I’ve received very nice comments about my Towhee shots on Facebook. Let me introduce you to the star.
This is Dempsey. He has become my office mate over the last few months. When I’m remote working in my front porch office he’s out working the yard for insects. He doesn’t mind me as long as I don’t interrupt him or his mate as they go about their business.
As you can see, he has a bum right foot. That’s why I named him after Tom Dempsey the NFL place kicker who had a bum right foot (born without toes). Tom Dempsey played for 11 years and held the record for longest field goal at 63 yards for 43 years (Dempsey kicked his in New Orleans at sea-level if not below. Matt Prater’s 64 yarder was in Denver a mile above sea level in a whole lot thinner air).
Tom Dempsey was diagnosed with dementia in 2010. He was known for the many concussions he sustained from covering his own kickoffs. He was as tough as they come and played all out. But, he was also a pretty easy target.
Tom Dempsey died in an assisted living home from Covid-19 04.04.20. Another time in his life when he was unfortunately an easy target.
Towhee Dempsey is as tough and capable as his namesake and is not letting his disability hold him back either. Look at the confidence in his eyes. He actively forages in the leaf litter straight-on kicking the leaves over with abandon, bird All-Pro. Even the mockingbird leaves him alone 🙂 I just hope his species’ survival instincts are more common sense and lean more to prevention and are less cultural ‘manliness’ & political statements.
