Reflection

 

This week has been an extremely sad week for Americans.

As we are all glued to the TV watching the horror unfold,

I have been reflecting on the events of April 19th, 1995.

 

In February when we went to San Antonio ,

and on the recommendation of a friend ,

we stopped in Oklahoma to visit the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial.

 

 

 

Sis and I had lived in Oklahoma for a few years when we were kids ,

and have always felt a kinship with the state .

 

It was a very moving experience to say the least .

 

 

On the morning of April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck with explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and at 9:02am, a massive explosion occurred which sheared the entire north side of the building, killing 168 people.

 ( copied from the Memorial website )

 

 

This section of the Memorial represents the 168 people that were killed .

Each row represents the floor of the building they were on .

And each chair represents a victim.

 

The first row / floor has the most chairs,

that is where the daycare was located .

 

This was the hardest for me to fathom ...

innocent children.

 

What makes a person so consumed with hatred that they have no regard for the innocent ?

 

I can't and won't understand it .

 

The events of this week and the tragedy in Boston , have brought it to the surface again.

 

However, when you go to the memorial  ,

you have a sense of peace ,

of a city and nation that came together to create a beautiful and lasting tribute to those lost .

 

 

The Survivor Tree.

 

Just a common AMERICAN elm .

It withstood the blast and stands proud still .

 

 

Engraved on the wall surrounding the Survivor Tree,

 is this quote,

" The Spirit of this City and this Country will not be defeated ; our deeply rooted faith sustains us . "

 

That is my hope and my prayer for the city of Boston ,

all the victims and the loved ones of victims ,

and really , all of the citizens of

OUR great country .

 

Peace to you all ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Fat Squirrel comes to the Hood

Ya'all know I live in the back of beyond ,

or as I loving refer to it ,

The Trailerhood .
( actually , my friend's sons named it that and it just stuck , but it fits )

 

I love the wild life we see here.

There is a herd of deer that come into the field across from us every afternoon.

There are hawks and bald eagles and coyotes ,

OK , I don't really like any of those ,

I am not a fan of predatory animals.

But it's the circle of life right ?

*sigh*

 

But... 

I feed a plethora of birds year round .

A variety of Finches , Woodpeckers, nuthatches,

 chickadees, a pair of cardinals and morning doves .

For a short time I can see Baltimore Orioles and in the summer ,

we have Hummingbirds.

 

I have two feeding stations and I go through a LOT of seed !

 

The one animal I have always been surprised we don't have is squirrels.

You would think they would be everywhere.

I mean they live in town ,

why wouldn't they be here ?

 

Then a few weeks ago ,

Fat Squirrel showed up .

This was one of those times I really wish I could take good pictures.

I made Hubs come to the window and watch him with me .

He was literally hanging upside down on my tree

with his front feet on the bird feeder ,

eating !

 

Then he climbed into the tray feeder .

 

 

I am AMAZED at how entertained I am by this squirrel !

I've named him Fat Squirrel cause he is just so puffy !

And I LOVE him !

 

I immediately told Hubs he MUST build me one of those squirrel chairs.

You know , the ones where there is a seat

 and  a screw or nail to put an ear of corn on .

He said he would ,

but believe it or not he kept putting it off.

I really think he was thinking

"here we go again "

first crazy with the birds , now a squirrel .

But bless his heart ,

he never said it .

 

Anyway...

I took matters into my own hands .

 

I found this little chair at the thrift store !

YAH !

He had no choice then .

 

 

Not too pretty ,

but it works .

 

Then I became one of those people I used to make fun of.

The ones that actually go to the farm store

 and buy cobs of corn in a bag !

YIKES !

 

 

 

 

It took me FOR*EV*ER to get a picture of Fat Squirrel in his chair.

 

and not even a good one ...

 

Cause here's the thing .

He doesn't really like the corn .

Funny , huh ?

He would rather eat the sunflower seeds from the bird feeders.

Go figure ....

 

 

He works hard at it too .

 

One day he was eating sunflower seeds off the ground

and Addie said ,

" look Grandma , a chipmunk ! "

Love that !

 

So ,

while most sane people are buying special feeders to keep the squirrels out ,

I'm just buying extra sunflower seeds ...

 

 

 

 

I'm just the crazy bird / squirrel lady of the Trailerhood  :)