Cardinals on a Winters' Day ~ not the bird the Team

I had a request from my editor for some "art".  Didn't have a direction and I wasn't automatically coming up with an idea so I went about my day figuring something would come to me.  Took a walk over at Ramblin' Vewe with a friend.  Did a few errands in town and drove by a couple of options that didn't present anything that tripped my trigger.

An idea crossed my mind from seeing some cardinals just after the first of the year and thought they would be beautiful to photograph.   Sent a message to my friend Bill to see if I could stop by and see if, by chance, the red birds would be visiting their yard today.    We watched a few nut hatches and a squirrel but not a cardinal in sight.  Then the idea came to me to see if Bill would be up for some photos in his "Fenway Room".  He instantly obliged and we headed to the basement.

This room in Bill's basement is dedicated to the history of American Baseball.  Personal memorabilia dating back to his childhood days up to a present day visit last Spring to Cooperstown with a few of his baseball buddies.

The more we talked about items in this space the more Bill's demeanor elevated.  His eyes were shining, his mood happy and his smile grew wider.  This is not just a room in the basement - this is a room filled with photos, memories and games that have filled Bill up for most of his life.

I can honestly say thank you to the "bird" cardinals for not making their appearance today.  My visit with Bill amongst the St Louis Cardinals and their fellow teams made my day a home run in a much more personal way.

Play Ball,

k