Bluebird of Happiness

"So remember this,
Life is no abyss,
Somewhere there's a bluebird of happiness..."

                                           ~from the 1948 song, "Bluebird of Happiness

Western Bluebird

The Blue Blur

Looking Happiness in the Eye

What could be better than a double rainbow ending at my porch? Discovering my own bluebird of happiness!

There's a bit of a back-story here. I was certain last winter that I had a bluebird living beneath my porch. He would often startle me by scurrying like a mouse with wings from under the porch to the garden pine tree. I swore that the bird  was blue, but I never saw much more than an instant blur. Once summer arrived, I never did see a bluebird (despite the fact that the mountain bluebird is the Idaho state bird).

Yesterday, while knocking sleepy flies off my firewood before bringing it into the house, a blue blur darted to the pine tree. I could see the little bird within the boughs, but shadows hid his coloring. I whistled, coaxed and flat-out said, "Show me your colors Mr. Bird," but he remained obscure.

Until today. The dogs barked at nothing, as usual, but I went to the south window to make sure it was indeed nothing, as usual. It's a game I suspect the dogs created to see if I'll really go to the window every time they bark at it. This time, as I announced, "Nothing" something flew to the far fence-post. It is a bluebird--a western bluebird.

But here is the bird-lore wonder--according to  authorities, northern Idaho is breeding grounds, not wintering grounds. The only conclusion I can draw is that I have my very own resident bluebird of happiness to keep me cheerful throughout winter.

It's kind of like finding a unicorn in the horse barn.