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Toad’s Stool: Birds, health and the holidays

Northern MI – Happy New Year! That makes 59 New Years for me and I am hoping for another 30 at least. I know that there are some that wish to never grow older just like Peter Pan. ‘Me’ on the other hand, I am enjoying this time I have on earth old age and all.

As long as my health holds out and I have nothing other than chronic pain then hey, it’s all good. I also just had a CAT scan and it showed nothing severely wrong anywhere. Sure, a bad back but that doesn’t everyone.

I can already hear my brothers and sisters, what nothing wrong? Obviously, they did not check your head. Well there’s no reason to check my head because all they will find are the feathers from all my bird friends, that I see each day.

And with that last sentence we get a great segue into my birds. It’s a bit funny that I had a Purple Finch here all summer and then in September it left and as of now has not returned.

I have no Finches or Gross Beaks of any kind and no Red Breasted Nut Hatches either. I know that we removed the porch roof this year for repairs, but I cannot believe that is why they are not here.

I have heard that there is an abundance of natural feed, so the birds are a bit slow in the migration.

On the other hand, there sure are a lot of Snowy Owls coming south this year. I was fortunate to see the one on Booth Road in Mio outside of the Metal Fab shop. My sons work there and called to let me know that there was a pretty girl waiting for me on the sign out front.

Christmas was good this year, with all the family here it made for a great day. And to make this Christmas extra special, last year on Christmas Eve my third grandchild, Gideon, was born to my son Nathanael and his wife Abigail. He is now walking and starting to try talking. So, we celebrated a first birthday as well.

Deer season was good for my brother Timber and my brother-in-law Kit Gusler. They both did very well getting bucks and does filling out all their tags.

As ever I am looking forward to this new year. We all make our resolutions this time of year and many of them have to do with our physical wellbeing. 

That is all fine and well but this year I am hoping to center more on improving my spiritual self. As is the spirit so being the man, at least that is my hope.

That’s all for this month, may we all have a prosperous and happy year ahead of us.

You may reach Warren at warren@upnorthvoice.com

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