JULY 2021
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 Thursday 01 July:
For me, today was rather hectic, with a great many chores and errands to run and sadly, most of the day, Yonah was at home to entertain and amuse him-self. (And, quite honestly, days when we don't spend most of the time together, is EVER-SO HARD on me. I MISS our time together, but, “Life”... it does that.)
But by later in the after-noon, I had to run to market, in addition to all the house-hold work and when I got back, the VERY FIRST thing I did was go in to be with him and to make sure he knew that I was in, and home to stay.
WELL... INDEED! I do solemnly swear that he KNOWS, he's AWARE of when I'm not around because, as I walked into his room, he was standing on the little “perch” in his door (which I leave open unless I'll be gone for several hours), STARING DIRECTLY AT ME, WITH HIS “STERN” STANCE! And when I approached, he gave his “flick” of both wings! I was SO incredibly humbled and contrite! I immediately went to him and when I bent to give him a usual “kiss”, he SNUGGLED against my face, and I “held” him in my hands and told him how I regretted the time away. ALL THE WHILE, HE JUST SNUGGLED AGAINST MY FACE, PECKING AT ME, AS HE DOES!!! IT WENT DIRECTLY TO THE VERY CORE OF MY BEING! HE MISSED OUR TIME TOGETHER TOO!
My evening meal was already quite late by that time, something I really can't afford to do these days, so I begged forgiveness and as I stepped back to go to the kitchen... HE IMMEDIATELY WENT AND BEGAN EATING! It really is as if he waited for me to return before he ate! He's done that quite a few times already: if I'm busy about the house for any particular length of time, when I come into the room, settle at the work-table, HE EATS!
I am, as I say frequently... IN AWE, by the very definition of the word! As soon as I understood that he wasn't going to be set free out-side, I'd thought, many times, of how wonderful it would be if he and I were ever to be able to “bond”, that he would come to Trust me, at the very least. BUT I NEVER EVEN APPROACHED THE NOTION THAT HE WOULD COME TO, WELL, WHAT APPEARS TO BE, “LOVE” ME! WELL! WELL, INDEED! IT'S JUST ABOUT AS OBVIOUS AS FEET ON LEGS, NOSE ON FACE... OUR *LOVE* IS MUTUAL! I ask myself, FREQUENTLY, what I've done to be so deserving of the Love of this little one... the HONOUR, the BLESSING, the GIFT, the DIVINITY of it is FAR, FAR BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION, AND IT'S MORE APPRECIATED THAN ANY “gift” or “kindness” I've EVER, IN MY ENTIRE LIFE-TIME, RECEIVED FROM ANY-WHERE, AT ANY TIME!!!
And so, I quickly threw something together to suffice as a “meal” and ate quite quickly. When I was done, I went back in to chat with him and, when I reached down to stroke his breast (he REALLY DOES like that), he FLEW UP ONTO MY ARM AND UP TO MY SHOULDER WHERE HE “SNUGGLED” AGAINST MY FACE AGAIN! SO... TONIGHT... ANOTHER *MILE-STONE*... AS I DID THE WASHING-UP AFTER DINNER, HE PERCHED ON MY SHOULDER... NEXT TO MY EAR, AND WATCHED AS I WASHED AND RINSED, DRIED AND PUT-UP THE DISHES!!! AND HE STAYED THERE UNTIL I WENT BACK INTO HIS ROOM TO BEGIN CHANGING THE WATER (as I do not less than twice, daily, the last, just before he's ready for sleep at night) WHEN, AS WE APPROACHED HIS “HOUSE”, HE FLEW TO THE TOP TO WATCH AS I DRAINED AND RE-FILLED HIS POOL, AND PUT FRESH FOOD AND WATER IN FOR HIM FOR THE NIGHT! AND... WHEN I'D DONE, HE, ON HIS OWN, FLEW BACK IN, HAD ANOTHER LITTLE BIT TO EAT AND WENT TO HIS “NIGHT PERCH”!!!
Now... I'm SO glad I'm documenting these events and putting them out on the Internet for others to see, read and know... ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT BIRDS (AND OTHER LITTLE ONES) ARE NOT “SENTIENT” BEINGS! HOW SAD SUCH PEOPLE ARE. HOW TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY SAD. AND WHEN I THINK THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO SIMPLY FIND “SPORT” IN SHOOTING THESE PRECIOUS BEINGS! WELL? IT MAKES IT CLEAR, MORE UNDERSTANDABLE, WHY THERE IS SUCH TURBULENCE IN THIS WORLD... AND, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, MORE-SO THESE DAYS WITH YONAH THAN OTHERS, I CAN'T FIND “COMPASSION” WHEN TRAGEDY BEFALLS HUMANS... I FIND IT “WELL-DESERVED”. MURDERING THESE LITTLE ONES WHO ARE BLATANTLY CAPABLE OF EMOTIONAL BONDS! IT PHYSICALLY SICKENS AND REPULSES ME.
Well now, I'm relieved to get that off my chest! (If I've insulted anyone who reads this, rest assured, I haven't done-so sufficiently... and I'll leave it at that.)
Other-wise, at the end of the day today, I closed Yonah's curtains, put up the “lights-block”, and we “cuddled” a little more... I bade him “good night” and, again, as is the “routine” ever since that first night he was here, just before I go to bed, the VERY last thing I do of a day is, in the darkness of the house, I go to his door and whisper “Good night precious little Yonah. Sleep well and restful. You're safe here, protected and so VERY LOVED AND CHERISHED.” (I can't help but believe that he hears me... and some-how, he understands... other-wise, I DO believe that he KNOWS...)
Friday 02 July:
We had a WONDERFUL sort of day today, in spite of my being rather busy in the morning with more house-hold chores, the VERY FIRST of which was “shopping for Yonah”. The seeds he gets are never available in the local stores so they have to be ordered, so now, they're on their way, along with a bunch of “millet sprays” that I'm going to hang some-where in his house so he has “snacks to play with”! I've also ordered 2 “mineral blocks” in the hope that he'll “trim” his beak a bit... it's getting rather long and I'm becoming quite concerned about it.
But today, I made certain to keep Yonah as part of those “chores”, making certain to be in his room, to do something and even when, at one point, I needed to take a lie-down.
When I did that, he flew out of his house and got comfortable at the top of the futon where I was laying, and came walking to the end where my head was and there, he just “watched” me for the moments I closed my eyes!
And again, today, for a while, he accompanied me about the house, riding on my shoulder, and we had “Kissie-Lovey” as I moved about with him there.
It was an other-wise dreary sort of day with rains heavy at times, but almost constant, so the house has taken-on a “damp chill” tonight, as the day closes. So, his “pool” and drinking waters have been changed and freshened and tonight, his radiator is on, low, but enough to keep the chill away. I see NO reason why he should have to experience even the slight chill ever again. And so long as it's humanly possible, I'll see to it that he doesn't.
One note: I'm really in quite a quandary, a great deal of uncertainty. That vet that I've found for him, where I was thinking of taking him for a “beak trim”... their so-called “covid” policy is that I have to make an appointment on-line and when I bring him, I have to “call” into the office, some-body comes out to bring him in and when he's done they bring him back... I'm expected to remain out-side the building!!! I DO *NOT* LIKE THAT IDEA AT ALL!!! ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS WOULD BE HIS FIRST VISIT TO A VET AND THE FIRST VISIT TO THIS PLACE FOR BOTH OF US! I'll have to phone them and confirm this nonsense and make it perfectly clear that I find it selfish, inconsiderate and almost rude, if not out-right evil. And if they insist, I'm just going to have to find another vet for him. To think... such blatant inconsideration. (Of course I AM going to make it MOST clear, just how important Yonah is to me... after all... HE is the reason I'm Journalling this now.jpg "02 July 2021") ... And “when he 'goes'... I'll be stopping my own efforts where my 'situation' is concerned... and follow... shortly there-after.)
Meanwhile, he's all tucked-in for the night, and I'm hoping he's sleeping, restfully, peacefully... surrounded, quite honestly, by just SO MUCH LOVE... and AWE!
These are the most SPECTACULAR days of my entire existence. Really, honestly, actually... the most SPECTACULAR!
Saturday 03 July:
OH! But it rained again, ALL day, with only the briefest moments of reprieve. The world needs the rain but YONAH NEEDS THE SUN! I mean... “Priorities” people!
But we spent another GLORIOUS day... together... as I worked more on catching-up on his Journal (I'm just more than half through February with March, April and May to go... thankfully, I'm keeping up with June as I go along.)
Anyway, it was a PURE DELIGHT, of course. I took two little snoozes in his room, on his futon and he “perched”, apparently “keeping an eye on me”. I often wonder though; when I started snoozing in there, he'd come to the pillow or at least my leg. Now, it seems, to him, me laying there is “common-place”. He's got no interest. Go figure.
BUT LOVEY, KISSIE, CUDDLY TODAY? OH YES! Now THAT I can't help but believe he COMPLETELY enjoys when it comes to us being together. So, (here's why transcribing his Journal is taking me so long) I, of course, take little “breaks” from the typing, especially when he comes to that extra “perch” I have set-up across his “front door” (another “Best-Ever Idea”). He comes either from being a-top or where-ever else he might have been in his house, and he “perches” there, staring at me until I move. Then, as soon as he sees that I'm paying attention to him, the wings SNAP into the air, which, I've come to learn, means “GIMME LOVINS!” And so... of course... “LOVINS” it is, for a few, well... I'm to understand that a “moment” is 90-seconds as opposed to a minute of 60 so... it's a few (if not several) moments. But it's all SO worth the break! He SO DOES enjoy the playing, the stroking, even an occasional “holding”! (And as I'm typing his Journal from the early days, I smile and I cry... I cry mostly because he never did and never will get back out to the others... I cry because my heart just doesn't know how else to handle or express the JOY that he is... and I smile, because “he made it”... and today... WE ARE MORE “FAMILY” THAN ANY “FAMILY” I'VE EVER HAD. Yes, there have been Nakiia, Noel, Mimou... even Dixie and Hallie, but cats and dogs are domestic to begin with. YONAH? She wasn't BORN to be in a house with a human! And this relationship we have is all HIS choice... I appreciate it more than I can explain, but for all those months, my thought was that he would be set back with HIS “folks”... his flock. HE chose where it would all go and HE'S chosen to accept me... and again, my heart just can't wrap a description of this JOY...) So I've digressed...
The only times he was in his room alone is when I stepped out for my lunch and evening meal... 45 minutes each. Although, right after he got “tucked-in” for the night, I had to run into town for about 30 minutes... but I RUSHED (mostly because, as I've said before, I actually miss him so terribly) and when I got back... he was on his perch where he sleeps for the night. I DID say a few words to let him know I was in the house, but... either he was already sleeping or he was “pretending not to notice me”. (And I wouldn't doubt the “pretending”... I find him actually THAT brilliant.)
So tomorrow is a “holiday”... and it's a Sunday... so we have NO “obligations”. His house could use a bit of a cleaning-up... he's been exceptional in the “seed tossing” lately. I'm HOPING IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF HIS BEAK! (I found an emery board today and was so tempted but, instead, I put it in his house, hoping he'll pick at it until his mineral stones arrive... supposedly on Tuesday.) So tomorrow... it is.
But tonight, he's all safe and sound, his radiator is on because of the dampness, one window is open a bit for air and such. And all is well... in this house and, it appears, in his as well. And I look forward to tomorrow... and another day together with him... as I always do... So long as we both shall live...
Sunday 04 July:
We had a wonderfully peaceful “holiday” today. I spent TOO much time out, chatting with the new neighbour, and Yonah spent the day, amusing himself at home. But I DID make time to stroll through the wood-lands and found THREE potential new trees for the “house”. I'll get one, ultimately because Yonah REALLY enjoys setting on the one perch that's just above the smaller white pine (potted and thriving quite nicely), but low enough for him to be IN the tree. So I'm getting another one, for the other side of the “house”, but the pool and fountain. I've always tried to keep his place as close to the “natural” environment he would have, were he back out-side and even if it means having to replace any trees, well, so be it. It's not as if we here, in our millions of hectares, would ever miss any. White pine being the predominant tree up here, in these mountains. AND, the needles are what mourning doves use for nests so they present NO “threat” to them... a “safe” tree... and, obviously, one that Yonah enjoys. (But I felt terrible, having lost track of time and realising that I'd spent so much of it away.)
When I came back in, I threw “dinner” together for me and Yonah had his at the same time. There's precious little else that brings a special joy to my heart more than seeing him eating. I always remember the advice given to me by a vet, with regard to the stray cat we had, years ago: “As long as he's eating and continues to eat, he'll be fine.” And so, as long as Yonah eats... he's fine... and so too, am I. We're both “fine”.
I brought my “work” into his room, to the work-table there, and he perched, for a while, on the “extension perch” that extends out of his house, at my side, over my shoulder. And when not there, he was on the perch across the door to his house, still close by and where he could “watch” as I typed. And we listened to an eclectic selection of music on what is now “his” iPod. (I still want to get him his own little MP3 player with a selection of music that he shows a particular interest in... like, for instance... that “Dragostea din tei” or “Numa Numa” by O-Zone! THAT played yesterday and I sang a bit to him and he stared at me, tilted his head at times, and actually COO'ed at some parts!!! And, of course, his Dvorak... “Song To The Moon”... and I'll put in some recordings of mourning doves and song-birds as well. HIS player, HIS music.) But today, he and I just listened to all sorts and kinds of different music, in different “human” languages AND, MOST CERTAINLY, I put aside MANY moments to play, cuddle and LOVE!
I'm STILL SO AMAZED at how, if I don't pay enough attention, he'll come to the front-most perch at his door and when I turn to look at him, he “snaps” his wings and straightens-up so that I can stroke his breast! And he pecks at my fingers and hands. And NOW, when I put the side of my face close enough to him, he “snuggles” against it. (I wonder if the beard has anything to do with it. But it's more like “fur” than feathers, yet, he seems to SO enjoy the snuggle.) I don't believe I'll EVER come to simply “accept” the Love and Affection he developed over these past months. It was NEVER expected but it IS so intensely, deeply, sincerely appreciated.
I “worked” in the room until it got dark and I had to put the desk lamp on. And then, we did the nightly “changing of the waters”... in pool and for drinking. The “floor” in his house got a sweeping, the “light-block” got put on and there were MANY “kisses”. He even lets me know when it's “time to get some sleep around here”... and when the boards go up, he gets to his perch, shuffles over to the open door, waiting for “Good night kisses”. Yeah... TRY to tell me he's not aware, that he doesn't KNOW affection. And to think SOME people shoot these little ones and call it “sport”. Humanity... what a waste of Creation. At these times, I think of the nonsense I was given about a “perfect God” who created humans and I think... “Shooting defenceless little ones for 'fun'? A 'perfect God' created beings capable of that? That's SURELY NOT 'perfect'... unless this 'God' has an equally evil quality... 'made in his likeness' and such.” It's repulsive! Really.
BUT... Yonah is tucked-in for a night of rest and tomorrow, I'll be out “tree hunting”, as it were. A nice tree, in a nice pot, with good, natural soil... and he'll be able to “nest and nestle” comfy-cozy. His radiator is on tonight because there's a distinct “chill” to the air. His window is open a bit, but any drafts are blocked by his “light blocking backing”. Fresh air through the night and warmth... And tomorrow... well... tomorrow, a new tree. And on Tuesday, he's got new food coming with two “calcium blocks” that I'm HOPING he'll use to trim his beak. (I want to try everything before submitting us both, to a vet... And tomorrow, I'll find out about another vet, also almost an hour away, because that's the closest we have here, and see how that one is. I'm MORE concerned about doctors for Yonah than I am for me... but once I can know, for certain, that he'll always be cared-for by the best... I'll get around to me. Right now... I have a “vow” to keep... I can't keep the one about putting him back out-side...that would be a certain death to him... but I CAN and DO keep the vow to keep him safe, secure, protected and in the best-possible health... with LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Another day of PURE JOY... Another night of protected rest.
Monday 05 July:
Yonah has “new trees”!!! Yes, two new white pines, and they sit VERY nicely in one pot, in the corner a-top the stones in his pool! Now, there's a small one in the opposite corner, in the front of his house, where he likes to perch, on the perch but IN the branches, and the other two in the back, under which, he can bathe in his little fountain.
It was a particularly hot day today, though clear and bright. And this morning, we did the changing of the waters, and got ready for the day.
All morning, I sat with him and worked on the 'February Journal” page... and that's complete, and on-line! (Now, on to March... I still have March, April and May to complete. “Projects”.) He watched, of course, for the most part, either from his vantage points in and on his house or, he's now in a habit of taking to the shelving on the wall behind me. I've NO idea what the attraction is over there, but... if he enjoys it, this entire house and all the rooms are his free domain. So be it.
THIS MORNING, NANCY STOPPED BY AND SHE'S GOING TO CHECK WITH HER VET TO SEE IF HE'LL TAKE YONAH AS A PATIENT! SHE SAYS THEY ALLOW FOLKS TO COME IN, 2 MAX. AT A TIME, TO BE IN THE OFFICE WHILST THE LITTLE ONES ARE BEING ATTENDED. SHE'S GOING TO CHECK TO SEE IF HE'LL TRIM YONAH'S BEAK AND THE COST... *AND* SHE SAID “I'LL DRIVE YOU TO HIM.”! (Tomorrow, I'm going to call the other vet and ask about whether or not I can go in with Yonah... AND I'm going to ask if I can go to the office to SEE it BEFORE I bring Yonah. If there's one that will let me in and the other won't, that'll settle which one we'll go with. If BOTH will let me in, then, we'll have to take it from there and see about cost and services and such.) Nancy understood, completely, when I said that I won't give them the business if I can't go in.
I also spoke with Dan, down the Hill. He brings his dog to a vet a little more local. But he, and his neighbour both said that they're over-priced and that they bring their dogs in ONLY for routine shots and such. They're not too “fond” of the general services and atmosphere. (Not to mention, neither of them seemed too pleased with the general “attitude” there. So, closer or not... THAT one's scratched. And it's a “branch office” of one in Plattsburgh that has quite “mixed” reviews on-line AND THEY absolutely will NOT let people in... either location... No questions... no choosing them.)
This evening, we did an early “water change” because of the new “installation” of the trees... THOROUGH FLUSHING THROUGH, to be sure. So it's immaculately fresh water for the over-night. And kitchen roll was changed. Yonah LOVES to toss seeds out of the little container, so the birds out back got quite the treat again, this evening. I'm not sure why he makes such a “toss”... there's a LOT that goes to the birds out back. I don't mind. I'm glad they're getting good food too. AND, it helps me a bit, to keep his food fresh. But I wonder if his beak doesn't have something to do with it. I've watched him eat. He does get the seeds, so he IS eating very well. But I'd feel better if he had a “proper”, “healthy” length.
Tomorrow, his “Healthy Select” and “ZuPreem” with veggies and fruits are due to arrive. And two “mineral blocks” as well. I'm excited about the blocks and will have to figure out how to make them “attractive” to him. Hopefully, they'll make a great difference in his beak. I'd rather HE did the necessary “trimming”, here, at home, in his house, than to bring him to a stranger. But Nancy trusts Jack's doctor (Jack is her Doberman). Still... no matter, I HOPE these mineral stones do the necessary.
It's going to be quite warm the next several nights, so Yonah's window is open and I have a fan out-side his door, blowing in to keep the air circulating in there over-night. I like it when his windows can be open over-night... good out-side air for him.
I'm just curious how he's going to react to the new trees though. He wasn't all too curious when I put them in, though, he DID WATCH me, ever-so carefully. I'll be listening tonight, for “odd flutters” and we'll see how the night went... tomorrow... in the morning.
But, he's tucked-in and all's well... Another night... safe and sound... and OH! SO LOVED! (PS: The neighbours were “amused” that I go into the woods to get trees for him. BUT... they're “animal lovers” and they understood. I want the BEST for my little guy... And they found it rather some-what interesting that I make his little house inside this house as close to out-side as possible. I feel: the more they know, the better... in case Yonah ever has to rely on them... Now, they KNOW how “exceptionally well” he's living... and should ANY of them need to care for him, for what-ever reason... they now know the “standard”. Good for them.)
Tuesday 06 July:
It was quite the hot and humid day today, and Yonah and I spent most of it together, me at the work table, working on his Journal and he, either on his perch in the breeze that sometimes blew in through the window or on the perch at the door to his house... but MOSTLY on the door perch... watching me. He truly does seem intrigued by what I do when I sit there, typing. We listened to the radio most of the day, but he was just focused on what I was doing. At one point, I got up and lifted him to my shoulder and sat back down, chatting with him and he made himself quite comfy there, on my shoulder, still watching as the words appeared on the lap-top screen!
This evening, when I'd done with evening meal, I went in to his room and, as he does, he came almost running to the door, hopped up on the door perch. (He does this most of the time when I'm out of the room for any length of time and come back in. It's one of THE MOST heart-warming sights. It's as if he hasn't seen me in the longest while and comes to “greet” me! To be honest, I NEVER even THOUGHT about him EVER doing such a thing. Yep... looks like WE'RE his “flock”!) So, again, I lifted him to my shoulder and slowly went into the kitchen with him. And as I did the washing-up... he watched, from my left shoulder, pecked a bit on my ear and then moved to the right shoulder... across my back! He was there for a few moments and then went back to the left shoulder, got comfy and watched my every move!
I remember reading that doves will, sometimes follow family members (people) through the house and are known to actually show an interest in the goings-on of a family's routine. WELL! I'm here to confirm that!
When I started back to his room, washing-up being finished, he was having NONE of that and took off... into the living-room where he alighted on the futon... which he's shown before, is one of his more favourite places. When I got to him, he was “perched” at the edge, almost “relaxing”. All he really needed was a light and a book! What a laugh!
Part of his “food order” arrived today... the “Healthy Select”, and with it, 2 of the tiniest “mineral blocks” I could have imagined. One “vegetable” the other “fruit”. I'm SO hoping they'll help “trim” his beak! I saw a photo of him from back when he'd arrived and I can imagine how his beak has grown so and I didn't notice! (Yes, I'm going to HAVE to bring him to a vet for a trim... and then make certain to keep the beak “under control”... I SO dread the very thought of bringing him to the vet, but it'll be good to have one “check him” for all of what-ever they check. Other than the beak... and the “off” feathers on his wing, which he picked at again, today... but not to the point of significant bleeding... I noticed it when I lifted him to my shoulder... just one spot of blood on my finger and no more, he appears to be in excellent health... thankfully. But a check-up can't hurt.) Anyway... there was a little mirror-toy as well, that I'd ordered just to see what he'd do about it. He REALLY likes to see “the other dove” in the mirror I'd hung in his house already, so I thought another would be “fun”... placed else-where. Well! with this one, he did the very same thing he'd done when I hung the first mirror:
He looks in the mirror, NOTICES the “other dove” BUT... CLEVER that he is, he looks up over the mirror and to the sides, as if looking to see if the dove in front of him is behind something! He NOTICES and he seems to some-how KNOW that it doesn't make sense that he can't see the other dove any-where else but directly in front of him! And I wonder if he has ANY sense that what he's looking at is himself, though I do realise that he'd have no reason to wonder that, having never seen himself before... as a recognisable reflection. Still, it IS amazing that he'd look above and behind the mirror.
This new mirror is smaller than the first and his interest quickly faded and he was off and about his usual little flights about his house and having a bit of something to eat.
Ass for the “mineral block”... I've put it into the dish with his food so that the food is to the back of the dish and the block to the front. Hope? Plan? That by reaching to the back for the food, he'll manage to “scratch” the block, there-by “filing” his beak a bit. Will it work? Well... as everything else “we've” done over these 8-almost-9 months... “try and see”, “trial and error”, give it a chance.
And so, tonight, his windows are open, fresh waters in pool and drink, light block up... and I'm keeping a box fan just out-side his door, on the floor, to keep air circulating in there for him through the night... just in case it gets TOO warm in the house. (I don't have air-conditioning and I don't believe it would be good for him anyway. I make sure the water in his pool is always fresh. On particularly hot days I change it a couple of times during the day so he can, as he does, sit in it and cool. He wouldn't have air-conditioning out-side so...) He's been “tucked-in” for a few hours now and thankfully... he's quiet...
Tomorrow, more food is due to arrive and then on Thursday, sprigs of millet should come. I'm looking forward to hanging one (at least) some-where in his house for him to peck at and play with.
It certainly not that he's “locked in a cage” all the time. In fact, from morning until “sleep-time”, he's free to travel through the entire house. But he just doesn't have any interest in any place other than his room. I can partially understand, because his room is the brightest during the day. But, since he stays to his room, I try to give him as much “entertainment” as possible... whether it's me, playing with him, or something else that he can find “amusing”.
He IS, quiet actually, my “life” now... and his needs are, quite honestly, second only to the rent in the budget. Yes... in every way... he IS my life now... and nobody is aware of that (save the reader of this entry), and I couldn't/can't think of anything better.
 Wednesday 07 July:
Oh, but it was another dreary sort of cool and damp day today and this morning, Yonah was rather unusually “calm” when I went in to open the curtains. I didn't get the usual “greeting”, and he didn't appear to be too happy to see me. I was “concerned”, but not “panicked”. The curtains got opened and too, because it was warm enough, the windows too. The air “circulated” in his room, but there wasn't any breeze so it didn't get too chilled. And as I flushed and changed the water in his pool, he didn't really seem interested. That too, was a bit strange. Usually, he moves to the opposite side of his house and keeps careful watch. I talked to him as I worked, and when I got my head into the house far enough, he suddenly came from behind and gave me a few pecks on the back of my head... THAT was HIM. So when I turned to give “good morning kisses”, I got a few pecks on my nose and after that, all seemed to be OK... I was SO relieved!
I guess he was having a “sleep in” sort of morning, and I can't say that I blame him. It was a great day for it.
Later though, he left his house and went to the shelf, as he does these days, but I heard him coo'ing and went in to see how he was. He was on the shelf, in a bit of space, facing the wall! And as I approached to talk with him, since he coo'ed, he wouldn't turn around! He kept staring at the wall! So I reached up with my finger, as I do to stroke his breast, something that he ALWAYS enjoys, and when he saw my hand approaching, he quickly turned to face me, stood quite up-right so that I could stroke his breast and as I did, as he does, he pecked at my hand but didn't move away. Yes, he was happy about that. When I stopped and returned to the kitchen, he left the shelf and went to the top of his house where he normally likes to spend a day.
What I noticed was that he didn't want to be “in” his house, so I guessed that the air coming in through the windows was too cool, so I closed them.
Well, at his “usual” time, round-about 11.30, he flew in to have his “brunch” and he ate VERY well! And today he has his “mineral block” in with the food for his beak. The depth of the quantity of seed behind the block is enough to compensate for the curve of his beak so he had to get over the block to get to the seeds and I'm rather sure that he “scratches” the block as he eats. I don't expect miracles and that his beak will suddenly get back to the length it should be but I'm hoping the block has some effect on it. Anyway, he ate VERY well!
I did a “poop check” this morning too, as I changed the waters... all looks perfectly well and fine so, I'm relieved. As I say, it must have been a “slow morning” because by 11.30... all was well with Yonah, and, therefore, all was well with me.
This evening, his other food mix arrived so now he's got a fresh bag of “Healthy Select” and “ZuPreem” with the fruits and veggies in it! Tomorrow his millet “sprays” are due to arrive. He's also got quite a lot of the smaller seeds that I'd sifted from the wild song-bird mix and I use those as a “filler” of sorts. Most of what he's eating these days is “the good stuff”, but since he obviously likes the other, I make sure he gets that as well.
I got in touch, via “text”, with “Nancy” this evening, because I WANT to get Yonah to a vet SOON to have that beak trimmed and she came back with the phone number of the vet she's fondest of. I traced it and learnt... IT'S A “VCA” affiliate! So! Now Yonah truly does have a choice of TWO doctors! Nancy's is double the distance away from the original vet I've been considering and I saw a photo of the vet at the closer location... and he raises chickens! So... “avian”... OK! Now the only thing I need to attend is the general care of the truck, to make sure we can roll that trip up into the mountains and Yonah will be going to the doctor! AND... if all goes well, he'll have a “Primary Care Physician” (which is a LOT more than I have, to be honest)! And I'll have “Primary Care Peace of Mind”! Now, I HOPE that beak doesn't get too long in the next few days!
But I am SO grateful to Nancy! She truly is “Peace” to my other-wise always-worrying heart. She's one of my “inspirations” for taking REALLY good care of me so that I can take EXCEPTIONALLY good care of Yonah. She's what's called a “precious gem”.
And so, as day turned to evening, I saw that tonight's temperatures are expected to drop to about 14° which means locally, they'll most likely drop lower. Yonah's waters got the usual evening change, the light block got put up and his radiator is on at “3” (out of 6) for the night. I see NO reason why he should be “chilled” at all in the least when it's SO easy to keep his room nice and warm for him. And with the two trees and his pool, I don't worry so, as I used to, about proper humidity for him.
And before I closed the door to his house, as I do every evening, just to make certain he doesn't try to take flight round the room in the dark, I put my head in and got a few sweet “good night” pecks on the nose. A delightful difference from this morning. Yes, all's well with Yonah... therefore, all's well with this house-hold. The rest of the world can attend to itself... My heart and soul... wrapped in feathers... is OK and that's ALL that matters at all.
 Thursday 08 July:
This rainy morning began as a “fluffy” one. When I went in to open curtains and change waters and, of course, “Good morning kisses”, Yonah was on his little corner platform, not on his “night perch” and was rather “fluffed” and didn't appear to be too happy to see me! The “salvation” of my aching, worrying heart was when I put his “bird-song” collection on to play and he coo'ed to it. Still, it just didn't seem “right with the world”.
About an hour later, earlier than his usual-of-late, he was having breakfast and THAT took the pangs and pains away... from me. “As long as he's eating”... said the vet of Minou and I take that to apply to Yonah as well. And he ate VERY well, indeed! So THAT REALLY was a relief!
BUT THE *** REAL NEWS *** OF THE DAY: YONAH HAS A DOCTOR APPOINTMENT FRIDAY-WEEK! WE'LL BE OFF TO THE “HIGH PEAKS” HOSPITAL FOR A “PHYSICAL” AND A BEAK-TRIM! Yes, I'm looking forward to it and NO I'm NOT! It's a 45-minute drive and I don't like that idea... Yonah in the truck as we roll along. But the nice lady at the doctor's office suggested that I cover his cage (his old house) to give him a “comfortable, darker place” to be in. My “anxieties” are at their “summit”, (never mind the summits we'll be driving) when I think of the return! Poor little guy will have been “man-handled” by a stranger for his check-up (hopefully no blood-work but... it might be a good idea, though I don't like even the notion), not to mention the beak-trimming! I'm the only human he's ever been near, and, I might guess, the only human who's ever touched him! And I'm SO hoping he won't associate me with what-ever trauma he might experience. BUT I'm being allowed to go into the office with him and THAT is what cinched the deal!
Before I went to bed last night, I did a bit of reading-up on the beak-trimming and what was said, in several different references is that it IS traumatic for the little ones, and the common recommendation for after is to get him home as soon as possible and give him a relatively “dark and quiet” room, no “visitors” or the likes for several hours, at least. Well, his appointment is for 15.00, if they give him an hour (which I doubt), we'll be out by 16.00 and he'll be back HOME by about 17.00 which is still “day-light enough” so he won't be “plunged” into darkness. But I WILL have his house set, before we leave, for “sleep” so I won't have to disturb him in any way through the night. MY ONLY SINCERE HOPE IS THAT HE WON'T HAVE ANY... ***ANY*** PAIN!!! I'D VERY MUCH APPRECIATE NO “DISCOMFORT” BUT I KNOW THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! AND I HOPE HIS BEAK WON'T CAUSE ANY PAIN BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT HIM UNABLE TO EAT OR DRINK! There's going to be SOME “trauma”, not only at the doctor's but in the rolling truck and the transport from house to truck, truck to doctor, doctor to truck and truck to house. And, after all, he IS a “WILD” creature... NONE of this will be even remotely familiar. And on Tuesday it will be only 9 months since he came into this “existence”... my existence. No, I don't LIKE the entire ordeal BUT... it WILL be better for him... the “health check” and the beak trim. And I'll know whether or not I've done well in taking care of him, and, perhaps, whether or not there's more I should be doing... which, of course, I WILL do... IMMEDIATELY. (It's like taking an only child to his first physical... only worse because we can't communicate understandably. Well... I'll just have to hold the faith that he knows,some-how... that I DO LOVE HIM SO VERY MUCH! And hope that he doesn't associate me with ANY of the trauma. There's only one way to find out...) ABOVE ALL ELSE... I'VE READ THAT A MAJOR CAUSE OF DEATH OF BIRDS IS “HEART ATTACK”!!! AND THAT FRIGHTENS ME TO MY VERY CORE. (But... as I've resolved all along: no matter the cause, should he “go”... I'll immediately stop my own “routine” and shortly there-after, maybe we'll meet on some ethereal limb some-where else. We'll have a LOT to talk about, to be sure.)
He did get much better as the day progressed though, no “fluffing”, quite a bit of “chatting” and eating and yes, I DID get “kisses” during the day. And he was in and out of his house so... today, we went at a thorough house-keeping! EVERYTHING got taken out, even the sand was changed completely today. I did notice a bit of “leeching liquid” on a stool or 2 from earlier on in the say. A dark green. But certainly NOT very much. And after that, all the rest was quite “healthy” as I took-up the kitchen roll to be replaced with fresh. AND the pool got a good wipe-down (though not, this time, a “scrubbing”). Of course, the water in it was replaced first thing in the morning, as with EVERY morning, then replaced with house-keeping... and again, to be sure, before “bed-time”. I'd say that pool and the tubing are quite clean. And the mosses got removed and shaken and picked clean as well.
This evening... the “millet sprays” arrived! They're quite “odd”... to me, anyway. I've hung 2 in his house but he seems to be “suspicious” of them. I thought he might recognise them as seeds and start to pick, but he almost avoided going near them. So I've left them hanging over-night and will keep watch. If he truly doesn't  like them, well... his “compatriots” in the back yard will enjoy them, I'm sure. I don't mind. I hope he does like them and enjoy them and that they're good for him. But if not... well... not, it is then. We don't know if we don't try.
And so, tonight, the rains have been falling almost constantly, thankfully it isn't “cold”. His windows are both open slightly and his radiator has been on all day and will remain on through the night. It's not going to get “cold” over-night but I don't want him “fluffed” in the morning from a chill. And he was his usual self when I went in to “tuck him in”... came to the side of his house right beside my face, I gave a kiss, he gave a peck and... ALL IS PERFECTLY WELL WITH ALL THERE IS TO BE!
I am SO SO VERY EXCEPTIONALLY BLESSED WITH HIS PRESENCE. HONOURED, HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL... ABSOLUTELY.
Friday 09 July:
GOOD news of a morning... THIS morning, again, Yonah had “breakfast”... at about 7.30! He hasn't been eating in the mornings of late, which has “concerned” me some-what, but yesterday and this morning he HAS eaten. It does a UNIVERSE of good to my soul to see him eat.
AND, this morning, a thought came to me about his doctor appointment: Considering my health and the “reliability” of most people, as I've experienced them over the course of my life-time, it's always good to have “contingencies” when “planning” anything and so it is with Yonah (MOST IMPORTANT... to do so for Yonah). That said, there's that “Rescue” out-side Albany that I've been thinking, most seriously, of contacting, just to be sure that Yonah has a place to go where the folks will actually be caring and loving (as opposed to... ). Just to “registre” him “in case of need”. Well... this doctor appointment will surely make that all much better because they DO ask about “shots” an general health and if the little one has a doctor and who that is... YAY! Yonah will have a doctor and we'll ALL know about his general health now. Peace of mind all round! So, although I'm still anxious about the trip and such... it'll take away one issue of concern.
Well then, as the day progressed, it rained and then not, all through and, for the most part of it all, Yonah and I were together, me, diligently working on his Journal, he, either supervising or simply “hanging-out” in his house. Although, he did start the day on the shelf again, wedged some-what, in the empty little paint jars and the art books... coo'ing into the wall. The only thing I can think of that would “attract” him to that wall at all is some “hammering” that the neighbour is doing, though it's not loud. He DOES seem to have some sort of interest in the sound. But I can't think of “why”. Thankfully, he didn't stay there for a long period of time. In fact, as soon as I moved the lap-top into the room, he was more interested in me being there than much else. It really IS touching, to the core of the soul, to see him so interested in me just being there. And, to be honest, I'm never as happy and content than when I'm in there with him. Even though, at first, it doesn't seem to make any difference to him at all, as I sit, usually quietly, typing, he comes to the extra perch I made to put across the bottom of his door and he'll stay there for the longest time either staring at me or preening!
He does the same thing when I have a lie-down on “his” futon. I usually set an alarm and when it sounds, if he's been on the top of his house or else-where, he moves to where he can see me, as if he knows that I'll be waking up and getting back to work!
And today, I started putting his former house, (the cage) in order for our “trip to the mountains” on Friday-week. I have a beige “bath-sheet” that covers it quite well and inside, I got that “shelf liner” that I'd used to cover the “bars” on the bottom, washed it very clean and have covered it with fresh kitchen roll. I got out the pieces of felt that were his “nest” when he first “arrived” and made them into a little “nest” for a corner for when he comes back home after the doctor. No perches. I considered putting one in but thought he might get nervous in the truck and start flying about in there and I don't want anything in there where he might be injured. I'm wondering about water... I still have the little “dish” that came with the “cage” and could put that in there. But I wonder if it would just spill on the trip. I'll be thinking about it during the week... just as I'll be thinking about MANY things to make his trip as comfortable as possible. (I still dread it, rolling along for 90 minutes round-trip... not to mention, wondering what he'll be like after the ordeal with the doctor!)
I made a quick run to market today... primarily to fetch a sweet potato for him... for the vitamin A, and baked it quite well because I read that baking, wrapped in foil, is the best way to preserve the vitamins and such in it. So tomorrow, I'm going to mix it in with some seeds and hopefully he'll have some. IF it works well, I'll be getting more for him as well. The seeds mixture he eats supposedly provide a vast array of vitamins, but I like the idea that he gets a “variety” of foods. I'll be asking questions of the doctor... to be sure. (I want to start a list of what he gets, how he lives, and such, to impress upon the doctor, his importance in this house. And a list of questions that I really would like answered. Probably over-whelm the office... but... that's what I'm “hiring” them for.)
And so, at about 20.00 this evening, waters got changed in pool and drinking, curtains closed, light-block up and “kisses good night”. He settled-in quite fine at about 20.30 and... tonight it's supposed to be about 14° and no rain, the house is comfortably warm so no radiator. And tomorrow... nothing on the agenda except his Journal so... another day together! I'm looking forward to that.
AND yes, oh yes... his beak DOES need a trim. Little sweet-heart!
 Saturday 10 July: *** YONAH “CLIPPED” HIS OWN BEAK!!! ***
*** ANOTHER ABSOLUTE MIRACLE OF “NATURE”... AND ANOTHER LESSON TO ME: AT ABOUT 11.15, YONAH WAS OUT AND ABOUT, DOING HIS USUAL “EXPLORING” ABOUT THE ROOM AS I WAS WORKING AT THE TABLE, ON THIS JOURNAL WHEN, I DIDN'T SEE EXACTLY “HOW”, BUT I NOTICED HIM SHAKING HIS HEAD AND SCRATCHING AT HIS FACE. THEN I NOTICED, THE “EXTENSION” ON HIS UPPER BEAK WAS HANGING, BY THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE BIT, THE REST WAS DANGLING LOOSELY! OF COURSE, I WAS IN AN “INTERNAL PANIC”, LOOKING FOR ANY SIGNS OF BLEEDING BECAUSE EVERYTHING I READ ON BEAK-TRIMMING SAID THAT THEIR BEAKS, AS THEY GROW LONGER, ALSO DEVELOP BONE AND BLOOD-LINES, WHICH IS WHY I NEVER TRIED TO TRIM IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. NO, THERE WAS *NO BLOOD*, SO I WAS RELIEVED ABOUT THAT. SO, I PUT MY HAND IN CLOSE TO HIM, EXPECTING HIM TO PECK AT IT, AS HE ALWAYS DOES, TO SEE IF HE'D ACTUALLY PECK ENOUGH TO MAKE THE DANGLING BIT RELEASE. WELL... HE PECKED, THEN BACKED AWAY AND SHOOK HIS HEAD ALL THE MORE, PECKED AT THE SAND IN HIS HOUSE A BIT AND THEN CAME BACK AT MY HAND AND... AS HE PECKED AT IT AGAIN... THE BIT CAME OFF, IN MY HAND!!! AND IT DIDN'T BLEED! AND IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO CAUSE HIM ANY DISCOMFORT AT ALL! IN FACT... HE BACKED AWAY AND BEGAN TO PECK AT THE SAND AGAIN, AS HE NORMALLY DOES, ONLY THIS TIME, HE WAS, AS HE ALSO DOES, PICKING BITS TO SWALLOW! SO I BACKED AWAY TO WATCH WHAT HE'D DO NEXT AND HE WENT DIRECTLY FOR HIS FOOD AND ATE! AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED TO HIS BEAK! WHEN HE'D HAD HIS “FILL” OF SEEDS, WHICH HE APPEARS TO BE ENJOYING ALL THE MORE (SINCE HE CAN GET AT THEM EASIER AND CAN GET MORE WITH HIS SHORTER BEAK). AND NOW, ALMOST 45 MINUTES LATER, HE'S ROAMING ABOUT HIS HOUSE... PERFECTLY “NORMAL”... PERFECTLY “USUAL”... BUT WOW! HIS BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FACE IS AS IT SHOULD BE! HE'LL BE ABLE TO EAT BETTER NOW! AND MY HEART IS *DANCING*, MY ANXIETIES ARE GONE AND, AS I'M TO SAY, PROBABLY TO THE POINT OF ANNOYANCE... I AM IN ABSOLUTE *AWE*, ONCE AGAIN! “NATURE”... WHAT AN ABSOLUTE MARVEL! ASTOUNDING! “AWESOME”... OR, IN THE “OLD” SENSE OF THE TERM... “AWFUL”... “FULL OF AWE”!!!
Only just this morning, I'd made a “note” here, on today's entry:
“(10.42 I was sitting at the work-table, working on the Journal, in the sun-shine and Yonah started to try to eat the seed-sweet potato mix. He tried to “tip” the feed dish but it didn't quite work well for him - with his beak now - so I got up and gave the dish a “shake”, bring the food forward and “deeper” for him. He'd hopped up on the “door perch” and watched me. So I gave him a little “cuddle” and said “There, that should be better.” and he immediately hopped down to the dish and began eating... as if he understood what I'd done and/or what I'd said!
I'm REALLY getting concerned about his beak and hoping the “trim” won't have to be “drastic”. I'm already planning on sleeping in his room with him for at least through the week-end, next. This is going to be traumatic... for both of us!)”
THIS brings to mind, my first reactions to his left leg when I'd first brought him in, on 13 October 2020. I looked at the “dead-like” limb, dangling from his little belly, and my heart ached because it appeared to be in his way, stopping him from moving about because it would “swing” into his good leg. I wanted to “splint” it but was SO fearful of doing more damage. I thought of “removing” it, believing he'd “adjust”, as he might do had I not “interfered”, if it were to atrophy and drop off or, he might remove it himself. By some “Divine intervention”, my gut-instinct made me leave it alone, to watch and see for a while. To “hope” something better would happen... AND... TODAY, THAT LEG SHOWS NO INDICATIONS OF ANY INJURIES! THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED WITH THE BEAK! “NATURE”... WHAT A GREAT, GRAND AND GLORIOUS TEACHER... to those who will pay attention and learn!
Of course now I wonder what would have become of him had I not brought him in... “interfered”, as it were. But, considering he was unable to fly at all, at the time, and that he'd gone under that step, into a “dark” corner, on the ground, and that he really couldn't stand properly... I've little-to-no doubt that SOMETHING would have come along and “taken advantage of an easy meal” or... worse... as, perhaps, in the case of a cat... “an easy play-thing”. I HAVE to TRUST “Nature” and believe that I was supposed to be there when I was, and that it wasn't “his time” nor his “fate” to “go”. Maybe... I wonder... MAYBE he was born to be CHERISHED, to have a better, longer, safer, more comfortable life. In the wild, it's said that the life-span of a mourning dove who survives to “fledgling” is about 1,5 years, but that they've been known to live 5-20 years other-wise. MAYBE Yonah was born to live... Why with me will always remain a “mystery”. But... HERE HE IS! And on Friday, we'll go to the doctor to be checked, I'll know if there's anything else he needs, and what his general health is. And we, together, will take it from there. AND, I won't be so terribly concerned about any trauma resulting from “clipping” or “filing” on his PRECIOUS little face!
And... as I type this, the sky is a beautiful blue for the first time in DAYS, the sun shines in through the windows, brilliantly, there's a wonderful breeze coming through... WOW... What a world! WHAT A WORLD! And Yonah? Flitting about in his house, perch-to-perch and yes... I've even gotten what I call “Love Pecks”... little “kisses”. He LOOKS AMAZING AGAIN... AND ALL IS AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED! WE... ARE AT PEACE!
(15.01 Yonah and I have been together through the entire day and just now I HAVE to note: HE'S EATING AGAIN AND IT'S SUCH A JOY TO SEE HIM ABLE TO GET AT ALL THE SEEDS, TO ACTUALLY GET THEM, SO EASILY AGAIN! And I'm so relieved! He can get ALL the nourishment he could possibly want now. AND... obviously, there's no “discomfort”! Had I known, this could have all been avoided so much sooner! But now I'll be carefully watching his beak... now I know how long it ought to be and how much, if any, will be “trim-able” in future. Though, now, he does have “mineral blocks” to help keep it all in shape. Still, this is good to know. WOW! WHAT A RELIEF!)
Well then... another day comes to a close... Yonah's pool and drinking waters have been changed for the night. The light block is up and he's on his night perch, ready for the night to come. It's warm now, but going down to about 13° over-night so one window is open, just slightly.
AND HE LOOKS SO WONDERFUL WITH HIS PROPER BEAK!!! AND I'M SO RELIEVED THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PUT THROUGH THE TRAUMA ON FRIDAY! AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT... HE CAN EAT PROPERLY AGAIN! IT TRULY DOES MAKE MORE OF A DIFFERENCE TO ME THAN I CAN SAY. I'VE HAD THE FIRST REALLY “GOOD” DAY, HEALTH-WISE IN THE LONGEST WHILE! THE STRESS... THE ANXIETY... YONAH CAN EAT AGAIN! AND NO BLEEDING, NO PAIN, NO TRAUMA! OH! MIRACLES AND BLESSINGS!
A note though... he does NOT like the sweet potato! He ate well today, but only after I put his regular food on top of the seeds that I'd mixed with the sweet potato. HOW he knows the potato was in there is beyond me. I'm to understand that doves can't “smell” their food and the potato was mixed into the seeds! Imagine that! But he knew it was in there after a bite or two this morning and he wouldn't eat any more. Hmmm... BRILLIANT little guy, that one - Oh... and another bit of greatness about his beak... I would have had to come up with a “soft diet” for him for a couple of weeks after a beak trim... and it would have included sweet potato! WELL NOW... No need for that. (I'll ask the doctor for suggestions about foods for him and see what's said. This is good... having a doctor I can now call for “consults”... I hope this clown is trust-worthy! I see he raises chickens so I'm thinking he knows his birds. We shall see.)
But, for now... Yonah is “tucked-in” for the night and I'm soon to follow... WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY... AND WE PASSED ALL OF IT... TOGETHER! BLESSINGS, BLESSINGS, BLESSINGS!
Sunday 11 July:
The day was some-what over-cast all through and, sadly (for me), I had chores out-side in the yard so, for entirely TOO long (although ANY time away from Yonah is “TOO” long), Yonah was “on his own” in the house. First thing was the usual: opening curtains, open the door to his house, lifting the night “light block”... changing waters, freshening kitchen roll and food, kisses, cuddles and coffee (I have the coffee, he has his breakfast and water).
I DO keep the door to his house closed through the night in case he gets “feisty” and should decide to “head out”. I'm to understand that mourning doves don't see very well in the dark and I DO NOT WANT HIM SLAMMING INTO ANYTHING in the house. So, closing his door is the last thing done at night and opening it is the first thing done in the morning.
And little Yonah had his usual liberty to “take the house at will” for most of the day. But when I came in for a drink of water during the day, he was quite settled in any one of his “usual” places.
BUT I COULD TELL HE WAS HAPPY TO HAVE ME BACK, EVEN FOR THE MOMENTS. HE GOT UP AND CAME ALMOST-RUNNING TOWARD ME! AND, OH, OF COURSE... MANY CUDDLES, HUGS, KISSES, AND ASSURANCES THAT I'D BE BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. (And if ANYBODY tries to tell me he truly doesn't understand, well... they're wrong, and that's all there is to it. It's OBVIOUS, in SO MANY WAYS, that he understands, some-how.)
All-in-all, it DOES hurt me to spend so much time away from him. He TRULY enjoys company... “COMPANIONSHIP”! And I have SO much LOVE to give him...
Well, came the end of day, my chores were done, I came into the house, threw my “daily meal” together, some-what later than usual, but I ate quickly, took a quick shower (to make sure I didn't bring and sort of “ticks” in from the yard... I DO NOT want THAT to get into those beautiful feathers of Yonah's and I DO NOT want parasites of ANY sort, “dining” on him!) and he and I had a few hours together at the end of the day.
“Tuck-in” was at about 20.30 for Yonah... and for me, not much after that.
I've got tomorrow dedicated to working in his room, on his web-site... photos, Journal and such... OUR DAY TOGETHER! (Talk about having something to look forward to... to wake up to!) Just the two of us. (The makings of a “PERFECTLY FLAWLESS DAY”.)
Monday 12 July:
 It has been another INDESCRIBABLY WONDERFUL DAY... A DAY OF WONDER... FULL OF WONDER! The sun shone. The humidity was low. The temperature was so comfortably warm. AND IT WAS A DAY WITH YONAH!
And HE has been absolutely nothing short of AWE... as he ALWAYS manages to be in ANY given day! I worked, at the table in his room, sorting through and “inserting” the photos taken in June and up to current in July. (“Coding” his web-pages, as it were.) And he? WELL! Of course, he “supervised”! AND, of course, I HAD to take breaks... “cuddles”, kisses, breast-strokes. AND since his beak is back in shape, HE'S SO humourous! I usually “tuck” my fingers into my hand and stroke his breast with my index/pointing finger. Well... now that he can get in between my other fingers, it's as if he's “preening” all the others. His favourite activity: pecking and nipping deep between the fingers, grabbing the skin between them; not painfully, but it IS as if he's “preening”... or, perhaps it's a sign of “affection”? What-ever it is, he's quite vehement about doing it as I stroke his breast. (All I keep thinking is: I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT SUCH A TRUST FROM HIM, NEVER EVEN THOUGHT WE'D BECOME THIS CLOSE. It's brought some tears today, because my heart just doesn't know what to do with or about this BRILLIANT, BREATH-TAKING, ASTONISHING, AMAZING HONOUR!)
And as I worked along, he flew from inside his house to the top, where he rested a while, from time-to-time, to his new-fave spot on the wall shelf and today... he decided that the arm of the futon was a delightful place to have an after-noon snooze... right behind me. It was a heart's delight to turn round and see him there, as cozy as could be, eyes closed... just snoozing... until he must have sensed I was looking at him at which he opened his eyes and started his preening. (Must look good!)
It was just the most wonderful day, all said and told.
Oh... and he has his doctor appointment on Friday and until this morning, the forecast was for hot and rain through the entire day... This morning the forecast changed: Rather warm but... clear skies! We'll be rolling over the mountains together, listening to “his” music... or his “play-list” of bird-songs. ROAD-TRIP! I'm a bit less “anxious” about the trip (and still as “angst-filled” with worry about how he'll take to being in the hands of a strange human, but... it'll be better to know his state of health so...).
 Tuesday 13 July: NINE MONTHS! TODAY IS OUR 9-MONTH ANNIVERSARY!!!
It doesn't seem possible... Yonah and I have been “together” for NINE MONTHS today! And, oddly, today's weather was rather similar to “that fateful day”, nine months ago. Over-cast, started with rain that let up as the day progressed. The major difference being the temperature. Today was rather comfortably warm, with a pleasant breeze. None-the-less, it's SO reminiscent. And oh, yes, there is one EXTREME difference between then and now: For about 45 minutes, this after-noon, I had a “lie-down” on the futon in Yonah's room, as I'll do from time-to-time and today, I was delightfully awakened by the “tapping” on my stockinged toes! And when I opened my eyes and moved to look, there was the scurry... up my leg to the thigh, and pecking at my hand! Apparently, I'd snoozed more than enough, according to a mourning dove's clock and it was time to play! Now, if any-one had told me, 9 months ago, that THIS would come to be, I NEVER would have believed them! Oh, I read accounts that claimed that “doves make wonderful pets” (I don't think of Yonah as a “pet”... he's still, in my mind and heart, a “wild” little one and we're “companions”... if not “family”). And I recall reading how, once they become accustomed to the house-hold, they'll “take an interest in the affairs of the house”, they're known to actually look for the people in the house and fly from room to room in the search, perch some-where where they can watch what's going on. But in ALL of OUR time together, I believed that I'd be “tolerated” at best, allowed to clean the house, serve the meals... When, some weeks ago, I was “allowed” to TOUCH Yonah, I was incredibly THRILLED! And now, today, not only am I allowed to “cuddle” and “snuggle”, by “cupping” him in both hands and putting my face next to him... HE COMES TO ME WHEN I'M LYING DOWN! No... I NEVER even imagined such a thing! But... here it is, here we are! (I've even taken a couple of photos which will go into his “Portfolio” on his web-site.... Not, mind, that there aren't plenty of other photos there... almost 500 at present.)
And to be actually honest, not only am I in AWE from this, I just can't say it enough: I'm BLESSED AND HONOURED!
He also seems to “preen” my hand and fingers, pecking at them, and “nibbling” between the fingers. At times, he gets so into it that he closes his eyes as he “digs” between the fingers! Maybe... MAYBE I HAVE become... “the flock”! And there TRULY isn't a higher honour than THAT!
Meanwhile, I grow anxious about his doctor visit on Friday. I'm concerned that it might be a bit of a trauma to him, to be “handled” by a strange human. And I don't know, for certain, what's going to be done... It would probably be in OUR best interest if blood-work was done. I'd know what vitamins, minerals, &c. he needs, if any. I'd know whether or not anything at all is wrong... or, that every-thing is perfectly fine. I know his wing, the one that was injured, will be checked. “Checked”... I'm not sure that I'd want much more than that done, unless the way it is now, healed but “off” because of the injury, would cause him any further injury in future. I suppose I'll just have to be “patient” and wait to see. But above all, ALL else, I HOPE his trust in me isn't “swayed” in any way because of the “new handling”! But I'm preparing myself for a “change” in his “welcome” for a while. Good that we're going on Friday and we'll have all of Friday night and ALL of Saturday together... and we'll spend the time together... “re-acquainting”.
***** THEN CAME THE *REAL* AMAZEMENT OF THE DAY... NANCY STOPPED BY.... AND BROUGHT “PRESENTS”!!! COOKIES, SPECIAL NUT AND FRUIT TREAT AND “ORANGE FLAVOURED” MILLET SPRAYS!!! SHE'S A PURE “GEM”, PRICELESS AND PRECIOUS! And she kept assuring me that they're “all natural”. So she came in to see Yonah who didn't appear to mind in the least, that there was another person in the room! Now THAT'S a bit of a relief! BUT THE KINDNESS, COMPASSION, CONSIDERATION, THE THOUGHT... that she was out and shopping and thought of YONAH! She HAS assured me that, should anything ever happen to me, or if I should need a place for Yonah, she would HAPPILY take him in and take care of him. WELL! My heart and soul are lighter today, to be sure. She thinks of him when she's shopping... and actually has an interest... AND CARES! Yes, this is BEAUTIFUL! I'll have to grind the nut treat down a bit, I do believe, since the chunks and bits are a bit large, but I'm waiting to see how Yonah takes to the cookies. The first ingredient in them is “oats”! And I've been trying to get him to have some... since so many other foods, seeds, mixes and the likes fail to include them. Well... HERE WE HAVE OATS! (I just hope he enjoys the “cookies”...) I'll bet he NEVER expected THIS from his life! Well, I can't be “dove company”, and I did bring him into this house... I owe him ALL I have to give... and to be sure... it's ALL his... with LOVE... obviously not from me, alone!
AND... as the day closes, waters in the house are changed and fresh for the night, curtains closed and lights are out... the photos and videos from today's “adventures” are posted to the web-site! And “OMG” (as they day)... HE'S BEEN SO TENDER AND AFFECTIONATE ALL DAY! I do swear that, if it were at all possible, I'd either crush me into his house or bring him to bed with me for the night! THERE'S JUST SO MUCH DIVINE PRECIOUS IN THAT LITTLE GUY! HE TRULY IS MY “EVERYTHING” THESE DAYS! I honestly can't get used to or simply “get over” today... nine months from the day I brought this little one in, and he laid on the living-room floor, unable to walk or fly, having NO reason or cause to trust me, never mind, tolerate me! And I had NO idea he'd make it through the night, never mind the week and SURELY, that night, I NEVER expected him to make it through the Winter! And now? NOW? We're all but inseparable! And my heart is just SO complete, SO full, and the rest of me is just completely shrouded in pure HEAVENLY AWE!
So, another day together... another ENTIRE day together, as night falls, the rains of the day turn to a misty fog... LOVE... that's all I can say... LOVE, in its purest.
WHAT A DAY! Yonah... Nancy... Just... WHAT A DAY!
Wednesday 14 July:
WE had QUITE the day! To begin, the “pool” came out this morning for a complete scrub and the rocks came out for a “boil”. It wasn't “necessary”, but it was “due”. And the rocks got boiled because, well, they're from the river, and although they'd gotten a “boil” before they went into the pool, I can't say that there's ever “too safe” about such things. And, of course, with that, the kitchen roll got changed and the “moss” got a thorough pick-through cleaning. So, at day's end, after the daily “second change of water”... clean house for Mr. Yonah! Indeed!
It took quite a while, and I had to make a truly “mad dash” into town when it was done, but, for the most part, WE kept each-other company through most of the day and WE had another one of those “Affectionate” days too! He's REALLY grown SO close... I worked on getting his Journal together (since I'm still “transcribing” the month of March today... April and May are waiting) and as I recall the “early days”, I remember how much I would have SO LOVED it if he and I could have developed a “close bond”... to an extent. BUT I NEVER, NOT EVEN FOR A FLEETING MOMENT, THOUGHT OF, IMAGINED, PONDERED THAT HE WOULD COME TO BE THIS CLOSE! I get up for a drink or what-ever and he's right there, either on the arm of the futon or, if he's a-top the house, he hurries to the front so I can play with him and give him kisses! And he “preens” my hand as I stroke his breast. We're a “flock” now, so it would seem.
It's nice now too, that I don't “worry” about him when I have to step out. The door to his house is opened in the morning, and no matter what... it stays open and he comes and goes as suits him.
I'm still wondering though, why he's taken to that one little spot on the shelf on the wall. He gets in there, facing the wall, and raises his tail and gives that little “woo-HOO!” I'll have to ask the “doctor” on Friday if he knows what that's about. It saddens me, to see him facing the wall and spending quite the while there. I wonder... but maybe I'll find out... and hopefully it's nothing “wrong”.
And it was a relatively sunny day, after this morning's clouds and a touch of rain. And a touch on the hot and humid side as well. (How I wish I had a yard where I could build some sort of something for him so he could be IN the sun-shine... and yet, not the awful heat. But I'm “looking”... As I was once told, with regard to the truck “It's out there, waiting. It'll come.” I hope...)
But for now, this evening, the waters got changed and freshened, there's plenty of food in case of “nosh”, the light block is up and... here's hoping he'll have a calm, quiet, restful night.
(I'm still so anxious about Friday... HOPING with my ALL that what I've done for him has been ALL that he needs. I was thinking how it's been said that they can live for 5-20 years and I wonder if I'LL manage that long, at my age and condition. But, no matter... I'll give me all I need for as long as he's here. We're... the “flock”, and even though she's such an ANGEL, I don't know that even Nancy would be so attentive... 2 water changes and fresh food, fresh kitchen roll... never mind, making sure he has live trees. So, I MUST make sure I'm here... and I shall.)
Thursday 15 July:
The weather today was almost “made to order”, with clear skies and brilliant sun-shine. But sadly, I didn't get to spend much time with Yonah today because, shortly after 9.00, I was out the door and cleaning the truck... and I do mean “cleaning”! Tomorrow after-noon, we're going for a “road trip”... Yonah and I, up and into the mountains, to the doctor! And today, I made SURE that there's NOTHING that could possibly harm him... The carpeting got a THOROUGH cleaning, Hoovered, then scrubbed with a touch of Lysol in some warm water, and when it dried, and second Hoovering... just to be sure there's nothing “hiding” in it. The upholstery got the same treatment, including the fabric on the ceiling. The plastics got cleaned and the inside of all the windows as well. And the doors were left open all day to make sure there were no “fumes” or “scents”. And when that was all complete, the out-side got a washing... Mr. Yonah's “chariot” is cleaner than just “clean”. And I made a quick run into town and got a large bath towel, in grey, to go with the interior upholstery, so that there's no chance his “travel house” will slide as we roll along. I got finished with it all at 16.45!!! Yonah was obviously NOT happy about having the day to himself. When I finally came in to prepare my meal, I went to him first and he literally came to me, to the door of his house, and stood there, glaring at me as if to say “Oh! So at last you come to see ME! WELL!” (OK, maybe I'm “projecting” a little, but it DID look that way.) I apologised, went to prepare my meal and all the while, he called “Woo-HOO-hoo-hoo!” So I called back, repeating, and we “chatted” as I ate. When I'd done with meal and washing-up, I went in to be with him and we PLAYED together! I THINK I'm forgiven. But I feel better that the truck is clean... After all, his house is always kept clean, the rest of the house is kept clean... he deserves a clean means of transport. And as I say, it's a truck and I don't want ANYTHING in there that could potentially cause him ANY harm or even “slight discomfort”.
There is one note: When I came in at one point, as I worked on the truck, I couldn't see him any-where. He wasn't in ANY of his usual places, but what I didn't do is look on the floor. And there we was... “playing” with a bit of the moss that he has in his house! He does toss little pieces about from time-to-time and today, he “tossed” one out and onto the floor and had gone down to toss it about some more! (Thankfully, I keep the low-pile carpet in his room, clean... constantly.) But when he saw me at the door to his room, he stopped playing, looked up at me a moment and went right back to playing! I got on the floor and gave “kisses” and “cuddles”, he flapped his wings at me (as he does). But, had it not been for the fact that I was cleaning for him, I would have, at that point, abandoned any “chores” I might have had just to spend the rest of the day with him.
Tomorrow morning, I've NOTHING to do all the day until it's time for us to “take to the road” so... there's going to be MUCH MUCH LOVING! (And mean-while, I'm SO FULL of anxieties about this trip... There IS a bath-sheet, in beige, that I noticed matches the “block” I put up at night when he goes to sleep, that I'll cover his “travel house” with, as recommended by the doctor's office. I'm hoping he'll see the beige and be comforted. AND I'm charging the iPod so I'll play familiar music and bird-songs on the trip... a touch of “home”. Still, it's his reaction to the doctor that worries me. But it's good that he'll have a health check... and I'm even happier that his beak won't need to be trimmed! Woo-HOO-HOO-HOO! Woo-HOO!)
We did the “water changes” early tonight, at 19.00, but we stayed up and about until the usual hour when the sun set behind the mountains and the room started to darken.
I have to say, I'm SO ANXIOUS about tomorrow... we have a 45-minute drive to get to the doctor and I've never really been fond of “driving with passengers”. I've always been a cautious driver, but over the years I've come to learn the horrific truth that there are others who simply don't think of anything or anyone other than “self” as they roll along. And these days, I'm all too aware of those who still believe that they can do things like “texting” as their vehicle roars along the open roads and city streets. It anxieties physically sicken me. I can handle damages to the truck, even to me, but I can't handle even the passing notion of Yonah being frightened... never mind, injured in ANY way! (And most people won't or can't understand just how much this little guy means to me. He's already had to suffer being attacked, which is why we've been together these months. And it's taken all this while for him to come to understand that I mean him only LOVE and RESPECT, to grow comfortable with me being around. Tomorrow, he'll be “handled” by a stranger... and *I* really have no cause to trust another person with him. Oh, it's going to be a difficult day ahead... But in the long run, I need to know his state of health, what, if anything, he needs to have a happy and healthy life, and, well, an “avian vet” is the only way to get this information. I'm hoping, deeply, that my “anticipatory anxiety” will be proven to be just another little “psychotic episode” on my part. Yes, it's going to be a difficult night... for me... and hopefully, a difficult day tomorrow ONLY for me.)
Friday 16 July:
It's 8.44 and we've been up and about for almost 3 hours now. The “morning routine” of waters and food changed, a little “house-keeping” are done. It's over-cast this morning, a touch on the humid side. But the forecast is for clearing this after-noon... for the time we'll be on the road. “Comforting”? Oh, just in the slightest way. (I'm growing all the more anxious as the clock ticks away the minutes.)
Yonah's started a new adventure: I was in the kitchen, with coffee and such for a while, and when I came to move lap-top into his room, so I can work with his company, I looked-up from the table to the door to his room and there he was! He's taken to “exploring”... on the floor! And he'd come to the door! When I walked over, he came RUNNING toward me! It's as if he DOES KNOW it's me, and as if he's thinking “THERE YOU ARE! I was just coming to find you!” All these months, together... and I'm reminded of the early days, weeks, when I wanted, SO VERY MUCH, to be deserving of his trust but didn't want a “bonding” of any sort, because I didn't want him “close” to me, so that when he returned to “the wild”, he'd re-unite with the other doves quickly. I had NO idea, and NEVER had the intention of us being together... especially at THIS point in time.
Well? Sometimes “Life” and “Fate” have other plans. And today, this morning, he and I truly are so closely “bonded” together, he obviously sees me as his “flock” and I? Well, to me, he's Friend, Companion, Family, Heart and Soul. (I hope I can sufficiently express this importance to the doctor today.)
I got down on the floor with him and we “played” a bit until I needed to get him up so that I could see him as I brought “me” into the room and he came over and began “preening” me! Yeah... We're the “Best of Best”... Unless “Life” simply wants to be cruel, we'll be the very same this evening... after our “road trip” today. Hey! Who knows? Maybe he'll enjoy the ride... and we can go other places together some-how. (Maybe... more “hope”...)
OK. And well... we went for that “ride” and what a “ride” it turned into! But I HAVE to say, YONAH HANDLED IT LIKE A CHAMP!!! He rode along, “under cover” up the mountains, past the lakes, through the woods and, sadly, into Lake Placid village (where neither of us will EVER go back to... at least, he won't ever go back there with me because I'll never go back there). The ride up into High Peaks was breath-taking. These Adirondacks truly are an amazing feat of Nature! Just beautiful!
Unfortunately, there's a great deal of construction going on in the area, signage is almost non-existent for the roads and such and, oops... one wrong turn and that's how we got into the village of Lake Placid... and stuck in traffic because of construction on the roads, on the sides of the roads, and deliveries being made on a Friday after-noon! That, in addition to streets PACKED, 3 and 4 deep with “tourists”. And the sun shone in a blue sky, raising the temperature to boil the humidity. Poor Yonah, in his “old house”, under a light towel... but we had the iPod playing his “song-birds” collection all the while so, at least there were familiar sounds for him to hear.
By the time I'd cleared the village, we were out on some nice little back road where I stopped at an inn to ask directions and got sent BACK into the village where I stopped again, and asked for directions. Obviously... a “local”... an “old timer” local at that. He gave me the most wonderful way to by-pass the village and got us set back on course.
Come to find out, the “wrong turn” was 5 minutes from the doctor's office BUT we arrived late and the “reception” was one that, in after-thought, delighted me knowing that Yonah wasn't subjected to “that” sort of attitude.
I pulled into the parking lot and bolted into the office where somebody with a dog almost shoved be out of the way to get to the desk. I was silent. She got attended whilst I stood there, mute and astonished as I watched the 2 “super models” in scrubs, move a piece of paper about the desk, completely ignoring me until I spoke and when I finally said, “I am SO sincerely sorry, I had an appointment” one of them looked up at me, and even from behind her “dime-store” mask I could see “disgust” in her eyes. “Oh, sorry you missed your appointment.” she almost whispered in a quite condescending tone, and turned away from me and started typing at the computer in front of her. “I've been on the road for almost 2 hours. There's a lot of construction going on and...” She was ignoring me! So I inquired “So, I can't make another appointment for another time and day?” “We're booked solid.” she replied. Then turned to the other “clerk” in scrubs and said “He missed his appointment. What can I do?” SADDEST point is, I'd spoken with this one TWICE on the phone and her tone was MUCH different and she KNEW how important Yonah's health is to me. So I simply added “As we'd discussed, I'm having and treating some rather serious health issues at present and if the bird goes, I stop treatments. That's how important his health is to me.” She replied “It was just a 'Wellness Check' anyway; right?” “And a possible beak trim. But that's no longer an issue because he managed to do that himself.” Anyway... bottom line... I made an appointment for Monday at 16.30 and on the drive back home decided NOT to risk that sort of attitude and demeanour being directed against Yonah. The appointment was cancelled on our arrival back home. So we're off to looking for another doctor. We live, we learn... we won't go to the VCA Hospital at High Peaks in Ray Brook NY.
BUT... when we got back, I brought Yonah back into the house, into his room, and when I opened the little door on his little “travel house” he took right off to the top of his LARGE HOUSE in HIS ROOM! And I put my hand up to stroke him and assure him he was fine again and... AND... AS HE DOES... HE PECKED AT MY FINGERS AND PREENED MY HAND! ALMOST 3 HOURS IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE TRUCK, ROLLING ALONG... HE TOOK IT AS IF HE'D BEEN DOING IT ALL HIS LIFE!
So now, at 20.07, he's in his house, the waters have been changed, fresh food in the dish... he's had dinner, we've had time together... and tonight... I'm most likely sleeping on his futon. I want to spend as much time “together” as possible after today's “harrowing adventure”.
He's tucked-in for the night now and, it really is remarkable... it's as if the day never happened! Honestly? Mourning doves are... AWE-INSPIRING! Precious, PRECIOUS, CHERISHED LITTLE ONE!
Saturday 17 July:
Oh, another truly over-cast day, this one. And on the “cool” side, comfortably though. Drizzles as well. It's not that I don't want cool, comfortable days, but I would prefer the sun shining into Yonah's windows... vitamin D and such. But he didn't seem to mind at all because I spent the entire day in his room, with him, as I worked at his Journal (yes, still catching-up) and “snoozing” on his futon.
He's really quite the little chappie whilst I snooze... He gets himself on the shelf over the futon, in a little space that he's recently taken a liking for (though I can't imagine why, unless having the window behind his house open, which I do on these days when it's possible... and NOT WINTER, is too “breezy”, though it hasn't been all that breezy today), anyway, there he settles, where he can see me. And it's quite remarkable that the moment I open my eyes from napping, he gets up to look at me. I don't have to move, just open my eyes and there he comes along! I've said it before, probably to annoyance, but I'm saying it again: Humans think humans are so brilliant, advanced, intellectually superior... BOLLOCKS! Humans are, quite actually, more than likely, WAY DOWN equal-to-or-lesser-than what humans consider “barely thinking” or even incapable of thought. THIS little fellow, right here, THIS little “Yonah” has, in only 9 months, learned to adjust to not only being in a house but in the company of a species that his instincts rule a “predator” AND he's come to understand... yes... UNDERSTAND that I mean him nothing but LOVE, ADMIRATION, RESPECT, PROTECTION to the ultimate limits (if any) of my feeble human abilities. He's acknowledged and accepted my offerings of shelter, food, water, comforts... COMPASSION, COMPANIONSHIP and again... LOVE! HE understands or, at the very least, recognises my other-wise sorry attempts to communicate with him as I “woo-HOO-hoo-hoo” to his “woo-HOO-hoo-hoo”. I take this opportunity to invite other humans to tell of how THEY can distinguish the “coo” or “chirp” of one bird out of an entire world. DOVES CAN! But I digress and get carried away. Yonah has a particular “sense”, knowing when I'm in the room and “knowing” when I'm awake and when I'm asleep! And he doesn't even have to be looking. Oh, indeed... call it “instinct”... I call it BRILLIANT!
AND... today, I'm glad and relieved to announce the new “shelf”! For the past week or so, we here, in this glorious little mountain hamlet, have been almost “plagued” with an invasion of mice! More than in many past years. Can't figure out why, but here they are. No matter how clean I keep this house (and I've been told I have “the cleanest house in The North Country”), at least ONE decides to come in and, well, NOW one has managed to find a way to get into Yonah's house at night! I see the “leavings” in the morning, by his FOOD! So, since the first “discovery”, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure a way to lift the food higher than this little rodent can climb. I mean, Yonah's house (a “Large” size “dog crate/cage”!) is on an industrial steel shelving unit, at last 1,5 metres up! The poles are smooth so there's no “texture” as would be with wood, so there's really no easy way to grasp to climb. So it's been a mystery to me how this little thing gets up there! So I needed to get the food up, off the “floor” and yet keep it easily accessible to Yonah. Well, today, after pondering, sketching, and trying to figure it all out, almost at day's end, EUREKA! 2 “L” corner brackets, a bit of wood, 2 snips of wire and... DONE! AND... once again, Mr. BRILLIANT noticed where the food is now and went right for it. (Almost as if to say “Hey! That's pretty good... for a human. And lookie here... I can get to it quite nicely! Thank you.”) Of course, the only way to “KNOW” for certain, whether or not it really IS a “good” idea is... tomorrow morning when we change water, refresh food and do daily house-keeping. More to report. Please stand by and tune in then. But for the time-being... it appears to be a success story... and a relief! It does appear though, that “sleep-time” might require a bit of “manipulation”. I can see that poor Yonah's tail tends now, to “rest” on the shelf. So, tomorrow, we'll work it out. I have a nice piece of ply-wood (left from the light block” that's thinner, and can be cut to exact size and shape as needed. And I'll work on a new “corner loft platform”. The one he has is a “modified” cup-board shelf of plastic-coated wire with a piece of plastic “shelf lining” covered in kitchen roll. So there are two projects for a Sunday. But for tonight, I'll hope that this make-shift shelf keeps the little “night visitor” away. It's not so much that I don't want the little rodent to eat. And I'm sure it doesn't need Yonah's food. But I don't want the risk of it bringing anything un-wanted into the house... not mine... but Yonah's. And I do NOT appreciate it nibbling at Yonah's food... never mind, leaving “leavings” behind. (I DO wonder though, if Yonah notices a little “mouse in the house” and if so, what he thinks of it. In the wild, I'm pretty sure he had “visitors” of the same sort where-ever he sought shelter. And I can imagine, some “visitors” were more “concerning” than a little house mouse. I wonder if he doesn't find it “cute” or even “welcome”. If so, I am sorry... But again, I'm not running any risks.)
And so, at day's end, the grey day-light is darkening. The rains are falling, softly, out-side. It stayed grey all through the day, but for most of it, Yonah and I were best of company. Now, here's to a calm night of good rest... and looking forward to tomorrow and more companionship, and more time together... with a bit of house-keeping and re-arranging. Well, if he were out-side, there would be changes in his surroundings. Hopefully this will keep him “entertained” and perhaps even “amused”...
Were he larger, we could snuggle together for the night. (I wonder what he'd think of THAT! Probably neither “entertained” nor “amused”. But we DID manage some “good night kisses”. We ALWAYS manage a few of those. And before I go to bed... there'll be the customary “Good night. Sleep well. I LOVE YOU!” that I whisper in just before I head to bed.)
 Sunday 18 July:
IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER INDESCRIBABLY HEAVENLY-DIVINE DAY WITH YONAH... ALL OF IT!!! He truly, honestly, factually, actually IS my heart-beat, life of my core, my soul, my being. The LOVE I've wondered if he even sensed he's being given is SO VERY mutual... obviously, blatantly, BRILLIANTLY!
We started our day at just before 9.00 when I got the extra ply-wood that serves as the “light block”, “underlayment”, as it's called, and the saw and the “re-model” of Yonah's house commenced. He's had, what I call a “loft”, a little “corner shelf” where he likes to bask or simply relax on sunny days (of which, today, was not one... sadly, but we had a “Natural Spectrum” light on through the day), but it's been “make-shift”, pretty shoddy and a bit on the “shaky” side. Well, not any more. Now it's a solid wood platform, nicely and firmly supported and yes, as always, nice and “cushioned” with a couple layers of nice, soft kitchen roll.
It took me a few tries, to get the size right, the position so that it doesn't interfere with any “flights” or, more important, sun-light (when we get any again), and “general comfort”. I try to make as much variety of places to be, rest, perch as possible, to offer a little “change of scenery” with-out taking away any familiarity of “home”. So a little shift in perches and a new “loft” were in store for today.
ALL the while I was “in the house”, since the door and space is large enough for me to get in up to my shoulders, Yonah was on my head, on my shoulders, hopping up and down my arms. When on my shoulders, he'd “peck and preen” my ears and my face (I DO believe he likes the beard and moustache). I'm no longer a “stranger”, and when I think back over the past 9 months, I can't help but smile with pure ELATION! And he DOES make me laugh, sincerely, especially when he gets on a perch where he can see me working and he stares, sometimes appearing to be approving, other times it looks like he's thinking “WHAT is he doing NOW?” AND, we're BOTH in there at the same time, when he's not a-top the house, looking down through as I go on about my business in there.
And there's a new shelf where his food is, attached to the side, at “perch level”. I probably won't keep that one for any length of time. For now, it was supposed to be a place to keep his food high enough to be out of the reach of the recent “invader” (mouse) who, I noticed today, manages to get into the seeds, eats the insides and leaves the shells so that, at first glance, there's no “evidence”. I really want to keep food available at all times for Yonah, since he OBVIOUSLY doesn't over-eat (he's so slim and trim and his feathers are so healthy). But tonight, I'm going to remove all food, save the one “millet spray” hanging from the top. We'll try to get the point across that this is NOT a “mouse buffet” here. (Hopefully, the little thing won't try for the millet!) There's a wide-mouth “jug” beside the shelf, on the floor, with some song-bird seed mix and one... ONE of Yonah's “cookies” in there for tonight. (Oh, last night, I'd left a cookie in a little dish on the “loft” and this morning... there wasn't even a crumb left! So that little thing managed to even get up there! So yeah... no food in the house over-night... for a while.) The cookie in the jug? Hopefully it'll be tempting enough for the mouse to go for it. The jug is of a shape where, if the mouse goes for something in it, it'll get inside and won't be able to get out until I get up in the morning and, the plan is to put the mouse out in the woods, as far from here as possible. (No, I will NOT KILL it!). If that doesn't work, I'll just have to think of some other way. But again, as I've said, I do NOT want a mouse in Yonah's house!
As things and workings went... the “re-make” went on through the entire day until my “meal time”, which, strangely enough, is also Yonah's evening meal time! So I managed to get all the “construction” done and the clean-up and we both settled-down for some nourishment.
AND TODAY... ANOTHER LESSON! For a while now, Yonah's been taking a position where-by he raises his back-end, tail in the air and as he splays his tail, he gives a “woo-HOO”! And he'll do that several times for short intervals. I had my suspicions and thought it might have something to do with “mating”... well, today, that was confirmed! Between that and the way he “preens” my hand, pecking at fingers and even in between fingers... I've become his “mate”! WE'RE THE FLOCK! Even the way he comes running toward me when I come into the room, lets me give “kisses”, and takes a “firm stand” when he stares me down... Yep... I'm the “mate”... we're the “flock”. THIS is the “bonding” I've read so very much about that doves are known to do when they're comfortable. I NEVER even imagined it to be THIS strong! But, here it is... and here we are... and my heart is just SO FULL! THIS wasn't intended, especially from the start. The best I'd hoped for is “tolerance”. But between the “woo-HOO”, and the way Yonah was all over me as I worked in his house today... it truly is indescribable JOY!
AND, I happened to see another site with “longevity” information that claims when doves become companions (they call it “pets” but I will NEVER see Yonah as a “pet”... he IS a “companion”... and a lot more... a LOT more), they can live from 5 to 15 years. I've seen others that claim 5 to 20. No matter. I'm at an age where that 5-20 or even the 5-15 years is plenty... Looks like Yonah and I have “mated for life”... and I couldn't ask any more or better from Creation.
So as I type this now, the time is 19.10, and Yonah is on his perch, over my left shoulder. We've both had our evening meal, the radio is on quietly, the day is turning to night. It's soon time to change the water in his pool and drinking. (I changed the pool twice already today but, I feel better if there's fresh water in there over-night. I don't run the little pump for the fountain because it tends to make “splashing” and I don't see the need for that all through the night... Yonah deserves a calmer environment to sleep in AND I'm pretty sure that, by now, he knows he's safe here so even silence isn't a threat to him any more.) And when “waters are settled”, we can both “settle” for another night. (Hopefully this one... with-out little rodents as mid-night raiders.)
But again... WHAT A TRULY AMAZING, AWE-FULL DAY TOGETHER! The rains fell and the chilled, damp breezes blew out-side in the grey, but in this house, in this room, in Yonah's room AND in his house... it was GLORIOUS!
Monday 19 July:
*** LAST NIGHT WE GOT THE “HOUSE-MOUSE IN THE HOUSE”! Yonah was “tucked-in” for the night, all cozy, at his “night spot” on the perch, I was in the kitchen, at table, wrapping-up another day when, at about 20.30 I heard the distinct “clang” of something on the shelving Yonah's house is on. I got up, grabbed the torch/flash-light and, from the door-way, I could see the little ball of grey fur in the “jug” that I'd set specifically for it! (It's little plastic container with a “tap”, cheap enough, with a large “mouth” at the top which I covered with foil-paper with a hole in just large enough for a little mouse to get “in” but wouldn't easily get out through. In it, I put some bird seed and a little “cookie” of Yonah's, since the night before, it, the mouse, managed to get to the one in Yonah's house and didn't leave even so much as a trace of it.) Well... I went into the room and fetched the jug-with-mouse and brought it to the kitchen to see what truly is a cute, little ball of fur with two large ears and HUGE black eyes! Obviously a bit confused and shaken too, I might add. I had NO intention of causing the little one any harm or distress (other than...) so, we went out into the yard where I put the jug on the ground, tipped it on its side and the house-mouse is no longer in the house... well... not THIS house! Now, I'll just hope it won't come back AND that it doesn't have “friends” or “relatives” in the house. I DID put the jug back where it was for the night and this morning, no sign of any “takers” of the “treats” there-in. (Oh... I'd removed ALL food from Yonah's house after the “catch and release” so there wasn't any sort of “temptation” in there over-night. Tonight, I'll wait until I'm off to bed before I remove it again... just to make sure it's there in case Yonah wants a late-night nosh.) So tonight, we try again and see... For now, one less... AND NO HARM TO ANYBODY!
All the while, as I was busy about the place, in the dark, Yonah just watched from his perch. Once upon a not-so-long-ago time, just my presence in the dark room caused a bit of a stir. (More reason why I used to keep out of the room after the lights went out at night, back then.) Of course, I DID make sure to talk to him, a little louder than what's called a “stage whisper”... to make sure he knew the “shadow in the room” was me. But, I have to say: he handled all that rolling about for about 3 hours on Friday-passed like a little PRO, as if it were all quite “normal” and last night, me, moving about in the room in the dark... HE'S IMPRESSIVELY AWE-FULLLY AMAZING! A little MIRACLE-IN-FEATHERS!
And so, this morning, in another morning of rain, waters changed, fresh food, fresh kitchen roll... and me, in the room... working some more on photos and Journals and the likes... with my bestest Friend, Companion, Family! And he seems to be quite fine with that! (Of course... we keep each-other company all day! WHAT a LOVE!)
That said and recorded... as for the DAY! WELL... with the exception of a 30-minute RUN into town for some “provisions”... WE HAD THE ENTIRE DAY TOGETHER TODAY!!! OH YES! THE ENTIRE DAY! TOGETHER! I worked at the table, and Yonah... well, I took two little snoozes during the day and YONAH CAME TO WAKE ME UP WHEN HE THOUGHT I'D SNOOZED LONG ENOUGH! TWICE! He came out of his house and flew over to my leg, scurried up to my waist and pecked at my hand! IT WAS JUST MORE *PRECIOUS*!!! And as I worked, he watched, or flew about the room, on the shelf, on his house, in his house... all over, where- and when-ever he wanted! He's SO comfortable in there now! It was nothing but pure JOY and ELATION!
Sadly though, he “snapped” ANOTHER BLOOD FEATHER! Not “much” bleeding but I don't like ANY bleeding! So, I've gone and done the further investigations and tomorrow I'll run up to Nancy to ask, definitely, WHICH doctor she goes to in Queensbury or Glens Falls (which-ever... she's SO vague on that point) and we're making an appointment. (Happily, when I went on the “town run” the “check engine” light went off on the truck, as I'd hoped it might, so a slow-and-easy run down there won't be a problem! The “Fates” are watching over us!) I WANT and NEED to know what's going on with these feathers and what I need to do or have done to make sure Yonah isn't in any danger!
BUT... once that feather was gone, he was back to his usual “HELLO? I'M HERE! LET'S PLAY!” and indeed... we DID! (He's such a little distraction... of the MOST BESTEST KIND!)
There was a bit of sun-shine this after-noon... (but now, at 21.44, as I type this, the thunder is rolling and there's lightning o'er yon mountains... though tomorrow is supposed to give us more sun-shine... I can hope... Yonah NEEDS some more sun-shine!). It wasn't all too hot, and not terribly humid, thankfully. So we both had a rather glorious time of it.
AND TONIGHT...JUST MOMENTS AGO... MARCH 2021 OF YONAH'S JOURNAL IS COMPLETE... AND ON-LINE... APRIL AND MAY TO GO! (Meanwhile, I've got more photos that need to be added to the “Album”... but now that March is done... WE HAVE TOMORROW TOGETHER AGAIN!)
Honestly, this transcribing and re-living all these months just keeps striking me as a MODERN MIRACLE! Never mind, I was wondering all through the earlier days, whether or not Yonah would ever come to trust me, or even tolerate me. I'd hoped he might at least “tolerate”, but... TO COME AND WAKE ME FROM A NAP? TO LOOK FORWARD TO ME BEING IN THE ROOM? TO CARRY ON CONVERSATIONS OF COO'S? NEVER! I NEVER EVEN IMAGINED SUCH THINGS! I say: I can't wait to see what a doctor has to say about his health and general condition... if... IF he's doing as well as can be, and WE could possibly see the next 5 or 10 or... years ahead of us... I'll go to see what can be done for/about ME... if it means spending that time with him. No matter what the world could throw, as long as he's my Life... we'll make it through it ALL! One way or another!
Well, Yonah is tucked-in for the night, and the rains have made their way over the mountains. The little “jug” is set where it was last night and I'm listening in case of “clunk” again tonight. Other-wise, I'll hope that if another little “visitor” should come tonight, I'll find it in there in the morning. There's plenty for it to eat and plenty of air for it over-night. And tomorrow... off it goes, back to where it should have stayed in the first place... in the “great out-doors”! But right now, there's a little bit of PURE HEAVEN, all safe and sound, warm and dry, protected against the winds and rains... and just SO COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY SUCH A LOVE THAT IT CAN'T EVEN BE DESCRIBED! THAT'S OUR “YONAH”... THAT'S OUR BLESSING, OUR HONOUR, OUR PRIVILEGE... OUR HEART-BEAT... THE CORE OF OUR SOUL AND BEING!
 Tuesday 20 July:
It started as a “typical” sort of day, this one did, but as it progressed... WELL! WOW! “OMG”! Yonah has been SO ACTIVE ALL DAY! I mean... THIS IS AMAZING! (And I can hardly stop smiling!) He's been just about ALL OVER THE ROOM! I moved into his room shortly after morning coffee to work on his Journal and such and as I worked, he was on the shelf (where he likes to go) and then, to the futon and then back to his house.
At about 10.00, I went for what I thought would be a “20-minute” lie-down but NO... Obviously, about 10 minutes MUST have been sufficient because... I was awakened by the “presence” on my leg... which then RAN UP to my shoulder where I was “tapped”! YONAH! He'd come to wake me and PLAY! So, that was the end of the snooze, to be sure. (And I couldn't help but laugh all the while as he pecked at my hand!)
OK. I got up, went out to check the post at 11.15 and when I came back into the house and into this room... he was on the desk lamp!!! He's NEVER done THAT before! It was as if I was SUPPOSED to be at the work tables and he was waiting for me to get back! (“Hello? You're 'break' is over!”)
AS I WENT BACK TO WORKING ON THE JOURNAL HE CAME FLYING TO MY SHOULDER... LEFT ONE... AND THEN WORKED HIS WAY ACROSS MY NECK TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER WHERE HE PERCHED JUST LONG ENOUGH TO ASCERTAIN THAT I WAS ACTUALLY “WORKING” AND THEN... BACK TO HIS HOUSE!
Fine... I did bit more work and he went back to the top of his house where he “supervised” as he does until I went to the kitchen for a little lunch. WELL! So it would appear that my “lunch break” took a bit too long as well today... I brought the lap-top back into his room and got him on my shoulder to bring him out to the kitchen whilst I did the washing-up. So THAT must have been “interesting”... but only for a while. It was more “left shoulder... across the neck... right shoulder... across the neck... left shoulder... onto my beck at centre of neck and the next thing I knew... AWAY and back into his room”!
So I finished the washing-up and when I went back to the work table... as I was transferring some photos to the lap-top... WOOSH! THERE HE WAS, ON THE BOX WHERE I “FILE” PAPERS! AND WAS HE EVER CURIOUS AS TO WHAT I WAS DOING! HEAD TURNING THIS WAY AND THAT, AS IF CHECKING THE PAPERS IN THE FILE, THE KEY-BOARD, THE LAP-TOP... WHAT-EVER IT WAS THAT I WAS “DOING”!
Looks like he's REALLY getting quite “comfortable” in the house now! I'm just waiting... he managed to go from kitchen to his room... next should be from his room to the kitchen and I'll be at table when... WOOSH! He'll be checking my morning coffee, my evening meal... and MAYBE, one of these days... MORE exploring of living-room and my bed-room! I HAVE to admit that this THRILLS ME to no end! I WANT him to be comfortable in the entire house. The flying will be great exercise for him, and the change of scenery will help ward-off boredom, to be sure. And ALL the while, I'm in AWE! In a mere 9 months we've reached that “forum post” that I'd read back in the beginning when Yonah first came into the house that claimed “Doves are known to fly around and to the room where people are, to take interest in the daily activities of the family.” Oh... he's INTERESTED alright! And it's AMAZING! (He just hasn't been “the same” since we took that “drive” on Friday. I wonder what happened! If that's what was needed to get him to be more comfortable around me, around the house, well... I'll just say that even with the aggravation and such... IT WAS ALL SO WELL-WORTH IT ALL! AND NOW I WON'T BE SO NERVOUS ABOUT TAKING HIM DOWN TO QUEENSBURY! Though, now I'll HAVE to make sure to close his house at night... so there's no “accidents in the dark”. Doves don't see well at night - as I'm typing, he just came BACK to my left shoulder and started pecking at my ear! - so... there's too much “furnishings”, not to mention the kitchen and such... and walls, windows. And my heart can't take him having any more injuries... especially if I'm sleeping at the time and I don't know about them!) BUT WELL-WOW-OMG! THE ACTIVITIES TODAY ARE INDESCRIBABLE! HE'S IN “HYPER-ANIMATION”! AND IT'S WONDERFUL! At least he's healthy enough for it all!
At end of day... the rains came this after-noon (and are still falling at 20.53), and except for a telephone call I had to make, Yonah and I passed the ENTIRE day together!!! And he was AL OVER his room! It's SO GOOD to see him SO FREE! (Though I wish he'd take advantage of the rest of the house... but I imagine that's coming... one of these days.) And I worked on his Journal, TOOK PHOTOS of him (of course... MY LITTLE GUY... MY HEART, SOUL, LIFE) AND... they're posted to his “Portfolio” tonight for ALL THE WORLD to see!
I was late for “tuck-in” by almost 30 minutes but, after “hugs, cuddles, kisses”, he hopped right over to his “sleeping corner” (the left-front as facing his house). He was READY! Poor little one... I was SO irresponsible! But as the rains fall out-side and the temperature drops to a cool 19° (going to 16° for the low), he's all safe, sound, so protected and as he'll ALWAYS be... SO VERY, TRULY, DEEPLY, SINCERELY, LOVED!
Oh... the call was to Ev... who is doing well and “at the lake” for the Summer. And we spoke about Yonah... and she was SO supportive and seemed MOST interested in his story! So... there's ANOTHER person “out there in the world” who “knows of him”! As she said “He's not just a bird, he's your companion... and with his web-site, e-mail, telephone number... he's more important than a lot of people!” Yessiree... THAT'S MY LITTLE GUY!
 Wednesday 21 July:
It's just going for 10.00, another rainy, grey, chilly, damp morning. Yonah and I have been up and about from since about 6.15 and I'm settled at the work table... and typing... and... AND... THRICE (thus far)... as I'm typing, I hear the “flutter” behind and over-head and the next thing... YONAH is on my shoulder, picking at my left ear, walking to my neck... just “HELLO? WHATCHA DOIN'?” IT'S PRECIOUS! ADORABLE! Earlier this morning, I got all the waters changed, the “house-keeping” done and went back to the kitchen for a moment and when I returned to his room, I couldn't see him! He was right inside the door to his room... up on the shelf there! He REALLY is getting around more, SO MUCH MORE, these days. I can't help but think: the change came right after the road trip! Now I'm REALLY wondering about that. I was so worried that he'd be traumatised and here it would seem the exact opposite. “We went for a RIDE! Now let's see how much MORE we can do! THAT WAS FUN!” And to be absolutely certain... I am NOT complaining! Were it not obvious, to for the fact that I'm actually experiencing it, I'd call it “unbelievable”! But... here it is... here we are... yes, indeed... Family, Companions, here we are.
And it was the MOST ADORABLE... I'd had a bit of a lie-down for almost 40 minutes today and ALL THE WHILE, YONAH RESTED ON MY LEG! I laid down and he immediately came over from his house, got himself “cozy” and I dozed-off... when the alarm sounded to wake me, there he was, all nicely settled, right where he was before I'd dozed!
THEN, when I got up to put some soup on, he went back to his house. I put the ingredients into a pot, put it all on the hob and when I went back into his room to get my coffee (that I hadn't finished this morning), he came right over to my shoulder and WE went back into the kitchen where I did the washing-up, “under supervision” and we took a bit of a stroll through the house where I opened the front door (the rains have stopped at last, again, and the temperature out there is quite comfy) and we watched the world go by for a while, Yonah staring out the door and pecking on my ear. Next, we went into the bed-room where I was going to fold yesterday's washing, but it's still not quite dry enough for folding, with all this humidity of late. Still, he made NO indication of ANY sort of discomfort with the situation. Nope... he was happy right where he was. But when we left the bed-room and got to the door of his room, he was OFF! He KNOWS where HIS house is and he wanted to get back to it! And so, here I am, back at the work table and he's in his house... with his “Full Spectrum” light on today (to ward off some of these dreary days) shining. He's had his “lunch” and I'm about to have mine and... again today... it's as I just said to him “I NEVER expected our situation to come to this! NEVER!” I never even imagined it might come to where he'd become SO comfortable around me... never mind, that he'd actually WANT to be so close to and with me. OH YES INDEED... my “Companion”, my “Friend”, my “Family”, my LOVE... my LIFE!
And at day's end... with the exception of about an hour, when I stepped out to go to the river, ANOTHER GREAT DAY TOGETHER! *** AND *** DURING THE DAY I MANAGED TO GET IN TWO MORE “SNOOZES”, OF COURSE, ON YONAH'S FUTON... *** AND *** AGAIN *** I NO SOONER LAID DOWN WHEN HE CAME FLYING OVER... TO SNOOZE WITH (ON) ME! *** AND *** AS I WORKED AT THE TABLE BESIDE HIS HOUSE... HE CAME OVER, SEVERAL TIMES, TO “PERCH” ON MY SHOULDER!!! AND HE WAS SO PLAYFUL ALL DAY TODAY! Honestly, he LOVES ATTENTION AND AFFECTION!!! HE'S A MOST AMAZING LITTLE GUY! ABSOLUTELY INDESCRIBABLY AMAZING! I'm SO reminded of that account: doves will come through the house looking for the family and take a place where they can watch, and will show active interest in the affairs of the house-hold. OH! But INDEED... Yonah most certainly DOES take the active interest... though he's not at the point (YET) where he comes looking for me. Still... I am BLOWN AWAY!
And the rains DID, finally, stop, rather late this after-noon, too late to shine in through his windows. But now, as this day becomes night, he's safely “tucked-in” on his “night perch”... He's eaten well today, and, silly little fellow, I give him a separate little dish of the freshest water to drink and he prefers the water in his pool! (Of course, that water too, is fresh, changed not less than twice EVERY day... morning and night, so it's not “bad” for him, so I don't “worry”, though I'd prefer he drink the “drinking” water. But... in the out-of-doors, the water he'd probably drink probably would be MUCH worse... road puddles and the likes. So this isn't “bad”.)
Tomorrow is supposed to be quite sunny, so too, the following several days so I'll have to make sure his “sand bed” is situated so that he gets LOTS of sun-light! And we have another day together ahead because I've still got a lot of work to do on his Journal... so yes, I'm looking forward to ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY!
Meanwhile, tonight, my MOST PRECIOUS, MOST CHERISH COMPANION, sleeps protected... AND OH! SO LOVED!!!
I have to say: working on the previous Journal entries over the months, being able to re-live our time together brings into a stark clarity, the changes we've both gone through, the many and vast changes. We've actually grown SO CLOSE to one-another, and my life has become so AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL... because of him. And that we've come from me being so afraid of getting “too close” to him, and him being so wary of me to, well, being almost completely inseparable... It's been one UTTERLY AWE-FULL, FASCINATING 9 MONTHS... TO BE SURE! And tonight, I'm looking forward to the next 9 months, and the 9 after that, and the 9 after that, and... Yes, my “life” has become quite a “Life” with this little Dove in it.
Thursday 22 July:
It was quite the day... Poor Yonah! Poor little guy!
To begin with, he was up much earlier than I was ready for, so I managed to snooze a little bit while he coo'ed the early morning hours away! Ah... but then, it got to be 6.30 and it was time... not only for me to get up but to open curtains and get to the morning routine of water changes, kisses, cuddles and all the rest that makes a day worth facing. So indeed, we did that and then I had my morning coffee. (I DO have my “priorities” and they're quite “correct”: Yonah first... the rest of the world when Yonah's needs are met.)
By 8.00, I was done with “my chores of a morning” and went in to begin what I'd hoped to be another day COMPLETELY in his company. And one thing I noticed that's both touching and disturbing: When I'd “settled” at the work table, he had his breakfast! It appears he waited for me to come in! Yes, that's touching and sweet but I now worry that, if I don't go in to spend “quiet, settled” time with him... I wonder how long he'll wait! Although I DO give him credit in that he won't wait and go hungry (at least I HOPE he won't, “we” seem to be quite extremely “bonded”... even spiritually, these days).
Well, I tried to get started with OUR Journals and “Tante Nancy” came by to ask for help with an “electric fence” install. So... THIS morning, I got Yonah on my shoulder and went to the door so he could greet “Tante Nancy”... He wanted NONE of it and as soon as she came “too close” to the screen door... he took off! Well... Nancy came in and we got to talking and I was wondering where Yonah had gone, so I mentioned how he and I “chat” and I gave a “woo-HOO-hoo-hoo” and seconds later, came the “woo-HOO-hoo-hoo”... HE'D GONE BACK TO HIS ROOM! BRILLIANT little chap, that Yonah! (Tante Nancy was impressed and then said “I guess he doesn't like 'sharing' you.” And we smiled... though I wonder.)
Well... she left and the morning rolled along into the after-noon and I had to make a run to the “land-fill” (monthly, as it is), and I needed to stop at Nancy's to check the lay-out of the “electric fence”... WELL! I got side-tracked as well and didn't get back in the house until almost 18.00 to find....
One of the lengths of kitchen roll that I put under one of his perches had blown up and into his pool... AND IT WICKED WATER OUT OF THE POOL AND ALL THROUGH THE FLOOR OF HIS HOUSE! Thankfully, that “floor” is a deep-enough tray so no water went to the floor BUT it was SOAKED! NO problem, other than me feeling so MISERABLY SORRY that he had to be in there with all that wet paper for... well, I don't know how long! SO... I IMMEDIATELY GOT RIGHT TO THE CLEAN-UP! End of story? Fresh paper, fresh waters, his moss got a good soaking/cleaning (I'm sure the moss will appreciated the water), and even the sand got replaced with the latest fresh sand from the river! THAT'S A PERFECTLY CLEAN HOUSE TONIGHT!
With that done, I threw together something quick to call “evening meal” and when done, went back it to spend time with Yonah... Nope... he's OBVIOUSLY annoyed, perturbed, not happy with me. No “cuddles”, but I did get a few “apology kisses” in. Other-wise, he DOES SHOW DISPLEASURE! (And again, as always: I'll physically “damage” anybody... ANYBODY who tells me that mourning doves are not sentient beings!)
I did manage to sit on his futon for a while, as I did a little preliminary work on Tante Nancy's “fence” but, unlike the past day or two... he wouldn't come over to perch on my shoulder, nor would he come to the futon. And then, it got late, the room began to get dark so it was time to “tuck-in”... Yes... I DID manage a cuddle and a kiss. But no, he's still not “happy with me”. (I dread tomorrow when I have to be away for some hours, installing said “fence”. I'm “entertaining” the notion of bringing him with, but not sure how I'd go about that so... Something to ponder. Thankfully, Nancy's place is a 90-second trip away, and I won't be going until after-noon so we'll be together in the morning. And Saturday is coming and I WON'T be leaving the house all day then! I just HOPE we can “make amends”?)
And so, for tonight, all is calm... and tonight his radiator is on 3 out of 6... the temperature is supposed to drop to 13°! No, not “cold” but “chilly” and there's NO reason why my little LOVE should be “chilly”... so yes, I “spoil” but OH... HE'S WORTH EVERY MOMENT OF IT!
So tonight, I wonder what sort of reaction there will be tomorrow when I get back. And I'll have to make certain to spend “Forgive Me” time... which I don't mind AT ALL! I'm just glad to know that he's eaten well today (and he DID eat VERY well when I got back in), his house is CLEAN and he's comfy. THAT is ALL that matters to me in the ENTIRETY OF CREATION!
Friday 23 July:
We had a DELIGHTFUL (and SUNNY) day together today! But, it seems Yonah's not eating much today. He's FULL of energy, as playful as he usually is, but just hasn't eaten as much as he usually does. And he's got a dish of a “special mix” of fruits and nuts that I crushed to “one-gulp” size... no interest. (And it smells delicious!) And today, I boiled, baked and crushed some egg shells because I see a lot of suggestions/recommendations for that for his calcium intake. No interest in that either. Thankfully, he HAS eaten during the day. I notice because I often give his food dish a bit of a shake, to “level” the seeds and so I can see when he's eaten any. I'll be keeping a careful eye on him now... until his “appetite” returns. BUT, as I say, he's been PLAYFUL AND “CUDDLY” all day, and we spent all but about 2 hours of it together. Well, I suppose there are days when all of us have what's called “decreased appetite”. I know I do. I'll watch.
What still interests me is how he prefers to stay in “his” room! He has the entire house to explore, and none of it is really “unfamiliar”. He's been in every other room, often on my shoulder, and there have been times when he's “taken wing”... usually from living-room, through the kitchen and to his room. He just did the very thing only yesterday. (What I REALLY appreciate is that now, un-like his earlier days, he flies along directly... no walls, windows or any other obstacle. So he KNOWS his way around.) Oh well... as I say: he's perfectly free to go where-ever when-ever. I'd NEVER confine him to any one place.
But his house is still clean (save the “usual little signs”). Most of that is because he spends most of a day moving from the shelves to the work table, spends time on the lower shelves under his house... and he even goes “exploring” on the floor... and, of course, the futon. That's were he tends to “leave a little indication” now and then. (I've always kept the house almost immaculate, even been told by many that I keep the cleanest house they've ever seen. As one person put it, some years ago: There's an expression about floors so clean you can eat off them... in YOUR house it's TRUE! One thing I HAVE to say is that I've been told “birds are messy and they poop all over'. Well, I don't know about other birds but Mr. Yonah here is FAR from “messy” and as for the “poop”, it's the easiest and neatest to clean up. So, I'll say: give me the company of a dove ANY time!
And so, that said, the sun is now setting on this quite warm day. Last night we DID get down to about 12° for a while. I was thankful that I'd put the radiator on in his room. And tonight, we're supposed to expect another night of the same so it will be another night of the same... radiator... on a low setting, just enough to ward off chills. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm. I just wish I could think of some way to get him out in it. I'm still pondering and working on it. I'd LIKE, VERY MUCH to see him out in the air and sun-shine. He does get sun-shine in through his windows, and he seems to enjoy it. But... One of these days.
It's almost time for “tuck-in”. Days with Yonah go by entirely too quickly. But we have an entire day tomorrow, I have NOTHING to take me out of the house so... I'll be working along on his site, his Journal and we'll get snoozes in together ...
He's on the perch at his door... I'm either being paged or being told “Hey! It's getting dark in here! Time to close shop. I need my beauty rest!”
One thing that ALWAYS gets me smiling, sincerely: when I walk into his room, he turns to face me, takes a “firm stand” and quickly flaps his wings! I used to think it was a “warning” but I see now it's more like a person would raise their arms in hearty greeting! I do the action with my hands and he comes RUNNING! So yeah... I'd say it's a “HEY! HOW ARE YA? Good to see you!” (This has been an indescribably AMAZING time with him! And my LOVE just keeps going... increasing... every day!)
And well... “tuck-in” time has come and gone and all is well, the waters have been changed, food is plentiful and “yonder sits that little turtle dove”, he doth sit on yonder night perch. But before we got to the nightly routine, I laid on the futon, my head at the end where his house is. He came down from the perch to the door-way and stared down at me. I'd put my hand into the pillow case and “scratched” at the fabric from inside and it made a high-pitched sound that fascinated him! FLUTTER OF WINGS and DOWN he came, to rest on the arm-rest at my head and his head bobbed up and down several times, then tilted left to right... and a resounding “woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!” He paced a bit, as if to get a better view of the situation until he saw my finger and the wings went “UP” in a FLAP! It was as if he recognised my finger (because I stroke him with one finger, usually)! And then, it was “Stroke me” time! So we did until I got up to get things together to change the water in his pool... which he stood on the arm-rest and watched with particular concern... until I got started pouring in the fresh water... THEN it was back up, into the house, to make sure things went properly.
Again, I tellya, anybody who says doves “don't know” doesn't know much of much of anything worth knowing.
There was another photo on social media today, of a woman who'd shot and killed a giraffe... “Trophy Hunting”. She stood beside the lifeless body of that beautiful being, proudly, with a beaming smile on her wretched face. Thankfully, the comments that followed were of disgust. And I remember the stats on mourning doves, being the most-hunted creatures... for sport and “target practise”. Honestly. In the deepest recesses of my being, I wouldn't much mind being the one to “take these 'sports hunters' down”... though, in my mind, “death” would be kind. I've NEVER been one for the “sport” of “murder”. And these days, what I harbour for that ilk... well... “hate” is too soft a term. How I DO hope that there's a particularly brutal Hell, some-where, for them. But if people who read these words take the time to look at the photos and videos, actually READ these words of this Journal, I'm certain that, if there's even one properly-functioning brain cell, you all understand.
On that note, I close today's entry... looking forward to a peaceful night ahead, especially for Yonah, and another purely delightful day tomorrow... we'll be together for all of it... and those are my BEST days, beyond all else.
 Saturday 24 July:
One of my MOST FAVOURITE sort of days... YONAH HAVING A SPLASH IN THE POOL! FOLLOWED BY A “LOUNGE IN THE MOSS”! Indeed, this morning, the sun shone in through the windows and as I was sitting, having my little “lunch”, at the work table, I heard, to my left, the familiar “splash”, looked up and over to spy my little LOVE... my little LIFE, in for a delightful soak, following a warming bask. (Ah, that new “loft shelf” serves a most wonderful purpose when the sun comes along.) So I finished my English muffins, put the dish in the basin, stepped out to check today's post and when I returned... the “soak'n'splash” was complete and there, laying comfy in the moss, wing extended, Mr. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT was snuggled-in, as he does, following a dip in the waters. Aside from the fact that it does a heart a WORLD of greatness to see him so comfortable, and enjoying the pool and such, it truly gives me pause for thought. In ALL the information I've seen, reviewed, garnered over these past 9 months, there was precious little mentioned about provided a little “bath”. Yes, there are photos and videos of “domestic” birds (parrots, canaries and the likes) in showers, basins and such, but no mention of the importance of providing a constant, readily-available little “pond” or “pool” for “when the spirit moves”. And as for the moss, no, no mention of that any-where. There IS mention of using caution when providing “natural” perches. And yes, indeed, that's truly understandable. “Warnings” rather against cutting limbs or “decorating” “cages” (as “enclosures” are referred to by I prefer the term “house” because Yonah surely isn't “caged”... his little enclosure is more his “house”... open door, a place strictly his own) with bits of the wilderness. Trees and limbs and other such can certainly have “residents”, the likes of mites, fleas, ticks, and invisible vermin. Yonah's moss was brought in and laid on a cookie sheet, allowed to dry completely, then soaked in a kitchen basin of cold water, several times, allowed to dry between each soaking, before being put into his house. AND it's soaked every 3 weeks, at minimum, agitated, and the basin water carefully checked for ANY indication of ANY sort of “foreign objects” like dead bodies or “odd matter”. Then it's placed on white kitchen roll to draw excess water and that's carefully checked as well.)
All that said, from perches of different diameters and woods, to river sand, carefully rinsed in cold, running tap water, several times, then rinsed again, thrice, in boiling water and thoroughly dried in a 400°F oven, to the moss... AND the little white pine trees... well, it appears my “gut instincts” are being proved “spot-on”! Mr. Taube (as he is, quite officially at this juncture), is healthy, and OBVIOUSLY appreciates and enjoys the addition and inclusion of his “natural” environment in his home here. (And, as I'm typing, I see his eyes are closed... he's snoozing after a bit of a “swim”.)
No matter the world out-side our doors and windows... the PEACE he brings to heart, soul, the core of being, knowing that here, although not in the life into which he'd been born, he truly IS safe, secure, protected, LOVED AND CHERISHED more than words in any language could express... and it does appear, he KNOWS and is quite content. No matter the world out-side our doors and windows... no matter... the world... THIS is OUR world and THAT is ALL that matters.
As the expression says: “Shabbat shalom”. (Sabbath Peace)
One quick additional note: I had a lie-down earlier, alarm set for 30 minutes. Got comfy on Yonah's futon (another item I'm SO glad to have thought of and followed through), and managed to doze-off until... the sound of the flutter of wings followed by the feeling of little feet landing on my lower leg... and the “toddle” up the leg, the torso and stopping on my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, there was a little feathered face, two “turquoise” encircle, black eye, looking right at me! WHAT an indescribably GLORIOUS way to wake! When he was satisfied that I was awake, he toddled down my leg again, hopped onto the futon, pecked at my toes and went back to his house. (This was before the splash in the pool.) When I looked to see the time... it was 2 minutes before the alarm was to sound! Now, this might not seem of any importance but... its something I've noticed many times already: With-in 5 minutes... EVERY time I lay down to snooze and set an alarm... Yonah comes to wake me... just before the alarm sounds... most often 2-3 minutes before! It's as if, some-how, he KNOWS! (Either that or he decides that what-ever time I've been snoozing is sufficient and whether or not we play, that 20-25 minutes is enough and it's time to get up.) I leave this notation here... let the reader opine.
Well now, at end of day... and Yonah is “tucked-in”... fresh water for the third time (and never enough, as far as I'm concerned... if I could figure a way to keep fresh water running in his pool... I'm SURE SOMEBODY would disapprove but I'd be happier, although, on second thought, it might be better this way because if there's any “chemical”, like chlorine, which 'tis said we do NOT have in out water and honestly, I don't believe I've ever, but once, in 2 years, even slightly smelled any, sitting and circulating as it does, allows chemicals to evaporate so, I'll “settle”; just as long as it's safe and clean). So much for a parenthetical paragraph. I changed the water after his “dip” today because, well, he drinks from the pool sometimes and I want clean water in there at all times. So tonight, it's clean!
At about 14.00, I went to have a second, quick, lie-down and... for the SECOND time... Yonah did it again: alarm set for 14.30 and at about 14.28... little dove feet hopping up my leg and again, a little feathered face staring at me from my shoulder! So this ISN'T just a “one-off” or anything of the sort. HE SEES me laying on the futon and KNOWS it's me and, well, when it's time for “Lovin'”, it's time to wake up! WHAT a most AMAZING little guy! And, as always, he puts a smile on my face and a lightness to my heart... to my CORE!
So, for most of the day, I was in his room, with him, typing and taking “cuddle breaks” and... AND HE ATE... SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE DAY! Honestly, it's when I'm not around enough, he doesn't eat much!
This evening, I was late for my own meal, so I threw something together and tonight, I brought it in to his room and ate at the work table... OK... SO... WELL... He saw ME eating AND WENT FOR HIS LITTLE MEAL! Yep... tell me again, they don't actually “KNOW”. NOT buying it. I DO believe it's time for SOMEBODY to get off their delusional high-horse and start a RE-write of the documentation on, if not ALL little ones, start with MOURNING DOVES!
This reminds me SO much of a question that was posted to one of the forums on-line where some-one asked what doves “feel” or “sense” when a predator attacks them. Personally, I have thoughts and theories, one of which is similar to some humans where-by, the brain simply over-loads or other-wise simply just shuts-down in cases of horrific trauma and terror and pain sensations are blocked. I know that I've injured my-self over my life-time and in the WORST events, it was called “shock”... I “removed” from my-self, no sensation of pain and, I even stopped bleeding! I remember being told it was “shock”. I imagine doves, birds, other prey might respond the same way. (The “answer” to the question on the forum was that “they don't sense pain the way humans do so they're probably not even aware of what's happening to them.” The “questioner” put it something along the lines of “What do they feel/sense while they're being torn apart.” Quite succinct, to the point, but repulsive, none-the-less.)
Well, more human ignorance, stupidity, arrogance and general display of mental void. In these 9 months with Yonah, I, personally, directly, have come to learn that, if nothing much else, mourning doves are HIGHLY intelligent, BRILLIANT little creatures. And again, I think of those who shoot them, simply for the sport. Pathetic! I wish I could think of a stronger term, but, with-out resorting to vulgarities, I'll just leave it as it is.
ANYWAY... it was a SUPER day with my little Companion, Friend, Family, my soul, my “LIFE”. And now, I'm glad that again, tonight, as the forecast is for a drop to about 13° out-side, he's here, safe, protected, his radiator is on in his room, one window slightly open for fresh air circulation, and he doesn't need to even THINK of “predators”... of ANY sort. If he should get hungry or thirsty during the night, he has food and fresh water, and should he need to stretch his wings, there's plenty of space for that as well... Yes, indeed, and to be sure... MY LOVE IS CHERISHED AND PROTECTED! (I do wish I could do the same for ALL of those who are out in the night. But, right now, I SWORE to protect Yonah for as long as... and I'm keeping my solemn vow... even tonight.)
Sunday 25 July:
Well, well, WELL INDEED! A NEW adventure for Mr. “Taube” today! I decided to make a “monthly run” of the stores to get those things that WE need and were running out of and I knew I'd be away for several hours. So, at 10.00 this morning, I was on the road and rolling along, at speeds only slight exceeding the local speed limits (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). I just about literally RAN through the errands and when done, “zoomed” along toward home. Quite frankly, it was all done in impressive time (although ANY time I spend away from Yonah is entirely too long but...).
When I got back, I IMMEDIATELY RAN into the house, to say “I'm back.” but... THERE WAS NO SIGN OF YONAH ANY-WHERE IN HIS ROOM! I looked in ALL his usual places, from in his house to the shelves, the floor, under his house, under his futon... NO sign of him! I “called”, “Woo-HOO-hoo-hoo!” several times and didn't get the usual response of either “Woo-HOO-hoo-hoo” or “Woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo” nor was there the “woo-HOO!” I some-times get (which sounds similar to a “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?”). So I began searching the house!
Not in his room. Not in the kitchen. Not in the bed-room... My heart began to sink! Thoughts of him having taken flight and hitting a wall or window... laying in a dark corner or under some piece of furniture, injured, unconscious or... worse... filled my head! I was ON the brink of complete despair...
BUT... WHEN I GOT INTO THE LIVING-ROOM... THERE, ON THE FUTON, WAS A LITTLE GUY, DRESSED IN FEATHERS, STANDING THERE... GLARING AT ME! IT WAS SO CUTE! But my first feeling was GUILT! He must have called for me and when, after a while, there was no answer, he went looking for me! POOR LITTLE GUY! When I went over to him and sat beside, he actually side-stepped AWAY, stood there, on the futon, just beyond my arm's reach, turned and looked at me. I could almost hear “Oh no you don't! Run off like that. Roll in when you want. AND expect me to be all 'luvee'? Oh no!” Well, I made with the “I LOVE you” and went out to bring the groceries in. As I was putting them up, I heard, behind me, the “flutter”... He went back to his house... AND ATE! He does that: if I'm not around “enough”, he doesn't seem to eat until I go in to his room. I DREAD even the thought of EVER leaving him for any length of time! I'm sure he'd eat when he got hungry, and there's always more than enough food there, in his house. He wouldn't “run out” for a good 3 days or more. And there's always enough water to drink. Still, the truth is: I'm a wreck when I just step out to the local market. True story: I SO miss him when I have to leave. It doesn't keep me from going and doing things that need to be done, but, yes, I DO miss him... and it appears he misses me too. I NEVER would have even THOUGHT a mourning dove could become so “attached”... nor that I would ever become so attached. But there it is, and here we are.
But groceries got put up (including organic broccoli for him), we DID spend a good hour together... in HIS room, then I put my meal together and when done, moved into his room to attend to other things.
And today, in addition to the “necessities of the house”, I got a set of sheets and pillows... for his futon! NOW... we can have “sleep-overs”! And THOSE will come in handy come the Winter this year. If the house gets too chilled, his room is ALWAYS warm. So, we can look forward to hunkering at a Winter's eve. (I wonder what he'd think of that... me, there, over-night and there, first thing in the morning. I usually close the door to his house at night, so that he doesn't try to take little “journeys” in the dark. But, if he woke in the morning and saw me where I take my snoozes... I can say one thing for me: Seeing him FIRST thing in a morning would be SUPER BRILLIANT!) There's something more to look forward to.
Well then, come the end of the day, all the waters are fresh and clean, and there's food for “mid-night snax”. Yonah wasn't too keen on the idea of going, what I call “seepie-nigh-night” though. If we could figure a way... I'd have him in the bed-room, he could have a place of his choice. But... even I am still of sufficient sanity to know that that's teetering into the realm of “gone beyond eccentric”. He has his own room, so that, should I need to get up at night, I don't disturb him. And he's safe in there. So... Sadly, tomorrow, I have a little job to do out of the house, for a few hours (again). But... we'll have ALL of the rest of the day together. I have MORE than enough to do that can be done with his companionship. And I'm still trying to work-out a place in the kitchen where we can put his “old house”, in case he'd like to “hang out” there whilst I go about “house-hold” business. A little re-arranging and I'm sure we'll come up with something. But for tonight, he's tucked-in and I'm soon to follow.
Strange, but I can't even imagine what life was and what it would be with-out him. And I can safely say that, with-out him, “life” wouldn't be tonight... THAT'S MY SOUL THERE!
Monday 26 July:
Ohhhhhh... Yet ANOTHER day of “debunking” those who claim mourning doves aren't “sentient” or “brilliant”! I had to be out of the house on this sunny-but-horrificaly HOT AND HUMID day for another 4 hours today, to do some work at “Aunt Nancy's” and yes, it ate at me all the while, knowing Yonah was at home, alone again. But I got today's work completed and came RUSHING back to be “greeted” with... “the stance”. I came in the door and went, IMMEDIATELY to him, to say that I was back and how much I missed him and... as I approached him, he took flight to his corner “loft”! He was “upset” with me, and OBVIOUSLY because no matter how I tried to play and “make up” for my absence, he wanted NOTHING to do with me! So I went to take a shower and when done, went back to him... Nope. Nothing doing. He was obviously glad that I was back in the house, but equally obviously upset that I'd been gone for so long. Yeah... tell me again that they don't notice, don't have “moods”, aren't capable of “feelings”. RUBBISH!
I had a few items that needed attending in the house too, so I got to them and, OK, we had brief “chats”... a few “woo-HOO-hoos”, but NOTHING like our usual conversations. (I don't know why he won't come to the kitchen when he knows I'm there, but, maybe one of these days.)
It wasn't until after I'd had my meal and done the washing-up and went in to sit at the work table in the room that we actually got back to something ALMOST “normal”. Still, even then, he was a-top his house where he's usually quite playful and when I reached to play, he walked away.
I'm just grateful that tonight, when it was “tuck-in” time, I DID get a few affectionate pecks when I put my face next to him, as I do when it's time to say “Good night”.
But today's note is another one for the “nay-sayers”. There's OBVIOUSLY A LOT that “people” have a deep and desperate need to learn about these little ones and it causes me anger and anguish that those who need most won't bother to learn.
Well... at least I finally got the name, address and phone of the doctor that Aunt Nancy takes her Jack to. Now I have to give them a call and make the appointment. Sadly, they're an hour away so that's 2 hours on the road, there and back. BUT... WE made that 3-hour “road trip” to the last one and it all worked well. And this drive is on open road, no turning every which way and no slow traffic (for the most part). So? When Aunt Nancy's work is done... that's out next “adventure”. I DO want him checked, to make sure he's in perfect health. (Though, Aunt Nancy said, again, today “Oh, he's in perfect health. There's NO doubt about that. YOU MAKE SURE OF THAT! He eats the best, and he's got a beautiful home.” I just said “I do the best I can, the best I think I should do.” And truth is, I ALWAYS feel there's more I could do. So a doctor visit will tell.)
He's got his new linens on his futon tonight, all nice and washed and fresh. And the paler grey makes a wonderful difference in the whole room. Much lighter and brighter. And, as I said to Aunt Nancy today, for some reason, he seems to like the colour grey. I notice it when I wear a grey shirt... he tends to come to me more then. So, I hope he likes the new linens... I know I'm looking forward to “sleep-overs” now.
Well, tuck-in was a bit “later” tonight. A storm rolled in, took the heat and humidity away but it got dark sooner. Still, he's in for the night, fresh waters, food readily available, his house is nice, neat, tidy... clean. And we're both pretty much ready to call this day “wrapped and done.”
It's supposed to be fairly comfy, temperature-wise, tonight, but we have another 13° looming on the weather-horizon this week. And when the storm came through earlier, I was consoled... he's safe from the winds and rains... and so much more that could “threaten” him... and yeah, I suppose that, when all is said and done... he KNOWS that he's SO LOVED, and CHERISHED. (Today I referred to him as “He's not a 'pet'... he's a companion, family.” and Nancy said “Oh, he's family.” Oh, yes, indeed... he IS!)
Tuesday 27 July:
WE HAD AN ENTIRE DAY TOGETHER TODAY! The job at Tante Nancy's was postponed, due to threatened storm (which didn't arrive until 13.00), and so, the day was put to most excellent use! And I spent the greater part of it in Yonah's room, including a brief “snooze” on his futon whilst the bread baked. AND... AND... AND... he snoozed with me! I'd no sooner laid down when he came FLYING over to the arm-rest of the futon, at my feet. Next thing I knew... the little “pitter-patter” on my leg and he came up to the crook of my knees and as I dozed, there he stayed. When I woke, about 20 minutes later, he was still right there! And for the rest of the day? Well! It was a sight to behold! As I sat at the work table, he was all over the room! On shelves, the futon, his house, his perches... just ALL over the place! And, when I'd get up from the table, he some-what followed me, being “close at hand” and watching my every move! It was a pure delight! And CUDDLY? OH YES! There were MANY cuddles... he enjoys when I hold him in my cupped hands and give him kisses! It's as I say, often: I NEVER expected such affection from him! “Tolerance”, perhaps, but NEVER actual “affection”! It truly does create such magnificent JOY in my heart. I MUST have done SOMETHING correct by him and I'll continue to my last breath on this Earth!
And, as I sat, finishing a little sewing project (covers for the arms of his futon), he watched from the top of his house, and the sun set as the rains fall. The temperatures are “chilly-damp” tonight so his radiator is on “4” out of the “6” settings and his waters are all fresh, his house is tidy and clean for the night. Hopefully all will be calm for us through.
Sadly, I have to finish the job I was working on yesterday, at “Tante Nancy's” so he's going to have the house to himself for some hours again. BUT... my plan is to work diligently and get back shortly after noon AND SPEND THE REST OF THE DAY TOGETHER!
I will say that, with my health, there are days when, were it not for this little feathered LOVE, it would be ever-so easy to just “let go” of it all. But the moment I see him... there's nothing... NOTHING I wouldn't do for him, and when I see how “attached” we are to one-another... well... it gives me the determination to push on! It sounds/reads “trite” but the bold, blatant truth is: He IS my heart... and soul... Life... being.
And so, we both bid a “fare well” to this day... and look forward to a new day at the next break of light.
Wednesday 28 July:
POOR YONAH! We had this morning together but had to get to work for “Tante Nancy” today so I was out from noon til 16.00! But when I left, he was all taken care of with water changes and food.
Last night, the pool little guy was kept awake until about mid-night. He's had a mouse in his room for a while and I got a “humane” trap set... it arrived at about 23.45 and I wanted it out of the house so I had to go in, in the dark, get the trap and release the mouse before going to bed! BUT... Yonah took the ordeal as if it were a normal evening, no panic, not even a flutter of wings! And this morning, he was up and about at his usual 5.30! I felt terrible about it, but he woke of his own so, he must have been “ready for the day”.
When I got back home, he was “on his shelf” and when I “called” (woo-HOO-hoo-hoo) he called back with his “woo-HOO!” and was obviously happy to see me when I walked into his room. (OH! The happiness was SO VERY mutual! I TERRIBLY MISS being with him. He IS the JOY in my life.)
Tante Nancy had been at the stores in the morning and bought him more “treats” of nuts and veggies... but the bits were for “large” birds. When I told her I'd grind them in his mortal and pestle, she GAVE us a grinder! Well, when I got in, I put the ingredients in the grinder with some dry peas that I'd bought for him a while back and pulverised it all down for him and put some in a small dish. He wasn't really “impressed” but it's all good food and I'll hope he comes to enjoy it... eventually. (I want to make sure he has a good diet, balanced and nutritious.)
While I grabbed my meal, we had a little chat from room to room and when I went in, he was his “cuddly, affectionate” self so I'll suppose I'm forgiven for my absence.
At about 20.00 tonight, the second water changes and tuck-in... I'm hoping for the morning off tomorrow, at least... time together.
The “mouse trap” is re-set for tonight, just to be “sure”. I don't want him being disturbed with a mouse in HIS house, and he's on his perch... lights out and all.
Well, we're calling it a day and I'm hoping he'll get to sleep through the night. (Temperatures to drop to about 12° tonight so his window is open a bit... radiator on.) PRECIOUS, CHERISHED LITTLE LOVE!
Thursday 29 July:
It was a rainy sort of day today but... Yonah and I had MOST of it together. I had an errand to run, and RUN I did, 45 minutes away. So yes, we had MOST of it together, and THAT is an alMOST “perfect” day, as far as I'm concerned. And, to be honest, it appears that the sentiment is mutual because Yonah was playful, vociferous and, generally... MY LOVE!
And I did a bit of long over-due work on “sealing” plumbing openings around the house where our strange “invasion” of mice this season, have been making their way in and, though I'm not certain they disturb Yonah at night, it disturbs me because, SOMEHOW, at least ONE will make its way up the shelving and into his house! THIS morning, one managed to get in and shred some of the kitchen roll on his floor! So, it was time to take more actions. Yes, this morning there was another little one in the “trap”... it was released in the back yard in the little wood-pile. But more than a simple trap was called for... “Mouse-proof foam insulation” has been “installed”. I suppose tomorrow will tell how successful this effort has been.
Yes, I'm sure that in the “wild”, where-ever Yonah had been, there must have been some sort of little rodents, not to mention other sorts of “company” of a night. And mice? Well, the one thing that concerns me most is that they can carry mites and other parasites! In the wild, I imagine Yonah would have been far enough out of reach of such things, but here, if they're introduced into his house, even though I keep it as clean as is humanly possible, well, I just dread the very thought of him having to deal with that. (Besides, we're so close to visiting the doctor for a health check... and if I can avoid needing “medications” or “treatments” of any kind... I'd prefer that. Not to mention: I do NOT want him having to be annoyed by or suffer such things as “medications” and “treatments”.)
NOW FOR A NOTE OF FASCINATION: (to me, anyway): TWICE today, I had a lie-down for brief whiles each (“rainy day” and calming company, indeed) and both times I'd set an “alarm” on my mobile phone, as I do. BOTH TIMES, YONAH CAME FLYING OVER TO THE FUTON, WITH-IN 2 MINUTES BEFORE THE ALARMS SOUNDED!!! AGAIN! Ever since the futon has been in his room and I've “snoozed” there, he's done the very same thing! OK. MAYBE it's coincidence, but I seldom set the alarm for the same time-period. Sometimes it comes to 18 minutes, others are 22 or 38... it makes no difference though; 2 minutes before the alarm is set, Yonah comes flying over, lands on my ankle or shin and scurries up my leg and pecks, as if to wake me! So again... MAYBE it's coincidence, but to me, it's FASCINATING! One of these nights I'm going to sleep, over-night, on that futon and see what sort of “wake-up” I get. I don't leave the door of his house open over-night because I don't want to risk him trying to fly about the house in the dark, so he won't come to my leg to wake me but it WILL be interesting to see how he wakes me when I'm in the room. (As it is, I hear him “call” when he wakes in the morning... which is just about as the skies begin showing first light. And I suppose I'm unconsciously listening for the call because I hear it, in my sleep, in the next room.) He's a never-ending source of AMAZEMENT... “AWE”. A BLESSING... AN HONOUR... PURE, DIVINE JOY!
At the close of this not-too-bad day... Yonah is tucked-in for the night. It's gotten to where he knows when it's time because he goes into his house, no matter where he is other-wise, as the world out-side gets dark. I had the desk lamp on but he notices. AND, he KNOWS that, when the waters get changed, 'light block” and “roof” go on... that's that for the day. BRILLIANT little fellow, him! But all is well with OUR world again tonight and I HOPE he has a perfectly quiet night. I'm also hoping he sleeps in his old place, on his perch because I've noticed that, since we've had the trouble with mice, he sleeps on the opposite perch! I do NOT like THAT at all. (I'm keeping my “humane-ness” when it comes to these mice but it's running out... my “compassion” and kindness. Yonah is being inconvenienced... I'll not tolerate that.)
But, waters are fresh, so too, kitchen roll. His house is clean and tidy... lights are out. Thankfully it won't be a cold night so no radiator tonight. His window is open a slight bit for air... And I'm hoping to have a FULL day with him tomorrow... I've NO errands, just book-keeping that I can do... with his DIVINE supervision. “Hope”... for tomorrow... (both of which I didn't even think about before... well... 13 October 2020). MY LOVE... MY LIFE... MY “BEING”... Ah... YONAH!
Friday 30 July:
Yonah and I had a BEAUTIFUL day together, as I worked at the table in his room, and the sun FILLED his room and, in spite of the slight chill to the air, warmed his “corner loft” for a while... and he basked in it, so beautifully and comfortably. And as I worked, he'd come to the door of his house, rest on the perch there, and in between “preening sessions”, every time I looked up, he would be there, staring at me. It reminded me of having read, some-where on the internet, in my many searches for help, advice and support, that mourning doves, and doves, in general, are known to “take an active interest in the affairs of the house”. Well! Yonah most certainly does. I worked on the lap-top, did some book-keeping and it was as if he HAD to know EVERY little detail of what I was engaged in! It truly IS a comforting thing, heart-warming. (And, yes, a bit distracting, because when I looked up, he'd give that sudden “flap” of the wings which I've come to understand as “It's a little 'ME' time now.” and, of course, I can't resist, so there's “cuddling” and “breast stroking” and kisses and LOVE until he decides it's enough and takes to his higher perches.)
AND... AGAIN TODAY... I took two “snooze breaks” and BOTH times, I no sooner laid down on his futon... I heard the fluttering of wings and felt the “landing” on my leg. TWICE today, he almost immediately came to “snooze” with me! He comes down from his house, lands on my leg, moves to the crook of my knees, as I lay on my side, and there he stays, until I wake or the alarm sounds (which is a “tone”, not some abrasive “ringing” or the likes). It's SO obvious that he prefers when we spend time together. I DO have a page on the site, dedicated to COMPANIONSHIP but I NEVER imagined just HOW INTEGRAL, HOW IMPORTANT, it truly is to a dove! They're really similar to parrots in this respect. It ought to be more stressed in all those almost dissociated forums and such, just HOW NECESSARY it is! To drive the point to those who might ponder be-friending a dove... of ANY sort, type or kind. (But I can hope that some will find Yonah's site and actually pay attention... though I do have my most serious doubts. Well? I try!) At any rate and in any case, I, most certainly, do NOT mind at all! Having Yonah in this house, in my life... my existence, is the GREATEST OF ALL BLESSINGS, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE APPRECIATIVE. AND WHAT MAKES IT ALL THE MORE DIVINE... THE LOVE I GIVE TO HIM IS RECIPROCATED IN MORE WAYS THAN CAN BE DESCRIBED! WE ARE A “UNIT” TOGETHER NOW AND REALLY, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER!
This evening, as I had my evening meal, Yonah had had his already and was calling from his house. We had a “chat” and I decided to try “something new” so I went into his room and brought him out to the living-room. The inside door was open, to let in the warm breezes, and the setting sun was POURING, as it does, in through the screen door. So I placed him on the floor, in the sun-shine, and returned to the table to finish eating. I can see him (and the front door) clearly, from the table so I watched as he stood in the sun-shine, looking about as if he were in some “strange territory”. I know it ought to be familiar to him, and, that he DOES know where he is, even there, was confirmed... But for the while, he looked about as if getting his bearings and when I called to him “So what do you think of this 'new' place in the sun?” he came, almost running, from the living-room toward me! Ah HAH! As has been claimed else-where about the internet, YES, doves DO recognise voices as well as faces! They're ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT little beings! (And to think, people shoot them for “fun and sport”... I'd opine and comment bluntly but...) He came over to the kitchen door, looked at me for a long moment and started walking away... to the other door, the “farther” kitchen door, and as he walked I could see him “prepping for take-off” and WOOSH! UP he went in flight, around the kitchen and directly back “home”! Well, at least he got out of his room for a while, but as I think of it, I suppose that room is now “safety” to him. It's where he was during his earliest days here, and he knows he's safe in there now. I can't say that I could “fault” him for wanting to be in “his” room. And I KNOW he knows how to get around the rest of the house, should he want, so... we'll see how it all progresses. We have “time” together... He has my life-time.
Meal done, washing-up done, I went back into his room to catch-up with more work at his table. NOW... for a bit of a note on the side...:
It was about 20.00 as I was finishing-up the project at hand when, from the corner of my eye, I saw a bit of a “dark spot” on the floor at the foot of the shelving his house is set up on. AS I WATCHED... A MOUSE, where it came from, I don't know, but it had come out from under the end of the work-table, but I WATCHED IT JUMP UP THE STEEL LEG OF THE SHELVING, ONTO THE 2ND SHELF FROM THE FLOOR AND MAKE ITS WAY ACROSS THE SHELF TO THE SIDE WHERE YONAH'S FOOD IS IN HIS HOUSE! NOW I KNOW HOW THEY GET UP THERE! THAT SHELVING IS POLISHED SO I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MICE MANAGE TO CLIMB IT! BUT THIS ONE CERTAINLY DID. But when it noticed me, it dashed down and out of the room! Well... the trap got set for tonight, to be sure... and, well... I got ready for the “evening routine”. There was nothing I could do about the mouse just then.
And so... “evening routine”, it was time to “tuck in” for the night. Waters got changed, paper too. Tonight is supposed to drop to 10° so his curtains are closed better against any possible “chill” and his radiator is on. All is well... and yes... at the time of this jotting... WE DID GET THAT MOUSE... and it's out in the woods. One down... let's see if there are more for the night. We're prepared.
All said and done... WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY WITH MY “LIFE-LINE”... AND TOMORROW? MORE OF THE SAME TO COME! (I DO go to bed happier and wake ELATED... knowing there's a WHOLE day together ahead. I'm not now, nor will I ever approve of the “SALE” of doves, or any other little one, to be sure, but doves at the moment, and I SURELY AND CERTAINLY AND VEHEMENTLY DO NOT ADVISE “CAPTURING” DOVES SIMPLY TO HAVE AS “PETS”... in this case, I'm more apt to report anybody who would do such a thing, BUT... there truly is NO comparable JOY over that which a dove can bring to a heart... especially an “old heart” that, well, honestly, may have been in more serious need of this than I'll mention.) They ARE “Divine Glory”!
Time to wrap this entry and the day. TOMORROW! YAY!
Saturday 31 July:
WE had another MOST delightful day together today, including another “nap” together... well, briefly. I had an after-noon “lie-down” and was IMMEDIATELY joined, but this time, only for a few moments. Still, I can't help but feel a bit of elation when I lie down and Yonah comes over right away. I'm wondering what he'd do if I decided to spend a night on the futon in his room. It's comfortable enough. One of these nights I'll give it a try. I'm planning on many Winter nights together as it is. Last Winter, I made sure that his room never got any colder than 21°(70°F) when the rest of the house was at 18°(65°F). And the coming Winter will be the same, to be sure. So? On particularly chilly nights... “Pyjama Party”!
And this morning was quite busy, grinding the “snacks and treats” from Tante Nancy. She'd brought him 2 bags of “treats” but, they were for larger birds that chew. Mourning doves don't “chew”, just as they don't remove the shells from seeds like sun-flowers. One had dried nuts and fruits, the other was nuts, fruits and peas, but it was all just too large. So, with the food grinder, I managed to get them all down to a size that can be readily swallowed. AND, I made a canister-full of his “regular” food: a mixture of bit of the seeds from the “Wild Song-bird” mix he used to get when he was part of the flocks that dine in the yard, the “Healthy Select” that I use the most of because it's all natural and ever-so good for him, and some of the “seed, vegetable and fruit” bits... both of those made specifically for “small” birds. Of course, there's “Moulting Mix” and “Nijer” added to it all. I also ground a jar of “hulled” sun-flower seeds. I'd been using a mortar and pestle, but the little “food grinder” pulverises so much better. Every-thing is in individual jars now, in the fridge, to keep them fresh. (I noticed, in my research, that it's recommended that sun-flower seeds be refrigerated, and, since the nut mixture contains peanuts and almonds and cashews, and they're ground, I'm keeping all of the little jars refrigerated. Not sure how long they'll all last, he doesn't eat all that much in a day, I see that mourning doves eat 20% of their body weight in a day and, well, honestly, that's not a “lot”, and he gets fresh food every morning, so, I don't want anything going bad!) He's one VERY well nourished little guy! But NOTHING is “too good” for him (as far as I'm concerned) and, quite honestly, to my mind, NOTHING is “good enough” either. But we do the VERY best we possibly can. Good food, fresh water for drinking and bathing, a clean house and SO, SO, SO MUCH LOVING, COMPANIONSHIP, “CUDDLING” AND CHATTING. And with the LOVE and AFFECTION he gives in return, again... NEVER too much and NEVER enough. He's my LIFE! And I couldn't be any happier.
After all that grinding and putting-up foods, I got to sit at the work table and finally get back to this, his Journal. I'm still working on the transcriptions for April and May of 2021 but have been so distracted and side-tracked of late. So, most of the day was sitting beside him, being supervised by him... when we weren't chatting and cuddling and playing.
When he wants attention or affection or play, he comes to the door of his house, stands on the perch and “snaps” his wings. I can hear it as I type and so, I know it's “break time”. And when he's had enough, he takes to his higher perch.
It was a relatively clear, but comfortable sort of day today. Windows open for the air and he managed about an hour of “basking” on his “corner loft”. It does my heart so much good to see him there, in the sun-light, so calm, dozing... so at ease. And even now... as we go into our 10th month together (I can't believe we're coming up on our first year!), I still remember the first weeks when I wanted, so much, to see him at ease in this house yet, didn't want him to become “attached” or “trusting of people”. I kept a distance... It NEVER crossed my mind that we'd become SO attached... to one-another... each-other... that he would become my reason for taking care of me, for getting up each morning. These have been GLORIOUS months together... and the brilliance of “AWE” is still as stellar as it was all along. He's my heart-beat.
As I mention “10 months”... it strikes me: In the wild, mourning doves, if they survive their first 6 months, are known to live about 1,5 years on average, 5 years if... I've since read that, if cared-for (I will NOT say “captivity” because I do NOT see Yonah as “captive”... I didn't “capture” him and I don't hold him “caged” or “captive”... he's as free in this house as I am, and he's in this house only because to be out “there” again would mean certain death) they've been known to live 20 years average. Well, 1,5 in the wild... I don't know how old he actually is. I only know that, 10 months ago, I thought he was a “she” because he didn't have the iridescence on his neck and his head was “buff-brown”. And he was rather small. So I'm figuring he might have been about 5 or 6 months of age then. Add another year here, together, there's his 1,5. Figure 5 years, come October, our “tomorrows” drop to 4 years... BUT... IF 20 years is to be, he'll probably out-live me! (Which is my absolute GREATEST TERROR now! I TRULY trust NO-ONE to provide him with the comforts I strive to provide, that I KNOW he deserves!) It's painful, really. But... it's “Life”, as we know it, for all things “alive”. So? We BLESS EVERY MOMENT WE HAVE, and I GIVE MY LOVE... EVERY MOMENT... and I see he reciprocates. No matter who we are, or “what” we are, when we're together, it's never “forever”. But I can't really think about that right now. Right now... WE'RE HERE, TOGETHER... AND THAT'S ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS!
So, comes the close of our day... 20.00... Yonah's grabbing the “before bed” snack as I work toward wrapping-up the work on his Journal, the music is still playing but the room is starting to get dark. It's time to “change the waters”, tidy the house. I'm going to “risk” leaving his food on the ledge for a while, the mouse traps are set. But I don't want to leave it over-night. (That annoys me terribly. I'd prefer leaving food readily accessible in case he wants a nosh in the night... or wakes particularly early in the morning and is hungry. Well... this morning I sealed more “holes and spaces” in the cellar... we'll see how it works out.)
So, the waters were changed, the “house” got tidied. Cuddles, snuggles, kisses, pecks. The “light block” and little “roof” installed. The curtains closed and the radiator is on again tonight. It's not supposed to be as cold as last night but, at the very least, the radiator will maintain warmth, and I see no reason why there should be even a “slight chill”. Nothing “too good” for my Life-line, my soul, my spirit, my being...
Tomorrow we wake to a new month... into the 10th... I look forward to seeing it in with Yonah, just as now, I look forward to seeing-in every new day... new month.
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