C o r k y

Did it ever occur to you that when driving, you rarely see a dead crow or a blue jay on the road? Maybe these things don’t cross your mind but, being a nature nut, I’ve thought about it often. A fellow church member reasoned this situation to be because crows and blue jays travel in groups. Crows love to eat road kills and I’m sure you’ve noticed that many times. When one or two crows fly down on the road to eat, there is usually one or two up in the trees close by. Then, when a vehicle approaches, the sentinels call out CAR! CAR! CAR! I don’t know how true this is, but there could be some truth to it.

I know that when I hear a flock of blue jays fussing out in the woods that they have spotted an owl, or most often a snake. Thanks to the blue jays, I have caught many snakes to study. One little fledgling blue jay taught me just how smart these little birds really are.

When in the sixth grade, I happened upon a baby blue jay. Being unable to find his nest, I took him home and assumed the responsibility of raising him. This turned out to be a mixed blessing. Most of my summer was spent digging worms and catching grasshoppers. He was a bottomless pit. Soon he was placed outside, due to his constant begging and other undesirable traits. Even though his cage was right next to the back door, his constant begging attracted the attention of a mother blue jay. To our astonishment, she took over and fed him, many times, every day, right through the wire. This little bird provided us with many hours of fun until one day he got loose in my Dad’s print shop and proceeded to distribute many fonts of type all over the floor. That’s when I learned about the print shop. I must have picked up type for two days. Well you’ve probably guessed it by now, we named him Corky because he was a real corker. Soon Corky was set free. YES!

That was a good summer and I learned things that books don’t teach, things like responsibility and accountability. My Mom, of course, was there to supply the needed encouragement and enforcement. Those traits are appreciated more now than they were then.

We have a new year just ahead of us and I hope we all take responsibility for using it wisely. We have been told that the getting of knowledge is the beginning of wisdom. Use this new year to do just that. Search the scriptures and spend time with God’s creation, then your new year will make you and those around you richer.

Burney Tompkins

    - Uncle Burney