When Senior and I were dating and I first began what would be many trips over the past 20 years to the Carolina Estate, my in-laws were heavily devoted to the wild bird population that made its home in the trees.
My Father in Law , a contractor by trade constructed many houses for the local winged ones to reside in.You stroll about the hill top and you see the fruits of his labor everywhere. A simple walk down to his old work shop, and you see an unlimited supply of plastic ones still on the top of his work bench where he last put them.
A funny story about it was after Senior and I were first married, we were up for a visit, I went into one storage building and found hundreds of pounds of bird seed. I inquired with Senior, who got a big smile and told me that the Estate was deemed a wild bird refuge by the state, and monthly they got sent bags of the seed to feed the population. I was amazed.
Later that evening at dinner, with every one around the table I congratulated my in laws on the honor of being named a state refuge, and how great it was they would save money by having the state pay for the bird seed.
My step mother in law looked at me strangely, Senior began laughing. She said they were not a refuge, and made me feel about an inch big. I wanted to slap Senior then crawl under the table.
That story has lived on in our family's folklore and the subject of numerous dinner time discussions.
Today, the boys and I cleaned out some old hummingbird feeders, and filled them with red nector. I was reminded of another moment during another visit, I went to the fridge for something to drink and found what I thought was fruit punch. It was in a regular pitcher.. I poured a large glass full and proceeded to refresh myself.
My Step Mother in Law once again gave me that strange look, and told me I was drinking the Hummingbird Nector. Good Lord! I thought to myself, she must think I am the ultimate twit...
I had never seen the stuff before, my parents never placed out feeders...Well she should have labled the pitcher ! lol I can look back on both these situations as a good sport and laugh.
After my father in laws death, the bird population suffered a bit, no one was here on a regular basis to fill the feeders. I am happy that the boys and I have taken on the task during this summer. We have cleaned out feeders, and hung them through out the trees, the feathered population is once again returning to the trees they once called home, and to the feeders they always relied on.
-JUGM
