Fourteen Years Ago Today: Liam!

Fourteen years ago this morning, my son and namesake came into this world at 7:24 AM. He is William Henry Thompson IV, but we decided to call him Liam to avoid confusion. He is now and forever attached to the name Liam, and it to him. We'd never call him Bill or Billy or Henry or Hank. But we have about a billion nicknames for him: Shoom, Broski, Hotdog Brother, Li'l Buddy, Albino Spider Monkey...

In what has become a family birthday tradition, the following images and content are dedicated to Liam on his birthday. They will also embarrass him a bit I'm sure, which is just part of the reason why we do it. Julie's wonderful Liam Birthday Post is already up and working its magic.

Like his parents and sister, Liam bonds with all kinds of animals...

Soon after he was born, Liam donned his superhero cape and battled a rampaging dinosaur.

Every time we go to see the Pirates at PNC Park, the Pirate Parrot seems to seek out Liam for a photo.

Monkey see, monkey do.

A real silverback gorilla at the Columbus Zoo was completely fascinated by Liam. Likes attract.

At The Wilds, the baby rhino always walks right up to our sweet, gentle son.

But Liam's favorite animal pal is Chet Baker. They are playmates.

 Of all the people and things in the world, Liam loves his big sister Phoebe most of all. He is completely devoted to her and, to Phoebe's credit, she does not abuse this exalted status—at least not as much as she could.

 

It's hard for all of us to comprehend what life will be like when Phoebe goes off to college next fall—and it's going to be toughest on Liam. But he will make it, because he has sunshine inside of him.

A wonderful side-benefit of having a big sis is all the older chicks Liam gets to hang with. They all adore him.

 We're not sure what Liam will be when he grows up, but early predictions include artist, comedian, and rubber-faced man in a carnival sideshow. We're not sure where he gets his love of face making.

Escargot, anyone?

It's not all about the Benjamins with Liam.

Will he be a birder? Probably, but we're not forcing it.

Liam knows how to relax.

He is a deep thinker, a ponderer...

And given the chance, he is a wanderer.

We're so lucky to have you here with us, sweet boy. We can't wait to see where you'll go once you spread your wings and fly. Happy birthday, my son.

A Birthday Poem for Zick!

 

Listen my friends and you shall peruse

A birthday poemic for Julie Zickefoose.

She's turning today an indeterminate age

so we'll honor her with pictures and words on this page.

 She's an artist of birds, and of flowers, and of bats

She's a birding savant not afraid to wear hats

She can write words that move any reader to tears

she's been blogging like blazes for more than eight years.

It may appear odd, but I feel I should mention

She can never pass by without sniffing rose gentian

For those who don't know, a gentian's a flower

and as an aside, Julie lives in a tower

The view from that tower is something spectacular

or "ossum" in southeast Ohio's vernacular

We've been blessed with two children, Liam and Phoebe

And a Boston terrier who's saying "Hey! What about me-be?"

Of course you're our third kid, Chet Baker, don't fret

Your kisses and gasses won't let us forget

 * * * *

Julie loves music from her head to her toes

She loves rocking out with her band The Rain Crows

As a singer/songwriter Julie's mind is quite fertile

Her most famous tune concerns saving box turtles

At a recent band gig where there might have been ale

The Rain Crows were thrown in the Fayette County Jail

Soon the Crows were set free before facing the noose

When the judge recognized the famous Ms. Zickefoose

"OMG!" Said His Honor "I so totally loved...

that story where you glued down the scalp of a dove!"

* * * *

Last winter we spent nearly 400 hours

Building a sanctum for all of Zick's flowers

That's less time than we spent in building our OWN house

which is why we refer to this greenhouse as GROANhouse

But when the snow flies and the weather is crappy

inside the groanhouse The Zick is quite happy

Her happiness is dog, iphone and wine, oh!

But she's happier, still, when she's scratching a rhino!

* * * *

When she talks, people listen with enraptured attention

She kneels before butterflies, devoid of pretension

She has fans who will travel long distance to see her

And so many of us still aspire to BE her.

Way back in the 90's when I first met this girl

I had no idea how my life would unfurl

Then we moved to Ohio and 20 years on

It's hard to believe just how fast the time's gone

So to you my dear Julie here's this long birthday verse

After reading it I hope you feel better, not worse.

Too many things in this life we can't choose

But I'm pleased to be known as Mister Zickefoose.

I think of how many lives you have touched

and it's easy to see why I love you so much.

Happy birthday, Zick!

Happy Birthday Liam!

With today's activities and festivities, Liam has celebrated his birthday in Texas three times. Today my blond-haired boy turns 13. We're celebrating with some morning birding, then an afternoon time-out while I give a talk at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, then some shopping for some new threads for the birthday dude, then a dinner out somewhere fun. I keep teasing Liam that we're taking him across the Mexican border for a b-day party Carlos E Queso's, which is just like Chuck E Cheese's, but more picante!

He's not buying it!

We call him many names: Po, Shoom, Broski...he puts up with all of them.

 

 No brother ever adored a big sister more than he adores Phoebe.

 He LOVES the costume fun of Halloween, his favorite holiday.

He is an expert at taking funny photos.

 

We never want him to grow up and leave home, but we know that day will come. And all too soon.

 Happy birthday, my sweet son. Thank you for coming into my life. I love you.

Happy Birthday to Julie!

Happy birthday to the amazing gal we know as Julie Zickefoose! She is known the world over by a variety of names, and by her many wonderful works. Crazy Dog Lady is just one of the names she goes by—and proudly—since she has bonded with our Boston terrier Chet Baker about as strongly as the white is bonded to the rice.

She is the Science Chimp who leads the science club at Salem Liberty Elementary and gets young f0lks to tune into the amazing living things all around us.


She is the living embodiment of Scooby-doo's friend Velma, shown here with Daphne solving a mystery involving Old Man Wiggins.

She is called Mommy or Mom by a couple of the sweetest kids ever to wear dorky hats.


Crazy Bird Lady is another moniker. When this red-headed woodpecker showed up at our feeders last winter, Julie immediately hung a bird house up for it, held in place by bungee cords. The woodpecker, recognizing that this was the CBL, immediately moved in for a week-long stay.

She is rarely referred to as being tall—at least in physical stature. Yet she is a towering tree in terms of wisdom and talent. Here she is cracking us up on Easter Sunday while posing for a photo with my mom, Elsa.


Years ago, when we were first talking by phone about an art project for Bird Watcher's Digest, I found out that Julie was a musician, which made her vastly more fascinating to me. So I courted her with my best rawk song.

Now Julie plays in a band with me and several other special people: Craig and Wendy (Jessie and Kage not pictured, but equally special). We Rain Crows have fun always.

She plays the pennywhistle like a pro—sometimes morphing it into a jazz stick when the mood strikes her.

And she's not above throwing down some sweet dance moves, as she is doing here during a Hog Island seminar.

Crazy Turtle Lady is another nom de nature. As is Crazy Bat Lady.

In the fields of nature writing, painting, and sharing, she is outstanding. And out standing.

And sometimes she is also out lying in her fields of endeavor.

And she is the best person I've ever met at self-actualizing. She is rarely happier than when she is alone in her little kayak, floating among the birds and butterflies and turtles. Now if only she could bring Chet Baker along in the boat....

We love you, Jules! Happy birthday from all of us. We bask in the wonder of all you share with us, and consider ourselves so lucky to be a part of your world.