Magnet #273 - CardinalToday, in 1783, North Carolina ratified the Constitution, making it the 12th state in the Union. Yay, North Carolina-lina!
The cardinal's our state bird, and while I really, really, really don't like birds in general, I do happen to love the cardinal.
When I was little, my parents picked up these funny books about Southern dialect and customs. I'm fairly sure that they'd be pretty laughable now, but growing up, it sort of became our guide to knowing our neighbors and classmates.
In one of them, there was whole section on different animals and the Southernisms centering on them. Here's what I remember, and what I still practice whenever I see a cardinal:
1) They're good luck. They're the luckiest birds in the universe, so if you see one...then you're...in luck, I suppose.
2) If you see one flying by, make sure you blow a kiss toward it, and it will carry your kiss to your sweetheart. My apologies to any of my crushes that were bowled over or attacked by redbirds with these kisses - what can I say, we had a ton of cardinals in our yard.
3) If you see a cardinal perched somewhere, name it, and your wish will come true. Honestly, I don't think Herman or Henrietta or Jimmy-Bob ever really worked out for me.
4) If you see a cardinal perched on somewhere, make a wish quickly. If you complete the wish before it flies away, it will come true. If you don't, well, then, refer to number 1 above, I guess.
Right. All that for one animal.
Wait til we get to bunnies.
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