Cardinals

My mom loved to work with her hands and she always made lovely items -- potpourri and cinnamony sachets, counted-cross stitch creations, little pillows bearing one-word messages like Love, Joy and Peace.  She even made many of her own clothes and many of mine when I was a child.  Some of my all-time favorites among her creations were red felt cardinals the size of the real bird.  Mom decorated the Christmas tree with them and she gave them away as gifts.  Each was hand sewn with perfectly even, little stitches.  This year, the cardinals that Mom had given me are adorning a large twig wreath in our living room.  Like the real bird, these cardinals are bringing loveliness and cheer to our December, just as Mom brought loveliness and cheer to all who had the blessing of knowing her.