THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW CHAPTER 8

Sparkie remained balancing on his branch while all the other birds on the Tree Helpers Committee flew away to relieve their nest mates. Sparkie confided, "Dr. Ole, did you know that there is a Web Cam spying on your family's nest all day long?" "Hoo-hooo-hoo, yes our family knows about it and we are all pleased with the attention, and it is apparent they mean no harm. Our babies think they'll soon be ready for flying lessons and like to show off. Humans think we are interesting. Our fledglings will soon acquire the feathers necessary for flight. As they become expert fliers they will be important helpers in carrying out our future plans. They'll have all the rest of the summer to practice. They're growing fast and always hungry as they watch Mother Owl deftly zero in on a rat for the family dinner. Rats can be very harmful to humans so we are helping them and able to feed our family at the same time. One time a lady drank from a can of pop without washing off the top of it and died within a day of Leptospirosos. While the pop was being stored in a warehouse some rat urine remained on the lid and there was no medical help for her. She should have washed the lid off first. Nature protects us with an antiseptic we hold in our systems so we are not harmed when eating rats.

Sparkie continued his interview with Dr. Owl, always addressing him formally when carrying out his reporting duties. He wondered about the rumor going around that some officials are planning to tap into nuclear power and start to build more reactors. "It's more than a rumor and we are watching their plan carefully. Our nesting mothers often pick up information from cyberspace during their quiet hours on the nest and tune into many interesting things. It is sad that humans do not realize that every day they are walking over the best source of energy available. They are aware of the fact that there is heat within the Earth but to many scientists the nuclear way sounds more modern and exciting," concluded Dr. Ole. No doubt they both were visualizing how proud parents will be as their fledglings would soon be expert fliers - perhaps dive bombing the towers they were beginning to construct since it may take a dozen years to put them into action. History has proved that amazing things have happened when a few kind, caring, and willing hearts have changed the course of history.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW, CHAPTER 7

As Ole and his helpers paused to consider what the next step might be for each of them the man thought about the time he was trimming one of his large trees in the early spring and spotted a tiny nest in a fallen branch. It had been delicately fabricated together by the small mother, all from recycled material from the yard. He trimmed the branch and carried it inside to show his family. He guessed from the fallen shells that it had held four baby humming birds who with others were now likely on their way back from the south to build their new nest in the spring. He held the nest in the palm of his hand, trying to imagine how tiny the little birds must have been.

Ole raised and lowered his wings, ready to speak after their quiet time. Thought pictures were streaming through their minds, perhaps trying to grasp the enormity of the loss of twenty five million huge trees that had been destroyed, one bite at a time by the small rice-sized beetles, according to a CBC radio news report.

There are many families of owls ranging in size from six to thirty inches in length. Great Horned Owls like Ole are among the larger ones with the Grey Owl and the Arctic Snowy Owl. Ole and many others have key-shaped eyes, ready for all to unlock wisdom for those who wish to tune in, according to ancient lore. What appears to be horns are merely tufts of feathers that lead past great wise eyes to immerse in depressed circles of plumage. Owls are often seen perched silently in their tree-home for hours but can be quite vocal when necessary.

"Since trees have no gift of wings for flight or feet to flee like we have, I sense that each one of you is expressing a desire to help, in line with your gifts bestowed at birth, according to your abilities in either size or salary. I sense that Kn, has formulated a plan and believe I can speak for him. My minds-eye sees him with his mate Ln, family and friends taking flight, then descending at top speed whenever they see any of the scientists or researchers. At twenty kilometers per second, each would pause in front of any researcher for a split second, then dart toward the windmill in the nearby yard to perch on one of the crossbars. By the time a researcher's hand is extended inviting a landing spot, Kn is already at the crossbar awaiting each of his family and others as they repeat his performance in relay form. Another relay of other birds might wish to join in this action as a long formation of birds speed in the direction of the nearest grove of trees that is calling for help. Yes, it has been determined by scientists that trees produce chemicals that can carry warnings to other trees so they get the urgent message in time to produce an antidote to frighten enemies away. Without a beetle scout nearby for direction, the beetles cannot proceed and fall in the grass and die. Researchers will soon get the message for their research. Excellent plan," said Ole.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW, CHAPTER 6

Scroll down for earlier Chapers dated October 16, 17, 19, 21 and 24

Tara, the family dog always followed the farmer around. The day before he was digging post holes to fix his fence behind the barn. With one post short, he drove to town for the post and other supplies. When he returned darkness had fallen so he decided to finish the job in the morning. Early next next day Tara went outside through her "doggie door" to make her usual rounds and sniff out her territory. She heard faint sounds behind the barn. Knowing it might be urgent, she ran to the house door and scratched but when the man came she refused to enter. He sensed it was important or she would have used her own door. Tara pointed her nose in the direction of the barn and eagerly led the way, pausing at intervals to look back to be sure he was following her.

The man reached down the hole with a gloved hand and pulled up a soft ball of fluff. He placed a cover over the empty hole and decided to go back for a bowl of water. When he returned he found the ball of fluff had a visitor - the mother bird. She sensed telepathically that the man meant only good as he placed the baby back into its nest. She chirped her thanks. The parent birds had been out gathering harmful but edible bugs for breakfast. Their growing babies would soon be ready for flying lessons and able to collect their own breakfast. No doubt the parent birds would be reminding their brood to be more careful and the man would be telling himself he must always place a cover over any vacant cavity.

Downy's idea was to get the attention of some forward thinking scientists who would be willing to work on this project in a similar manner. Many farmers had windmills in their yards to pump water from their wells. By determining the time migrating beetles were set to form a cloud to be blown to the next grove of trees their scout had found for them, the windmills would blow the cloud off course into a lake or grasslands with no trees to eat. When their last last grove of trees lay dying, scientists would be able to determine when the cloud of invading beetles were ready to invade their next healthy grove of trees.

Just then the air was split at the speed of a bullet as a streak of green flashed into the bird's brainstorming session. All eyes turned toward Ole and Downy as they tuned in to what message might be forthcoming telepathically. "Here comes Kn, a hummingbird of the Annus family - the dictionary translation is 'wonderful' Ole observed in his silent way. They can speed at nearly 20 kilometers per second. What they lack in size they make up for in action. His mate Ln is completing their nesting routine." A quick note rang forth from Kn as he landed, that sounds like a 'high-e' note of human music. Males of the Annus family have an extra tail feather they use for fast flight take-off as well as braking when landing. This feature will turn out to be very helpful in the next step of the plan.

PRAYER SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE

In a study published in "Research on Social Work Practice" the investigator, David H. Hodge, assistant professor of social work in the College of Human Services at Arizona State University, compiled all available studies on the use of prayer in aiding patients of either psychological or physical problems. He combined their statistics into one large body of data. The evidence was significantly in favor of the power of prayer.

He notes that an earlier meta-analysis conducted by Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School included only those involving patients undergoing heart surgery and was felt to be inconclusive. The one by David Hodge included all other studies as well. This may indicate that the patient is less involved. A praying doctor might make a difference.

FAREWELL BETTE

Family, friends, extended "family" here, many from the Davidson Lawyers Team that Betty worked with for 28 years, as well as others who had helped her with many volunteer projects in the community, assembled here at the Fireside Lounge for a Celebration of Life for this most worthy soul. Fond memories of the warmth of her presence guiding other volunteers in the community and here as well as our Strata Council President, diffused itself throughout the gathering. Our large patio provided the extra space required to move with cautious ease as choices of foods from a long table offered every variety of cuisine with coffee, punch and teas. And no dishes were broken.

Sunny skies cheered the day as we listened to the remembrances from many who had been a part of her sixty seven years of fruitful living. The gratitude expressed sometimes mingled with unwilling tears that silently found a way to blend with the nearest handy tissue. I feel that Bette herself (her real spirit and soul) seemed to be with us. Just how cyber space carries this along has not been scientifically proven but it resonates through the feelings in hearts. One person opined, "I could phone Bette about any problem and always felt comforted and encouraged, now who can I go to." Many others felt that way.
One hundred and twelve signed the condolence book and several dozen we chatted with did not get to the guest book. The following quote is from an ancient unknown author:
"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she is only a speck of white cloud, just where the sea and sky meet and mingle with each other. Someone at my side exclaims, 'There, she is gone!'
"Gone where?" Gone from my sight, that is all. She is the same size in hull and mast and spar as she was when she left my side, and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of her destination. Her diminished size is in my mind, not in her. And just at that moment when someone at my side says, 'She is gone,' there are other eyes watching for her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'There, she comes!' "And That Is Dying."
Many thanks to this Unknown Author for this lovely analogy. SD
http://stayingintouchblog.blogspot.com.

CONCEIVE, BELIEVE AND ACHIEVE

What you CONCEIVE and then BELIEVE,
Together practiced, you will ACHIEVE.
How and when it will be,
Take baby steps and you will see.
A monster FEAR, can make you fail,
But trust and faith sees through life's gales.

And since your goal is peace and love,
You'll get guidance from above,
Tune to Spirit's light within,
You'll reach your goal and you will win.

SLEEP MORE TO LOSE WEIGHT

New research has uncovered the basis of the relationship of sleep to loss of weight. It turns out that sleep deprivation creates an imbalance in certain hormones that govern appetite.

Dr. Shahrad Teheri, an endocrinologist at Bristol University, found that with less sleep, there is more ghrelin in the blood, a hormone secreted by the stomach that creates hunger sensations. He also found less leptin in the blood, a hormone created by fat cells that send satiation messages to the brain.

In another study, conducted at the University of Chicago's sleep laboratory, it was found that after a single night of insomnia, folks showed this same pattern of hunger-making hormones in the blood. When volunteers were made to sleep only four hours a night for three nights in a row, they would awaken with complaints of being hungry.