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A Jasper Moment

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This is Jasper. He is staring at the oven. The very appliance I had just placed a casserole in to cook for dinner. When I took this picture he had been waiting for 15 minutes already with 30 more to go.

This is a common occurrence in my house when anyone cooks. The bird will climb up to as high as he can and just wait for whatever is being prepared for the family ah well in his mind him. Once I leave the kitchen he will yell at me loudly as if to say,”Wait where are you going? You need to be back in the kitchen cooking so I can eat. You know it is all about me me me.” That is what it sounds like as he yells and tries to motivate me to go back to the stove.

If that is not bad enough when I set the table he will slide down his cage, cross his bird stand and climb onto the nearest chair and pace back and forth as he waits. Really bird? I mean really? It just makes me think of the people who have told me in my life that my bird is stupid. He is anything but.

He knows the word no and when to use it. His latest accomplishment has been to learn the phrase, “I know.” So now when I talk to him he will sit on his rail and go, “ I know.” as if he is a dear friend listening to me complain as he sympathizes with me.

He is really an amazing bird and has taught all of us here so much about animal behavior and their personalities. These fascinating creatures are more than just a pet. They infuse themselves into our lives especially one that can talk back to you. Though my favorite line he has every learned has been,” Mom where where where?” which is his way of asking where am I in the house if he does not see me. Does he mimic us…absolutely. But with that mimicking he is learning to interact with us on a different level as he learns when to use certain phrases at the right time.

I know a lot of people don’t get it as over the years I have heard people make fun of me being owned by a flock of birds. My response has always been, “Well you have probably never been owned by one of these splendid animals or taken the time to know them.” They love me as much as any dog or cat I have ever owned in my life. I have tried to imagine how it was before I was adopted by my first birds, Maxie and Twopiece, in 1998 but that is a blur to me. Twopiece is still with me and is my little buddy who sits by my desk on many a day.

I am owned by eight birds and know it. This is not something I would change for the world.

Birds, Bonding, Cameras, Family, Happiness

Hobbies Part 1

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Is there such a thing as having too many hobbies? I have quite a few. For the most part I hate being bored, simply hate it. Along with that I like to continually learn and improve myself even if is something that is small.

 

My first love is the one I have for books. The feel and smell of one in my hands is one that I continue to enjoy. A good book can take you places that you are not able to visit. A good book helps you forget as your mind is captured by the plot and various characters inside. It is ok to hate one of the people involved it just makes the book more awesome for me. My small problem is I don’t give up my books easily, neither does my husband, so my house soon could become it’s own library.

I am not sure if I can call my birds a hobby or not but they are definitely a love of mine. I have eight and each one has his own distinct and unique personality. Frequently I will take some time to bond with each and every one of them. But I have to make sure I block out enough time. Once I start I am not able to stop until all of them have gotten some mama love. I can’t place favorites on them or at least show it. The way they preen and sing to me is a simple pleasure I wish you all could enjoy. They are fascinating animals and any one who feels they can’t be as awesome as cats and dogs, well they have never been around or owned by one. For that is what it comes down to it, they own me and know it. The time flies as life goes on and my mind clears as they tell me every thing that has gone on since we lasted connected. That for me is pure joy.

Thanks to my husband my love of photography has grown from a simple snap and shoot camera to my digitals. While I am not as experience as my husband is, I am getting there. Due to pawn shops and layaways I have accumulated quite a few. This is a nice time for my husband and I to be together and enjoy a common love. The hours fly by as I try to work on this craft. To get just the right picture that one can be proud of is another simple pleasure that can last for days. It may take me endless shots to get the perfect one but it is worth it.

 

To be continued…

Ramblings

Simple Pleasures

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Everyone is feeling the pinch of higher gas prices and how that is effecting everything else. We have a radio station here where the DJ will say “ If it’s free it’s for me” and we have adopted that in our home. I rephrase it by calling it simple pleasures, which just happens to be free. The saying “count your blessing”s is one of many cliches that just happens to be dead on.

Here is just a list from my standpoint. Can you list 5, 10, even 20 ?

-I woke up this morning- a lot of people did not
-I woke up and I can see, smell, taste, touch and hear all the beauties around me
-I am loved by family and friends
-I am surrounded by a flock of birds that are colorful and who can sing multitudes of tunes just for me
-I can laugh at myself
-Even though I am disabled- I can start off the day happy and realize there are people worse off than me
-I still have one parent that is living
-I have the most amazing in laws any wife could possible want
-I have a husband who has stuck by me through thick and thin( a lot of thin) for over 20 years
-I have a son who amazes me daily ( though some days I feel like Home Simpson and he Bart)
-I can still feel the emotions that make us humans
-I am not the smartest but I’m sure as heck not the dullest tool in the shed
-I can pick up a book and lose myself for hours, in it imagining all sorts of adventures
-I can dance and sing to the music to my heart’s content and get a nice work out in my own living room

I can go on. We need to step back and think of the simple pleasures in our lives. It is something we should never forget, and most importantly cherish. Do I do this daily? No, I have to say honestly I do not. However, I do try. All one has to do is turn on the news or read the newspaper, if that does not do it, nothing well. Appreciate what you have- it is not here forever.