Citizen Forum

Editor,

P.E.T.A. should send me a thank-you note for I saved two lives in the animal kingdom on back-to-back days earlier this week. The birds have a nest in my carport and about three weeks ago, two chicks hatched. I've been watching them from my bedroom window on a regular basis, as they have grown past the hatchling stage and into flight school, which their Mom has been teaching for the past few days.

Well, one of the birds got caught up in the nest and could not take flight. One of her tiny claws had become entangled in the nest preventing her take-off. The bird was flapping its wings helplessly, while dangling upside down from the nest. I got on the ladder and reached into the nest and clipped the offending twig and placed the little one in my palm.

I freed her/him from the rest of the matter around its claw and gingerly placed the would-be flyer on a small pile of leaves under the nest. In a matter of seconds the chick was airborne and was last seen flying towards a nearby tree which hopefully will provide proper shelter and comfort.

And I on the terra firma was left feeling much like Orville must have felt when Wilbur first took flight. Really, really swell.

The following morning on the golf course, we encountered a copperhead crawling across the cart path adjacent to the #2 tee box. A beautiful specimen it was, about four feet long with magnificent markings. If there was a Westminster Snake Show (and there really should be), this baby would win best in type at least.

Unfortunately, my friend and golfing buddy was not so enamored with this copper-colored creature. He wanted to kill it.

In fact, as the driver of the cart he was bound and determined to run the snake over. I grasped the wheel of the would-be murder vehicle and forced it to come to a stop, nearly turning us over in the process. Had he killed the snake at that point, I'm afraid our friendship would have suffered more than the snake.

Thankfully, neither suffered any damage. As my copper-colored friend slithered into the deep grass to safety, I felt somewhat like I did the the day before when I freed the bird.

Snake and bird. Fear and love. We fear the snake. We love the bird. The two most basic of human emotions we attach to these two animal creatures. We love that which we fear. We fear that which we love. Some fear the bird. Some love the snake.

As for me, I'm just glad I was around to save the lives of both as theirs intersected with mine.

Charles Craig

Garfield, Ark.

Editor,

I am so grateful to live in the sacred circle of Eureka Springs.

I am grateful that Eureka has some of the world's best restaurants, some of the world's best crafts, some of the world's best music, some of the world's best shops, some of the world's best architecture and some of the world's most beautiful natural surroundings.

I am very grateful that Eureka Springs and its surrounding area is home to some of the world's most beautiful, wonderful, generous people and most of all I am so grateful and honored that I am fortunate enough to get to live here in the midst of all this beauty.

I am grateful to a man named Pete who graciously gave me a cabin to tear down and move to my yard.

I am grateful to my sons, Tim and Thad Brown, and several people assisting them who dismantled the cabin, moved it and began rebuilding it.

I am grateful to some dear friends who saw I didn't have funds to complete rebuilding the cabin and offered me that help in the form of a benefit.

I am greateful to K.J. for lending Caribe for the benefit, to Allison and Margo for assisting and to Beau for auctioneering.

I am grateful to Ali, Pete, Penny, Stix, Tim, Marianne, Les, Marie, Susie, Bonnie, Catrina, Shakeenah, Barb, Mary Sue, Ginger, Sarah, Isis, Becky, Kathy, Mary, Catherine and Amy and anyone I might have forgotten (I'm old) who worked so hard to provide this benefit.

I am grateful to all people who donated art work, crafts and other items, and to all who donated time, energy, money and delicious food and to all people who gave me items and money directly.

Most of all, Creator, I am so grateful that you allow me to live in The House That Love Built.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Kit Shepperd