Any old time frill keepers out there? I would love to hear some old stories about my grandfather.

[Msbear]

He passed in the early 90's. I was just a kid. I can remember going to that farm and it was like sensory overload to a little girl... chickens (little fluffy ones), doves and pigeons, coops everywhere! I would wake up early every morning to help feed and hold and pet

I got into chickens myself several years ago and now have my own plethora that little girls squeal about as they roll down my driveway. My father passed a few months ago and I was digging through his stuff and stumbled on this old article from "American Pigeon Journal" and was kind of hoping someone might remember Ole Nick.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I never had the pleasure of meeting "Nick". I myself have 63 trips around the sun and am getting closer to the jumping off point shall we say.

Nick definitely sounds like someone I would have enjoyed sharing time with. We had a lot of things in common a love of pigeons and grand kids right off the bat. I myself raise white homers. I also enjoyed reading the article written with love from a good friend.

You may have read this recount of a memorable day at my residence. If you have please forgive me for repeating myself (it happens when you are a senior).



My grand daughter's hand-raised, orphaned-homer failed to return on a 20 mile toss. It was one of the few times she did not accompany me on a release. She suffered tears and heartache when I told her of the loss.

Amazingly when I went to close up the loft at dusk what should come flying in but (her pigeon) Piper!

I checked him over and he was tore open from his neck to his tail feathers.

My first instinct was to put him out of his misery. I however brought him into the house for a better look. My wife flushed out the wound with a saline solution and I glued him back together with crazy glue. He was good to go in about 5 days

This is him incubating eggs after his ordeal. .

My grand daughter was On The MOON when I told her of Pipers return. Grand daughter has experienced love, loss, heartache. first aid, joy, responsibility, and kinship with yours truly. She has also developed special bonds with some of our doves who prefer her company over mine when she comes into the loft with me.

It has given her a good subject for presentation at school as well.

We also are starting up a small enterprise with white dove releases (Pipers parents were both solid snow white just for the record).




Pipers Parents

Grand daughter did her first dove release at a wedding last fall also another release for an anti bulling campaign at her grade school.

With the aid of the Internet she has also become somewhat of an authority on homing pigeons. She definitely knows more than the average 12 year old on the subject and can talk your ear off.

This was relayed to me by her teacher after she was forced to cut off a presentation she made when the question period looked like it was not going to end.

She would rather hang out with Hokum (her name for me since she was one) then any of her friends or parents (for that matter).




Picture of Back Yard

However she will be entering her teens next year (make-up and boys will probably soon shove me aside).

I know however that these birds have made her a better person regardless what comes in the future.

Plus I have another grand daughter who is only turned 3 and calls me Coco (since she was one).

Your only true legacy is the kindness and values you pass on to your love ones and people you befriend.

 

[RingedTeal]

I have a similar story except in this one I am the grandchild. My Grandpa has had birds as long as I can remember. I remember he used to have an old barn with hundreds of different Pigeons and Game chickens. I got my first birds from him. And he said his favorite was a Frillback Pigeon so for his birthday I'm trying to find him some. But anyway I am one of two grandchildren that has followed him in his love for animals. The other is my eight year old cousin. He has shown me a lot aand taught me a lot about birds and it is a lot of fun just sitting with him and listening to him tell stories about birds he has had in the past. So I hope that y'all understand I'm just trying to say the appreciation for the time grandparents spend teaching their kids and grandkids goes both ways.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I believe animal owners have stronger immune systems. I have nothing what so ever to back up my hypothesis. Just my gut feeling that back in the 50's and 60's when I was growing up most families had animals in one shape or another. During those times lunches consisted of anything under the rainbow. Today allergies and food bans are common place in all schools (could be we just killed off all the weaker kids who knows.) My family have no allergies to speak of and pets were always in our household.