Walkin’ Claremont #7
When I start my Claremont walks this is the first thing I see right outside my front door! This is known as Mountain Fire (Pieris japonica) and that’s St. Francis in the back. There is a story that says he once saw a large flock of birds of various kinds and ran to the spot and greeted them as if they were endowed with reason…
From St. Bonaventure’s Life of St. Francis:
“He went right up to them and solicitously urged them to listen to the word of God, saying, ‘Oh birds, my brothers and sisters, you have a great obligation to praise your Creatorr, who clothed you in feathers and gave you wings to fly with, provided you with pure air and cares for you without any worry on your part.’…The birds showed their joy in a remarkable fashion: They began to stretch their necks, extend their wings, open their beaks and gaze at him attentively.”
