durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, December 22, 2022 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@durhamregion.com facebook.com/newsdurham @newsdurham WHO WE ARE Publisher and Chief Executive Officer Neil Oliver Vice President, Content, Community and Operations Dana Robbins Director of Content Lee Ann Waterman Managing Editor Mike Lacey Director of Advertising Tanya Pacheco Director Distribution Jason Christie Director Creative Services Paul Gostlin Durham Advisory Council Dan Carter; Esther Enyolu; Jake Farr; Dr. Vidal Chavannes; Cynthia Davis; Elaine Popp/Don Lovisa; John Henry; Sue McGovern; Kerri King; Steve Yamada; Kelly LaRocca; Peter Bethlenfalvy; Dr. Steven Murphy; Norah Marsh; Tracy Paterson; Chris Darling; Christina Curry CONTACT US This Week Phone: 905- 579-4407 Newsroom: 905-215-0462 Sales: 905-215-0424 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Fax: 905-579-2238 Web: www.durhamregion.com Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at durhamregion.com Delivery For all delivery inquiries, call 905- 579-4407 or visit the Contact Us page on durhamregion.com. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT DURHAMREGION.COM A flash of colour in a wintry world, bright red amid falling snow. People love cardinals, and having one show up at the window, or in the cedars when you're out for a walk, always comes as a glad surprise. No wonder so many are featured on Christmas cards, along with holly berries and poinsettias. There's something about a crimson bird that instantly sparks a response. Northern cardinals always seem to bring cheer. They start singing before any other species, sometimes by the end of January. They're nesting by late March, and their breeding season stretches out all summer, with some pairs still feeding fledglings in September. All those babies need territories of their own and settle happily wherever sunflower seeds are on offer at feeders. Populations here in Ontario, at the north edge of their range, have been expanding the last few decades, delighting residents all the way up to Sudbury by now, since cardinals don't migrate. There were three reports in Algonquin Park this November. Of course, there are cardinals and then there are cardinals. Down south in the tropical sunshine evolution took a different turn, as it often does, and produced a whole variety of these vivid attentiongrabbers. Red-capped cardinals, whose crisp black-and-white plumage is set off by their brilliant head. Look-alike masked ones, whose crimson drips down onto their chest. I saw red-crested cardinals, wearing a scarlet bib and topknot, years ago in Argentina. Perhaps best of all are vermilion cardinals, the males so bright they almost stun your eyes, with spiky crests so tall they're like an exclamation point. I was thrilled to see vermilion cardinals, a lifer for me, in the dry desert scrublands of north Colombia just last month. It was my husband's most-wanted bird of the trip and a riveting sight for each of our small group of birding friends travelling together. So close to the equator, they don't have "seasons" like we do, so much as wet and dry. But the years come and go, as do the mixed flocks of Canadian songbirds that winter down there, then vanish again in spring. Solstice is a turning point for everyone on the planet, a reminder that we're in this world together and that every creature matters. So, here's a bright vermilion cardinal to brighten what for us in Ontario is the darkest time of year. It comes with fervent wishes for a happy holiday and peaceful year ahead, with lots of time for everyone in nature. Prospero año y felicidad! Nature queries: mcarney1490@gmail.com or 905- 725-2116. Metroland columnist Margaret Carney finds so much to discover and marvel at when exploring the great outdoors. 'A BRIGHT VERMILION CARDINAL' AT OUR DARKEST TIME OF YEAR In this monthly column, I hope to keep you up to date on the comings and goings at Museum 178 at Bowmanville Legion Branch 178. The 'new' museum at the legion has been under renovation since just before Canada Day but was finally opened for review on Remembrance Day when many veterans and their families visited. In the process of setting up new displays, we found some wonderful items tucked away that we had not known were part of the collection -- wonderful finds that are now displayed for one and all to view. Many organizations that, in the past, served banquets and suppers all year long had their own monogrammed sets of dishes. So it is with this legion branch. All that's left are four cups and saucers, but I bet there are a few other pieces out there in the community that might find their way back to our museum (if I ask nicely). While digging around in boxes and cupboards, we also found some great artifacts like ration books -- oh yes, we had ration books here too! This was not just happening in Europe. Canadians, too, rationed supplies like sugar that had to be brought from foreign countries and faraway places. Because fuel was rationed, flour from our own western provinces was also hard to get, and so we rationed that too! Can you imagine Christmas without Christmas cake or Christmas pudding? Little finds like ration books tell us a lot about what it was like here at home during the First and Second world wars. Our museum will endeavour to display items that are a reminder of times gone by overseas and on the home front, and I will try to keep a few things in the forefront with this column, so stay tuned! And visit us -- Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and other times by appointment. Sher Leetooze is the secretary at Bowmanville Legion Branch 178 and is working on getting its museum up and running. You can reach her by emailing museum.br178@gmail.com. MUSEUM 178 LOOKING FOR ITS CUPS, SAUCERS AND DISHES SHER LEETOOZE Column Columnist Margaret Carney says "there are cardinals and then there are cardinals." This vermilion cardinal, she says, may be "best of all." She saw it and other varieties last month in Colombia. Larry Hubble photo VERMILION CARDINAL MARGARET CARNEY Column