In Memory of John - my Dad.

Today would have been my fathers birthday, had he not passed away in 1965. It gives me cause to think of him and appreciate his love for nature which he passed on to me. Dad loved to fish. He loved being out in nature and loved taking my brothers, my mother and me with him. Some of my fondest memories in life involve all of us hopping in the car heading out to Cutsinger bridge - Dad's favorite local fishin hole. Mom packed a picnic basket with some sandwiches, and Dad would stick 5 cane poles in the back window of the car with the tips hanging out the front drivers side. He would bait my hook (and my moms) and we'd throw our lines out in the water and we'd sit and watch the bobbers float along with the current. Being a little antsy, I was soon bored if the fish weren't biting and that's when my Dad would call my attention to the nature around us.

I remember one such occasion on a spring morning. I was bored and Dad was calling my attention to the blossoms on the dogwood trees and we would watch them fall and land on the water and float away. As we were looking at the blooming trees, he pointed out some movement. At first I didn't see it, but then the flittering of the bright green leaves was unmistakable. I asked him what it was, and he said to me, "Babe, that's a Brown Thrasher." I was amazed that he knew the name of the bird! So, I started asking him the names of any bird I saw - he knew most of them, or at least he recited names to me. Mallard ducks, Buzzard, Crow, Tree Swallow, Robin, Woodpecker, Bluebird, he knew so many! I asked him what his favorite bird was and he told me it was the Brown Thrasher because it was the first bird he had ever looked up in a book.

To this day, when I see a brown thrasher, I always think of Dad. Happy Birthday, John H Smith. Thank you!