The play on words continues, Bolivar Oil Days, and birds galore
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
I enjoy reading the previous day’s newspaper with my morning coffee. My Olean Times Herald paper is delivered via US Postal Service so it arrives too late for that, so I read it the following day. I had no newspaper to read this morning due to yesterday’s holiday so I’m starting this Wrambling a little earlier than usual. I will Wramble right into a grammar groan coming “right out of the chute.” My title hints, blatantly, at the lead grammar topic. The word “which” implies a choice between various options or alternatives. In my writings, or even conversationally, I often ponder which modifier to use preceding the word “which”. Should it be “of which,” “for which,” or “to which.” Typically, I’m ok with my “if it sounds best” test, but not always. The grammar lesson, or groan, today refreshed my English basics knowledge that identifies what the preceding word is called. I find Google to be quite flexible in accepting a long string of words describing what your information search is looking for. When I used the Google search option for what type of word precedes “which”, I typed my question as: “What is the word called that precedes the word “which” in phrases such as “of which;” “for which;” or “to which?” The answer that Google gave me was “A preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, time, place, location, spatial relationships, or to introduce an object.” I guess I’ll just trust my judgement as to which “which” is which. Note” I had to add the quotes to the 2nd “which” to satisfy MS Word suggestions warning of duplicate words.
Our aviary activity has ramped up recently as the resident and seasonal visitors now seem to be in the process of feeding the, as of yet not fledged, offspring. The fledglings won’t be long in coming, but for now the flurry of activity has the parents making non-stop visits to and from the feeders on a continuous basis from dawn to dusk. Some of the resident “brown birds” have fledged but the rest are just days away in that regard. It won’t be long before we can watch as the “fluttering” fledglings squawk and wiggle incessantly at the feeders teasing for more and more of the Jelly from mom or dad. For some reason my thoughts and recollections were that the fall migration starts taking place in late July so I dug out my 2023 Journal to look for the last year’s departure. As it turns out the Orioles and Grosbeaks hung around until late August last year. That, to me, is good news as I have a couple more months left to enjoy their company. July departure might have been a previous year, or a flawed memory making me think they left nearer the end of July.
As I sit here watching the bustling aviary activity, I have noticed that the birds that visit our feeders don’t always arrive from, or leave in, the same direction each time. Certain specific birds are recognizable individually to us, so we can tell which are which. My guess is that they alter or alternate their route to throw potential harmful followers off the track. I’m not talking about a few trees right or left. Rather, the birds might approach from the North and depart from the South.
Getting old(er) isn’t for the meek. As I am nearing my eighth decade I have now exceeded the lifespan of all my known relatives, all of which were from the maternal side.
I have little, to no, knowledge of the paternal side of my lineage, which has been mentioned previously so that was not a factor in my raising. In a conversation with brother Den Miles in Tops earlier this week we shared the same status of already having lost too many of our own relatives, friends and acquaintances, due to their having passed away.
All we have left are the memories of them, but at least we have those. Note to readers…Cherish every moment that you have with those around you.
Against the opinion and wishes of my wife, I will share a little current medical activity with you. My motivation to do so isn’t to seek pity or concern, but to perhaps identify some issues that others in this same age bracket may share. As we age, nearly all of us have age related medical issues. Most are expected and tolerated. Perhaps while medically not as urgent, the age-related decline in memory and situational awareness is one that many of us suffer first. Acceptance and understanding of others are the best we can ask for. If your age deterioration hasn’t yet started, and, if that of your spouses has, then be helpful and supportive without question. Don’t criticize or condemn. We don’t intentionally tell you about the same thing in the morning and then again in the afternoon as it is more important to us to share even if we repeat ourselves. Help us keep track of the doctor’s appointment that we forgot to write down in our journal. Given that mention, it is wise to start keeping a journal if not already a practice.
I was admonished somewhat last week by my Primary Care Physician when I mentioned that my wife suggested that I ask him about something. His immediate reply was: “Why isn’t she here with you…?” Good question. Later, I more tactfully suggested to her that we should go to each other’s doctor’s appointments as two sets of ears, and memory banks are more reliable than just one.
I will share one personal medical item with you, as it concerns an issue that I have broached with the medical profession dozens of times over the past several years. Many times, over the years on a doctor’s visit for nearly any reason, and especially with eyecare specialists, even if just getting prescriptions for glasses, I have mentioned a headache problem which I felt was related to my vision. For several decades I have mentioned that I often get headaches resulting from not wearing my glasses, or from time to time, because I was wearing them. My recent spinal cord and neck pain problems were thought by me to be related or a spin off, as some of the symptoms are overlapping. The spinal cord, and neck pain issues are yet to be resolved. The eye specific issue has finally been diagnosed after several visits for both pain management and a neurological examination and images taken. Despite now knowing the problem it is likely not treatable.
The medical term for the “eyes only” problem is Occipital Neuralgia, with which I am afflicted. As defined in a medical reference source: “Occipital neuralgia is a rare neurological condition that involves shooting, shocking, throbbing, burning, or aching pain and headache that generally starts at the base of the head and spreads along the scalp on one or both sides of the head.”
Other symptoms that can be caused by Occipital Neuralgia are Balance problems where this can affect your balance and co-ordination, dizziness and the symptoms of motion sickness or vertigo.
If you experience these symptoms, you may also be affected by other related symptoms, such as: Blurry Vision, Nausea, Vomiting, Slurred Speech or even tinnitus, ringing or other perceived sounds and even nasal congestion.
Note and disclaimer: The previous comments are not medical professional quotes or journal specific items verbatim but are edited and re-worded “conversationally” and not intended to provide a diagnosis but perhaps to provide enough information from which you can initiate a conversation with your health care provider. The above named condition was not once mentioned, nor suggested to me despite my referencing many of these symptoms with my providers over the years.
My greatest concern with this medical issue is the effect it has, or will have, on my ability to read, and the offshoot, to write. I’m a “book in hand” or newspaper in front of my eye’s kind of guy. If I lose that, it will take a big chunk out of my abilities and experiences.
On Wednesday June 26th the Genesee Valley Chorus has been invited to be a small part of the Bolivar Pioneer Oil Days celebration.
The chorus will perform the “Why We Sing” kickoff concert featuring the chorus and local students and adults, Wednesday at 7:00pm at the Methodist Church. For additional information visit:
Facebook: Bolivar Pioneer Oil Days
Website: https://pioneeroildays.com
I guess the program title Why We Sing shown above is appropriate enough motivation for me to share this poem written several years ago.
