A Charm of Hummingbirds

My youngest brother, James, married the kind and lovely Molly this past summer and I haven't had the chance to write about their union. It's a tough topic for me, because when we got to Napa I was the most ill I have ever been in my life, and the struggle to stay on my feet and attend the wedding ceremonies was terrific. We stayed in a gorgeous home on a hill in Napa with two of my brothers and their families, and in all ways the setting and the events should have been idyllic for me, as they were for the rest of the crew.

One evening we sat around the porch table overlooking the valley. It was beautiful beyond belief to see across the vineyards to the sunset-tinted hills and even the faint Pacific and Bay beyond. My sister and brother and I were beset by hummingbirds, as the host family had many feeders on their porch. The whir of wings was almost too close for comfort as they darted and swooped, and my siblings started wondering what a group of the birds was called. It's a charm, of course, and this lead us into discovering that a group of peacocks was an "ostentation," a "bloat" of hippos followed, and a "murder" of crows. I didn't contribute much but was inspired by my literary and curious family.

Both ceremonies that united Molly and James were inspiring in their own way. The church ceremony saw their official union in Molly's grandmother's shawl, my father choking his way through the reading, and the cousins sitting up well-behaved in quiet through the service. Molly and James are perfectly suited in their kindness and modesty and love for friends and family. These attributes were on full display at the lovely and larger vineyard ceremony two days later. Afternoon sun came across the vineyards again and my younger sister "married" her brother and his wife in front of all the family and many happy friends. Molly's family is wonderful and kind and just a tremendous gift to all of us.

Molly and James are off on their honeymoon now and I hope they know how much they are still in our thoughts. My siblings and their families, parents and Molly's family have all been a source of love and strength for me in the past few months and James and Molly should know that that same source of love and support will be there for them always. Welcome to the family, Molly, we love you!