He had congestive heart failure for years and used to sit on the porch of my parents country home an hour North of Houston and watch them at his multiple feeders.
He was really bummed when he was too sick to go to the public library. We were sitting on the porch one day watching about 200 Humming birds filling up in preparation of crossing the Gulf of Mexico when he stated that he wished he knew whether to keep the feeders out for the old and sick birds who couldn't make the journey, or would it cause healthy birds to stay around the food source and not migrate, possibly freezing to death in the Winter. I walked inside and got on his computer and came back out about 20 minutes later. I answered his question and told him he could leave them out because the healthy birds would still go, but he would have to keep fresh food out all winter as the other birds would have nothing else. Additionally, I registered him with the Texas Department of Wildlife as a volunteer to report the numbers of birds and different types of Humming birds he saw along with print outs of several articles about the birds.
He had always resisted learning how to use the computer and internets, but was surprised that I was able to get all of that info so fast. He said, "You got all of that from the computer that fast? He got up and said, "Come show me how to use that thing!" About a week later I start getting emails from him. Shortly after that he starts sending me jokes from a group that called themselves the "Loopers." They were old classmates from his college days in engineering school. One had been an engineer with NASA that designed the link up tube when the Americans and Soviets hook their crafts' together. Another, he said was the smartest man he ever met who was the great grandson of Henry Lucas who first discovered oil in Texas at Spindletop in 1901, (my dad was no slouch in the brain department himself)! That oil discovery founded what eventually became Mobil Oil and Texaco. He had the best time and was no longer bored. When he finally passed I received a call from a very proper, elegant sounding British woman who said that Mr. Lucas wanted to know if it was ok to make a donation in my father's name to the American Heart Association (I had sent an email to the Loopers telling them of my dad's passing and in leu of flowers they could make a donation to the Association instead). I replied "absolutely!, may I ask how much" knowing immediately who he was. She replied, "ONE-HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S."
Now I always by Lucas oil products and cheer every race team sponsored by Lucas Oil and always thank every Humming bird I see for giving my dad something he could do to be entertained while he was alone at home everyday until my mom returned home from work! Time to buy a new feeder!
Thanks Mira and best of luck!
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