When my dear brother Bill was spending his last days in the hospice last October, his wife, my sister-in-law Lottie, sent me a poem and a photo. She had dreamed of birds flying away to warmer climes after the summer and wondered if the dream had been inspired by the old-fashioned bird design on the hospice room curtains.
As I awoke this morning,
I dreamt of hummingbirds.
One was bigger than the rest
So I called others to come and see.
As we watched, it flew away,
into the open ocean of blue sky
Where a swallow soared.
Aah, so beautiful, but they could not stay.
October now, the days are short.
Beautiful creatures must fly away
From winter’s dark to take their
Rest in another warmer home.

Our love cannot, will not, hold them here.

Was it the birds on the curtains
In your hospice room
That made me dream of swallows
And of hummingbirds?
There was an urge to fly away.
They were saying ‘come,
Come with us…
There is a better place to be.

Right away I knew I needed to paint the design on to a plate. On the back it just says ‘To Lottie, in memory of Bill’. My plan was to take it to Lottie when I stayed with her this June. Seeing we didn’t go I have mailed it to her and now I gather she is happily surprised and touched by it.

Thank you for giving me permission to share the story behind this little bird plate, Lottie.

I really enjoy making special jugbirds or plates with someone in mind.