>> HI, I'M ERIC FORD FROM MADE HERE.

FROM HUMMING BIRTSDZ TO NO KILL TAXIDERMY, FROM MIGRATION TO A HUMANE SOCIETY AGENT WHO CHANGED NEW ENGLAND FOREVER.

A BOUQUET OF SHORT FILMS PRESENTS FOUR FILMS BY LIZ METH MEYER AND HER COMPANY SALT PROJECT IN KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A VIBRANT COLLECTION OF STORIES FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES THE NATURAL WORLD.

YOU CAN WATCH A BOUQUET OF SHORT FILMS AND OTHER GREAT MADE HERE FILMS STREAMING ON VERMONTPUBLIC.ORG AND THROUGH THE PBS APP.

ENJOY THE FILM AND THANKS FOR WATCHING.

>> HI, I'M ERIC MASTERSON.

I GREW UP IN IRELAND AND THAT'S WHERE I FIRST DISCOVERED THE MAGIC OF BIRDS.

I TRAVELED THE WORLD LONG BEFORE I EVER LEFT DUBLIN.

I GREW UP IN A GRITTY PART OF THE COUNTRY, DUBLIN IS A GRITTY TOWN.

I CAN REMEMBER IN MAY COMMON SWIFT.

COMMON SWIFTS WOULD APPEAR OUTSIDE MY BEDROOM WINDOW.

I WOULD GO TO MY GLOBE.

I HAD AN INFLATABLE GLOBE AND I WOULD LEARN THAT THEY WOULD SPEND THE WINTER IN THE JUNGLES OF AFRICA AND SAVA THATS OF AFRICA AND HERE THEY WERE OUTSIDE MY BEDROOM WINDOW.

I REMEMBER THE WHEAT THERE'S WOULD PASS THROUGH ON THEIR WAY TO GREENLAND I WOULD GO WITH THEM, AT LEAST MY MIND WOULD GO WITH THEM ARMED WITH A FIELD GUIDE, INFLATABLE GLOBE AND MY CHILD IMAGINATION.

I EMIGRATED TO THE U.S., MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE BUT THE BIRDS DIDN'T COME WITH US, OBVIOUSLY.

EUROPE'S BIRDS MY GREAT NORTH AND SOUTH AS DO NORTH AMERICA'S BIRDS SO I HAD TO LEARN A WHOLE NEW CAST OF CHARACTERS BUT THE JOURNEYS ARE JUST AS REMARKABLE.

I WAS 80 MILES OFFSHORE IN A BOAT AND A FLOCK OF 70 GOLDEN PLOVERS FLEW OVER THE BOW OF THE BOAT.

I WATCHED THEM TWO MINUTES.

THEY EXITED MY FIELD OF VIEW TO THE RIGHT.

I KNOW THESE BIRDS.

I HAD READ UP ON THEIR LIFE HISTORY.

THEY TRAVEL OVER THE ATLANTIC NONSTOP IN ONE CONTINUOUS FLIGHT UNTIL THEY REACH LAND IN SOUTH AMERICA.

I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY.

I WAS WATCHING TWO MINUTES OF WHAT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS IN THE WORLD.

LIKE A RORSCHACH TEST, SOME PEOPLE MAY SEE A FLOOK OF BIRDS.

I FELT LIKE I WAS WATCHING TWO MINUTES OF ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS IMAGINABLE.

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WE DON'T GET TO SEE THE JOURNEY LIKE THE GOLDEN PLOVERS.

WE JUST SEE THE AFTERMATH.

I'LL BE STANDING AT MY KITCHEN WINDOW WITH MY COFFEE IN THE MORNING AND I'LL SEE THE FIRST ORIOLE OF THE SPRING.

MAY 13, FOR INSTANCE.

WHAT I'M SEEING IS THE ARRIVAL AND I'M MISSING THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY BEFORE THAT.

I THINK IT'S LIKE VISITING PORTLAND, OREGON, TO EXPERIENCE THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION.

YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT THAT WAY.

BUT THE REAL MYSTERY OF IT IS MOST BIRDS DON'T TRAVEL DURING THE DAY.

MOST MY GREAT AT NIGHT TO AVOID HAWKS, TO USE THE STARS AS NAVIGATION, OCCASIONALLY ON A REALLY BUSY NIGHT IF YOU USE A TELESCOPE YOU CAN SEE ONE FLYING ACROSS THE FACE OF THE MOON.

ON GOOD NIGHTS, MIGRATION WILL SHOW UP ON DOPPLER RADAR BUT REALLY YOU DON'T GET TO SEE IT SO YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO SEE WITH YOUR EARS.

ON REALLY ACTIVE NIGHTS STEP OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSE AND CUP YOUR HANDS TO YOUR EARS AND PUT YOUR FACE TO THE SKIES AND YOU CAN HEAR THEM CALLING TO EACH OTHER.

SCIENTISTS DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DO THIS.

PERHAPS IT'S TO HELP THEM AVOID MIDAIR COLLISIONS LIKE SOME SORT OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FROM BIRDS.

MY YARD IN NEW HAMPSHIRE IS THREE ACRES OF PRETTY ORDINARY FOREST.

YET I HAVE RECORDED MORE THAN 150 SPECIES OF BIRDS, REALLY QUITE INKREB8, MANY OF THEM SPECTRO GRAMS.

THAT'S A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CALL NOTE, LIKE SHEET MUSIC.

I HAVE A COLLECTION OF THESE.

IT'S HONESTLY LIKE A GUEST BOOK OF THESE VISITORS THAT COME TO MY YARD.

THEY DON'T TOUCH DOWN, THEY JUST FLY OVER.

NIGHTTIME IS A TIME FOR DREAMING.

AND AS I LAY ASLEEP IN BED MY RECORDER IS ON THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, THESE BIRDS, HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS, MILLIONS ACROSS THE CONTINENT PASSING SOUTH OVER MY HOUSE, OVER YOUR HOUSE.

THEY ARE TRAVELING THOUSANDS OF MILES TO FARR WAY LANDS USING THE STARS AS A GUIDE.

I WISH I HAD THE IMAGINATION TO DREAM SUCH AN INCREDIBLE DREAM.

THEN I CHECK MY VOICE MAILS IN THE MORNING AND I HEAR THESE CALL NOTES LEFT BY THESE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS, AND THAT DREAM IS REAL.

>> IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR 16-YEAR-OLD SELF?

I WOULD TELL HER THAT YOU ARE ENOUGH AND TO EMBRACE ALL THAT WEIRD STUFF ABOUT YOU.

AND TO KEEP ROLLER SKATING BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO DO IT AS A GROWNUP AND IT WILL REALLY HURT WHEN YOU STOP AND TRY TO START BACK UP AGAIN.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TAXIDERMY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE EQUATE IT WITH CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OR THINGS LIKE NORMAN BATES, POPULAR CULTURE, SERIOUS TYPES OF TAXIDERMISTS AS EVIL, ANIMAL HATING PEOPLE BUT TAXIDERMY COMES FROM PEOPLE WHO LOVE ANIMALS AND WANT TO PRESERVE THEIR BEAUTY PHYSICALLY THROUGH THE ART AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO USE THE BEAUTY OF THAT ANIMAL TO CONVEY THIS MESSAGE OF HOW NOT JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL THESE ANIMALS ARE BUT ABOUT CONSERVATION AND PROTECTING THESE ANIMALS.

SO NOW THERE'S A MOVEMENT THAT IS ETHICALLY SOURCED TAXIDERMY AND SUSTAINABLY SOURCED TAXIDERMY.

THAT MEANS TALKING ABOUT IT IN A MINDFUL WAY.úMOST OF THE ANIMALE DOMESTICALLY RAISED AND NATURALLY DECEASED.

THEY COME FROM ZOOS, AVIARIES OR PEOPLE WHO RAISE THEM AS COMPANIONS.

SOMETIMES THEY ARE EDUCATIONAL ANIMALS BUT NOTHING IS HARMED FOR THE SAKE OF MY TAXIDERMY.

I'M DIVYA, AND I'M A TAXIDERMIST.

I GOT INTO TAXIDERMY BY GOING TO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS AS A KID.

I GREW UP IN BIG CITIES MY WHOLE LIFE SO THE MUSEUMS WERE HOW I GOT CLOSE TO ALL SORTS OF ANIMALS THAT DON'T LIVE IN THE BIG CITY.

I REMEMBER BEING ON A SCHOOL TRIP AND ONE OF THE OTHER STUDENTS ASKED ARE NIECE ANIMALS ALL DEAD?

IN MY MIND THAT OCCURRED TO ME BUT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME AS A THING THAT WAS GROSS OR NEGATIVE, IT OCCURRED TO ME AS, OH, MY GOSH, LIFE ENDS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED AFTER THESE ANIMALS' LIVES.

THIS IS THEIR AFTERLIFE.

WHEN I SEE A TAXIDERMY ANIMAL I DON'T JUST SEE AN ARTIFACT.

I SEE SOMETHING LIKE AN INVITATION.

AN INVITATION TO CONTEMPLATE OUR OWN MORTALITY, AN INVITATION TO CONTEMPLATE WHAT THAT ANIMAL MEANS TO US.

IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT IS SO TRANSFORMATIVE AND SO MEDITATIVE THAT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF YOUR OWN RELATIONSHIP TO THESE ANIMALS.

BY IMPROVING OUR RELATIONSHIP TO WILDLIFE HOW CAN THE WORLD NOT BECOME A BETTER PLACE?

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TAXIDERMY.

THE WORD TAXIDERMY COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD TAXI AND DERMA, WHICH IS SKIN.

THE ART OF ARRANGING SKIN IS AN ANCIENT ONE.

ANIMAL PRESERVATION HAS EXISTED AS LONG AS HUMANITY LIKE HOW THE EGYPTIANS OR PERFECTED HIDE TANNING.

WHAT WE KNOW IS IT CAME ABOUT DURING THE REN SHANS.

A CROCODILE FLANKS THE CEILING OF A CHURCH IN ITALY FROM THE 1600s.

AFTER MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EXPANDED WE SAW THE BEGINNINGS OF CURIOSITY.

PEOPLE COLLECTED NATURAL CURIOSITY FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND TAXIDERMY.

IN THE VICTORIAN ERA AS TRADE AND COMING ONIZATION WERE IN FULL FORS IT TOOK OFF AND THE VICTORIANS BEING THE VICTORIANS IT GOT WEIRD AND WHIMSICAL.

AAN THROW PO MORE FISM TAXIDERMY BECAME POPULAR.

LIKE VIRTUAL REALITY MACHINES THAT COULD TAKE VISITORS TO WORLDS THEY COULDN'T OTHERWISE VISIT.

ALL THIS CAME WITH A COST.

COLONIAL VIOLENCE, OVERHUNTING, ECOLOGICAL UNBALANCE.

IT WAS TIME FOR PEOPLE TO CHANGE.

CONSERVATION SCIENCE TURNED INTO WILDLIFE PROTECTION.

PEOPLE BECAME MORE MINDFUL OF WHAT THEY COLLECTED.

NOW THE ART AND CRAFT IS GOING THROUGH ANOTHER RENAISSANCE.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL TOOLS WE HAVE FOR CONSERVATION.

HELPING US MEMORIALIZE THE BEAUTY AND WONDER OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

AT ITS HEART TAXIDERMY IS A LOVE LETTER.

WHEN YOU LOOK ATTACKS I DER MY WHETHER IT'S SCIENTIFICALLY DONE, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE DETAIL THAT GOES INTO GROOMING AND ARRANGING FEATHERS OR PLACING THE FURS PATTERNS JUST SO.

IF YOU LOOK AT MORE STYLIZED AND WHIMSICAL TAXIDERMY, HOW SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE TIED A BOW ON TO SOMETHING OR SECATHOLIC CHURCH N THE TINIEST CLOTHES, IT REALLY SHOWS LOVE AND ADORATION FOR THESE ANIMALS.

WHAT'S THE THING ABOUT TAXIDERMY THAT WOULD MOST SURPRISE PEOPLE IF THEE KNEW IT?

I THINK THEY WOULD BE SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH WORK AND CARE GOES INTO TAXIDERMY AND HOW EMOTIONAL OF A PROCESS IT CAN BE.

MAKES ME THINK OF THE CAROLINA PARAKEET.

THE LAST ONE DIED IN CAPTIVITY IN 1918 AT THE CINCINNATI ZOO.

I THINK OF HOW THERE SORT OF -- BEYOND THE GRAVE.

TELLING US 20 DO BETTER SO THAT WHAT WE HAVE NOW DOESN'T END UP AS SIMPLY MEMORIES.

WORKING WITH STAFF EVERY DAY CHALLENGES YOU TO CONSTANTLY THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE LEAVING BEHIND.

IT CHALLENGES YOU TO LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND THAT MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

SOMETIMES WITH TAXIDERMY IT'S COLORFUL AND RARE SPECIMENS THAT ARE THE MOST PRIZED AND MOST SOUGHT AFTER BUT I FIND A LOT OF BEAUTY IN THE LITTLE BROWN BIRDS THAT FLY AROUND OUR CITY AND OFTEN GET OVERLOOKED.

THERE'S SO MUCH VARIATION IN THEIR COLORATION, SO MUCH BEAUTY IN ALL THE DIFFERENT SHADES OF BROWN AND GRAY AND BLACK, I THINK HONORING IS ABOUT THIS BIGGER PICTURE OF HONORING LIFE IN GENERAL.

REALIZING HOW VERY SACRED ALL OF THAT IS.

>> THE FUTURE OF TAXIDERMY IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING AND I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE RUINED BY AN UGLY PAST.

I THINK THAT THE FUTURE OF TAXIDERMY REMINDS ME A LOT OF A BUTTERFLY OR A SNAKE IN HOW THERE'S A SHEDDING OF THE SKIN WHEN IT COMES TO A SNAKE OR HOW A BUTTERFLY GOES THROUGH A METAMORPHOSIS.

TAXIDERMIES IS THERE NOW.

THE FIELD IS OPENING UP, MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING IT THAT HISTORICALLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO IT BEFORE.

PEOPLE LIKE ME, QUEER WOMEN OF COLOR.

IT'S REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE TAXIDERMY AT ITS ESSENCE IS A FORM OF STORYTELLING AND THE MORE STORIES WE HAVE THE BETTER.

BIRD WATCHING OR WHALE WATCHING.

DEFINITELY BIRD WATCHING.

I'M OBSESSED WITH BIRDS.

GOTH.

ABSOLUTELY GOTH.

[LAUGHTER] WHAT'S THE ONE THING YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR TAXIDERMY WORK?

I WOULD SAY A HOPE THEY TAKE AWAY A SENSE OF WONDER, A SENSE OF CURIOSITY, AND A SENSE OF ACATHOLIC CHURCH E, BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO SEE MY WORK AND BE INSPIRED TO CONSERVE WILDLIFE AND TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE.

I KNOW THAT'S MORE THAN ONE THING BUT IT'S ALL REALLY CONNECTED.

>> THE BOSTON POST JANUARY 7, 1906.

A FEARLESS WOMAN, MRS. JENNY B.

POWERS, AGENT FOR THE HUMANE SOIT, ONCE JUMPED FROM A WINDOW IN BRATTLEBORO TO STOP THE BEATING OF HORSES.

SHE CARRIES A GUN AND POSSESSES THE SPIRIT TO WORK IN DEFENSE OF BEASTS AND CHILDREN.

MY NAME IS JENNA CARROLL.

I'M A MUSEUM ADMINISTRATOR IN KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND PROUD MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS, RUBY AND SOPHIA.

THERE COMES A TIME IN ANY HISTORIAN'S WORK WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH MATERIALS FROM THE PAST AND YOU REALIZE YOU'RE ON TO SOMETHING.

THAT HAPPENED TO ME FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST STUMBLED ACROSS THE AMAZING STORY OF JENNY B.

POWERS.

JENNY BELL CARTER WAS BORN IN BRATTLE INTRO, VERMONT, JANUARY 5, 1864.

AS A CHILD SHE USED TO FILL HER POCKETS WITH BUGS AND SNAKES AND ROCKS AND FEATHERS, SO MUCH SO THAT OTHER KIDS TEASED HER ABOUT IT.

SHE LOVED ENTOMOLOGY AND TOOK UP A RANGE OF HOBBIES OFTEN MALE DOMINATED.

SHE MARRIED FRANK POWERS, AN ORGAN MAKER, AND THEY HAD TWO DAUGHTERS, BOTH OF HOOM DIED IN INFANCY.

LOOKING BACK AT HER LIFE OVER 150 YEARS LATER IT SEEMS AS IF SHE CHANNELED THE GRIEF FROM LOSING HER CHILDREN BY RETURNING TO THE PASSIONS OF HER YOUTH.

COLLECTING SPECIMENS FOR TAXIDERMY EXISTS, CONSTRUCTING SPECIAL CAGES FOR INSECTS.

SHE ENDS UP DONATING 2,000 INSECTS TO THE BRATTLEBORO NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

IN EFFECT CREATING A FREE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN HER HOMETOWN.

THEN JEN MY MOVES TO KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, DIVORCES HER HUSBAND, WE DON'T KNOW WHY, AND BECOMES THE FIRST FEMALE AGENT FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY WITH JURISDICTION INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS AND VERMONT.

SHE BECOMES ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S FIRST FEMALE DEPUTY SHERIFFS, CARRYING A .38 SMITH AND WESSON.

TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY IN THOSE DAYS, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE ROLES ANIMALS IN LATE 19th CENTURY AMERICAN SOCIETY.

THEY WERE USED FOR TRANSPORTATION, FOR FARMING, FOR FACTORY WORK, FOR MOVING FREIGHT.

HORSES, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE KEPT IN EVERY SQUARE INCH OF EVERY CITY.

EVEN IN DEATH, HORSES MADE THEIR OWNERS MONEY.

THEIR HIDES BECAME LEATHER, THEIR HAIR FURNITURE STUFFING, THEIRS MUSCLES AND ORGANS PET FOOD.

IF THEY HAD ANY FAT ON THEM IT WAS TURNED INTO SOAP.

IN FACT IT WAS OFTEN MORE PROFITABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SIMPLY WORK THEIR HORSES TO DEATH SINCE THE CARCASS MIGHT BE WORTH MORE THAN A LIVE ANIMAL.

JENNY'S WORK AS A HUMANE SOVIET AGENT AND DEPUTY SHERIFF FOCUSED ON PREVENTING THIS KIND OF ANIMAL CRUELTY AND ABUSE.

SHE EXPOSED MISTREATMENT, CHASED DOWN ABUSERS AND PUT ANIMALS DOWN HUMANELY WHEN NECESSARY.

EVERY SINGLE CATTLE CAR THAT CAME THROUGH KEENE SHE CLIMBED OWN INTO IT TO MAKE SURE THE COWS HAD ENOUGH SPACE.

ENOUGH FOOD AND WATER.

ENOUGH WARMTH DURING THE NIGHT.

IT DIDN'T TAKE HER LONG TO NOTICE THAT HOUSEHOLDS WHERE ANIMALS WERE BEING MISTREATED WERE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE HOUSEHOLDS WHERE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE BEING MISTREATED TOO.-IT MAKES YOU WONDER, HOW DD JENNY DO ALL OF THIS AS A WOMAN IN HER DAY?

IT WAS SAID THAT SHE REST ARRESTED MORE MEN THAN ANY WOMAN IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

HOW DID SHE PULL THAT OFF?

WELL, IF JENNY POWERS WERE A SUPERHERO, HER CAMERA AND HER NOTEBOOKS WOULD BE HER SWORD AND HER SHIELD.

MORE POWERFUL THAN HER REVOLVER.

HER PHOTOGRAPHS COULD SPEAK FOR HER WHENEVER ANYONE WOULD QUESTION HER AUTHORITY AS A WOMAN.

WORKING AT THE HISTORY CAL SOCIETY HOUR AFTER HOUR GOING THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS OF MISTREETED HORSES, OTHER ANIMALS, IT GOT SO DEPRESSING THEN I WOULD TURN OVER THE PHOTOS AND SEE HER DETAILED NOTES AND EVERY PHOTO DATES, LOCATION, ALL THESE DETAILS, WITH EVERY WORD, WITH EVERY DETAIL YOU COULD FEEL THE CONVICTION, HER PASSION TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE.

SHE RECORDED IN HER JOURNAL WORD FOR WORD THE CONFRONTATIONS, JOURNAL AFTER JOURNAL AFTER JOURNAL.

THESE MEN DON'T WANT A WOMAN TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY, WITH THEIR WIVES, WITH THEIR CHILDREN, WITH THEIR ANIMALS.

BUT THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND HER PEN WERE HER SECRET WEAPONS.

THEY TURNED A HE SAID SHE SAID INTO A HE SAID SHE SAID AND SHE'S GOT THE PHOTOS AND THE NOTES TO PROVE IT.

THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

THERE'S STILL SO MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT JENNY POWERS AND THE LIVES SHE TOUCHED.

IN 25 YEARS OF MUSEUM PRESERVATION I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION LIKE THIS ONE.

TYPICAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY PHOTOGRAPHS ARE A FAMILY CELEBRATIONS, PARADES DOWN MAIN STREET, RIBBON CUTTINGS, THAT SORT OF THING.

WHAT WE DON'T TEND TO FIND ARE IMAGES OF EVERYDAY LIFE INCLUDING POVERTY AND ABUSE, HEARTBREAK AND STRUGGLE AND THE WORK OF JUSTICE AND HEALING AND HOPE IN THE FACE OF SUCH STRUGGLE.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT JENNY'S WORK GIVES US, WHAT HER LIFE GIVES US.

A MEANS OF EMPATHIZING WITH THE PAST, AT THE SAME TIME A MEANS OF BEING INSPIRED BY HER COURAGE FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE.

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OUR TOWN PAINT ADD MURAL OF JN INTHEY POWERS ON MAIN STREET AND EVERY TIME MY GIRLS AND I PASS BY WE PAY OUR RESPECTS.

SHE WAS A FEARLESS WOMAN, MRS. JENNY B.

POWERS.

AGENT FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT, DEPUTY SHERIFF, COURAGEOUS VISIONARY.

MAKER OF HUMANE'S HISTORY.

THE WOMAN WHO DARED.

>> THEY CALL THEM RESURRECTION BIRDS.

WITH GOOD REASON.

WHEN THE SPANISH FIRST VIRTUED THESE SHORES AND ENCOUNTERED HUMMINGBIRDS THEY WERE ASTOUNDED.

THESE TINING LIVING GEMS GLITTERED SO BRIGHTLY THEY SHOT SURELY THEY MUST DIE AT NIGHT AND BE MADE FRESH AND KNEW EACH DAY.

THE VERY EXISTENCE OF HUPPING BIRDS IS A MIRACLE.

THEY ARE ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE TINY AND FRAGILE.

FIERCE AND FAST.

PRACTICALLY ALL AIR.

NINE AIR SACKS THROUGHOUT THE BODY, TWO LUNGS AND A HUGE HEART.

THEY ARE LIKE BUBBLES WRAPPED IN IRIDESCENT FEATHERS, THE LIGHTEST BIRDS IN THE SKY AND YET RELATIVE TO THEIR SIZE THEY ARE ALSO THE FASTEST.

TO IMPRESS A FEMALE THE ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD PLUNGES FROM THE SKY THEN THEY SHUTTLE.

THE LONGEST MIGRANT ON EARTH IN TERMS OF BODY LENGTH IS A THREE INCH LONG ROUGHOUS HUMMINGBIRD WHO FLIES 2,000 MILES TWICE A YEAR FROM CANADA TO MEXICO AND BACK.

WHAT'S MOST MAGICAL OF ALL IS THEY DO THIS NOT TO FIGHT BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR FRAGILITY.

THAT FRAGILITY MAKES THEM VULNERABLE NONPERISHABLE.

A FEW YEARS AGO I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF HELPING A BIRD EENTHUSIAST RESCUE TWO BABY HUMMINGBIRDS.

WE NAMED THEM ZOOMY AND MAYA.

THEY HATCHED AND NESTED NO BIGGER THAN A QUARTER FROM EGGS THE SIZE OF NAVY BEANS.

THEY WERE BORN THE SIZE OF BUMBLEBEES.

WE HAD TO FEET THEM A SPECIAL MIXTURE EVERY 20 MINUTES FROM DAWN TO DUSK.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, AT FIRST I WAS TERRIFIED.

IF WE FED THEM TOO LITTLE THEY WOULD STARVE BUT IF WE FED THEM TOO MUCH THEY WOULD POP.

MAYA AND ZOOMY SURVIVED.

THEY LEARNED TO FLY.

WE SET THEM FREE.

THE STORY OF MAYA AND ZOOMY IS A PARABLE FOR OUR TIME.

A TRUE STORY OF VULNERABILITY AND HOPE.

THIS IS A HUMMINGBIRD'S GIFT.

WE CAN ALL HOLD IN OUR HANDS RESURECTION EREC SHUN.

SEEDS TO GROW ELK NAIROBIIA, SALVIYA, HOLLY HOCKS, HUMMINGBIRD GARDENS TO SUPPORT THESE LITTLE BUBBLES WRAPPED IN LIGHT.

IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT,VILLE EARLY IN YEAR FOR ALL OF US BUT IF WE CAN HELP TRANSFORM THESE LITTLE ORPHANS INTO MIRACLES OF THE SKY, THEN PERHAPS WE TOO CAN RISE AGAIN FRESH AND NEW EACH DAY AND DO OUR PART TO HELP HEAL OUR SWEET GREEN BROKEN AND STILL MAGICAL WORLD.

>> VERMONT PUBLIC, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FILM MAKERS BRING YOU STORIES MADE HERE.

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