Earlier this week, Anne Helen Peterson released a charming interview with Ryan Goldberg (author of Bird City: Adventures in New York’s Urban Wilds) about falling in love with birding. I’m only partway through but I found myself running to my notebook to jot down one of the terms they use early in their chat: a spark bird. For those of you grimacing (“not another post about birds, please God, reign it in Jen!”), don’t worry — I’m going to broaden the conversation beyond the avian in just a minute. In the interview, Goldberg glosses the term as “the bird that catalyzes your interest in birding”; the one who makes you ask, “How have I not been seeing birds until now?!”
I loved the term. It made me wonder about other categories of “spark birds” in our lives — “spark books,” “spark projects,” “spark words”! I’m curious: what are a few of the “kindling discoveries” that have made you lean forward and pursue an interest, a genre, a habit, a craft, a hobby? I love to think about the origins of things. What first made you fall in love with, say, fantasy books? At what moment did you think, ‘I think I’ll take up knitting’? Please share the ur-text moment for any of your passions or pasttimes.
A few of my “spark birds” — source materials that have inspired me in pursuits trivial and profound:
Jo March
Julia Amory’s perfect hair (directly inspired me to focus on figuring out how to do my own hair)
My dad’s lifelong running routine
My mother’s lifelong weekly manicure habit
Cardinals (my literal spark bird)
Seamus Heaney’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech
The interior design in Nancy Meyers movies
Romance, as written by Sally Rooney
The mystery of the Visitation
The Ralph Lauren aesthetic
Daisy Buchanan crying amidst Gatsby’s shirts
The J.D. Salinger line: “She wasn’t doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together”
My grandmother’s gray Cadillac, vanity license plate: PATSY
The typewriter in my childhood best friend’s home
Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” album
The three fates (Greek mythology) – inspired the fictional book I’m writing on the side
My childhood home and its peculiar sounds, and smells, and coldnesses
Mary Oliver’s “wild and precious life” question
What are your spark birds, whether literal or metaphorical? Please share!
Post-Scripts.
*I took the photo above while on a birding excursion in Colorado! Can you believe I caught that little bird perched on the wildlife sign!? If you look closely, you’ll see a blue heron faintly in the back! I wrote about this experience here.
+What would you do with an extra hour?
+No one’s paying as much attention to your life as you are, so you might as well…
+Are you friends with your parents?
Shopping Break.
+Obsessed with this faux fur collar jacket and these sequin pants from the latest J. Crew drop.
+WOW Ann Mashburn. This tartan skirt!!!! Was just raving about this brand earlier this week and they really nailed it with this skirt! Also noticed that a few of her silk shantung tartan shirtdresses were restocked (maybe from returns)? These are forever pieces.
+Of course have to have several cardinal ornaments on our tree every year. Found these beautiful blown glass bird ornaments for this year!
+If you are not as into the pointelle or whipped base layers I’ve been raving about, I also really love these Skims long-sleeves. I mainly wear them with wide-leg pants as they are more body-con than most of my other basics and they really create a lovely silhouette. People also go crazy over their lounge dresses!
+Love a little foodie gift for a hostess: this decadent hot fudge (also comes in a peppermint hot fudge flavor) caught my eye. Wrap with cello and a big velvet bow.
+Semi-related — great stocking stuffer for a spouse who loves to cook: Maldon salt and one of these little bamboo salt cellars. We actually have two salt cellars and use one for Maldon and one for seaweed salt.
+Shopbop’s new arrivals this week are incredible. How gorgeous is this navy dress? Also transfixed by the idea of this lounge set, but I’d pair with a velvet heel and wear to a cocktail party.
+If you’re going somewhere warm this winter: this is our favorite suit.
+Spectacular satin slip skirt on sale. Imagine with a knit like this and tall brown heeled boots.
+Chic shearling earmuffs and a luxe-looking cashmere snood.
+Love these silver snack bowls. Landon got me little cut glass nut bowls last Christmas and I love to scatter them around the living area when we’re hosting! These silver bowls achieve a similar vibe.
+A very special knit for a very special baby, and the sweetest inexpensive pajama sets. Love the polar bears!
+I’m telling you, this dress flatters everyone.
+Had to order this fox weaving set for my daughter! She loves these kinds of crafts and our family has a special dedication to the fox. It’s our family avatar!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
Wow- what an exercise!
My spooky book spark- The Tailypo (The Paul and Joanna Galdone version that I got out the the public library every time it was available). The thrill that sparked a million others.
My rock climbing and whitewater spark – The New River Gorge bridge in Fayetteville WV.
My medical spark- Mr. Rogers, specifically looking for the helpers. I wanted to make sure I was one of the helpers ever since.
My baking spark- A blueberry buckle I made with my Godmother and presented as dessert for my family when I was (maybe) 5. The thrill of contributing the finale of a meal.
My jewelry/gemology/geology spark- A visit to the hope diamond at the Smithsonian in grade school.
So much gratitude for the humble beginnings of all the things that bring me joy
The note about Mr. Rogers — wow!! I was so moved by that.
Thanks for sharing all of these. Loved to also think about your note on rock climbing. I love hiking and was just reflecting on where that love was born.
xx
Okay I love this. Off the top of my head, my spark birds:
My (Vietnam Veteran) Dad’s deeply held views about democracy, social justice, and the power of peaceful protest
My mother in law’s tradition of attending Christmas Eve mass followed by a massive Christmas Eve open house with an entire dining room dedicated to desserts, a wrapped present for every child in attendance, and packaged reindeer food as a parting gift for littles. Pure magic.
My mother in law’s love for dogs
The Byrd’s version of Bob Dylan’s My Back Pages
My first husband’s passion for Bruce Springsteen
My mother’s Easter baskets and commitment to beautifully wrapped gifts – there is nobody who does it better
John Derian’s home decor (in his own homes)
The many, many’ sacrifices my parents made for my education and their commitment to pushing me out of the nest
Carrie Bradshaw’s style
Also, me too with Julia Amory’s hair – ha
Oh I love this list — it’s run through with such a deep love and respect for your parents. They sound like great people. (Thanks to your Dad for his service! My Dad was in the 82nd Airborne in the Vietnam War!). xx
My spark romance novels were the MacKenzie brothers series by Jennifer Ashley, specifically the first one, The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie. Autistic hero dealing with escaping an institution in the Victorian era of increasing medicalization. At the time I was reading Foucault and Kant and Judith Butler for my philosophy independent study and this really brought home the ways in which society creates disability in its misalignment of rigorous norms with the needs and realities of actual people, but also, the warm and accommodating family and romance Ian found was an absolute balm for my soul. It kicked off a love of romance that is still burning a decade later. I haven’t thought of those books in an age!
The first Star Trek episode that really got me was Hollow Pursuits, the TNG bottle episode with Barclay, the lonely engineer, pursuing his fantasies on the holodeck. My dad is a big Trekkie.
The first beer I truly liked was Goose Island’s Big John, now better known as Bourbon County. It’s an incredible barrel aged stout.
The first hymn that resonated was We Are Called, which I’m assuming is a Marty Haugen creation like most of the songs in the church I grew up in, and it made the catholic faith really resonate in my chest, it’s still something I turn to now to explain my core beliefs as I begin catechism with my kids.
The first recipe that made me love cooking was oatmeal cookies, something off a Quaker Oats package that came out almost like florentines. I was hooked.
The first blog I loved was called Not Martha, and it lead me to Swiss Miss and Orangette and all the blogs I read as a preteen. I was hooked.
These are SUCH great spark birds!! The cookie detail — I know the exact recipe you’re talking about and made those too! They were like a very chewy, lacy oatmeal cookie!! Now I’m curious what Landon would list as his “spark bird” for cooking – he’s an incredible home cook.
xx
Did you watch Listers on You Tube? About “competitive birding” and totally enjoyable!
Thank you! Will be tuning in 🙂