Stubby the White-winged Dove

(Stubby is a dove that has visited our porch feeders everyday
since March. Her beak is broken off.)

The Runaway Blaze

Once there was a little boy who decided to run away.So he told his Gransie, "I just think I'll run away!"

"If you run away," whispered Gransie, "I will run after you. You are my precious Blaze."

"Well, if you run after me, Gransie," Blaze insisted, "I'll become a fluffy cloud and drift way up high into the sky."

"If you drift up high above the earth," Gransie said,"I'll become a balloon and soar with you on the wind."

"Gransie!" Blaze exclaimed. "If you become a balloon, I'll become a bumblebee and zoom way up in a live oak tree."

"Blaze, if you buzz away to a beehive, I'll become a beekeeper and find you in the midst of a thousand bees," assured Gransie.

"Well....well....ummm," Blaze uttered nervously, "Gransie, if you find me in the middle of that beehive, I'll become a big lizard. And I'll be camouflaged and no one will ever be able to see me."

"If you become a camouflaged lizard, Blaze, I will become a beautiful rock that you can rest upon," Gransie insisted.

"But, Gransie," Blaze was frustrated! "If you become a rock, I'll just....I'll just.............become a giant sunflower and grow up tall toward the sun."

Gransie sighed, "And, Blaze, if you become a sunflower and grow tall, I'll become a farmer. I'll water you and love you, and I'll always take care of you."

"Oh, my goodness, Gransie!" Blaze shouted.

"If you become a farmer, I'll just have to change

into a perch and jump into a very deep pond!"

"Blaze, even if you jump into the deepest pond in the world, I will get Grandpa to cast his fishing line way out into that water and catch you." Gransie giggled.

"GRANSIE, if Grandpa goes fishing and catches me, I will become a tumbleweed and roll down the road to places far, far away!" Blaze blared loudly.

"If you become a tumbleweed, I'll just rev up my Harley and follow you wherever you go, because you are my precious grandson, Blaze," Gransie calmly said as she placed her arm around Blaze's shoulders.

"Oh, brother," Blaze shrugged as he looked up at Gransie. "I might as well just stay where I am and be your grandson."

And so he did.

"Let's go make some deer burgers,"

whispered Gransie.