Taking flight: The ‘Birdman of Meadow Brook’

BELLAIRE – Keith Fischer is not an idle man content to have his feet planted on the ground. He is used to staying active and taking flight when confronted with an idea.

And even for the soon to be 90-year-old retired farmer, business owner, insurance agent, and reports that he was once a standout basketball player, Fischer hasn’t lost a step. Slower, true. But still active and moving forward.

“Yes, we won the district championship at Bellaire in 1948,” he recalled, also referencing his reluctance for being quoted in the newspaper. “At that time I remember telling someone that it had been a long time – or ‘this many years’ – since the school had won the championship. Turned out that it hadn’t been that long, but my quote ended up in the paper and I never lived it down ... still hear about it today.”

Fischer moved into Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility in Bellaire about a year ago to be closer to his wife, who has a room in another wing of the facility.

“You can’t beat Meadow Brook,” he said. “They are wonderful – the staff, the meals, the care. I can’t believe we have such a great facility right here.”

After about six months as a resident, and exhausting an array of available activities, Fischer was looking for something more to do.

“I had some time on my hands,” he said, “and I saw these uniquely decorated birdhouses on Facebook and the internet. I thought to myself, ‘I can do that, maybe I’ll give it a try.’”

And the rest is history.

In the last six months, he has sold more than 50 birdhouses, and has nearly that same amount in process or available for sale at locations around the area. Plus, he regularly receives multiple requests for special orders.

“I buy the birdhouses as kits,” he said, “but add the decorations myself.”

Those decorations usually always include a variety of paint, sometimes small polished rocks and other unique features.

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