easy! To volunteer, contact Linda Bailey at boblindabailey@hotmail.com. 
• Saluda Historic Depot and Museum reopened this week. Requested special group tours can be scheduled any day of the week and any time of year. Groups and organizations are welcome to take a guided tour by contacting Mike Reeves at 828-674-9598 or emailing Nita High at nitahigh@rsnet.org 
• Stop by Saluda Library to enjoy Julie Arrington’s creative nature/garden art on display. Julie’s lived here for over 40 years, and uses natural flora and recycled wood and metal in her creations. This exhibit is through April 13. 
• Saluda Sympathy goes to Becky Broadfoot and her family for the loss of her father. 
• Happy March Birthday to Genell Jespersen, Valerie Mintz, Sheldon Mintz, Curtis Pace, Anita Moore, Dorrie McKinley, Catherine Ross, Monica Pace, Ken Justus, Elizabeth Justus, Arlene Klippel, Rachel Bradley, Chris Bradley, Dawn Ward, Dori Ray, Martin Anderson, Lucy Holman, Craig Bass, Laura Bass, Patty Martin, Tangie Morgan, Melanie Keener, Tuula Veil, Erica Shanks and Paul Rhodes.

Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com, (828) 817-6765, P.O. Box 331, Saluda, NC 28773, Facebook, or visit bonniebardos.com.