The Visitor

I discovered a Cedar Waxwing bird on my screened-in back porch Friday afternoon. I was picking up the yard after this weeks Oklahoma storms. Rescuing the bird forced me into a much needed break and to take a breather as well as a seat. The Cedar Waxwing, being a favorite bird species of mine, made the challenge more appealing then rescuing a Crow or Starling (though they are God's dear creatures too). The beautiful little wild bird seemed eager for companionship as it flew from clutching a window screen above me, to perch instead on the back of a chair opposite me. He didn't seem to want the water and bird seed I gently offered but it did intently watch me prepare its bird snack and showed polite interest. After the muted watchfulness and calming sit, as if we were in a front room parlor, it seemed to know that I was not a threat . After awhile it flew to the cluttered end of the porch and perched on a package of replacement window screens. Without making quick movements, I picked up the porch broom that was standing within my arms reach and offered the broom handle to it to step-on to. He cocked his little head as if to say, 'is this what you mean for me to do?' To my delight, the wild bird took that LEAP Of FAITH step onto the broom handle. I slowly stepped and backed down the planked-wood porch and then slowly, very slowly, pointed the broom handle towards the propped open doorway. To my delight, it didn't fly away immediately even when an Oklahoma breeze blew through. Instead, it cocked it's little head as if to say, "I too will remember this day.' And then it faced the sun and flew off the yellow broomstick towards my Elm trees in my far back yard.  
From now on, whenever I see a flock of Cedar Waxwings, I will look and wonder, "is there ONE Cedar Waxwing that is looking fondly back at me too?"
And for the rest of the story ... you ask, WHO took these pictures? 
I did! :) 
I just happened to have my camera around my neck, as I picked up sticks in the yard, to take flower photos. I used my right hand to carry the broom and my left hand to awkwardly take pictures, not knowing if I had the camera pointed or even focused on the bird! But I did. Otherwise, I don't know that anyone would ever believe my story of rescuing this little Cedar Waxwing bird off my screened-in back porch. :)
By Deb V.

Hump Day Frivolities

 Unplanned events for a day are sometimes better as then there are no great expectations...
Being Irish through my Mom's roots (I don't mean the dark kind that you have to color), I always wear green on St. Paddy's Day as well as cook corned beef & cabbage and drink Guinness beer. With these things in mind, I began my day yesterday like any other weekday.
For the past few years, my daughter, Natalie, has been my side kick to find lunch in a pub or go to local town festivities. You could say that she and I are both full of blarney and both of us carry the gene for a wee bit of  Irish mischief. Costumed in green beads and green silly hats I have always enjoyed for a day boasting our Irish pride together.  As March has turned into a busy month for our family with changes-to-come happening everyday, Natalie and I had both agreed to make plans later in the day...
As the TODAY SHOW entertained me with the Irish RIVER DANCERS, I, still dressed in my flannel pajamas, comfy robe and a scraggly ponytail, stopped in front of our big screen TV and joined in with the RIVER DANCERS as if I was part of their dancing line!  I jumped up and down and kicked-up my crew-socked clad toes, leaving out the twirling part of the dance so that I wouldn't miss a step as I participated too!  I lasted most of the lively tune feeling quite happy about the work-out.
As NO ONE in their right mind would ever admit to these things that we do when we think we are alone and that no one is watching, there is a point to my admitting to my self indulgent entertainment!
Most of you have been to our home and seen my beautiful hand-made front doors. The carpenter that my talented husband is, constructed our double doors with five foot glass inserts so that I could face the day each morn and greet the sunshine (my words, not his :)  The windows are covered with roman shades and like clock-work each morn I walk around our home and open each and every window shade to let in the morning sun in.
As I applauded for myself right along with the TODAY SHOW "Live" in Time Square audience,  I finished the Irish jig,  turned to pick up my laundry basket of clothes to be folded and then dropped the basket to the floor again as I spotted my little, Fed EX delivery man standing embarrassed at my front doors, clip board and package in hand!
A real Irish wench might have roared with laughter and asked if he wanted to join-in with my gaiety but flustered and embarrassed, I just held out my hand for the clip board and said nothing. I signed for the package and he handed me the envelope without saying a word.  I closed the door as he got back in his truck and watched as he backed out of our driveway. As he steered to face the road and saw me still petrified standing at my windowed door, he honked and waved with a huge grin on his face and I motioned a wave back, shocked back to reality and laughed too!
 I puddered around finishing my morning chores, and found my CELTIC WOMEN cd's and sang right along with my Irish kinfolk as well as toe tapped to the lively music not afraid of who might see me next!
Strangers may have thought me a crazy Irish lush but hopefully my kind, shy delivery man was reminded of the awkward moment many times during his day and enjoyed an occasional giggle at my expense as he worked.
I was happily surprised late afternoon by a invitation to eat dinner with Natalie, Keith and the boys at our new nearby LOUIE'S GRILL. Natalie and I enjoyed a BEVERAGE  that was as green as lime kool-aid but colder and a lot more stout! I enjoyed the company of two grandsons that sat on either side of me sharing french fries.  I surprised them by pulling out of my 'Gram's Bag' new critter boxes for each with neon green plastic snakes encaptured and I told them the story of a preacher man named St. Patrick that prayed the snakes out of Ireland a long time ago. This was just the perfect toy for a two and four year old boy to play with at the table as we waited for our dinner.
David surprised me with a "RAINMAN" moment  guarding the known number of french fries in his corn-dog basket and 2 year old Drew amazed me as he played with a toy laptop recognizing all his alphabet letters while man- handling my fingers to punch the correct letter in his game. I left happy from the fun as well as giddy from my green Irish Stout!
An every day hump-day Wednesday, turned out to be full of surprises and well worth kicking up my heels for! :)