May is chocked full of important occasions, including graduation day

By Darla Buckhannon

Happy birthday to Priscilla Hornbuckle, Dolly Kluesner, Lee McDaniel, Nancy Reece, Malissa Powell, Phyllis Richbough, Carl Christy, Mary Duncan, Brenda Shields, James Blevins, Arlene Harrell, James McDonald, Steve Rose, David Bollinger, Roger Reisenbichler, Nikki Chambers, Margaret E. Rhodes, Jacob McIntosh, Caleb McIntosh, Martha Randall, Barbara Simpson, Amanda Clark, Jamie Eaker, Barb Simpson, Macy Burger, Gene Ing, Ray Wagoner, Mark Devenport, Kerrie Swain, Rachel Treadway, Leon Kirchdoerfer, Tyson Moyers, Lachelle Carroll and Ben Spane.

Happy anniversary to Bob and Alice Uhrhan, Tim and Nancy Brown, Jack and Barbara Simpson, Terry and Pat Glenzy and Mike and Alisha Razer.

Congratulations to our graduating seniors! We wish them the very best in whatever path they choose to travel with good thoughts of happiness and success!

Remember Mom

Next Sunday is Mother's Day so you still have time to make those arrangements to celebrate this very special person. Former florist Mayme Cobb can tell you the many years Billy Ray Warner called her from California to order flowers for his mother, Mrs. W.O. Finney and his Aunt Ruth, my mother. He also requested that she include a box of chocolates for his mother, which Mayme dutifully took care of at the local drugstore.

A popular month

The month of May is National Barbecue Month, Bike Month, Blood Pressure Month, Salad Month, Healthy Vision Month and Older Americans Month. The first full week of May is Nurse's Week and the second week is Wildflower Week. Thank a nurse for her good care and celebrate the outdoors by viewing all the beautiful spring flowers. The interstates are lined with wildflowers and it is fun to see what pops up next.

Rain is for the birds

While residents and farmers are dealing with high water, the birds are enjoying splashing in the many puddles around town. Shortly after a male rose-breasted grosbeak showed up on our platform feeder, a female showed up along with more males. Like their cousins, the cardinals, they hit the feeders early in the morning and late evening. One afternoon, Richard counted fifty grosbeaks on the ground and on our feeders. One passerby said it looked like the grosbeak tour bus stopped at our house. Although their stay here is short, they are beautiful and fun to watch.

The goldfinches are many and they too like the black oil sunflower seeds. If you like to feed the birds, your money is better spent on black oil sunflower seed rather than wild bird seed that contains filler and spoils easily. You can often catch it on sale. Store it in a galvanized container; squirrels and other rodents can chew through plastic. The joy you receive in watching the birds your feeders will attract is worth the extra dollars!

Although the hummingbird sightings were timely, I haven't seen many since. Maybe it is the rainy, cool weather but it sure hasn't deterred the grosbeaks and goldfinches. Any day now, we should see the bright indigo buntings!

We'll miss you, Jean

Contents of the home of the late Jean Duniphan were auctioned recently, and although we are accustomed to seeing her son Steve, we had an additional delight in saying "hi" to his sister Cinda, who resides in the Philadelphia area. Many of us remember her at school and church. Steve said his mother's spirit was very much present. Jean Duniphan was loved and it was always a special joy seeing her out on her carport and dropping by for a visit.

Open for business

An update: the bathroom remodel at our house is finished and beautiful!

End of an era

Remember the circus coming to town many years ago? Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey have their last Greatest Show on Earth this month after a 146-year run. Due to lessening interest in live animal performances and the relentless animal rights groups, the majestic elephants have had their final act and will spend the rest of their lives at a Florida 200-acre conservation center. At times, one wonders if the causes of some special-interest groups are misdirected.

If PETA is really concerned about animal safety, they should focus on restricting the size of dogs that apartment dwellers leave locked up all day or pet owners who keep their dogs chained up in the yard with little access to water or shade.

Final thoughts

Stay safe from the rising floodwaters and remember to tell those special people in your life you love them -- those three words mean so much.

Send your news and comments to darbuck2@airmail.net or leave a message at (573) 887-6430 or (214) 207-7839.

And then ...

Then there was McDonald's new French fry utensil -- the "frork."