Months
of watching the courtship, nest building, nurturing, teaching; the cardinals
are gone. There was a brief storm, the next day a lot of "cheap-ing" and a young bird at the top of the bush, mouth open, begging for food. I thought it was one of theirs, although it didn't really make sense, as I had already seen the fledglings darting in and out of the nest for over a week. The next morning they were gone. I couldn't find the baby, that was likely brown headed cowbird, whose mother dropped it in the nest too late. This evening a hawk swooped down into the bush. I suspect it found the baby bird left behind. I miss the cardinals, I feel sad about that little bird, but it couldn't survive on its own, and may have already been dead or close to it. A hawk has to eat too.
 |
|
there was nurturing
life death now empty nest and
violets remain
|
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Welcome to
Week 103
I Heart
Macro
"Pure
awareness transcends thinking... It allows you to look at the world once again
with open eyes. And when you do so, a sense of wonder and quiet contentment
begins to reappear in your life."~Mark Williams and Danny Pennman, from Mindfulness An
Eight-Week Plan For Finding Peace In A Frantic World
It is time for YOU to share the love up-close with YOUR
I Heart Macro offerings!
Enjoy
slowing down with your camera, paying full attention, observing beauty and
curiosities many people pass right by. Your generosity of spirit and keen eyes
may open the door to miniscule miracles and mirth others would not have access
to otherwise. Feel free to include poetry, prose and thoughts your macro photo
or series inspire(s) in you. Writing is completely optional for
participation. Straight out of the camera (SOC), edited, color, black and
white, anything goes as long as you bring the viewer near to whatever it is
that drew your heart's attention and "woke you up" to
full presence.
Please
link back to my blog either by copying and pasting the button provided
above on your post, or by linking the words "I Heart Macro" back to
my blog with this link:
By
sharing the link, visitors to your blog will learn about this meme and have a
chance to participate as well if they so choose.
Visit each other...
S p r
e a d the LOVE. Thanks :-)
linking to:
Hi! Nice violet and cardinal photos. They are very beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSad to hear about the little bird, nature's way can be hard to see at times. Your photos, however, are stunningly beautiful Laura. I wish you a very happy week.
ReplyDeleteI love the bird shots!
ReplyDeleteWhat precious shots of the cardinal and those gorgeous flowers. Wishing you a great week.
ReplyDeleteColours are here!!! lets paint our lives.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful macro flower !
ReplyDeleteSo amazing macros <3
ReplyDeleteDearest, Kirstin
Lovley shots of the violas and birds.
ReplyDeleteGreat macros of the flowers!
ReplyDeleteSuch a colorful post, dear Laura!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week ... Frauke
Your 6th photo is my favorite - so dainty:) Sad about the baby bird:(
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos !! We don`t know these birds in Germany.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week
Marion
I love the cardinal photos, such pretty birds, I miss seeing them. How great to watch them raise their young. I like your violets, too, the bee guide patterns are so complex and make me think of ink drawings.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flower pictures, Laura!
ReplyDeleteThis is a woderful collection of pics. Thank you very much for hosting. Have a good start.
ReplyDeleteLovely violets.
ReplyDeleteLaura another stunning post...I adore violets and how wonderful that you had cardinals nesting nearby....our pair has been absent since the nest was build well behind us in the woods. I miss seeing them under the suet, but I hear papa daily singing.
ReplyDeleteLovely images, Laura, as always! Thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteOh Laura,
ReplyDeleteYour pictures of the violets and the cute cardinals are so beautiful, but
how sad for you and the little bird family...I know the feelings for such a little being....I also would be very sad if my doves would go away...I hope your cardinals will come back someday...
All has its own time...
Nevertheless have a good time and enjoy a wonderful week, full of love and light!
Katrin
The bird is my favorite picture.
ReplyDeleteDoris
Hello. Your works is Superb.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Japan. ruma
A great collection of photos, Laura! Thanks and have a good week.
ReplyDeleteLovely violets and birds. We have 2 pairs of cardinals that hang around here-so much fun to watch them.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteright thanks, I have your photos even admired.
Kind regards Eva
Hello Laura, I love your beautiful cardinals and the lovely flowers. Gorgeous images. Have a happy day and week ahead!
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet little flowers!
ReplyDeleteLaura-your captures of the cardinals are beautiful and so are the blooms. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteViolets and Cardinals...can't get much better than that!!
ReplyDeleteWhite violet - very pretty. Cardinals - really pop. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteA delightful, vibrant series of shots Laura. Love the Cardinals!
ReplyDeletelove the flowers, so unusual :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful macros of the flowers.
ReplyDeleteHello, Laura! Your photos are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you for inviting me to participate in I Heart Macro. I need to work much on taking macro photos and/or to get a macro lens. Already from the thumbnails one can see there are links to lovely macro photos here.
See you soon!
I'm in love with the birds: ♥
ReplyDelete... and the blue-flowered-heart in the first pic!
Dear Laura,
ReplyDeleteyour comment reminded me to take a looke at your site again - thank you! Your photos are so full of sensitivity. I love the little fuzz in the center of the viola blossom and thatyour bird has the same kind of fuzz on it's head :)
Finding babybirds that fell out of their nest always makes me very sad. When I was a child I often tried to save them and feed them. But most of the time they were hurt or much too small for me to care about them. Maybe a ornitologist could... But you are right - other animals have to eat too. That's the way nature is.
Kind regards,
Attila
Too bad about the little birds, sometimes we see life from the wrong (human) perspective?
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful photos!
LG Heidi
Exquisite composition! Wonderful colors, I love these beautiful flowers macros !!
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are wonderful Laura. Your story is a sad reality of nature, which your haiku captures perfectly. Hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteWonderful images Laura, and nature is nature, beautiful but beautifully sad at times. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blooms and birds... I don't see as many cardinals as I would like and they are frequent targets of cowbirds. but the cowbird eggs usually hatch faster than the other birds and get a head-start on the food many times causing the other nestlings to starve....but to watch and then know disaster is difficult..Michelle
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures and the story about the bird makes me sad too. I have had very few birds in my backyard this spring because of a pair of red shouldered hawks nesting nearby. I know it is the circle of life.
ReplyDeleteI just love the violets, and then I get to the cardinals! Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteNature is amazing, for sure and the blooms are fragile and delicate, the sky with clouds is stunning!! A very perfect way to see nature in perfect light and colors! All the best for you and warm greetings, as well!
ReplyDeletelovely signs of spring :)
ReplyDeleteViolets were my grandmother's favorite flower. "who bends a knee where violets grow, a hundred secret things shall know"
ReplyDeleteyes, the hawk has to eat as well, and perhaps it was a better end to the too-small cowbird rather than starving to death. love the violets! miss those blooms! and the cardinals made me smile.
ReplyDeleteYour cardinal photos are so pretty and I love to see them in their natural setting. Hawks are crazy... they catch birds in mid flight all around the house here and it snows feathers. Your macro photos are really pretty. I'll think of your link up if I ever get some great ones.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful photos, Laura!
ReplyDeleteI like all! :o)
Have a lucky week!
Britta
Beautiful pictures of flowers and the birds.
ReplyDeletePerfect photographed, my compliments.
Beautiful photos of the violets!
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad story about the baby cowbird! I hate that it didn't make it. You have some beautiful macro shots of the cardinals and also the violets. Just stunning!
ReplyDeleteReally wonderful images.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and skies and terrific captures, Laura!! Hope you have a lovely weekend!!
ReplyDeleteTerrific skies.
ReplyDeleteMagnificent sky shots and love the shots of the cardinal!
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend to you,
artmusedog and carol
The violets are gorgeous close up! I like to eat them in the spring along with some of the new green leaves in salads. Thanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post and shots, Laura.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by, happy weekend.
Beautiful collection of photos!
ReplyDeleteVery nice photos, good catches, wonderful bird !!
ReplyDeleteSpring arrives with so much wonderful color and activity. As usual, your photos are amazing!
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures !
ReplyDeleteBeautiful macro shots! And the B&W one is giving a different perception.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful collection of flowers, and really love that charming bird. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteSo sad for the baby, but the circle of life goes on. Your photos are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour photographs are stunning.
ReplyDelete...always the violets remain...
ReplyDeletelove the vivid colors...
ReplyDeleteSuch a bouquet of flowers here today, and the photos of your birds... are lovely. It is hard to understand the cycles of nature sometimes... I have been dealing with crows and racoons and feeling like I live in the wild instead of the downtown of my city... I love the touch of wild that you share with us Laura.
ReplyDeleteViolet remains is very touching for me. Makes me think of my mother.
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful flowers and birds. I wish I could send you some of our rain this spring!
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely captures of the cardinals. Don't you just adore their spring songs? (I hate to see young things snatched up by hawks, too.) Just popping by to say hello and to wish you, as always, grace for the journey. And grace is quite evident in your words and photos.❤
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant series of macros! Wonderful details!
ReplyDeletebeautiful sky, wonderful pictures!
ReplyDeleteThe violets are so sweet and bring back such wonderful memories. They are the perfect example of a flower that calls for slowing down to see and appreciate.
ReplyDeleteCowbirds are not my favorite bird .. I have trouble forgiving their bad habits. They are like the evil spirit of the bird world.
Awesome cardinal shots. I had a nest too. Season before last. When I trim, I leave it. The nest is breaking apart slowly but I like to watch the progress. It's nature.
ReplyDeleteLovely, Laura.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting.
The cardinals are gorgeous. So sad to hear about the poor little bird. Nature can be tough to watch. Your flowers are beautiful too.
ReplyDeleteyour flowers are lovely-your heart even more so. how we wish to nurture and protect when sometimes we are required to silently witness. oh the contours of a mothers heart.
ReplyDelete