The Plot Continues

This is little Flash, snoozing between bouts of scheming with Nicholas.  He has such a beautiful crest, and he's an awesome flier.  I adore him.


Things continue to be unhealthy at work, and I've got applications out everywhere I can.  Personal life is pretty stable; family members and friends all well. The weather here is nearly as bad as it is everywhere in the nation.  Spring cannot come quickly enough.


All my parrots are spoiled and continuing their work on the Great Parrot Takeover.  I no longer pretend I'm anything but a pawn and almond provider in their diabolical plans.

In this picture Nicholas and Flash eye me warily.  Evidently I interrupted some sort of planning session.


I've told all my non-parrot-owning friends to begin the search for me if they don't hear from me for a certain amount of time.  Just in case.

Serious Snow & Safflower Seeds

We've had our second serious snow last night; maybe three inches.  Shallow enough to drive if I had an emergency, but deep enough to stay home with no guilt.

Here's a video of several birds feasting at my bird feeder.  Dozens more birds visited earlier today, so there's not much left for these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76bOdRzHBCI

So I slept late, took videos, listened to NPR, had a leisurely breakfast, and plan to spend the rest of the day fooling around on the Mac and doing nothing productive.

 

I have a family of cardinals in residence in my backyard.  Here the male helps himself to seed I put out on the rail yesterday.  About an hour later, his mate came over to stuff herself.

The Most Beautiful Green Bird in the World

I ordered some stuff from ParrotNutz.com and they arrived today.

I gave everyone a single Plopz treat to see how they would like them. The Bobbsey Twins ignored theirs, of course, but Charli was brave and tried it. This picture is of her after downing a bite and before delicately selecting another bite. (I'd crumbled it up before putting it in her bowl.)

Her feathers are so beautiful I just had to post this picture. I got some more pictures of her eating, but this one shows off her colors the best. I've never found a way to adequately photograph the brilliance and iridescence of her green feathers -- they literally glow.

The cockatiels are also in fine feather; their feathers are so soft it's almost like stroking a cloud, but I can't photograph that.

Parrots are the most amazing creatures I've ever experienced -- people are fascinating, of course, but parrots are a continual source of wonder for me.

One Year Into Another

I was reviewing the resolutions I made for this year, and they reminded me of that old saying: "If you want to make God laugh, tell Her your plans."

2009 turned out to be a year of personal loss. I lost both of my writing mentors; Jim in June and Jack Myers in November. The best avian vet in this region of the US left for Iowa in August (and I'm still upset about it). And, of course, I lost my most beloved Sugar Franklin, which I'm pretty sure I'll never get over.

Yet, like any year or period of time it was not all bad or all the same. My three remaining parrots are healthy and spoiled. I got my bathroom remodeled and lived through the experience. My mother is in relatively good health and remains active. I still have a job. My first collection of poetry was finally published in October. I did a lot of decluttering around the house throughout the year and realized that I had a lot more room than I thought and it's so much easier to find things. I made some new friends I hope are around for a long time. I regained some faith in our government during Obama's first year. I learned to let a lot of crap go at work by just not caring anymore (though I did have a melt down a couple of weeks ago, which seems to have set a lot of stuff in motion that should have been addressed a year ago, so maybe that was probably a good thing. Maybe).

With less than three hours left in 2009, what do I resolve for 2010? To keep my house and life clear of stuff I don't need. To continue to love and care for my three parrots. Save at least a little money. Write more. Spend more time with people who love me.

I think I've made God laugh enough this year.

Charli's Foraging Box

This Charli's favorite foraging toy . . . well, at least for today. It's a small bird-safe cardboard box that has a tiny piece of chewable wood inside that prevents the lid from opening all the way. It opens just enough for me to put treats in and that she can see they're inside. The rest is up to her. As you can see, she does her best. I just love her face when she finally chews it up enough to get to the almonds and Power Treats.

Sometimes, as in this video, cardboard boxes need to be relocated.