BUTTERFLIES AND HUMMING BIRDS
BOB
STOPPED THE JEEP AND REACHED DOWN AND TURNED OFF THE MOTOR.
WE SAT THERE ENGULFED IN A CLOUD OF ORANGE AND BLACK. IT
WAS SO AWE INSPIRING THAT NEITHER ONE OF US SPOKE. WE HAD
THE TOP OFF OF THE JEEP AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS LYING DOWN ON
THE HOOD. WE SAT THERE FOR TEN OR TWELVE MINUTES WHILE THIS
CLOUD SWIRLED AROUND US AND FINALLY DISAPPEARED BEHIND US.
.
BOB AND
I HAD GONE TO OUR DEER LEASE IN THE HILL COUNTRY OF CENTRAL
TEXAS FOR THE SPRING TURKEY SEASON. IT WAS THE FIRST WEEK
OF APRIL AND THE WILD FLOWERS WERE IN BLOOM. THE DEER LEASE
WAS COVERED WITH ALL KINDS OF WILD FLOWERS AND VINES IN FULL
BLOOM AND WE WERE RIDING AROUND LOOKING AT THEM.
WE HAD
JUST FORDED THE LITTLE CREEK THAT WE CALLED CRABAPPLE CREEK
ON A JEEP ROAD WHEN WE SAW THIS CLOUD OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES
COMING DOWN THE ROAD TOWARD US. THE ROAD CUT THROUGH SOME
TREES AT THIS POINT AND THE ROAD WAY WAS ONLY ABOUT TEN
YARDS WIDE.
THE
BUTTERFLIES REACHED FROM CLOSE TO THE GROUND TO ABOUT TEN
FEET IN THE AIR AND FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAY TO THE
OTHER. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF THEM. AS WE SAT
THERE THEY FLEW ALL AROUND AND OVER US. AT TIMES THEY WERE
SO THICK THAT WE COULDN’T SEE THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE
JEEP. TO ME IT WAS A VERY SPIRITUAL MOMENT THAT I WILL
NEVER FORGET.
AFTER
THE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES DISAPPEARED BEHIND US BOB STARTED
THE JEEP AND WE DROVE BACK TO THE CABIN. NETHER ONE OF US
SAID A WORD ON THE RIDE BACK. WE WERE BOTH LOST IN OUR OWN
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE.
WHEN WE
GOT TO THE CABIN I SAT DOWN IN THE PORCH SWING AND BOB WENT
INSIDE. IN A FEW MINUTES HE CAME BACK OUTSIDE. HE HAD A
CUP OF COFFEE IN HIS HAND AND HE SAT DOWN ON THE SWING NEXT
TO ME TO DRINK HIS COFFEE. “CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT WE JUST
SAW?” HE WANTED TO KNOW. “BOB I WAS THERE SO I CAN BELIEVE
IT BUT ANY ONE THAT DIDN’T SEE IT WON’T BELIEVE IT” I
ANSWERED.
“I’M
DRIVING UP TO THE RANCH HOUSE AND CALLING PAT,” HIS WIFE,
“AND TELL HER ABOUT THE BUTTERFLIES. YOU WANT TO COME WITH
ME?” BOB SAID. “SURE” I SAID AND GOT IN THE JEEP. WHEN WE
GOT TO THE OLD RANCH HOUSE, BOB PARKED IN FRONT BY THE
SIX-FOOT HIGH WIRE FENCE.
HE WENT
INTO THE HOUSE WHERE FINN AGGARD, THE CARE TAKER, HAD HIS
OFFICE, TO USE THE PHONE. FINN AND HIS WIFE LIVED IN THE
BACK OF THE OLD HOUSE, BUT THE OFFICE WAS ALWAYS OPEN SO WE
COULD GO IN AND USE THE PHONE ANYTIME WE WANTED TO.
I SAT IN
THE JEEP AND WAITED FOR BOB. AS I SAT THERE I WAS WATCHING
ALL THE HUMMING BIRDS BUZZING AROUND THE HONEYSUCKLE VINES
GROWING ON THE WIRE FENCE. THERE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF THEM.
I WAS WEARING MY RED HUNTING CAP AND ONE OF THE HUMMING
BIRDS BUZZED AROUND MY HEAD. I PULLED OFF MY CAP AND LAID
IT IN MY LAP. I DIDN’T WANT ONE OF THOSE HUMMING BIRDS
STICKING HIS TINY BILL IN MY EAR LOOKING FOR NECTAR.
THE NEXT
THING I KNEW THIS LITTLE HUMMING BIRD LIT ON MY RED CAP THAT
WAS IN MY LAP. HE SAT THERE AND WE LOOKED AT ONE AND OTHER
EYE BALL TO EYE BALL FOR AN INSTANT. THEN HE WAS OFF TO THE
HONEYSUCKLE VINES AGAIN.
WHEN BOB
CAME BACK TO THE JEEP I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE HUMMING BIRD
LANDING ON MY RED CAP AS IT LAY IN MY LAP. HE SAID, “WE’VE
GOT TO GET SOME HUMMING BIRD FEEDERS AND HANG THEM ON THE
PORCH AT THE CABIN SO WE CAN WATCH THEM.” SO THE NEXT TIME
WE WENT INTO TOWN, WE BOUGHT TWO FEEDERS AND HUNG THEM ON
THE CORNERS OF THE ROOF OVER THE PORCH.
IT ONLY
TOOK ONE DAY BEFORE THE HUMMING BIRDS FOUND OUR FEEDERS AND
WE COULD SIT IN THE PORCH SWING AND WATCH THEM. WE KEPT THE
HUMMING BIRD FEEDERS FULL OF SUGAR WATER ALL WEEK AND WE HAD
HUMMING BIRDS AROUND THEM ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
THE NEXT
TIME WE WENT TO THE DEER LEASE WE FOUND THAT SOMETHING ELSE
HAD BEEN FEEDING ON THE SUGAR WATER. BUT THAT’S A WHOLE
NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.
SOME FOLKS
HAVE GOTTEN THE IDEA, I WRITE THESE TALL TALES,
HOWEVER THAT SIMPLY ISN'T TRUE. LOREN MOORE, WRITES
THEM. IF YOU ENJOY THEM LET HIM KNOW SO HE WILL DO
MORE. I AM SURE YOU HAVE NOTICED AT TIMES THERE ISN'T
ONE. CLICK ON HIS NAME BELOW AND LET HIM KNOW IF YOU
WOULD LIKE ENOUGH, FOR ME TO SEND ONE EVERY TIME.
Thanks....Texas
Bob |
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