savannah storytelling

By the time the April issue of CS comes out, the sky will be blue, the sun will be shining and Savannah will look like a lovely lady wearing a crown of azaleas. This is the Savannah we know and love. What we had last winter was an aberration. Although, our cold temperatures cannot compare to the extreme weather experienced in many other parts of the country, our thin southern blood had us shivering and shaking in our boots. This was the winter that we won’t soon forget.

As I write this, it is the second week of March. When I look out of my kitchen window, my little courtyard is a wasteland. The large red geranium plant that bloomed the year around is dead. The Hibiscus is a mass of brown withered stalks. My two pineapple plants have to be thrown out. Even the hardy azaleas have brown leaves and I wonder if they will bloom. A row of clay pots sitting on the bench around the azaleas are empty. Surprisingly, my gardenia bush looks green and healthy. The only other plant that survived is scrawny rose bush that was protected by a wall. I have a lot of work to do out there.

Even though my courtyard looks desolate, my harbingers of spring have arrived. For the third straight year, around the first of March, a pair of doves has nested in a green hanging basket in my courtyard. The pair came together, scoping out the area. Mama dove first investigated the orange basket, but changed her mind and settled in the green one. She may have been confused because I switched the baskets last fall. I like to think this is one of the doves that hatched in that same basket last spring I am sure there are eggs in the basket but have not been able to take a look because there is always a dove nesting.

It isn’t always the female.  After a little research, I found out that the birds take turns sitting while the other flies away to eat and rest. Doves mate for life. They take their parenting seriously and raise more than one family each year.   Both parent feed the babies after they hatch and stay with them until they are strong enough to fly.

Last year I was able to watch the drama as the babies took their first flight out of the nest. The first baby bird spread its wings and flew over the courtyard fence. The second baby bird was smaller and weaker and didn’t make it over fence but dropped down to the cement floor.  The parent birds flew down and stayed on either side of the fledgling until it was strong enough to clear the fence.  No human parents could have shown more love and support.

I look forward to the doves each spring. For me, it’s a reminder of the miracle of renewal, both of the earth and of all the creatures in it.  Each spring when the earth re-awakens and renews itself, I am in awe of the beauty bestowed upon us by our Creator and I experience a personal renewal, in both body and spirit.

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Postscript #1 About the article in the February issue about friends and lovers, these are some suggestions sent by readers: soulmate, sother (combination of significant other), romomates (combo of romance and mates). Any others?

Postscript #2 I found a better link if anyone wants to contact Oprah (re: March column). Put in www.Oprah.com or www.OprahWinfrey.com There will be places to send a message. If not in the website proper, look at the very bottom where it will say, ‘contact us’.