April is the cruelest month... claimed the poet, T.S. Eliot, in his
epic poem, The Wasteland. He obviously was not from Alabama, although the phrase bedded in
the mud might fit my back yard in the aftermath of April storms. The sheer beauty of wave
after wave of breathtaking color in gardens and woods makes rain and storms more than
bearable and is certainly inspiration for poetry. Should any of our readers be inclined to
favor us with their poetic efforts, we will print the best ones in this space in June. We
are also waiting to enjoy the garden stories we asked for in the March issue. Please have
all writing turned in by the 12th of May. If that sounds like a former teacher talking,
yes, I was. In this issue, birding, a pastime of over 57 million Americans, takes the
lead. We hope you are inspired to grab a pair of binoculars and begin your own search for
a sighting of an elusive egret-or eagle, depending on the location.
We've also included an article on attracting birds to your yard. Another bit of advice:
Keeping pet cats indoors during nest-building and fledgling times gives bird families a
better chance of survival. I was glad to hear that feral cats are not yet a problem at the
Audubon Sanctuary on Dauphin Island. All too often, entire species have succumbed to the
pressure of over-hunting by predators-human ones included.
However, on Dauphin Island, as in many coastal areas, overbuilding and disregard for
fragile seacoast ecology poses the greatest threat to all forms of wildlife. Want to get
involved in protecting Alabama's wilderness heritage? Dr. John Porter, Director of the
Audubon Center on Dauphin Island, is a good source of information. (334) 861-2120.
Tom Brokaw has written a book called The Greatest Generation. We have been given
permission to offer our readers several excerpts from this book recounting the lives of
prominent American Senior Citizens.
As the population ages, more and more facilities are being designed to make life easier
for people who want a simpler place to take care of, or want to move from a house to a
condo or an apartment. We plan to run a series of articles on assessing lifestyle changes
and highlighting various housing options. In the meantime, the Prime Times staff wishes
you a Happy Easter and a joyous spring!