The first warm day of summer, I went to put on a pair of shorts. I looked down and saw a pair of wrinkly knees. What the? Where did THOSE come from? For a moment there I thought I started takin' off my pantyhose and forgot about 'em. Nope, those were my knees. When did I get so old?

Same thing with "crow's feet" around my eyes. Well isn't that a "lovely" expression. Now I've got a lil' bird stompin' across my face when I least expect it. Laugh lines? Who says they're funny. When did I get so old?

Or have ya found yourself singin' along to the songs in the grocery store? That's as bad as elevator music. Who would have thought I would hear "Stayin' Alive" as I strolled down the canned fruits isle? But I did and I still can't hit that high note like those Gibb brothers. When did I get so old?

So I sat down and started to talk to him. My first question was "What happened, did ya get knocked out of the nest?" Boy how I wish critters could talk.

I was amazed at how unafraid he was. He came within a foot of me, just starin'. My Polish upbringin' kicked in and I immediately felt the need to feed him somethin'. So I brought him out some bird seed and a lil' bowl of water.

He started to eat the seed. He then hopped into the bowl of water and sat in it as he drank. What a precious sight that was.

All afternoon he hopped around the porch, venturin' down a few steps only to come back up to where he felt safe. His parents keepin' a watchful eye on him.

When dusk came, I said goodnight and closed the front door.

The next mornin' I went to let our dogs out and check on my new feathered friend. As I opened the door, there he lay lifeless in the same spot I saw him the evenin' before. His head was gone. My heart sank.

I knew the cat. I have been chasin' him off my property for weeks. I know, I know... "That's what cats do, its nature." That may be true, but as long as I'm on watch, I do my best to keep that from happenin'. He was so innocent, so sweet so vulnerable. I had failed my new lil' friend.

When I went out on the porch later that afternoon, I found a few of his tiny baby feathers. I took them out on our property, opened my hand and watched them blow away in the wind. He was finally able to fly.

Today as I walked around our land, I came upon this delicate and fragile empty bird's nest. It was just laying in the grass. Not a tree or a bush near it. It was so strange. I gently picked it up and smiled. Was it a "sign"? Who knows... But I'd like to think so. :> )

It made me realize the importance of our hard workin' farmin' community and how we tend to take them for granted.

These folks work 24/7. They can't take a sick day, or have the luxury of sleepin' in or take a personal day off because they're tired. The cows still need to be milked even on Christmas. They work from sun up to sun down and the chores are never done. Far from the glamorous life too but without them, how would we survive?

So the next time ya run to the grocery and fill up your cart with all those good eats, please remember to thank a farmer. I think they deserve it, don't you?