By Darla Buckhannon

Happy birthday to Ann Nordin, Jack Wessel, Randy Eftink, Shirley Keen, Jo Stovall, Brenda Miller, Mindy Hendrix, Trenton Horman, Sue Traw, Trish Little, Pam Cannon, Alice Uhrhan, Adella Frank, David Slinkard, Joe Williams, Cindy Harris, Tony Whitaker, John Gaines, Sarah Gaines, Collin Dannenmueller, Rebecca Reischman, Erica Dannenmueller, Robert Graham, Kimberly Hendrix, Jonathan Teegarden, Leroy Bollinger, Patrick Moore, Kathy Shetter and Judy Abernathy.

Happy anniversary to Steve and Anita Montgomery, Darrell and Jeannie Chapman and Shannon and Kim Hendrix.

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge

Richard and I recently drove to Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. We enjoyed fried chicken at Mel's Diner in Puxico, Missouri, then stopped in the Visitor's Center. We saw 30 deer in various settings, herons, flickers and three eagles. Along the highway, we counted 17 hawks. The auto tour re-opens in March.

Eagle-watching events abound up and down the Mississippi River. We enjoyed the eagle nest at Rockview, Missouri, for many years until it finally succumbed to storms last spring, but it is wonderful to see a nesting pair in a nearby tree. It is doubtful a pair would rebuild there, but it is always delightful to see the majestic eagles so close to home.

Bird feeders

Bird activity at backyard feeders and bird baths has picked up. We are seeing goldfinches, cardinals, juncos, a hairy woodpecker and even the tiny creeper. The resident Cooper hawk visits our backyard on occasion and seems to delight in spooking Richard's Indian fantails and mookees by perching atop the fly pen.

Richard and I were in St. Louis last Saturday to attend the St. Louis Metropolitan Pigeon Fanciers Association. We also went to the annual Winter All Breed Show at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri. There was also an agility dog competition. People and their pets are amazing to watch. Being a good sport about it all and having endured my withdrawal from Dallas' Bed Bath and Beyond, Richard indulged me by making a stop at a store nearby. Although nice, it was much smaller than I am accustomed to in Dallas. Would someone please tell me where the big Bed Bath and Beyond is in St. Louis?

NFL playoffs

We made it back to Chaffee in time to watch the end of the Chiefs-Titans game, but I listened to some of it in the car. Certainly doesn't compare to actually watching all of the excitement. I used to record some of the Cowboys games, but the final score was always spoiled when one of my sisters would invariably leave a message saying, "Sorry about the Cowboys" or "How about those Cowboys!" I finally wised up and turned off the recorder! I might pause the game so I can zip through commercials, but other than that I watch games in real time.

The College Football Playoff national championship game between Alabama and Georgia on Monday got off to a great start and had a fantastic ending for Alabama fans! President Trump was in the opening ceremonies, and the Zac Brown Band sang the national anthem. NFL conference playoffs are this weekend and next Sunday and will determine who will be in Super Bowl LII.

Around town

Monday is Martin Luther King Day, but City Hall will be open. We're reminded to get our trash out by 6 a.m. on trash day. One reader wants to know what's with all the potholes in front of the mayor's house.

City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday; please attend to see what a great job our mayor and council persons are doing.

Chaffee Historical Society's membership drive is underway; dues are only $10 a year. You can mail a check to Chaffee Historical Society, 109 S. Main, Chaffee MO 63740. Include a SASE and they will mail a membership card. The Society meets at 10 a.m. the first Saturday of each month at the museum.

Everyone is bundling up for cold weather, but in anticipation of spring we can thumb through the garden and flower magazines. Meanwhile, the seed packets are out and we can make our plans for our vegetable gardens and color boxes. I couldn't resist the offerings and am stocking up on some of my favorites.

As always

Remember to tell those special people in your life you love them -- those three words mean so much.

Email your news to darbuck2@airmail.net or call (573) 887-6430 or (214) 207-7839.

And then ...

We thank Dorothy Dees for today's ending.

Then there was the 4 year old who looked tenderly into her great grandmother's eyes and said, "You are old, but I love you."