Bird Watching

This winter I have had some of my favorite birds visiting me regularly - dark eyed juncos. They are cute pudgy little gray birds with white bellies. I like the color gray - I've been wearing a lot if it this winter.

I put out peanuts in the shell on my bistro table for the blue jays to come grab- this excites the cats! They talk back to the blue jays when they make their cawing sound alerting that they've found food. Those blue jays are smart - they come from who knows how far away almost immediately after I set the peanuts out! So cool. My squirrel buddies will take peanuts from my hands - I love them!!!!

Bird watching is a fun activity for us all...here's Mickey Lou n Lil P sharing a seat and sharing the view

Tiramisu Fiesta!

My little parrotlet Zoabi was named after some dude in Chicago that was flirting with a friend of mine...he kept repeating his name "I am Shad Zoabi".  (who knows how he spelled it)  I said "I'm gonna name my bird that!  Zoabi!"  And I did.

 

Zoabi came to me via a friend in 2003--my artist friend Misael Nunez.  His family owned a Mexican market, and someone dropped off this sweet little parrotlet and a cockatiel to their store.  His aunt kept the cockatiel and this little parrotlet was left in a small, dirty cage in their tiny, dark bathroom.  Misael told me if I wanted her he'd pay for a new cage and food.  :)  Of course I said I'd give her a good home!  I had canaries, and she went through most of her life with canary neighbors--Frida was a long time buddy.  When Frida died a little over a year ago, I went out and got a parakeet (because they are less costly than canaries), and I found one that was solid yellow and looked like a canary--Lemon Chiffon!  On November 19, 2010, Lemon Chiffon and Zoabi were introduced and were playing and showing off to each other.  Day 2, they shared meals and swapped tongues!  Day 3 they moved into a luxury abode--Together!  They've been deeply in love ever since.

A week ago today Zoabi died and I have been heartbroken.  I loved that mini parrot with all my heart.  Chiffon did too, and it was evident that he was sad and didn't know how to go on without his love.  After a few days, Chiffon and I went on with our lives, we were a little better, but it will never be the same without Zoabi.  

I knew I had to be strong and go find Chiffon a new friend--though a love like he had with Zoabi can't be replaced--I went today to PetSmart and eyed their parakeets.  One pale yellow budgie sat alone from the rest appearing quite docile.  I chose her.  When I pulled into my carport, Tiramisu started squawking and fluttering about in the little box.  Feisty little thing!  Yes...she already had her name at this point...I called my neighbor Ann and asked for a name of a dessert that is pale yellow/creamy in color.  I said "Biscotti", and Ann like that.  Then she said "Tiramisu", and I said "Yes!  I can call her Misu for short."  :)  After I brought her into the studio room for introduction to Chiffon she was incredibly feisty!  She didn't want to just mingle outside the cage with him, she wanted to fly around the ceiling without landing!  No place was an appropriate perch for her!  Ann said "Maybe you should name her Fiesta!"  haha!  I said, "Ok, she'll be named Tiramisu Fiesta!"  heehee

I got a hold of Misu and put her in the cage with Chiffon--cuz the cage door was open and Chiffon was just chillin' watching what was going on.  Misu calmed right down, and they sat on opposite ends of a perch and just gave each other space to get acquainted from a distance.

I talked softly to them both...told Misu "You're going to like it here better than the pet store honey...you get to wake up when the sun comes up, and go to sleep when the sun goes down, and I'll play music for you.  Chiffon will be a good friend to you."  And to Chiffon "I'm sorry we lost Zoabi, I hope you will like Misu and that she'll be good company to you." 

And by night fall they had moved closer together--no kisses and snuggle yets, but there's always tomorrow!

RIP Zoabi

My sweet little parrotlet died this morning. I'm sad, and that's all I've got for now.

Zoabi

My little parrotlet Zoabi is sick n I'm sad n worried. I'm wishing to the universe to heal her. I love her sweet soul,

Slow Down People!

I'm terribly sad to hear this weekend of 3 dogs that have been hit and killed by cars.


Last night I spoke with a friend for a few hours who I hadn't spoke to in a few years. He told me about his sister's little dog--that was like her child--that got hit and killed by a car last October. He said that she has serious depression over it. She saw it happen. After my friend moved to NYC, and his parents and brother to Cali, his sister was alone for a while in their old house, and she got the little dog to keep her company. My heart seriously breaks for her. I lost 2 cats earlier this year, and have been witness to too many deaths of loved ones--both animals and people. It does haunt a person. Even if your life goes on, there are events that bring the tragedy to the surface again. It can be debilitating at times. It's a form of post-traumatic stress syndrome I suppose. I can only imagine how devastated she was/is.

For this reason...because I do think about and imagine how it would feel to lose a beloved pet this way, I drive so slowly and carefully on side roads. I am a careful driver overall, but on side roads in particular I am always watching the sides of the road to make sure nothing runs out in front of me. I never want to be going at a speed that I can't brake fast enough to prevent a tragedy. I don't want to hit a bird or a squirrel! People make fun of me when I brake for tiny critters. I find it kind of sick that these same people drive drunk. Don't they get it? If I'm careful enough to avoid a squirrel, then surely I'd be prepared to brake if a child ran into the street from behind a car, or an elderly person stumbled into the road.


SLOW DOWN PEOPLE!


Please, think about not only the animal you could take the life of, but how it will affect the people's lives who loved these animals. Even if it's a wild animal, someone is gonna mourn its loss of life. I saw a deer that got hit by my last apartment in the city (near a park), and the woman kept driving. The deer was left struggling in the road, and drivers continued to speed by well beyond the speed limit. I got out of my car and stood by this deer hoping to prevent it from getting hit a second time. I still have a lot of sorrow wave over me from this experience. Prior to the deer getting hit there, a neighbor's dog was hit and killed. Ducks and geese that would cross the street to get to the pond would also get hit.


Getting back to this weekend...a friend's mother's dog was hit and killed tonight. When I spoke to my dad today he told me that my aunt's sweet dog got hit and killed. I'm sad. Much of the time I wonder why people share these things with me when they know how sensitive I am. It does bring up memories of past heart-breaking moments. Like when I was at a birthday party as a young girl and my friend's dog got hit and killed. Probably every birthday she has she remembers that. It's horrible. While traveling with my parents as a little girl, I remember driving by an adorable little black puppy that was playing in the grass. On our way back down that road it was dead in the street. I saw it full of life, and then still, and it was difficult for my young mind to process. It is still difficult today when it re-enters my thoughts.

I have flashbacks.

I also think of an exotic type bird that would visit with me when we were in France at my mom's cousin's little grocery store. It was the pet of a person who lived across from the store. Across the small road there were cherry trees, and the bird liked to go over there to get berries. I saw it get hit and killed. I was heartbroken. Birds don't or can't always fly out of the way in time for cars! It is such a fallacy to think they will move faster than you in your speeding bullet! It makes me crazy when I watch people speed straight for them as though they will just fly out of the way! They need time to gain speed and adjust direction! The larger the bird, the more time they need. Please, remember this!!!!!

I sadly remember a squirrel that was run over, but still alive, and was pulling itself across the road with his hind legs dragging. I cry now thinking about him. Yes, I cry over a squirrel.

If you made it this far, then you too must care a little. If you need any further encouragement to slow down and be more alert while driving, then watch the movie "Bella".
Spread the word!