Mr. Cardinal comes to call

Dear Diary,

Now that the bird feeders are in full swing I get new visitors every day.  Mr. Cardinal is one of my favorites.  He doesn't go for the hanging feeders but he likes the two bowls on the porch filled with sunflower seeds.  His bright red color is so festive in Auntie's tree and I've rendered him in a painterly way for her.

My Aunt Doris, who I lived with when I was attending Harvard, was an amazing painter, mostly landscape, still life and a few portraits.  But she loved watching the birds in her backyard and I think she would appreciate this scene.

Every one has some significant person in their lives and my Aunt Doris was mine.  In many ways, I am who I am today because of her and I still miss her although she has been gone for 16 years. Some people are always with you, no matter how old you get or how long they are gone.