Cardinal in Winter, and a Message of Love for You

As the weather has gotten colder and more wintry, the birds have a renewed interest in the food and water stations my husband has set up around the yard. Here is a photo of the male cardinal, sitting in a tree in front of our house, waiting for his turn at the feeder.

We had a mated pair, but last summer, the female died. I found her by the road, where she had apparently been hit by a car. We held a funeral for her, and bid our sad farewells. The male was inconsolable, and every song he sang was a sad one. You would have wept to hear him sing. We could hear him from every room inside the house: a sad, piercing call.

Well, there is big news on the cardinal front, but I have not been able to get a shot of them together yet. The good news (I am hopeful on this!) is that there is a new female in the yard, and the male is doing his best to woo her. 

We've seen them together, and we've seen the male feeding the new female at the peanut trays. Which is a good sign, for sure. So I will keep watching, and you will see a photo of the love birds as soon as I get one! In the meantime, here is one of just the male to tide us all over.

Now, I have heard that cardinals appear where angels are near, that they represent lost loved ones, and that they are messengers from Heaven who deliver words of love and comfort during difficult times.

So if you want to believe that together, let's do. And if there is a message you are waiting for, let it be this one. I am one who is well blessed to help relay the good news you have been waiting or hoping for: 

You are well loved. The Heavens smile upon your face. The things you dreamed of will be yours, again. The Universe lives to wrap you in its embrace. And if you are suffering or unhappy or alone or full of sorrow, hold on; there will be better days ahead. The sun will shine again. Believe me. I would never lie to you. The cardinal told me so.   <3

The very first song that came to mind when I thought about posting this blip was the Bee Gees, with I've Gotta Get a Message to You. Here are a younger set of Bee Gees (1968), and then an older set of Bee Gees (1997), performing it. Here is a version from the Greenfields album with Keith Urban (that country singer married to Nicole Kidman) and Barry Gibb singing it. 

And of course, YouTube - which is (in my humble opinion) the very, very best and most useful thing EVER born out of the Internet age - served me up another Keith Urban Bee Gees effort, and it is SO GOOD I am adding it too: here he is with To Love Somebody. Sit down and watch and enjoy.