Late yesterday afternoon my wife and I were sitting out under a big live oak enjoying the beauty of the waning day. As we talked I heard one of our parrots, Casey, yapping away as she so likes to do. She tried to get a "rise" out of me and force me to respond, but while talking with my wife I ignore her until I'm good and ready.
Then suddenly I realized there was something wrong. I was hearing Casey talking to me from somewhere other than her normal perch in her cage in the "bird house". Her jabber was coming from over the fence in the woods, loud but unseen.
My better half immediately jumped up and headed out the front gate into the pine trees to recover her. While she was doing that I went over to the aviary to make sure that her sidekick, Luther, was still in his cage. He was there, but not in the cage. Both doors were open and Casey had wiggled through the gap in the bottom of the aviary door. Luther, well she (that's right, they are both a she since no one knew their sex) was just sitting on top of the cage asking me in her customary vernacular, "Whatcha' doing?"
Luckily, Casey easily stepped onto my wife's outstretched arm and was returned safely. But it sure was a good thing we realized she was gone, for a hawk or and eagle might have turned her into a tasty snack, although it would have been a very mouthy one. And now these two silly birds are on restrictions. There will be no more free passes to come out of the cage unattended in the future. Maybe that's why they were crying and complaining when we went to feed them this morning.
And here's the thing. We were given them when they were twenty-six years old, that was six years ago. So being thirty-two, they have about forty good years left, barring becoming lunch due to their mischief in the future. And yes, they are in our wills, for they will certainly outlive both of us.
"Hello", "What's the matter?", Whatcha' doing?" I guess I'll be hearing that and a lot more chatter out the bedroom window as long as I live. But they are just two more of God's gift of animals out here on the farm.
Have a great Saturday everyone.
Then suddenly I realized there was something wrong. I was hearing Casey talking to me from somewhere other than her normal perch in her cage in the "bird house". Her jabber was coming from over the fence in the woods, loud but unseen.
My better half immediately jumped up and headed out the front gate into the pine trees to recover her. While she was doing that I went over to the aviary to make sure that her sidekick, Luther, was still in his cage. He was there, but not in the cage. Both doors were open and Casey had wiggled through the gap in the bottom of the aviary door. Luther, well she (that's right, they are both a she since no one knew their sex) was just sitting on top of the cage asking me in her customary vernacular, "Whatcha' doing?"
Luckily, Casey easily stepped onto my wife's outstretched arm and was returned safely. But it sure was a good thing we realized she was gone, for a hawk or and eagle might have turned her into a tasty snack, although it would have been a very mouthy one. And now these two silly birds are on restrictions. There will be no more free passes to come out of the cage unattended in the future. Maybe that's why they were crying and complaining when we went to feed them this morning.
And here's the thing. We were given them when they were twenty-six years old, that was six years ago. So being thirty-two, they have about forty good years left, barring becoming lunch due to their mischief in the future. And yes, they are in our wills, for they will certainly outlive both of us.
"Hello", "What's the matter?", Whatcha' doing?" I guess I'll be hearing that and a lot more chatter out the bedroom window as long as I live. But they are just two more of God's gift of animals out here on the farm.
Have a great Saturday everyone.
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