for the birds

I love Philadelphia. It's awesome on most levels, but sure as shit not on the bird level. I really love birds, hearing them is one of my favorite sounds and seeing one from our window here is notable and uncommon enough that I excitedly tell Db about it when he gets home every time. Today I saw a regular old sparrow and realized I may have never seen one in our courtyard before. Usually it's Dark-Eyed Juncos exclusively (which is cool because I never saw those in RI), and maybe something larger in the distance from time to time. We can see two and 1/8 trees, two of which are really small. It's not bird heaven, it's pretty sad.

I remember vaguely when growing up we used to leave scraps of string outside for the birds to use in the spring. I think it was from when my dad and uncle would tie up the grapevine. Not really sure, but for some reason I remembered it happening, probably because it was the only littering that was ok. Since my city birds have got to have a rough time finding warm soft material for their nests I decided to save up my knitting scraps over the winter and put them by the community garden in our park this spring because it seems to be the only place birds like hanging out around here.
So today was the day I spread the love. The Robins are here, Uzo and I saw iris and daffodil sprouts and there was mud. It was fun looking through all the colors and kinds of yarn and textiles I worked with all winter and I hope the birds keep their little bird babies warm in the ever so luxurious merino wool bits I hung everywhere. My absurd knitting habit may help creatures other than humans and cute dogs keep warm! Spring is wonderful and nature is wonderful. If you look hard enough you can find it anywhere.
Happy spring! I know it's not really here yet, but the Robins don't lie, it's right around the corner.