A Shy Visitor-a warm memory

He arrived just after lunch on Sunday and stayed until mid afternoon. I was thrilled to catch a picture of him and this little squirrel, both quite comfortable with the other. The squirrel scurried up and down the tree, all around my visiting friend, and neither were scared of the other.

The Pileated Wood Pecker. This big boy comes to visit this particular tree at this time every year. When he comes, I always think of my old friend Wayne Harris. Wayne walked by my house one day about 15 years ago and my woodpecker friend and his mate were quite content to scurry up and down the tree for about an hour. Wayne stood on the street and watched them for quite a long time. He was a nature lover and all its creatures were precious, but mostly he loved wild birds. I wasn't home that day, but Wayne was so excited to tell me about them the next day at work. He was amazed at their size and with the thoroughness of the job they do on my tree (whatever it is they do). I sort of have this same picture about every second year, as they truly do come back every year. Whenever they came, I made sure that I told Wayne about it at work the next day. He was the kind of person that made you feel like YOU were amazing because these woodpeckers chose my tree to feed on every year.

My dear friend Wayne passed away, suddenly, 9 years ago in November. He was younger than I am now, and he left a kind hearted wife, Martine and 4 amazing kids behind. His wife, a nurse, helped me and my sister so much when my dad was dying in the hospital. Its with joy and sadness that I think of Wayne today. He was a special man and I still miss him.