Cardinals Whistling for Spring

Temperature, 27 degrees. Cloudy. No breeze. Quiet. I am on my early morning walk. Watching for icy spots. Thinking about spring. Trying to dismiss winter. After all, old man winter has had his chance. It’s time to welcome spring.

Then I hear it. A cardinal’s call to break the silence. Crisp and clean. A spring welcoming sound from this beautiful red bird that stays here all winter. Doesn’t wing south where it is warm.

Back from my walk, I did some checking on cardinals. Did you know (I didn’t) that the female cardinal’s song is more complex than the males? That a pair of male and female cardinals stay together year around? That female cardinals build the nest? That the female cardinal, during the incubation period of their eggs, stays on the nest while her mates brings her food? That cardinal eggs hatch in about 12 days?
That cardinals are not found in the deep woods but live along the edges.

Did you know that the cardinal is the state bird for seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia?

Not only are cardinals one of the most beautiful birds that we can enjoy year around, they are also interesting—as are all living creatures.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Cardinals enjoy bird feeders, especially those offering sunflower seeds.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Premier Showing of JERRY APPS: ONE ROOM SCHOOL, Wednesday, February 28, 6:00 p.m. Wild Rose High School Auditorium. I will be there to answer questions.

Wisconsin Public TV stations, Tuesday, March 6, 7:00 p.m. JERRY APPS: ONE ROOM SCHOOL. I will be at the station, sharing more stories during the breaks.



UPCOMING EVENTS:

March 17, 9:30 to 2:00 p.m. McFarlane’s Sauk City.

Purchase Jerry’s DVDs and his Books from the Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fundraiser for them):
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835
The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs:

Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps (based on The Quiet Season book.)
Jerry Apps a Farm Story (based on Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm books.)
The Land with Jerry Apps, (based on the book Whispers and Shadows,) and Never Curse the Rain, Jerry’s newest DVD based on his book with the same title.

Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including: Jerry’s newest nonfiction books, Never Curse the Rain and Old Farm Country Cookbook, and his latest novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County. Also available are Wisconsin Agriculture: A History, Roshara Journal (with photos by Steve Apps) and Telling Your Story—a guidebook for those who want to write their own stories.
Contact the library for prices and special package deals.



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