Spring, Purple Marten's and Dad

ROBINS, I am seeing Robins everywhere. What a welcome sight. It means that Spring is right around the corner. Those little birds are so busy. I suppose it takes a lot of work to build those nests.

I was thinking of the Purple Martens today. Dad would start watching around the 15th of March for his birds to return. They return to the same box each year. They are such beautiful birds with the deepest purple color you can imagine. They have a wonderful sound and best of all they love mosquito’s. Dad was so protective of his birds. He built their houses himself. He made his own slingshot to keep the Starlings and Sparrows out of the boxes. Dad watched the birds from the time they arrived until the day they gathered together to leave for the season.

After Dad died his neighbor wanted one of his bird houses. She chose the one with the little “dings” in it. Why? -- because those little dings were from the pebbles Dad used with his slingshot to protect his Martens. It was her memory of my Dad, her neighbor.

So, another year and now I am watching for those Martens to return. I cannot see one of those beautiful birds without picturing in my mind my Dad sitting on the patio enjoying and protecting his birds.

Sweet, sweet memory!!