Yellow Bird

LOOKING FOR MY SIBLING

A new sibling for Liam? At one time Liam had 5 sibs. Parakeets. Or 'keets. Kaysar, Killian, Kristin, Kelly, Kevin (a few named after some of the newbies)
The sole survivor is Kristin. She is thriving.  Did not expect that.

KRISTIN

After her boyfriend Kaysar died on May 31 I expected her to retreat into mourning. Parakeets are lovebirds. She is not grieving. Why is she happy?

Well maybe for these reasons 

She has her own room, a sort of dining room we never use.

Two windows have a view of the backyard and side

She can see and hear the birds and chimes in with their talk

And maybe Kaysar was too loving. He really would not leave her alone.

Kristin, the sole survivor, is doing just fine 

KRISTIN IN PROFILE

We have a fountain in the corner of the backyard and I share her parakeet seed with the wild birds. So there is a gathering area. The parakeet seed seems to only attract acceptable birds, sparrows and even desirable birds cardinals, doves, robins, red headed finches, cowbirds.

The undesirables, starlings, pigeons and mockingbirds do not join in.

And a few weeks ago a yellow parakeet shows up. A Lutino. The albino parakeet. I know all about lutinos

YELLOW BIRD

While a teenager living at home, I joyfully raised, taught and played with the best Lutino of all pets, Kerry. I taught him to talk. Some famous phrases were Shut Up, Stupid, Kill Kerry.  Hey I was an adolescent and thought all three were hilarious, especially when my mother walked by the cage and Kerry gifted her with his chatter. Kerry ate with us. Slurped spaghetti and munched Cheerios.
Shared my Cheezit addiction. Would wiggle into the box to retrieve them.
See the link for lutino info

http://pets.thenest.com/lutino-parakeet-7871.html

I don't know if Yellow Bird is boy or girl. The nose (cere) is how you tell and in lutinos the color for both genders is brownish. I will use the pronoun "he" one less letter to type

IN OUR DOGWOOD OVERLOOKING THE FEEDING AREA

My reaction...capture.
I hear Yellow Bird before I see him. He swoops into the yard and perches on the back fence. Kristin hears him and screeches that exuberant parakeet cheep. I grab a towel and run to my bird feeding area, plop on the bench and wait...wait for what? No wild bird will descend from the hovering dogwood while I am below. But I think yellow bird must be tame and maybe will jump on my finger. I swing my head back and talk "parakeet." Yellow Bird stays put.

ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?

Why is yellow bird on the loose?
I think someone left his cage open. Or someone let him out. Should I put up flyers? I dismiss the thought. I don't have him, yet. And what if an imposter pet parent shows?

Can escaped 'keets survive? 

Yes
In temperate weather with access to seeds, bugs, water and acceptance of other birds. 

Yellow Bird has all of the above.
For now.
So far okay. Better outside than in a cage.
For now. 

Liam is ambivalent about another sib. But he does hang in the bird area. Even showing his exuberant rollover. Is he thinking of a sib? Looking at him up in the tree?

COME AND PLAY YELLOW BIRD

I SEE YOU UP IN THE TREE

I'LL JUST WAIT HERE FOR YELLOW BIRD

Plan #1
Use Kristin to lure Yellow Bird to the cage and pounce.
I will bring out a caged Kristin and see if Yellow Bird tries to join her. As he kisses her through the bars I will drop a towel and open the front door and push Yellow Bird in.

Not sure if that would work now. Yellow Bird has assimilated into the sparrow group. And more recently other birds have flocked around the birdbath and the seed area. There is a gang. They hang in Tully Park across the street. But a few times each day the gang visits.

THE 'KEET GANG FEEDING

Plan #2
Use a butterfly net, approach from neighbor's yard, side or back or hide in our tree border...for as long as it takes...whip out net and cover yellow bird

ON LEFT OF THE TWO DARK BIRDS,  BATHING BIRD ABOVE

YELLOW BIRD WITH SPARROWS

LAST TO GO

Yellow Bird is the last to leave probably having been used to human contact...he still does take off. And sits calmly up in the tree, while Liam rests beneath

AT THE CENTER OF THE PHOTO

I will try my capture plans when the weather turns cool. 

What do you think readers?

Is it kinder to allow Yellow Bird to live a short but free life?

Or save him for a long caged life?

Thoughts? Should Liam get a sibling?
and should Kristin have a companion?

LIAM WAITING

Woof, woof

Miracle Grow

WATCHING THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES GROW

We have vegetables, herbs and a fruit. In our yard.

This is how they got here. Paul retired in December. He is not an activity person. Meaning he was probably not going to go and join groups and take classes and attend lectures....or volunteer
The winter months proved my prescience to be correct. As spring neared I had an idea that we could grow some vegetables, herbs, fruit (tomatoes) I thought Paul would like it because he is a cook...Chef Paul we call him...loves chopping and trying recipes. He is a fan of Chef Lydia Bastianich. Lydia has a garden in back of her mother's house in Queens. Lydia says she and her mom go out each morning to see what is going on in the garden. Changes occur overnight. Good and bad. All the produce from her mother's garden is used on Lydia's cooking show
http://lidiasitaly.com/

My prior growing attempts have been less than stellar. Long Island soil is sandy, perfect for wine and potatoes. Our yard had massive tree roots all over and little sun. But with the loss of several tall oaks we now have sun. We have a lot of clay pots used for flowers. I figured we'd buy the plants, pour the soil in the pots and hope something happened. I actually said "It's all about the journey, not the end."

THE GREAT LAWN, SANDY WITH TREE ROOTS

And it is working...we have several pepper plants. and we eat the peppers from them.

All plants producing. Eggplants, red peppers (green now) cherry tomatoes, yellow peppers, cayenne peppers, just starting to turn red

One is scary. The eggplant. I believe it is curving towards the house and will soon enter. 

EGGPLANTS

And the peppers are also a bit crazy. Curling every way...the basil grew so high I have to keep cutting it back.
Cherry tomatoes rest on the fir tree, no cage

FIR PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR CHERRY TOMATOES

We are obsessed with our little garden.  I measure the eggplants. Paul and I examine each plant. We have an activity! All three of us.

Paul has used the peppers in his cooking. And basil, fresh and cooked. The cherry tomatoes don't make it into any dish. We eat them right away.

We have a sustainable life .We can live off the land! Ha! Hardly. But it is exciting. We only water those plants living in pots. We do not believe in wasting water on a lawn.  I water with a jug.

We have not used the hose once. Liam hates water. The color and condition of the lawn reflect its treatment. We have hay. Liam loves the spiky grass on his back in his rollovers.

SPIKEY GRASS

COLLAGE OF PEPPER PRODUCE

and no rabbits come by. Remember Liam is a rabbit killer.
If you need a rabbit story refresher. Here
http://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Rabbit%20killer?m=1

IS THAT A RABBIT?

This activity has been a success.
Next activity for Paul, yoga

Woof, Woof 

In Flight

I CANNOT SLEEP ON PLANES

In May I traveled to Hawaii.
There were 5 plane flights
JFK-SLC, SLC-Honolulu, Honolulu-Maui, Maui-LAX, LAX-JFK

And each one had its quirks and charms. Let's see what happened

Pre-Flight Concerns

physical discomfort-Restless Leg, insomnia

occupying my time
possibility of annoying seatmates
anxiety over the first three

READY TO GO

How It Played out

THE PHYSICAL ISSUES
My RLS is not an issue. I move my affected right leg constantly yet imperceptibly (in my opinion). I massage my leg while seated. I am covered with the red Delta blanket as well as my shawl and with the tray table down I can do a lot of movement. I get up and walk to the bathroom. I do yoga poses while waiting. Since I have to go 9 times (must be gravity) during the first two flights; there is a lot of yoga. Poses done while sitting as well.

OCCUPYING MY TIME

1-Devices for Reading
I need to be busy. My mind is overly active. I cannot stare off into space. I cannot sleep on planes.  My mother said of my father "Charlie can sleep on a picket fence."  He also could stare out of a window or at a wall for hours. When asked what was in his mind. "Nothing" I did not inherit his empty head sleepy genes.
Was not buying WIFI. I borrowed ebooks for my Kindle. No one seemed to know if borrowed ebooks would work without WIFI. Why? Technically they are not mine. Purchased Kindle books are yours and there forever. Borrowed ebooks are sucked back by the library after 14 days. So I take a hard cover book as well. 

The ebooks work out. They show up in flight. I read three. The library sucked them back in when I returned.

2-The Beverage Cart
The pop of the soda can and the whoosh of its contents being poured. Yes, the beverage cart is on its way. One of the highlights of flights and I do consider it part of the entertainment. I have a vague anxiety of it running out of supplies before it gets to me. I am relieved when it stops by our row. I am on the aisle every flight so I have a good view. I have a few extra seconds to decide what I want since the window and middle are served first.
 Coffee 
The first flight has Starbucks...Yay...Cannot believe my good fortune...uh oh...not good...somehow    they have made weak Starbucks coffee which is almost impossible.

Adult Beverages
oh yeah...gin and tonic...wine...second and fifth flights...perfect

NOT THE USUAL STARBUCKS

3-Movies and TV
I seldom go to the movies at home. But here we have movies, TV shows and all kinds of programming. Our own mini TVs.

I opt to start with some movies. I wear hearing aids. I think the ear buds won't go in the space already filled. So I start out without earbuds and therefore no audio. 

Carol...one of few movies I wanted to see. I watch and I understand it all. no captions, no sound. A beautiful film.

Brooklyn I read the book a while ago and thought it sad. Some folks tell me the movie is funny. Funny? Are you kidding me? I watch it soundless with Dutch subtitles. English not offered. Works fine. Not as sad in Dutch.

Sisters...I last 10 minutes, sorry Amy and Tina
for the return flights, I take out my hearing aids and use the earbuds
Burnt...Bradley Cooper and Food...got skewered by critics. I like it.

Daddy's Home...If it received more than a 1/2 star is overrated

The Affair...TV...the entire second season love Maura Tierney
CNN I am a news junkie and will watch anything with Anderson Cooper

ANNOYING SEATMATES

I AM ON THE AISLE EVERY FLIGHT, BEST SEAT

First
JFK flight to Salt Lake City 
fine

Second 
SLC to Honolulu
whew...the two folks across the aisle to my right are brother and sister. Brother has the window, sister the aisle. The sister is a missionary. Seated in front are the parents. The four NEVER EVER stop talking and sharing their free snacks...food which they have accumulated and stashed in big zip locks from previous flights. I know it because no one would buy these mini salt-less pretzels and mix them with oily peanuts. The sister demonstrates how she sleeps on flights...she blows up an inflatable pillow until it pins her against the seat like an airbag...unfortunately it does not force her mouth shut...then the brother pushes up the window shade and a beam of blinding light shoots me in the face. Current plane culture is "to keep the shades down" I spend the last hour of the flight alternately holding up my Kindle and the safety placard to shield my face from this beam.

Why didn't I ask him to shut the shade? He seems to have a severe physical disability affecting his ability to sit up. His only position is hunched and facing the window looking out...he is unable to turn his head.to the left. No range of motion. During the last hour of the flight I cannot turn my head to the right so we are a matched set.

Third
Honolulu to Maui
The only issue is that we drive most of the way. The airport runway is long. It seems to stretch right to the Maui coast. We ride on it for a half hour, lift off for 20 minutes, then land.

Fourth
Maui to LAX
The woman next to me claims both armrests. This action leaves me with only a left. I am used to it. I cannot win the elbow war...people spread over me. However when she also tries to use my outlet I protest. She does not believe me. I tell her it is like a place setting "knife on the right" I pick the most hurtful utensil as an example. She checks and reluctantly agrees. Armrest woman also drinks a huge amount of liquids...5 diet sodas and every cup of water offered. I am on edge for most of the flight expecting her to need the bathroom. She does not. I make up for her. They say our bodies are 70% water. I leave each flight with only 30%.  My bathroom use exceeds all expectations.

Fifth
LAX red eye to JFK
I do not understand the procedure of the red eye. The regulars know what the deal is.
The red eye is the zombie flight. And not mobile zombies.

After a quick run through the plane, the beverage cart retires. As does everyone else. I realize everyone except two of my traveling companions are asleep. Really. The entire plane is in a group trance

GOODNIGHT

I am awake. Waiting for the return of the beverage cart. Or at least some pretzels. Or a garbage pickup. Any sign of life.

Hoods over faces
Blindfolds
Hats
Blankets
Paws curled up

RED EYE ZOMBIE POSITION

ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE LANDING THE ZOMBIES LURCH AWAKE

And then as if they all hear a private signal, they awake. Pulling off hoods, rubbing eyes, stretching, unraveling blankets. One eye opening to the world, one eye still in sleep mode.

HAVE WE LANDED YET?

I know I cannot do what the red eye regulars do. I have NEVER slept on a flight. But I now know the drill for next time. I will enjoy the quiet. Not expect the cart. And use the bathroom as if it is my own. Because on a red eye it will be.

SUMMARY

loved it all
gave me stories
I can still do it
my traveling gene kicks back in
thanks to my friends for inviting me

WHERE TO NEXT?

Woof woof

Is Liam Blue while I am in Hawaii?

MOM IS GONE, NO LATTE LICKS

I went to Hawaii. I was away for 9 full days. You have seen the iconic shots. Wanted to share a few photos which are not yet iconic...my views alone...

When checking in to the Hyatt Regency Resort in Maui we are told our rooms do not have optimum views...maybe they even say not so good. First photo is the view to the left of my balcony. Yes, a rainbow has been provided free of charge. Second shot is the view from my room when looking to the right, early morning. I am okay with both views. Highly tolerable.

And the next two

Are my Starbucks views

First from Maui Starbucks 

The second from my hometown New Hyde Park Starbucks with Maui represented on my iPad. My transition back to my Starbucks. I amuse myself.

I went to Hawaii. I was away 9 days.
Liam stayed home with Daddy Paul. And he is a different dog.

When I was away in paradise Liam apparently changed his behaviors and activities. 

No barking

No boney begging
No early morning poochie bell ringing

No pre-dawn trips outside

He also grew a lump on the top of his left rear paw. How could all this happen in 9 days?
It did.

I returned from Hawaii.
When I returned to the house there was no leaping into my arms.

No jumping up.

No tail wagging.

I had envisioned one of those soldier returning home type reactions...knocking me down, licking my face, over and over, an endless loop of canine love

No LiamLicks
not a one

I returned from Hawaii.

LiamLooks replace LiamLicks

First was side saddle ignoring

TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

Then the evil eye

YOU EXPECT ME TO BE GLAD TO SEE YOU, TRAITOR?

Accusatory

YOU LEFT ME

Hiding and staring

MAYBE IF I HIDE SHE WILL GO AWAY

I"LL STARE HER INTO GUILT

But then came Memorial Day.

Oh and about this holiday. Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in our armed forces. Memorial Day is NOT Veterans Day. True! We commemorate all who serve in November. There seems to be a tendency by some to treat both Holidays the same.

This year I visited Pearl Harbor right before Memorial Day. Like everyone else, I was profoundly affected by the experience. Those entombed in the USS Arizona never had a chance to be thanked for their service. It seems right we reserve a day only for them and all others who died while in the service of our country.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day

And it is not about celebrating Independence Day either...that Holiday is July 4th...this goes out to those who shot off fireworks Memorial Day night and terrified Liam.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_%28United_States%29 

Yes the fireworks start after dark. Liam is shaking and running in circles. I whip out the Thundershirt and wrap him. He picks me to huddle with. Liam returns to Mom when in crisis. Has he forgiven me?

MAKE THE BOOMS STOP!

Finally the fireworks folks exhaust their supply. Liam relaxes

WHEW MOM, THEY STOPPED

And we take off the shirt...he is back. My friend again.

For now

MINGLING OUR PAWS

The bad behaviors have not returned. Except for some rounds of barking.

Solution to unwanted behaviors

Go to Hawaii

Travel 5000 miles and stay in the Pacific for 9 days. 

Return from Hawaii

find a new improved Liam

oh and LiamsLump is a fatty deposit. Not unusual in an older sausage dog.

Woof, Woof

Green is Good

GREEN

My Locker
I have a fave locker at the health club. Most members do. Mine is #29. Its main attraction is a central location to bathrooms, seating and hairdryers.

MY LOCKER

Those adjacent are also prime but a titch less so. On a recent Sunday I open my #29  and am surprised to find a jacket hung inside. No lock. We are urged to secure our belongings with a combination or key lock. I guess this member feels her jacket is not at risk of theft. Okay, I cannot use my fave locker today. I have a vague disquiet over my loss. We members are territorial. And observers of routine. I regroup. I place my bags, coat and accessories in the locker to the right... locker #31. I head out to the gym floor. Yay! My fave row machine is free! We have a new pair of row machines. Most rowing members prefer the machine on the right. It is not in a path to the day care as is its mate, so no traffic on either side...flanks protected. And its location affords a better view of the newly installed wide screen TVs. I lower myself on to my machine, strap in, and start my half hour trip.

The Confrontation
As I near the end of my session I am approached by two young women. Their expressions expectant and inquiring. One nearest me leans down, holds out her phone and asks "Are these your things?" I am looking at a photo of the insides of a locker. And yes, I see my jacket, boots, scarf, bag.

MY GREEN

I am confused. Why does she have a photo of my belongings? I had put them inside and locked them up. She explains she returned to the locker she was using and found it locked. Hers is #29. The lock on it is green. She checked the next locker and saw it was full but unlocked. It had a green bag. She reasoned that whoever had put the lock on hers was this person because this member liked green and probably had a bag to match the lock. Really? What an analysis! She should be a jury profiler.  You may notice my green bag has Carol inscribed on it. (it is a kid's schoolbag...my sense of humor) Readers, this might be an important clue as to how these women cracked the case. The lead questioner says they further hypothesized that the person who used a green lock and a green bag might be wearing green exercise clothing. Really? I am upgrading their occupations.These two might be detectives...and I AM wearing green. And it is NOT my usual exercise outfit. 

Wearin' O the Green
Though green is my fave color I have been trying to incorporate other colors into my wardrobe. The green perception will take a while to dispel. I suspect folks think we dress in green all the time.

We don't. However, I am glad I am wearing green today...leaving my belongings exposed and unlocked for the duration of my workout would have been in apparent defiance of the rules and  tempting for anyone looking to increase their green wardrobe. Of course had the member using #29 used a lock I would not have locked her locker up in the first place.
So it is her fault.
Not.
My bad. I must focus. And wear green as a backup for my mindlessness.

WE DON'T WEAR GREEN OFTEN

Do you think there is more to this story? 

Theory

As I was leaving, my head down to avoid confrontation, I see one of my green detectives manning the front desk. A new employee? Oh, the two are not here together?

What if the member using #29 went to the front desk with her locked locker dilemma? I am a regular and I have a lime green bag advertising my name. It has been noticed by staff. Carol with the green bag. She shows her phone pic. They recognize the bag, figure it is mine and check the sign in...we all sign in with a card scan..."yes, she is here" Where on the health club floor would I be? The staff  knows I row. Bingo. The employee accompanies the member straight to the row machine. I am found.

Easy deduction. Did it happen this way? I don't know.

I do know going green is good.

Go Green
Green is good.
A Green glow is an environmentally supportive look in an increasingly ecologically minded world.
Glow Green

WRAPPED IN GREEN FOR A RAINY FIRST WEEK OF MAY

And that's a writing wrap as well.
Readers, I will be traveling this month. The Hawaiian Islands. LiamLicks will be on hiatus and return in June. Liam will be staying at home with his Daddy. Liam and I write the blog as a team and he'll wait until I return for our next installment.

Aloha!
Woof, Woof