Life bring a series of surprises, some pleasant, some otherwise. Yesterday’s dedication of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Historical Marker brought a most unexpected and beautiful surprise. I knew Chuck Heywood was coming to speak about distant Craighead cousins who were also interested in nature. I’d invited him, after all. What I didn’t expect was a gift. And what a gift it was.
Chuck presented a breathtakingly beautiful print of a hand-colored drawing of falcon done by the renowned neurologist, Dr. Tom Swift. I won’t bore you by listing his numerous accomplishments in various fields of endeavor; I will simply relate what his wife, Margaret, shared with Chuck about him, “I’m convinced Tom should be diagnosed with attention surplus disorder.” It sure would be nice to have that diagnosis.
Dr. Swift didn’t just donate a print we could hang on the wall to beautiful Craighead House; he donated ten of them to sell to raise money to preserve the house. The falcon he depicted isn’t any old falcon; it is a male hybrid cross between a European and American peregrine falcons Dr. Swift watched go through its paces at Awendaw Raptor Center north of Charleston, SC.
More information about the dedication can be found in The Sentinel article about the event: http://cumberlink.com/news/local/communities/carlisle/historical-marker-unveiled-at-craighead-house-in-south-middleton-township/article_f003d386-f441-11e3-9ac2-001a4bcf887a.html and on the Craighead House Facebook page and at www.CraigheadHouse.com.
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