Feeding the birds, a gooseberry overload and lessons from Frank Chirkinian

Happy birthday to Pat Glenzy, Kari Bickings, Matt Eichhorn, Sonny McCabe, Mary Ann Kagle, Robert Hinkebein, Mandy Moore, Lawrence Badders, Richard Hodge, Mike Senciboy, Carol Hodge, Martin Eftink, Dawn Kerber, Gideon Kerber, Wanda Owens, Larry Himmelspoch, Carolyn Hawkins, Linda Pepple, Christina Cook, Nancy Moore, Paige Russom, Rita Lux, Gary Wolfe, Elvis Abernathy, Don Vance, Samantha Glastetter and Diane Keller. Also, John Biler, Wendy Gadberry, Keith Munyon, Becky Seyer, Dolores Shell, Liselotte Stanton, Garrett Valentine, Catherine Elfrink and Paul Hitt.

Happy anniversary to David and Patricia Moore, Steve and Cathy Graham, Don and Nancy Everett, Chris and Pam Cannon, Chris and Michelle Abernathy, Dean and Kimberly Foulk and Dan and Judy Finley.

Congratulations to Joe and Judy Scott, the owners of this month's residence of the month on Yoakum that was for many years the home of our Chaffee High School science teacher, Charles Goddard. We know he would be proud!

We will enjoy a full moon this week, which is known as Ripe Corn Moon, Rose Moon and Moon of the Middle Summer.

Remembering avian friends

The hummingbird chases continue with great aplomb! Remember to put fresh nectar in your feeders every two to three days, especially during this hot weather. Have you seen the pair of night hawks at dusk flying high in the sky? They are great insect eaters, as are the many chimney swifts. Remember to feed and water the birds. I was thinking about my sister Ruth Ann last week in my "then there was" about the lady who never fills her birdbath. She has lots of songbirds in her very shaded yard, but her birdbath is more often than not empty.

Diebold memories

Peaches, corn and other produce are in good supply at Diebold's and farmers markets. My sister Ruth reminded me of how Uncle Doc Finney took us to Diebold's after he visited the prisoners in Benton, Missouri. On many a hot afternoon, I can remember my cousin Norman "Tyke" Finney and I waiting outside the car for his dad to complete his rounds at the jail.

Gooseberries galore

My gooseberry bushes are loaded, and trying to keep up with picking and cleaning them can be quite tedious. However, it is worth it, since gooseberry pie is my favorite. I leave the small berries for the birds and an occasional garter snake.

Reptilian neighbors

We happened to be around this spring when our garter snakes came out of hibernation with lots of little ones. These harmless snakes are beneficial, so let them live! I try to assure my sister Jo that snakes are no more interested in you than you are in them -- well, unless you step on one. The visitor center at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge has two live snakes on display. One is a corn snake (often mistaken for a coral snake) and the other is a speckled kingsnake. We were told the kingsnake is good to have around, as its diet consists of copperheads and rattlesnakes.

Lessons from Frank

Last weekend tennis fans watched the Wimbledon in England and this weekend, golf fans are watching the U.S. Open in Troon, Scotland. It is interesting to listen to sport commentators. On many occasions, I would like to watch the sport with less commentating.

I often am reminded of the late Frank Chirkinian, the father of televised golf. He started with CBS in 1950 and was instrumental in enhancing the televising of golf with added cameras, blimps and even making scoreboards viewer friendly. Boom mics were added so tee shots could be heard, and handheld cameras were added for close-up shots, where before there were only tower cameras. Some commentators are more interested in telling their own story than reporting on the sport and its players, which can also be said of many national newscasters. Maybe they all can benefit from what Frank Chirkinian stressed to rookie commentators: Let the pictures tell the story, not your words.

And yet, just last week longtime Dallas sportscaster Dale Hansen made a powerful speech following the tragedy in Dallas. Check it out online -- "Dale Hansen Unplugged: An attack on basic humanity."

Final thoughts

Remember to tell those special people in your life that you love them -- those three words mean so very much and are so nice to hear.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are missing loved ones, our homebound and those in nursing homes. Email your news and comments to darbuck2@airmail.net or call (573) 887-6430 or (214) 207-7839.

And then ...

Then there was the mail carrier who avoided a residence because there were too many garter snakes in the yard.