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PUTNAM NEWS
Jill Oxley: Community News
LOVE AND MARRIAGE: I've often wondered if couples spent as much time planning a lifelong marriage as they do planning a wedding day, if more marriages might indeed last until death they do part.
Turns out I'm not the only one to have had this thought. Thom Pratt, who has 15 years experience in the mental health field, is offering a free course, "Building Teamwork in Your Marriage." The enlightening class will be held at the Teays Valley Church of God, 4430 Teays Valley Road, beginning at 9:15 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 7 For more info call 304-757-9222.
HORSIN' AROUND: The Make a Difference Day Foundation Charity Horse Show begins at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Putnam County Fairgrounds in Eleanor. Adult and youth trophies will be awarded. For more information call 304-545-9607, 304-437-1296, 304-545-8012, or 304-610-3318.
TAKE A STAND: The Communities United Against Hate Forum will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at St. John's Episcopal Church, 1105 Quarrier St., in Charleston. This forum will build upon the last event's brainstorming sessions (held Aug. 5). Creative, wonderful ideas for working on issues around racism and other forms of prejudice and intolerance were generated at that well-attended event. This next forum will be a chance to create action plans! A report reflecting the issues and concerns identified by attendees of that event will be available next week as well as fliers for you to circulate. Call Citizen Action Group for more information at 304-346-5891.
DUCKS IMITATING HUMANS? Earlier this week, I was watching ducks with some of my more profound friends, when "Crabby" told me to watch the ducks. That's not a typo -- I also wondered why he would say that when I was, QUITE obviously, already looking at the ducks; I had been pointing out individual ducks and expressing awe over the color on the Mallard's heads and wings.
Recognizing that I was not quite catching his drift, Crabby said, "Watch, they are exactly like humans." I smiled an inward smile; up until that time, I found ducks to be totally different than humans. But my friend's humor me and listen to my philosophies, so I looked on, open to new perspective. I watched the flock, about 20 of them, as a group, rather than just admiring their individual beauty.
While the flock ate, there were two ducks, on opposite sides, just outside the perimeter of the flock facing away from the feeding area. When the main duck had more than her fair share of cracked corn, she stretched her neck high and began her loud quack, and every duck quacked with her. Utter chaos broke out; there was quacking and waddling in every direction. After a couple of minutes, the ducks had reorganized, the select ducks from the feeding area went to the outside and a second group took feeding positions. Two new sentries were in place. Much to my surprise, I witnessed a just ducky changing of the guard.
Through the whole process, there were bully ducks (really) that accomplished little more than ruffling the feathers of others. Finally, the weakest ducks were given opportunity to eat.
The main duck spread her wings to launch the next leg of the journey, and the rest of the flock urgently followed. The weak, that had just begun to eat, dutifully left behind sustenance to follow...
The verdict is still out; are ducks exactly like humans? This experience brought to mind the well-known saying, "Only the strong survive," and the lesser-known saying, "It's a duck-eat-duck world."
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Touched." -- Crabby
Let Jill Oxley, Putnam County's resident community newshound, know about your events by leaving a message at 304-757-9579 a week in advance.
