A bag of Le Geyt Premium Bird Seed -
A banquet in my hand; Formulated by Elizabeth
Le Geyt in 2012 in celebration of her 40 years of writing her bird column in
the Ottawa Citizen, It was a fitting take-away gift handed out at her memorial
service last week. Elizabeth was an
amazing lady, who embodied passion and wisdom in an active love for the
environment. Over her generous lifetime
of 103 years, she shared these seeds eagerly, with her children and
grandchildren, her readers and fellow
bird enthusiasts, and with her neighbours;
I knew Elizabeth
originally as our next-door neighbour and friend on Martin Lane. I loved her voice, her musical British accent
- it brought every conversation to a more intense level of attention. In those early years, I also learned to
admire her in other ways; I recognized that her sophisticated British accent
encased a brave and generous individual, a mother like my own, and that her heart was subject to the same
emotional ups and downs, as she raised her family of five boys.
Her love of nature in all
its forms (except perhaps for bird-chasing cats!) was infectious, and we
learned so much just being around her on walks down Kelly lane or playing about
in their yard. She was also an avid
reader, encouraging us children to read as well - She generously shared her
library of children's adventure books
with our family of seven children, who didn't have money for books in
those days.
Fast forward to 2014, and
she and her son Michael co-authored a book themselves , "Bird Lady - a lifelong love affair with birds". The book title says it all - her life really
was an inspiring love story, an adventure - one that she is, I'm sure,
continuing to experience.
A planter passed this way
one day,
And scattered seeds about,
The birds flew in with shouts
of glee,
To check the banquet out.
Some they ate, and some
they dropped,
Upon the welcoming earth;
Plants grew up, their
seeds formed well,
Eager for rebirth.
Those tiny birds can tell
us much;
To share, for who knows when,
The planter will return,
To gather seeds to spread
again.