The snow showers will start tonight but will turn to rain here on the cape. The rain will continue into tomorrow, a warm tomorrow in the 40’s. Over an inch of rain is predicted. 

The birds were many at the feeders this morning. The two goldfinches from yesterday brought a friend. Mr. Cardinal joined his wife. A robin dropped by, the first time here. The stalwarts, the usual birds, were in and out, chickadees, nuthatches and titmice. I noticed a couple of the feeders need to be filled. I put that on the to do list.

When I was young, I saw the magic. I saw the field below my house bright with blinking fireflies. I’d check out the man in the moon. I swear he had two expressions. He was either smiling or open mouthed as if surprised. I saw the shapes of the snowflakes and sometimes stood outside to catch them on my tongue. My face would get a layer of snow. I always wondered how there could be so many flakes all different in shape. Jumping over the double O railroad ties saved my mother from a broken back. I wasn’t really sure about that one, but I didn’t want to tempt fate so I jumped. My mother never did get a broken back. Coincidence? I didn’t think so. On one trip to Boston, my father bought peanuts for us to give to the squirrels. Back then they hadn’t yet become the spawns of Satan. I remember being surrounded by  squirrels who knew I had peanuts, a bit of squirrel telepathy. They’d stand on their back feet to get closer to me. They took the peanuts right out of my hand. How could that be? 

 When I got older, I was so busy I didn’t take the time to see the magic, even forgot about it though it still surrounded me. I remember it all came back one night when I sat on my new deck. My backyard had fireflies. I saw the blinking. I saw the magic. 

The magic is all around me again. When it snows, I turn on the back light so I can watch the flakes fall. I am still amazed. The fireflies come back every summer. I sit on the deck and follow them with my eyes. I love light rides at Christmas. I ooh and ahh. I think the man in the moon is mostly smiling. He knows I found the magic again.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

While my coffee was brewing, I watched out the kitchen window at the birds and the feeders. I was thrilled to see two goldfinches dining at the thistle feeder. I had just filled it the other day. Today I’ll fill the sunflower seed feeders. 

When I was a kid, Valentine’s Day was exciting. Before the big day, we’d shop at Woolworth’s for my valentines. They had a picture on the front and a corny saying. I remember one with a camel which said, “I can go without water but not without you.” The backs were blank and that’s where I wrote my name. Kathleen is a long name which didn’t fit the back so my name was slanted or the last few letters of my name didn’t fit. I always added the R for Ryan as there were a few Kathleens in my class. I remember taking my time to write in my best handwriting. 

I remember art class a week or so before Valentine’s Day. We decorated shoe boxes and they became Valentine boxes. A slit at the top was where the valentines went into the box. 

We had a party at school on the big day but not until after lunch. I remember walking to school carrying my precious box and the cookies or cupcakes my mother had made for the party. The boxes were stashed under our desks. The morning was endless. We had our regular subjects, but we were more fixated on the boxes under our desks.

After lunch the festivities began. The nun’s desk held all of the goodies. The Valentine’s boxes were on our desks. We went row by row to pass out our valentines. I remember just hoping no one would pass me by. We all to wait until every row had given out their valentines. After that, we’d get our goodies, sit at our desks and open the  valentines. We’d show each other the special ones and the ones from the boys. 

The party lasted until the end of the day. We’d clean up the classroom just before the final bell. I put my valentines in my box, in my treasure chest. I’d carry the box home with solemnity befitting the treasures inside. I’d get home and show my mother all my valentines. I kept them safe in that box for the longest time.