In a blog, you can always vent about something you don’t really like. Which is also important. But every now and then I also want to write something nice. So today I stu
mbled across the animals and plants of the year 2021. I was pleased to read up on all these animals and plants and put them together, I especially liked the legends about the robin. Interestingly, I also found all the animals and plants on stamps. Except for the spider of the year. Apparently, spiders are not really a stamp motif, because I found, for example, only two images of spiders on European stamps, and none for the one nominated this year.
But now to the bird of the year – the robin.
This year the bird of the year was chosen by a public vote. The robin won the race for the title with 59,267 votes, ahead of the barn swallow and the lapwing. Perhaps because we all know it, it is one of the more trusting birds in our gardens, and perhaps because of the legends surrounding how it got its red breast.
The first legend fits into the Lenten season. As Jesus walked the Way of the Cross, the robin watched him. The robin could not take his eyes off the unfortunate man. “How cruel people are!” the bird said after a while. “On the head they have fastened a crown of thorns.” Seeing the blood dripping on the man’s forehead, he could no longer remain still in his nest. – Even if I am only small and weak, I must be able to do something for this poor tortured man,” thought the bird, leaving his nest and flying out into the air. –
Gradually it took courage, flew very close and pulled out with its beak a thorn that had penetrated the forehead of the Crucified. As it did so, a drop of blood fell on its throat, spreading rapidly there and staining all its delicate breast feathers.
Actually, I find even more beautiful the story that at Jesus’ birth the robin was also present. When everything was asleep, only the little robin was wide awake and watching the baby Jesus in his manger. The robin was also not yet tired and played with his blanket. But suddenly the baby Jesus began to tremble, what had happened. The robin looked around and discovered that the fire was threatening to go out, then the baby Jesus could freeze to death. Loudly the robin began to chirp and tried to wake the people, but the robin’s voice was too quiet, the people did not respond and just continued to sleep. Then the robin mustered all his courage, flew to the fire and with his wings fanned air to the outgoing fire. With the air, the fire flared up again and in a short time developed a pleasant warmth. Happy about his success, the little bird did not notice at first that he had burned his entire breast feathers and half of his face, and that there was now a blood-red spot there.
Gallery of animals and plants of the year 2021
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”35″ display=”basic_slideshow”]