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Meanwhile Back Home
By Gaye Hoots
I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent in Advance, as well as the time I spent with my friends and family there, including my brief stint as an orthopedic nurse. The time with Tiffany, Jaden, and Mia was good for me, and Mia, who would blow me kisses, I miss them already. It is good to be back home now – where we took a family trip to Belhaven, Bath, and Washington, old towns with many historical buildings and beautiful water views.
Today, I am content on my couch with coffee, Facebook, my birdfeeder, and blue skies and water. The quiet is nice, and both a male cardinal and woodpecker were on the feeder at the same time. The new birdfeeder has defeated the squirrel for now. Initially, he was able to lift the roof off, but it included a lock feature that prevented that, so he is trying to devise a new plan.
I know I need more exercise, but sitting on a comfortable couch with my legs elevated, a heating pad on my back, a beautiful view, and a good cup of coffee is a treat. Tiffany made me a great cup of coffee while I was visiting her, so I ordered a new coffee machine and pods, thinking it would be as simple as my Keurig. After she had ordered it for me, she explained she needed to put an app on my phone with instructions on how to set it up and operate it. Thankfully, Cami programmed it for me, and I enjoyed my first cup of coffee today. I hope I will be able to do this on my own.
The memories on Facebook were bittersweet today as the old posts had comments from my sister and brother, who are deceased, and sweet friends who are deceased or incapacitated. Frequent comments and pictures of my granddaughter, Alex, are among them. She died from a drug overdose about eight years ago after returning from a six-month rehab. Drugs from across the border are claiming a larger number of lives every day, and I fear the US will become like Mexico in that respect.
I hope that we can keep our youth healthy and strong enough to combat this problem. It is easy to see how children who have no strong family ties or community affiliations are drawn to this culture to gain acceptance, but many who appear to have every advantage are also caught up in this, and once bitten, it is a daily battle to stay clean. Eliminating the source would be the best plan, but this is a complicated process, and many in the US profit from it. It is imported by people here, distributed by people here, and youngsters are recruited to become customers, sometimes by youth leaders, teachers, and often by giving the first doses for free, sadly. It is a culture where the only requirement to be accepted is that you participate, much like a cult.
The more support systems a child has, the better their chances of overcoming obstacles. A supportive family, church ties, achievement in school, participation in sports, band, or group activities, and healthy friends are all a plus. A child needs to be nurtured, have their self-esteem bolstered, and be given a chance to develop self-confidence. Time spent with a child is a good investment in their future and the future of our country.

Here They Come!
By Marie Craig
If I go outside and listen very carefully, I can hear tiny vibrations coming from the southwest. Almost imperceptible, but gaining in volume. The hummingbird’s 60 tiny wing beats per second produce a buzzing sound that is the fastest of any bird. The scouts will arrive about April 15. I think they want to add some beauty and comfort on Tax Day. I know when I see my first one that I am so excited. They were with me last summer and all the summers before that, leaving on Oct. 15 for Central America, 2000 miles away, and not saying any thanks for the sugar water or goodbye or see you in mid-April. They can fly 30-40 mph.
I’ve heard of ADHD and rudeness, and they are good examples. But the joy they give me in the warm weather is so special.
Our type is ruby throated hummingbirds which the males have. There are 13 other species in the United States.
They are the only birds that can fly backward and can feed while hovering. Their personalities are high energy. If a 170-pound man led the equivalent of a hummingbird’s life, he would burn up 55,000 calories a day. They feed every 10 to 15 minutes from dawn to sunset, often consuming more than half their weight in food and eight times their weight in water per day.
Some gardeners plant special flowers, such as bee balm, butterfly weed, cardinal flower, columbine, fuchsia, nasturtiums, and petunias for them.
The nobles of Montezuma’s Aztec court had cloaks of hummingbird skins, and the Indians who 1`/2greeted the New England pilgrims sometimes wore a hummingbird as an earring.
I need to get my feeders ready. I’ll use my half quart glass measuring cup and put 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar and then add water to the one cup level. Then I’ll microwave this for one minute. Stirring until clear is next and then add 1 cup cold water. Red food dye is not necessary and possibly harmful to the birds.
The diving and swooping shows that they give are about to start. Don’t miss out.