Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: FERHOODLE (confuse or mix-up) (03/03/16)
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TITLE: From Russia With Love | Previous Challenge Entry
By Terry R A Eissfeldt
03/09/16 -
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“Did I wake you,” Marnie rolled over cuddling up to her husband. “It’s okay,” Mike stroked the wayward bangs from her face, “I was already awake. Were you dreaming?”
“Yeah. One of those crazy mixed-up ones. I was chasing a piece of paper but it was always just out of reach. I was panicking because I knew it was important but I didn’t know why.” Marnie snuggled in closer. “What are we going to do?”
Mike gently extricated himself from Marnie’s arms and reached for his robe. “I don’t know. I’ll phone the credit card office today and see if they’ll reconsider. It’s identity theft! They must realize we can’t magically come up with $15,000.00.”
There was a gentle tap on the bedroom door.
“Dad?” Jeremy peeked in hesitantly.
“This is early, even for you,” Mike teased.
“Early bird gets the worm, Dad.”
Marnie laughed, “Bird watching is your adventure not mine. Away you go!”
“Come with us, Mom,” Jeremy bounced on the bed, “We’re staying on our land today.”
Marnie looked into her son’s bright eyes. How many mornings did she have left before puberty erupted into complicated jumbled hormones and growth spurts?
“Okay.”
Jeremy squealed in delight.
“But only if Dad brings an extra thermos of coffee!”
Later, huddled against the early February chill, they were counting and recording all the birds they identified.
“The usual; chickadees,nut hatches and thrushes,” Mike glanced over the notebook.
“Sparrows, finches and crows,” Jeremy sounded defeated.
Marnie picked up her binoculars for one last look. She scanned a bush near the pond. It was filled with a host of birds. She focused in on one with a black tuft on its head. “What’s that one called?”
Mike and Jeremy raised their glasses in unison.
“Hey Dad, it’s the Horned Lark!”
Marnie beamed with pride. A Horned Lark!
“Yep,” Mike confirmed, “Is this the ninth or tenth time we’ve seen it?”
“Tenth.”
“Aw, I thought I found something special…”
“Don’t feel bad, Mom, we haven’t seen anything new in a while…..” His voice trailed off.
“Dad?” Jeremy pointed at a tree beyond the pond, “What’s that?”
Mike raised his binoculars. “What are you looking at?”
“A bird, near the top, left side. It looks like a sparrow. Do you see it? It’s mostly brown with a buff chest. But there’s a black swatch over his eye and a buff patch above.” Jeremy was completely enthralled. “I’ve never seen this bird before!”
Mike scrutinized the bird, then traded his field glasses for his camera. He snapped numerous photos.
“We’ll have to go in and see if we can identify him. But it’s definitely a new sighting!”
As Marnie cooked porridge, Jeremy searched the Internet while Mike flipped through numerous bird books.
“It's not a North American bird, that’s for sure, Jeremy.”
The air was electric with anticipation.
“Dad!” Jeremy jumped up from the computer, “I found it!”
Mike rushed over. Sure enough their bird filled the screen.
“It’s a Siberian…Accentor!” Jeremy was breathless. “Siberia ... Russia?”
Marnie glanced over Jeremy’s shoulder. “Yes, Russia. But Mike what’s it doing here? In British Columbia?”
Mike let out a slow whistle, “Poor thing is confused. Got his bearings mixed up I guess.”
“Dad,” Jeremy whispered, “Is this a rare sighting?”
“Definitely.”
“Can I post it?”
“Just a moment, son.”
He turned to Marnie, “People will come from all over North America to see this bird. They’ll be poking around our property and maybe even camping out. Are you ready for that?”
Marnie looked at him completely baffled, “What do you mean? From all over North America? To see a poor lost bird?”
“Mom! This is some people’s LIFE! Finding birds in places they don’t belong is the BEST! It’s a rare sighting. And we have one on our farm!”
“Well, if it’s that phenomenal I’m not going to stand in their way.”
Mike and Jeremy shared a high-five.
“Post it, Jeremy.”
As Jeremy’s fingers flew across the keyboard Marnie’s bewildered mind cleared with an idea.
“Mike, do you think people would pay to see this bird?”
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