Visit From Mom's Best Friend

On Thursday morning, my mother's best friend called and asked if she could stop by for a visit and give my mom a Christmas present. These two used to be inseparable but have grown apart over the last several years. With my mom's health deteriorating, and the friend's family demands increasing, they just don't get together other than once or twice a year. A shame.

The gift was a painting of a cardinal on a piece of slate with a "Welcome Friends" message. I promptly hung it on the front door. It is similar to one that we already have on our "formal" (not used) front door.

I am going to make more of an effort to get the cardinals to come to the feeders in our backyard this year. They are mostly ground foragers and like to hang out with the juncos out under our pine trees, but the cardinals can be pursuaded to get on a platform feeder if the treats are worth it to them. The feeders I bought and hung up last year have perches that are too small for cardinals. Perfect, though, for chickadees, titmice, and finches.