Monday, August 2, 2010

Nest and pencil, role model and awake


- Someone lost their nest and pencil. The landscapers likely knocked the nest out of the bushes behind this power unit and sat it on top. The all-star student who owned the pencil used the eraser quite a bit it seems. I admire the craftsmenship that went into building the nest and the student for exercising early editing skills.

- My beloved uncle worked until just one month ago at the age of 86. He managed a parking garage for an office building in downtown Macon, Georgia. He passed away last week after a brief illness and it was so lovely to see the comments from patrons of the parking garage on the online "guest book" at his obituary page. One example out of many, "John was so very nice. I met him when I started working downtown in Aug of '08. He has been pleasant from day one. When he was not there, I looked for him to be. It is an honor to have known such a person who always gave you a smile as you entered and left his presence. I will never forget him and I know many others won't either."

- Logging more miles on Interstate 75 north and feeling so lucky to have friend Leisa to call and chat with (using hands free device) so I can stay awake.

25 comments:

G. B. Miller said...

I think that speaks volumes about a person when so many people in a person's work life (and I'm not just talking about co-workers) stop by to pay their respects, either online or in person.

desk49 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
desk49 said...

Okay you got me
I think I'll just cry
For no poems will I try
How could I put a
Landscapers, pencil, and nest
All in a poem and still do my best
Your Uncle it seems was so nice
To the people he met in his life
To them each day he smile away
Until his very last day
Along interstate 75
Leisa will keep you alive.

Leisa will keep you alive.

Louvregirl said...

My condolences Lynn, for the recent loss of your Uncle; thank you for sharing the comment about him. I always appreciate the kindness and the simplicity in people where I find it.
lg (P.S. That looks like a rather large nest!) Hey~~~ that's my pencil!

Granny Annie said...

The nest, the pencil, your uncle's life, all interrupted while something great was in progress.

Jannie Funster said...

Condolences from me too on your uncle. Seems everybody in your family is somebody I wuld want to know or have known.

Nests always amaze me. I recently learned squirrels make them too.

Take care.

xo

TALON said...

I'm so sorry for the loss of your uncle, Lynn. And how beautiful a testament to his life are comments like that? For someone to look out for someone because they are such

At first I thought the pencil was to show the relative size of the nest. I loved Annie's observation - life interrupted.

Lance said...

Lynn,
Your uncle sounds like a sweet and caring man, and someone who has left this world a better place. May that feeling he has left others with be something they continue to carry on...a true gift he was, and continues to be...

And nests...it really amazes me what birds can build and create...

Lynn said...

G -

I think so, too. He was a wonderful man who loved to work - he regaled me with tales of the parking garage when he visited my dad in the hospital last November. We had a good long talk and I'm so glad of that - it was unusual to have one on one time with him.

Ellis -

Hey - it looks as if you did it though! Yes - quite possibly Leisa did keep me alive. It was call someone or stop for a milkshake and I'm supposed to be on a diet(just trying to force a milkshake through a straw wakes you up.) :)

lg -

Thanks,lg. The nest and pencil showed up at the some time one day. I thought you looked like an editing all-star student! :)

Granny Annie -

GREAT observation!

Jannie -

A lovely thing for you to say. I do have a wonderful family.

xo

Talon -

Yes - one after the other of the messages were parking garage employees or patrons who were so upset to lose him.

It's odd that the pencil and nest have stayed in that same position for a few days now. I was just inspired to photograph it yesterday.

Lynn said...

Lance -

I hope they do carry that feeling on. And birds nests are so amazing for their intricacy.

LL Cool Joe said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your uncle, and he was obviously loved by many others as well as you.

Like Talon, I thought the pencil was there to show the size of the nest!

Riot Kitty said...

I am sorry for your loss, but what a full life!

Sara said...

This one made think of subtitle, "Taking time" In each of your stories, I felt that something or someone took the time to do something well.

For example, the birds took time to build a strong nest, the person with the pencil took time to erase mistakes, your uncle took time to give an encouraging smile, and your friend took time to be there when you needed to call.

I liked seeing this connecting thread and I'm glad you took time to share these stories:~)

Ileana said...

I'm sorry to hear about your uncle. Sounds like he left an imprint on the heart of those who knew him. There should be more people like him in the world.

I love hands free devices, since I tend to speak w/ my hands a lot. ;)

sage said...

Sorry about your uncle, but it sounds like he was a wonderful man who touched lots of lives. Travel safe.

Lynn said...

Joe -

Thanks, Joe. Not intentional, but it worked, huh?

Riot Kitty -

Absolutely.

Sara -

I like that, "Taking Time" - thank you for that.

Ily -

Thank you and I talk with my hands, too. I mainly mentioned that so everyone knows I am using safety precautions while driving. It is not against the law here in Georgia, although texting while driving is.

Sage -

He did touch many lives. We will miss him.

Meredith said...

Sorry to hear about your uncle's passing -- but glad to know he spread his joy and positive spirit around this place while he had the chance -- much like you, dear friend. :)

That nest is a beauty. We've got one in the wild rose hedge that's been empty for a month now, and I keep wanting to filch it for photographs and then reprimanding myself that someone may yet decide to use it for a last-minute purpose before the season is through. But it's not nearly so perfectly formed as that one, and it's much smaller!

Anonymous said...

What a fine testament to your uncle's down to earth greatness, Lynn. Such people are truly missed when they pass from this world to whatever comes next. Just beautiful.

Y'know, that nest and pencil could be the latest installation at some modern art gallery somewhere, couldn't it? I can't wait to read the title card to find out what it's called and what it's all supposed to mean. :P

Maude Lynn said...

I'm sorry to hear about your uncle, Lynn.

Lynn said...

Meredith -

Thank you for saying that - I like to think so.

I have a feeling this might be a blue jay nest - the second photo has a feather embedded in it. And there are lots of blue jays around.

Tony -

Thank you.

I think we would call it Nest and pencil. :) And people would crowd around wondering what it means - and I would stand in the background thinking, "it means Nest and pencil." :)

Mama Zen -

Thank you -

Fireblossom said...

I am always amazed at how creatures with no hands can make such nests!

I used to like those funny erasers you stuck on the end of your pencil, that were animals and such like. :-)

Your Uncle sounds like a wonderful man, Lynn.

Lynn said...

Shay -

I watched some wrens build a nest on my back porch once - in a hugely inconvenient spot for me, but I could see them coming and going with the pine straw and twigs and moss. It was neat and I kept the nest after they were done with it.

Thank you - my uncle will be greatly missed by many people.

Snaggle Tooth said...

The old empty nest problem... Well hopefully the young birds are off n flying by now-I really hate pencils with no eraser...What's the point?
I also have an 86 year old uncle! He's a monk, n lives on a mountain- Such a stress free life of harmony we should all strive for...
I'm sorry it was your uncles time to go already- we should all be fortunate to be remembered so fondly!
Driving tired is always a challenge. Lucky you can do that- I've no device, n usually end up with coffee n a head-ache later-

Lynn said...

Snaggle -

Wow - your uncle is monk living on a mountain - not many people could say that.

Liara Covert said...

To live and focus on the present is to feel as though everything is happening in this very moment. From this perspective, past and future disappear into nothingness. The truth is felt now.

In gratitude to Lance for guiding me to experience this blog. Peace.