Country Connections by James and Ellen Perry
It’s early autumn now, nights getting cooler, days getting shorter with cool mornings and warm afternoons. Some trees are showing color and goldenrods are bright yellow with flowers.
Goldenrods are the last honey flow for the bees before winter sets in. The reptiles are searching for underground places to overwinter in. Black bears and groundhogs are hunting food to build fat reserves for their upcoming hibernation.
Squirrels are eating every nut they can find and burying some for their winter supply. Butterflies and hummingbirds are starting their migration to Mexico and Latin America to overwinter in a warmer climate. All of nature are making necessary changes for winter.
Even the crows begin to congregate at certain locations getting ready to migrate. As a young boy I noticed that the crows would congregate on my father’s farm. Some falls as many as a thousand were flying in circles in the trees and communicating with their caws and shrieks in crow lingo.
This phenomenon happened every late fall. I guess if you were not observant or lived in a town or city most people were not privileged to see this annual event. Robins, ducks, and geese are also on their annual pilgrimage to their winter quarters.
After leaving the farm and starting my family in Alabama, I forgot about enjoying my observations of the fall changes in animal, fowl, and reptile behavior in East Tennessee.
I was too busy working, helping raise our children (plus quite a few more kids of family members) to think and remember the falls of Tennessee. South Alabama’s falls are quite different from fall in Tennessee.
Well, time marches on, and due to changes in American business my job at this time in my life as buyer, pilot and manager of domestic sales for Freeman International ended. The demise of Freeman International was caused by top management not changing with the times as top major chain stores forced most small independent stores out of business. So I decided to move back to East Tennessee.
After moving back home I begin to watch mother nature again. It’s pretty much the same as when I left here in 1962. There are less farms and more people as we have had an increase in population by natural causes (no explanation necessary), people retiring up North and escaping the mess up there, and an influx of people from Hispanic countries, Europe, Asia and China.
Although we have more population in Tennessee, we have wildlife that had been extinct here since the Great Depression. Growing up in Union County, Tennessee, we had no raccoons, black bears, wild turkey, bobcats, cougars or elk and very few deer. Most were eaten during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Except for the bobcats and cougars which were exterminated because of fear of being eaten by them. The elk and woods buffalo were gone by the late 1800s.
I was eating breakfast at Mickey-D’s in Halls Crossroads, Tennessee, one morning observing the mid-morning patrons when my thoughts went back to the falls of my youth. I noticed the similarity of certain males who all swooped around and settled like crows at a table which my mind recognized as their nesting site.
Like the crows cawing to each other during their gathering before migrating, these silver-haired human versions communicated their ideas to each other and to whomever might stop by and listen.
This is a daily event and if you get there by 8:30 a.m. you can see them swooping into Mickey-D’s. Their early morning diet is breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, and lots and lots of coffee which awakens their minds, opens their eyes, and improves their ability to aggravate a pretty little bluebird whose function is to keep these old crows in line. God bless her soul.
Some of these birds are widowers so if there are any widow birds interested, check out Mickey-D’s between 8:30 a.m. ‘til 10:00 a.m. when most retire to their home nests for a relaxing nap before lunch.
Actually, the crow’s nest has replaced an old gathering place for the old crows. Up until the spread of convenience store chains, which replaced the old country stores across the nation, there was a liar’s bench usually on the front of the store.
There the crows, known as liar’s bench boys, chewed tobacco, played checkers and dominoes, and were spinning some of the largest yarns (lies) that ever was spun in the world. Today that same phenomenon is going on at local fast food restaurants that are open for breakfast. The only difference is, these crows don’t chew tobacco or play checkers. There is some updated tomfoolery practiced though.
A gent named Leroy has a pet mechanical rat. Sometimes he talks to the rat. Paul tells Tennessee stories. Some not verified.
Gary from Memphis is a modern-day horse trader. Darrel and Linda are from Ferriday, Louisiana, the home of Jerry Lee Lewis. Don—watch him. Tall Paul, another one to watch. Gregg, a fireman and an Honest John type. Preacher Elbert seems sincere enough. His heart is in Sharps Chapel, but he lives in Knoxville.
Well, Gail, we must end our story and I appreciate your help. I know you have a hard job overseeing this flock and also performing your duties as hostess at the Halls Mickey D’s. And by the way, we must let people know that Wednesday mornings the birds drive their classic and antique cars to Mickey D’s.
Also please drop some coins into the Ronald McDonald House receptacle. They do a great service.
You young birds need to sit across from these seasoned birds and listen to their tales and conversations, as they lived in a time you will never experience. They can give you a window into East Tennessee history that hopefully will enable you to appreciate where they came from and what you have today.