Catbirds, Grosbeaks, Orioles, Thrashers, Cardinals… John Hoopes, hackers too.
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
If I was arranging my topics alphabetically, I would start with Aviary. I’m not, but I will start there anyway since I am surrounded by songbirds and the fluttering of fledged aviary species. We are blessed as usual with the year-round Cardinals and the seasonal Orioles and Grosbeaks, but this year brings not only the re-appearance of the Catbirds and the Brown Thrashers, but the added bonus of the sharing of their broods. When first each of these species stopped by for a visit last season, they were “singles.” I don’t recall that they had yet paired but this year they are for certain.
I’m not sure where the Catbirds are nested, but the Brown Thrashers have established residence in an Azalea beside our front porch. I missed it as I was out and about singing yesterday but as my wife sat in the Sun-Bird Room a flurry of activity caught her eye. There on the ground mere feet away from the windows was a bevy of brown thrashers, most likely a single brood, numbering about 6 birds. This 12Ft. X 12 Ft. “Bird Room” appendage added onto our house isn’t accidental.
The week started out on a low note given that there was a “wake” on Monday following the sad passing of Melody Fanton. I guess the only upside of those affairs is getting to visit other family members, and former friends, not seen in years. I worked with, and actually for, Dar’s (Mel’s husband) dad Ralph when I worked in the New Product Development Lab at The Air Preheater Co. in the late 60’s early 70’s. Ralph was a great guy and taught me a lot. I owe much of my early successes to him.
Mid-week picked up in spirit and activity with the participation of Genesee Valley Chorus (GVC) in the Bolivar Pioneer Oil Days Celebration concert at the Bolivar-Richburg Highschool yesterday evening. Several groups and performers entertained what appeared to be a full house. That concert most likely concludes the Spring-Summer season of GVC. Activities will resume in September. Stay tuned for up-dates.
This is a “shout out” to Friendship’s John Hoopes who went out of his way, so to speak, to provide me transportation to Bokman’s in Olean last week. My wife’s car had been at the Auto body shop at Bokman’s having been restored from its encounter with the deer a few weeks previously. Not having any other transportation means to get there to pick up my car I posted my need on Facebook. Within minutes John answered my post stating that he was currently in Wellsville and was planning to go to Olean from there. John (and his wife) stopped by my place, picked me up, drove me to Olean on a Saturday expecting that Bokman’s was open. It wasn’t, so I contacted the service lady that I had been in touch with, via a phone message, and she too went out of her way by traveling to Olean from Cuba for the sole purpose of getting my keys from the dealership office so that I could pick up my vehicle on a normally “not open Saturday” facility.
I am beholding to many, for many things, and these two are now on that list of “I Owe You’s.”
This week also blessed me with something that to many, would seem pretty much not important. But to me, I was once again blessed to be able to wear my wedding ring. Previously, many years ago, I had to have my wedding ring cut off my finger following an injury to that ring finger. Years later my wife surprised me with the re-gifting of the ring, having secretly taken it in for repairs and presented it to me as a Christmas gift.
More recently when I broke the 4th metacarpal bone of my ring finger hand I had to once again remove the ring, albeit not having to cut it off this time. A couple of weeks ago I tried to put the ring on again, but I guess the hand was still swollen too much for the fit. Yesterday morning I retried putting the ring on, and, lo and behold it went on. I am once again blessed by this token of our love and hopefully now will be able to carry it with me to the end. That topic will also allow me the opportunity to once again share a poem written to honor that previous re-fit. I will add it upon closing, but I’m not there yet.
I’m very conscious of my appearance, especially when “outfitting” myself in apparel for such activities as last night’s concert. I will select choices of shirt/slacks combinations and ask my wife to critique how one versus the other looks. After about two iterations of costume changes, she normally replies back with; “Who do you think is going to be looking at you?” My standard answer is…ME!
Not to be overly melancholy, but given my age, and the all too frequent, and recent passing away of friends, I wonder why or how I am being allowed the privilege of still being able to walk the grass side of this earth. I’m pretty sure that many of those now-departed close friends lived a life not fraught with some of the “errors of my ways.” I guess from a devout standpoint, being called to the heavens is a blessing, and is not yet deserved or earned by me. I have said previously that my goal is to survive long enough to collect both my, and my mother’s, share of “Social Security” benefits as she passed away before ever collecting a single cent of all she had paid in.
My recent banking accounts fraudulent hacking is still haunting me as I continue to need to update, change, or add payment methods to account for those which previously had auto-payments, and which had been “hacked.” Our payment method of choice has been, and would like to remain as, to pay by check. You cannot do that anymore, especially for on-line purchases which only allow online payment methods by most. Amazon and PayPal were at the center of those hacking activities. Just this morning I attempted to renew my McAfee Security account and normally my bank debit card had been fairly safe to use. Having received a “Bulletin Alert” just a couple of hours ago I’m afraid I’m headed down that path again.
I can live without “online” purchases. Unfortunately, others cannot.
I will leave this Wrambling a little short on topics to share the poem inspired by the re-gifting of my wedding ring. We have now stepped one anniversary closer to our 60th wedding anniversary. I’m not sure how, or why I deserve this honor. Colorful presentation of the poem thanks to daughter Kristin.
If you have any comments, questions or concerns email me at IM.Wiserdad@gmail.com
