Greetings,
I went over to Blacklick Metro Park in Columbus oHIo with the family so
that we can see if we can spot the owls. They didn't disappoint. Two
of the youngins revealed themselves...to my wife...who is officially my
new spotter. She sat down on the bench, looked across the pond put the
binocs up to her eyes and said "There's one!"...This is of course after
we spent about twenty minutes scanning every tree.:-D While we were
there we were able to share the owls with a few families that happened
to walk by. We got a bunch of cools from the kids...and adults.
Also while there we saw the resident "huge" Snapping Turtle (I've seen
bigger...one as big as my little 6' boat) we actually had to remind the
kids and parents there that fingers in the water are probably not the
best thing to do when a snapper is present...honestly what is it that
people don't get....a turtle with a mouth bigger than their wrist and a
big hook on the end of it with enough power to break a two inch
stick.... "Oh lets stick our hand in the water and wiggle it
around"...it's a wonder half of Columbus isn't one handed. :-o It might
do the metro parks some good to place reminder signs to would be
visitors that not all pond animals are harmless.
We went to a few other places but it was more to let the kid out to play
than to bird watch.
Finished up with a EXCELLENT meal at Trattoria Roma on Grandview, just
off of 5th ave. WAY better than "The Garden". I would go back there
again just for the Tiramisu Cheesecake and the coffee. Kind of a bit
pricey at an average meal price of $20 each, but hey it was a date! ;-D
-----
On another note, as far as the sharing of links on the listserv, I have
gotten feedback from a couple of others that the problem is that there
is usually a carriage return in the link causing it to be broken. This
usually happens when you copy and past a long link from your online
storage facility of choice. So to help out in the future, when you paste
a link, please try and make sure that all of the carriage returns are
taken out when posting and your link should be good.
----
That's it. Except to have a great week....and if you will permit me...
(To those with a soft heart, I am giving you fair warning now, what
follows will be my day tomorrow...I bawled so bad writing it that
Saturday night at 11:45 turned into Sunday morning 3:30.)
I ask that on Monday, you will in some way do as I will do and honor
our war dead. No matter what our political differences, religious
beliefs, etc., we owe a great deal to those that have fallen so that we
can go out and just watch the birds.
On Monday morning, I am going to take time off from birding and go out
to my flag pole and lower my tattered flag halfway, then go to our local
cemetery, where our small quaint backwater town will honor their war
dead. It will be the same as it has been for many a year...
Our local high school choir will probably sing a couple of patriotic songs.
My pastor has been asked to say a few words (as his father did in
another town when he was a boy.)
A salute will be fired, usually each branch of service will be
represented in the line.
Taps will then be played.
Tears, will be shed
...Then that momentary, almost erie, still silence as the last note from
the horn echoes in the distance...
As the countryside seems to take a moment to quietly mourn the dead...
. From the men who sacrificed themselves sticking it to King George III
. The men and boys and handful of women, who fought each other over
states rights and the unity of the republic
. The Doughboys, and later the "Yanks" who went overseas to fight and
die battling in both of the "War to end all Wars"
. The men and women who died in Korea.
. Everyone who's name is written on "The Wall" at the mall in Washington DC
. And all of the skirmishes in between
. To our present boys and girls (sorry...young men and women) who are
dying in harms way, fighting unseen enemies that are using IEDs and car
bombs....that moment of complete and utter silence...will seem like an
hour...
Then the sound of a Robin will pierce the silence, followed quickly by
the Killdeer and Sparrow, then the Cardinal and Bunting...A jealous Jay
and cawing Crow will join in, and maybe...just maybe, off in the
distance a Red Tail, or a Baldie will cry out....
At sunset, I will return to the flag pole, raise my tattered flag...and
say a prayer for those still living that they may make it home, to mom
and dad, to kiss their spouse, to hug their kids, to go eat a fancy
dinner that doesn't come in a plastic bag or slopped on a tray...and to
sit back in a comfy chair under a shade tree, with a glass of ice cold
sweet tea in one hand and binocs in the other...and just watch the birds.
To those who have fought and died so that I may have the freedom to sit
under a shade tree and just watch the birds, I salute you.
To those families who have lost a son or daughter, husband or wife, mom
or dad, so that I may hug my daughters and kiss my wife, I salute you.
And to those that are fighting and dying so that my wife and kids can
enjoy going to a park and seeing an owl for the first time, I salute you.
You have not fought in vain, suffered in vain, or died in vain...I and
many others like me will always remember, you will NEVER be forgotten.
Thank you.
....
As I finish writing what once was quick note that has now turned into a
long electronicly tear stained letter, a screech owl is whistling along
the Scioto here in La Rue oHIo...no doubt letting those around him know,
just where he is.
Steve Jones
(aka sjlarue)
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