All right, it’s time for me
to continue announcing the
awards for exceptional service
by our domestic staff at
Stone Mill Acres. You’ll remember
that the first went
to Anne for tactfully banishing
a slug from the a
dinner salad, and the second
to Blue for gallantly
defending his buddy Simon
the cat from an affable,
overweight corgi.
The third award goes to
Simon himself for extraordinary
bravery under fire.
Before I can describe the
event, I’ll have to do some
scene-setting.
You already know that
Simon, successor to the late
Owen of such happy memory,
is a young cat, only coming
up on his second birthday.
And you know that,
unlike the taciturn Owen,
Simon never stops talking.
If he’s out near the barn
and you call him, he vocalizes
all the way to the
house. Inside, he follows
around any human at hand
and comments on everything
the person does. Other
times, alone upstairs or
down, he will sit, meowing
about anything that comes
into his head.
With that said, however,
he’s a great little cat and, it
turns out, a game one, too.
This was demonstrated last
week when, to reestablish
some temporary quiet in
the house, Anne urged Simon
out the back door.
Urged him out, as it happened,
right into a scene of
familial panic and tragedy.
Perhaps you like blue
jays. I don’t. Granted,
they’re handsome birds,
beautiful in flight and even
while preening on a limb.
But they’re coarse, unprincipled
birds, too, given to
robbing other birds’ nests
and shouting vulgarities at
every passing human.
I suspect their coarse
edginess mars their domestic
life, too. When a female
lays an egg or two, she and
her mate are good parents,
protecting their own nest
with the same energy with
which they despoil others’.
They both feed the gaping
mouths that greet them on
every return with food.
(Perhaps it’s my bias, but
while other baby birds chirp
prettily at that moment,
young jays are as demanding
and ungrateful as any
sullen teenager.)
When the moment comes
literally to launch their
young from the nest, I wonder
if strife develops between
the parent jays.
I can imagine a cawing
argument between them,
ending with the father booting
the baby out and into
the air. Most times, the moment
is right, and the baby
revs its engine, spreads
stubby wings, and flies into
life to follow the family tradition
of spreading mayhem.
But it doesn’t always
work that way. Sometimes
the bird is launched too
soon and drops to the
ground like an overripe apple.
And sometimes, I imagine,
the irascible baby won’t
wait, and launches itself to
the same effect. Once the
fledgling is on the ground,
there’s nothing the parents
can do but fly around in
panic, shouting accusations
at each other.
There is no chance of
survival is such a case. At
worst, the baby bird will
die slowly of hunger and
thirst. At best, some other
creature will quickly bring
things to term. Tragic,
maybe; but such dramas go
on constantly all around us.
Nature is ``red in tooth and
claw,’’ and we can only accept
the grim fact. Or,
translated into Disneyese,
we must honor the Great
Circle of Life.
Well, enter Simon, just
emerging from the back
door. He spotted the stranded
jay, instinctively knew
his part, and undertook it
at once.
If there had been wild
screeching before, imagine
what broke out then overhead.
As Simon tried to
carry out his assigned role,
the sky was rent with
screams, fierce caws, horrific
threats. The cat retreated
under the peonies,
lugging the still form with
him. But then he emerged
to face, not only a torrent of
abuse from above, but strafing
by the two birds.
Simon flattened himself
into the grass, ears back,
trying to reduce himself to
two dimensions and turn
into a kind of cat carpet.
But the birds, bent on revenge,
swooped lower and
lower, finally whacking the
back of his head with their
claws. The cat’s no fool. As
the jays climbed and
wheeled for another bombing
run, he scooted under
the peonies again, presumably
to complete the job
that Nature had meant him
to do.
I’m not sure why Simon
first came out from under
that bush — whether it was
bravery or foolhardiness;
but either way I was impressed
by the way he held
his ground, flat as a flounder,
lashing his tail. And I
certainly don’t fault him for
retreating again under the
bush. That was simple prudence
and quite apt. He’d
made his gesture, after all,
and didnÆt need to be suicidal
about it. That’s why I
am awarding him special
recognition for courage under
fire.
Simon has not, however,
forgotten that day. As often
as he comes out the back
door, he pauses to scan the
branches of the basswood
tree. They could be up
there, you see, still ready to
wreak vengeance.
Oh, my! I haven’t left
room to tell you about the
fourth award, the one to
me. We’ll have to wait till
next week to find out what
it is. I wonder, what it will
be?
Read about Jim Atwell’s
book, From Fly Creek--Celebrating
Life in Leatherstocking
Country at JimAtwell.
com.
Columns
Jim Atwell: Still another award
- Columns
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In These Otsego Hills: The losses are adding up ...
It is with sadness that we note the passing of long time friend, and distantrelative, Jane Patrick. Over the years we have worked with Jane in a number of organizations including Women’s Club and the Community Advisory Committee at Bassett. And, of course, in later years we joined her, along with the other Dinner Belles, for any number of delicious meals. But we do think that our favorite memory that we shared with Jane was when we discovered, having both married Cooperstown natives, that we shared Cooperstown Christmas plans.
Continued ... -
Up On Hawthorn Hill: Bird Feeder?
Bird feeder is a relative term. At least that is the case around here. A few mornings ago we spotted the first rabbit to visit the feeders. Normally, all we see during the winter are rabbit tracks crisscrossing the gardens.
Continued ... -
From Fly Creek: Cheers for the Blue Rabbit!
My handwriting’s always been an embarrassment. Way back in elementary school, while most of the others were developing a clear, sometimes graceful hand (especially the girls), my penmanship showed no improvement.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: This and that ...
We have found the weather so far this year to be on the unusual side. And while we have no problem with the fact that we have received very little snow, we are of the opinion that what we have had instead is not particularly to our liking either. In fact, we are very hesitant to venture out much as we live in fear that the rain will turn to mixed precipitation which will freeze into a sheet of ice. And we are definitely opposed to encountering a sheet of ice underfoot. In fact, we are so hesitant that we now have taken to canceling our participation in events based on what just might be a dubious forecast.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Feinstein’s latest is sheer enjoyment
Most people who follow sports have probably heard of John Feinstein. As a nationally known author, sportswriter, pundit and broadcaster, he has brought a unique angle to sports journalism. His groundbreaking book on Bobby Knight’s 1986-87 Indiana University basketball team, “A Season on the Brink,” still resonates today as an all-time classic.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: No Trekkie should miss Shatner’s books
It would be hard to find a television phenomenon as popular as “Star Trek.” Even though it was only on television for three seasons and 79 episodes (1966-69) it attracted viewers and devotees that still follow it passionately 45 years later. The fanatical supportspawned several movies and television spinoffs. Star Trek conventions continue to this day. There has never been anything like it.
Continued ... -
Up on Hawthorn Hill: Making sense of things
A book I have been reading investigates the various ways over time that we have made sense of the world. It carries the reader through to the present via several seminal classical texts and ultimately aims to suggest a strategy for “ finding meaning in a secular age.”
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: ‘Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist.’ − John Adams
Last week we were asked if we would be interested in previewing a documentary, “The Empire State Divide,”produced by the Foundation for Land & Liberty. And we were more than happy to do so as we understood the documentary dealt with the problems that continue to face family farms.
Continued ... -
From Fly Creek: Now wait a minute!
On the ninth day of Christmas, driving down Cooperstown’s Eagle Street, I saw something astounding! No, not “nineladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans” etc. I saw one jogger jogging. And puffing on a cigarette.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: Goals of the past and goals of the future
We have long subscribed to the concept that we are always more successful if we, number one, set a goal and then, number two, meet it. And this was our thinking when we decided before Christmas to watch at least part of every college football bowl game. It was perhaps an odd, if not completely nonsensical, goal.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: Not to our liking ...
It is with sadness that we note the recent death of Steve Nagel. The son-inlaw of our late husband’s cousins, Alice and Harvey Eckler of Fly Creek, Steve was married to the Ecklers’ oldest daughter, Gail. We had the pleasure of spending Christmas Eve with the Nagels and the Ecklers in Fly Creek, greatly enjoying the delicious food and delightful conversation.
Continued ... -
Up on Hawthorn Hill: Of birds and faith
I watch birds quite a bit. Every five days or so I send in a report to Cornell as partof its annual Project Feeder Watch program. The data, collected from volunteers from all over the country, enables scientists to track population trends. I would spend quite a bit of time checking out the visitors to our feeders anyway. Participating in the feeder program makes a personal pleasure that much more meaningful. It is rare that aesthetical and scientific endeavors work in tandem.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Biography captures the real Stephen Colbert
It would be hard to find a comedian as unique as Stephen Colbert. As the host of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central he hasmanaged to leave his mark on the nation’s consciousness in both a serious and humorous sort of way. His unusual wit has allowed him to become American icon. It would be difficult to find another entertainer quite like him.
Continued ... -
From Fly Creek: Christmas and varied blessings
I’m still astounded! The last farmers’ market before Christmas, I was sitting up front, directly under the ceiling heater, shmoozing with the hoi-polloi. (That’s an awkward linguistic mix,but let’s let it go.) As I sipped my hot coffee, a gloved hand came to rest on my shoulder and a warm voice said, “Merry Christmas, Jim.” I looked to my left—it was Santa Claus!
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In These Otsego Hills: Always a learning experience ...
We must admit that we thoroughly enjoyed our 2011 Christmas celebration. We partook of Christmas Eve dinner at the home of Alice and Harvey Eckler of Fly Creek and Christmas Day dinner at the home of Sandy and Al Bullard of Milford. We had our usual Christmas Day brunch at home on Pioneer Street, although we must admit it was a tad bit later than usual as, what we enjoyed most about Christmas, namely our granddaughter Abby, took a great deal of time opening her Christmas presents.
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In These Otsego Hills: Coming up ... 2012
Difficult as it seems, 2011 is fast coming to an end. And it is always our hope that as a year draws to a close, the issues which have been in the forefront during the year will be resolved. Unfortunately, we suspect that will not be the case this year. Instead, we are fairly certain that many of the issues that plagued this year, will continue to plague next year. Thus we will find ourselves still musing about the same issues we have spent time with already. And while we have not come toany conclusions about many of the issues, we do think they would all likely benefit from both sides thinking critically about perspective, risk assessment and possible solutions.
Continued ... -
Up on Hawthorn Hill: Circularity
When she was a puppy my dog Gabby would run in what I described then as “circles of joy.” She celebrated her15th birthday a few weeks ago and despite the inevitable frailties that old age imposes upon all of us, she is doing pretty well.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Grisham doesn’t disappoint
John Grisham is one of this country’s most popular authors. Every time he publishes a book it’s an instant best-seller. He appeared on the scene about 20 years ago with his tense legal thrillers, “A Time to Kill” and “The Firm,”and hasn’t stopped producing top-notch novels since.
Continued ... -
From Fly Creek: Still singing, beyond our hearing
This column from Christmas 2001 still speaks deeply to me, and perhaps will to you, too. Take it, please, as my Christmas gift.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: The 2011 Cooperstown Carol
Since 1984, with the exception of one year, 1999, we have looked forward at the end of the year to going through all the issues of the paper in order to glean those news items which have been worthy of note throughout the year and which should make their way into our annual Cooperstown Carol.
Continued ...
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In These Otsego Hills: The losses are adding up ...
