Friday 01 July:
Another new month! And the -mid-point of the year is definitely past. And this morning was a true precursor to the mornings to come (but only for the next two months, if "history repeats"): HOT, HUMID, even first hing in the morning. And over-cast as well. And I noticed that even out-side, the "Yardies" hadn't come round as yet. Too hot and humid for them? Best to just rest... and if the Yardies weren't up and about... I'd let Yonah decide when he wanted to start this new day and new month...
Well, the clock read 5.51 when the sweet sound of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" came floating out my Little Guy's room. Almost 6.00! But, as I say, there really wasn't much cause to get up any earlier and again, taking cues from the Yardies, well... we ALL should have grabbed the extra time this morning.
Just to be sure that he WAS up and ready, I called back with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and, sure enough, "morning chat", for a few "volleys" of coo'ing before that ever-familiar "woo-HOO!" Chat-time was over, and even though the morning was dreary, there was a day ahead to attend! I was off and on the move! And Yonah certainly was "at the ready" when I got to his house to open his door... There, on his perch, and stretching his wings, ready for "take off" as it were.
But we DID get our "Good morning" kisses and cuddles in, and, as I'm ever-so grateful, he was as glad to see me this morning as I was to see him. It's a perfectly beautiful way to start a day, with the Love of a Little One, and being able to give LOVE to a Little One... especially THIS Little One! AND, it's such an Honour, really.
So I got to opening curtains, blinds and this morning, the WINDOW, to let in what-ever air might manage to make a bit of a movement to, hopefully, displace the humidity that was already becoming almost intolerable. (Ah... July... As I was saying all along up to now, when people would complain "It's too cold" or "It's really too hot too soon"... my reply was "It ain't July yet." Well... here it is... July... and sure enough... hot and humid right at the start.)
All day it was SO HOT and HUMID! The morning clouds cleared, the temperature soared higher. And I will never understand or know how Yonah handles it. And he didn't take advantage of his pool all day. Then again, as I say, the mourning doves out-side weren't out and about either for most of the time either. It just brought to mind those truly "bitter cold" days of the Winter past when, out-side his window, the skies were clear, brilliant blue, the ground covered in the whitest snows, the winds blew sharp, the temperatures had plummeted and, in the almost-blinding sun-light that poured in through the window, there he was, my little Heart-and-Soul, splashing about and soaking... in his pool. Ah... more of the wonders that are this little feathered bundle of DIVINE LOVE! He never stops amazing... even for a moment.
Oh, but it was another day of me working at the work table (the first of the month, bills to pay, books to keep) and Yonah was DELIGHTED! I was at the table, and there were shoulders to roost on and ears to peck! And he took full advantage of the situation all the while I tried to focus my attention on the matters at hand. But the truth is, I am ALWAYS SO DELIGHTED when he comes over to me. When I don't go to him, he comes to me because HE CHOOSES to do so. And, more-so, when I'm other-wise "engaged" in something and he suddenly flies over, THAT TRULY IS HIS decision... HE WANTS to be together. No matter the rest of the world, nothing in my life-time has EVER been so humbling, nor SO DEEPLY touching and appreciated as knowing that this little Life has come to KNOW that I have ONLY LOVE and RESPECT for him. Some-how he KNOWS that he's my entire world, and I don't doubt that he knows that the ONLY reason I exist, is because of him. That HE chooses to be with me, hopes over gleefully to greet me when I walk into the room...
AND, ALL day today, when-ever I stepped out of his room (for WHAT-EVER the reason), it wasn't moments before I looked to find him either right beside or behind me, there, on the floor. I was cooking today, in between work at the table, and with-out fail, each and every time I went to the kitchen to check on the food, there he was, at the kitchen table or right beside me. And when I spoke to him, he just seemed quite content, just being there... with me. I can't describe or explain my own "AWE", the ECSTASY he brings to my heart and soul! This little LIFE... this Little Guy... flies down from his house in his room to come toddling out to find me, and when he does, he's content... just being... together.
I have languages and gestures, I could draw a picture, I write to record events, but NONE of these things can depict my emotions... Perhaps "DIVINE" comes close, but even that term fails. It is... AWE... purely.
We passed most of the hours today, together. I worked on different little projects at the work table. And I managed to try for a couple of "lie-downs"... with, of course, my little Companion at my head. It's another one of those "marvels" that Yonah has come to like standing on my head as I lay on the pillow. Once in a while, he'll give a peck on my temple, but he seems to actually enjoy just standing there. Keeps me from actually dozing-off though, concerned about him "pooping in my ear". He does tend to just "let go" as Nature demands, and I don't so much worry because, well, I know what he eats, he's in good health, so there's nothing "threatening" about his poop. (It's also documented in various sources, as I find in my on-going/never-ending research, that poop isn't inherently harmful, primarily because we know "what goes in so we know what comes out"... for the most part. It's nothing like the likes of, say, a "city" bird who eats a variety of things and lives in some "questionable" surroundings. Still, it's just not something one ought to have in one's ear.) Anyway, I can't help but think that Yonah actually enjoys it when I'm laying on his futon... because he also gets to toddle up and down, from my head to my feet. A change in the terrain? And too, he enjoys his little "roosting" at the knee-bend where, some-times, he settles for his own snooze. Still, today, there was to be no "long-term" snoozing. But the moments' lie-downs were fine. Little reprieves from the heat and humidity.
This evening, after our evening meals, together, of course, the skies really clouded but there was no sign of rain. Yonah's "lady-dove-friend" had been by at about 17.00 but Yonah and I were settling-down for our evening meal at the time so I decided we'd wait and see what the weather would bring.
At about 18.30, there was just the slightest indication of sun-light trying to make its way through the clouds, there was a gentle-but-still-terribly-warm breeze blowing. Yonah was grabbing a bit of a "nosh", but I went out and set his "stand" up in the back yard, thinking that I would give a try for a couple of minutes, at least, for him to be out and in the air. (I'd read that "11-45 minutes" in the sun-shine was good enough for his "vitamin D" requirement, so, even if we'd gotten 11 minutes, that would be better than nothing at all.) By the time I'd done setting things up out-side and gotten his "old house" into his room, ready for a trip out-side, my Little Guy had finished eating, and when he saw me in the room, he came to his door perch. He saw the "house" and it appeared that he was actually looking forward to a little trip into the "world". So, I reached out with both hands and gently brought him over and he hopped right in... and out the back door we went.
As soon as we'd settled in the yard, Yonah gave a few hearty calls: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! It was, to me, a bit sad... not a sign of any other mourning doves out there this evening. But I thought that, perhaps, if I didn't sit there this time, maybe the little "Lady Dove" would come round so, while Yonah was out in the fresh air, I got busy with the evening water relay. I could see him from the kitchen window, and could see if anything tried to get too close to him out there. It wasn't so much that a raptor could get to him. He was safe from that sort of attack in his "house"... although, I'd surely NOT want him to experience that sort of encounter. But there wasn't any indication of anything or body coming round this evening so... it also gave him a chance to be in the peace of the "open spaces"... and a change of scenery, as it were. Over all, he seemed to be fine and I made quick work of the task-at-hand.
Well, although the sun never broke through the clouds and, much to my regret, "Lady Dove" didn't come round, all told, Yonah did get about 45 minutes out-side this evening and he seemed to enjoy it. (Gives me a bit of "inspiration" to try my hand a building some sort of much larger, "walk-in", "aviary-style" enclosure for him. We don't have a LOT of space, but if he actually does enjoy being out-side... well... As 'tis said: "NOTHING is 'too good' nor is ANYTHING 'good enough' for my little Heart-and-Soul." If I can provide, so I shall do!) But hopefully that 45 minutes of "much-diffused" light was of some benefit. And tomorrow, we'll give it another try.
By good Fate, at about 19.20, I brought Yonah back into his room and just as we go there, a bit of a drizzle began falling. Timing... perfect!
So I placed Yonah, in his "old house", on his futon, and opened the little door and stepped out of the room to get a few things that I'd left in the kitchen and from the kitchen I heard him... "whistle of wings", heading right back "home"... When I stepped back into his room, he was "noshing"... the little "before tuck-in snack". Ah... our day was drawing to a close... still hot, still humid, but the day-light was giving way to night's darkness... and hopefully, cooler temperatures!
As my Little Guy finished his snack, I closed his blinds and curtains. Left the fan uncovered... to run through the night, keep the air circulating and hopefully, to keep it just slightly cooler, comfortable in Yonah's room, something along the lines of a nightly breeze, as it were. (And his fan has a thermostat so that, should it become "too cool", it will shut off.) Windows done, I put up the night boards and Yonah finished his eating and headed over to his "night perch" and... gave a little "yawn"! That's really so touching to see. (As long as it's only the one... because I've come to learn that it also indicates something "amiss" in his throat or some other illness... but once in a rare while... he's tired!) He raises his head high, stretching his neck and opens his beak to quite a "gulp" of air. And when he's done, he almost looks as if he's wondering "What was THAT all about?" And then all settles and he's back to his usual MAGNIFICENT little self.
Anyway... he was obviously tired and so we got right to our "Good night" cuddles and kisses and he settled on his perch for the night, I closed the door to his house and put out the light... 20.05... my Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in for the night. Our first night of a new month... the first real month of another Summer. This is our SECOND Summer together... AND... NEXT MONTH, if our calculations are correct... Yonah will be TWO YEARS OF AGE! This month will be our 21-Month Anniversary together.
Though it delights me beyond descriptives, that we're passing through the time together, considering the documentation of "life-times" for mourning doves, it's truly, purely bitter-sweet because, well... the more time we have together... the less time lies ahead. THESE are the moments we'll make the most of... THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST FASCINATING CHAPTER IN MY EXISTENCE... TO BE SURE, TO BE CERTAIN... KNOWING ACTUAL "AWE"... my little HEART-AND-SOUL... !!!!! I HAVE BEEN AMAZED, DELIGHTED... BLESSED, HONOURED, PRIVILEGED...
 Saturday 02 July:
WHAT A MORNING! Cool, yesterday's humidity gone... We had quite a nice rain-fall over-night, last night, and the world was quite nicely wet this morning. Only the traces of clouds left in the sky as the mists rose in the valleys on the Western mountains. But none of the Yardies were here. Nobody out for breakfast.
Yonah's room was still rather dark, and as I put the kettle on for my own "morning routine" I thought it best to simply let him follow his own "clock"... if the Little Ones on the "wild" were still tucked-in, I waited to see who would "wake" first... Would they show before Yonah woke? Or, would he wake before they came round?
6.44! Imagine that! Almost 7.00, as opposed to the "almost 6.00" of more recent weeks. But his "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" was quite clear and strong, so he was feeling well. His fan had been running through the night last night, keeping his room "comfortable". And with the rain, well, yes, it was a delightful "sleep-in" sort of morning. And when I called back, we held quite a little "chat" which is always an encouragement to me. If he's well enough to chat in the morning, things must be fine. And when Yonah is "fine"... Creation is fine. We're together, and we'll face another day together... and that's ALL that matters to me... on ANY day!
When I got to his house to open his door, he was, again, as other mornings, already stretching his wings and at the ready to take flight! So... I leaned in, and "Good morning" kisses and snuggles all round! And as I moved about to open curtains, Yonah seemed to have gotten quite a good night's rest. He was hopping about from perch-to-perch and then... OFF, UP AND AWAY... OUT TO HIS SHELVES... "Supervision" of water relay and the rest of my tasks. And as I worked, we exchanged a few comments here and there.
And this morning, he was in a mood for "kisses"... and came back to his house, to the door perch, so he could get little kisses as I came and went with the fresh water for his pool. *WE* were off to a great start of a new day... in a new month...
The day? OH! But the humidity stayed low... the sun shone so brightly, and the breeze brought just the slightest coolness. It was a "perfect Adirondack" sort of day, the sort that makes the "brochures" and "adverts". And Yonah and I? Well... we had the ENTIRE DAY TOGETHER!
I was a bit surprised though... No Yardies. This morning, only but about 3 little sparrows came for breakfast, and for the rest of the day... nobody (nobirdie).
I'd thought of bringing Yonah out for some of that glorious sun-shine, but since the "others" weren't around, I didn't want him to be out there with nothing but me, sitting about or doing what-ever I might find to "do". Other than the sun-shine, my other hope in bringing him out is that he'll be able to "communicate" with other birds... especially other mourning doves. So, I set my sights on catching-up with more of my own "affairs" in his room and after our evening meal, when the Yardies come for their "pre-tuck-in" nibbles we'd go out for a while. Hey! The ONLY thing that concerns me is time with Yonah... and we can grab that as we wish... and I knew we'd be together today anyway so...
After a bit of "catch-up" and tidying Yonah's room, I managed to "catch" a bit of a snooze... and AGAIN... I'd set an alarm for about 28 minutes, put my head on the pillow and Yonah came over to "rest" on my leg... until JUST before the alarm was to sound... and he came up to the pillow, stood on my head and gave a couple of "Hey! Wake-up time." pecks! It truly IS just one of the MANY "most fascinating talents" he has... He NEVER fails to wake me... with-in 2 minutes of the alarm!
And so, I was back up and attending to "matters" at hand... catching-up, as I do more often than I ought (but then, in all fairness, I DO take time away from "working"... just as I did most of today... when, suddenly, there's a little face staring at me... from my shoulder, and if I don't respond in a "timely fashion"... peck-peck and poke-poke at the ear. THAT is "Yonah Time"... no matter what-ever else there might be in the world!) Ah... BUT... TODAY WE HAD...
BATH-TIME! The temperature in Yonah's room was 27° and the humidity was, as claimed by the "weather report" for the day, 23%. I was still considering bringing Yonah out into the yard for a while, but he seemed so comfortable in the shade of his room and house... and the Yardies still hadn't come round so... I'd continued to work on my own little, other-wise trivial matters (and some more "curiosity" research that I do, on mourning doves... "education never stops"... I'd only just checked this evening's forecast, to see if we could get our time out-side when I happened to look up to see him hop along his house, over to the "pool" and up onto the little "ledge" (the "handle" of the dish) and, just as casually as could be, step into the pool! A few splashes and he made him-self SO COMFY for about 10 minutes of just "leisurely soaking"! And, only about an hour before, I'd changed the water in there because I wanted it to be fresh, since he drinks from it. What an absolute DELIGHT to see him enjoying the cool, clean water. What a tonic to the heart knowing that he has the opportunity to enjoy such a thing, with NO thoughts of "things" in the water, or predators watching and waiting over-head. And when he'd done with his "dip", he took to his little "beach" where he spread his wings and feathers to dry.
I still wonder where the notion came from, where the thought of putting a beach and pool in his house came from. It was, to be honest, just my own "instinct". I never really believed Yonah would use such things but... well... keeping a bit of his "natural environment" here has turned to one of my few "good ideas" for him. It lightens my burden of wondering what I ought to provide for him and what I can. (I still keep looking for those "perfect" little trees though. Keeping the "wood-lands" fresh for my little Heart-and-Soul.)
And so, our day rolled along, ever-so peacefully, I'm glad and relieved to say, and Yonah and I snoozed, played, and had our evening meals together. The sky was clear, the sun shone, it was one of those "scripted" sorts of days.
And this evening, we took to the back yard for almost 45 minutes! It was GRAND! No sooner had Yonah felt the warmth of the sun when he rested-down and spread his wings and tail out FULL! It was as though he wanted to literally absorb every bit of the light and warmth. (Unfortunately, because I didn't expect that reaction, I didn't have the camera with me and by the time I popped into the house and got it, something else caught his attention and he was back to his usual pacing. But I'll be better prepared in future. It really was a magnificent sight to see... He's done the same after his "Winter baths"... In Winter, the sun POURS in through his windows and lends light and warmth that he obviously SO enjoys. Sadly, it's filtred through the glass so he doesn't get the "full value" of the UV that he needs. (This is why I'm making sure he gets the sun out-side now.) But this evening, knowing that he was getting the full goodness of that sun-shine was a pure DELIGHT to the soul.
And, as we sat for a while, he called-out a few "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" and, in moments, up on the power line at the end of the drive, in front of the house... "Ms. LadyDove" appeared! Out of no-where! She swooped down and past Yonah and then we heard the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" of the other male dove. Yonah perked right up and watched and suddenly, the "couple" came soaring down from the trees and landed on the drive.
I took a "leave", to come into the house... I did the evening "water relay" and left the Little Ones to what-ever they would do. In my absence, BOTH of them paced back and forth in front of Yonah... and then went up to the feeder where I'd just put up some fresh food for them for the evening. But "Ms. LadyDove" spent much time on the roof of the feeder, checking on Yonah.
It's at this sort of time when my heart aches... thinking that he could have had a lovely mate, raised a brood or more, had "Fate" not thrown him a terrible blow.
But then too, "in the wild", he might have had only those "18 months" of the "average life-span"... this month, he and I are going to observe 21 months together... and he'll be 2 years of age. And one would say that these 21 months have been good for him, with his own room, his own large house, a pool with fountain, a combination of the best foods, and complete run of the rest of this old house... and too... the dedication and devotion of somebody who truly LOVES him and whose very existence depends solely on him.
I was planning on being out there for about 30 minutes. I don't want Yonah getting sun-burned, since it's been a LONG time since he's been exposed to clear, full sun-shine, but, since the other doves and he seemed to be watching each-other, I changed the water in his pool and waited to see what would come next.
The couple left... having had their fill of food, it seemed, so... that's when we came back in. And I put Yonah, in his old house, on his futon, opened the door and in seconds, I heard him taking to his roof-top. Our "adventure" for this evening, was done. It was time for me to get to closing blinds and curtains.
WHAT A DAY! Yonah followed me all over the house. We snoozed. We played. We ate. He "visited" me on my shoulders. This Little Guy from the wood-lands... I'm in AWE!
So, I got his house settled and Yonah was in, on his perch, and he seemed to be settled-in for the night, so kisses and cuddles, light out. My Little Guy was tucked-in for seepie-night-night and I removed to the kitchen table... BUT...
Oddly, all was, so I thought, settled for the night and I'd moved me out of his room and into the kitchen to recount the day's events when I heard the fluttering of wings! In a bit of a panic, wondering what had disturbed my little Heart-and-Soul, I rushed into his room to find him across his house... He was eating! There was only just the light coming in through the spaces in the curtains, though barely enough for him to find his way. So I put his desk light on again for a while longer so he could fill his crop and, if he wanted, get a drink of water to "wash his snack down". I'm rather amazed at his appetite. After all, he'd eaten when we had our meals, then more before heading out-side. And then again, twice whilst out. But I'm THRILLED that he DOES eat so well! He's certainly not "heavy" ("fat"), so I don't worry about that. But if he has an appetite... I say "Let him eat!". At the very least, I know he's healthy.
 When he'd done, he rested a bit, by his food and nest box, and gave a contented couple of soft "woo-HOO's", as he'll do during the day as he rests in the nest box. I gave him a few more minutes to let his food "settle"... it was only 19.45... a bit earlier than he's become accustomed to for "seepie-nigh-night" so I wasn't really "concerned" about his "proper rest" time. But, when I looked-in on him at about 19.55, he was back on his perch, in his "night spot", so I went back in, bade him another "Good night" and a "restful seepie-nigh-night" (since he's familiar with that term, no doubt about that) and turned his light off again. He really WAS settled this time... He was just hungry... and I will NOT have him go to sleep at night, hungry!
By 20.00 all was settled, all was calm, my little Heart-and-Soul actually WAS "tucked-in" for the night now.
It was still quite warm in his room this evening and is expected to be warm through the night, and no "rain", so his fan is still running, circulating the air. My Little Guy is safe and sound, comfy and cozy, well-fed for a restful night's rest. And tomorrow? Well, it's expected to be a duplicate of today, weather-wise... so we'll have ANOTHER great day together... and MAYBE we'll even get out into the yard, under the trees for a while... if winds and other circumstances permit. Fresh air and sun-shine! And the BEST COMPANIONSHIP POSSIBLE... the way "Life" ought to be.
Sunday 03 July:
Beautiful morning today... made PERFECT, at 6.14 with the GLORIOUS "morning call" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". It was another one of those mornings where I wanted to see just how much "rest" my Little Guy wanted to get in before heading into a Sunday that promised good weather, with sun-shine and low humidity. Oddly, it appears that the mornings of 5.00 and 5.30 have passed quite quickly. I'm not sure if it's that we've passed that "mid-way" point of Summer Solstice or just that Yonah's luxuriating in a few more moments of "peace" in the early morning. He doesn't appear to be "ill" in any way. And he DOES get to "seepie-nigh-night" on time... well, HIS time, any-way. (I have to admit though, I'm not so sure he actually "gets to sleep" after his light is off... round about 20.00. I often wonder if he's not on his perch, pondering the day, perhaps planning for the next one. I really wouldn't doubt that he's capable of such a thing. He shocks and amazes me in SO MANY other ways.) But, what-ever the cause or reason...
I answered his "call", in kind and his reply was an immediate "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! Apparently, there really was no time for idle chat this morning. He was up, awake and ready to ROLL into our day ahead. So, when I responded, as I headed into his room, with my "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... I'd no sooner finished my last "hoo" when I was told... "woo-HOO!" OK then... we were off and MOVIN'!
Greetings this morning were our most affectionate. It truly does my heart SO much good to know that I'm still welcomed in the morning. There really is nothing in all of Creation that can make a soul feel more purposeful and wanted, more than the "Good morning" snuggles and pecks that Yonah gives... just before stretching his wings... prepared to FLY into the rest of the hours ahead. And once we exchange those, I know why I've gotten out of bed, taken my next breath. After all is said and done... my sole reason for any of it is... my Heart-and-Soul!
And so, we were off to our "morning routine"... Morning tasks, supervised, from inside on his perch... then, once the windows were opened and the morning light came flooding in, OUT, into the room, to the roof-top and off to the futon until the "water relay" was under way. THAT was the cue to head to the door perch where, as I came in to pour the rounds of fresh pool water, I almost HAD to lean over to give little "pecks" of my own... "kisses". If I skipped one, I'd get a proper "wing snap"... a subtle reminder that my affections weren't just expected, they're appreciated.
Well the day DID provide the promised sun-shine... and wonderful, lower-humidity breezes. And as I made my way through common house-hold chores, Yonah "followed" me, room-to-room.
As I worked in the kitchen, he came SOARING through, stopping on the floor beside me, looking up as if checking on me. And then, he was off to the living-room to "report" to the decoys on the limb. No matter where I was, if I wasn't in HIS room, at the work table, where, it seems, I'm expected to spend the day, Yonah came looking for me, making sure that I was in the house... near-by. Yes, we ARE a "unit".... we ARE "mates", and I couldn't be more HUMBLED, HONOURED, PRIVILEGED.
For the most part, with the exception on an hour when I had to attend to some yard-work, we passed the hours of the day together, in one way or another. And we had our mid-day "lunch break" together, and I managed to "try" for a bit of a snooze after... "tried"... I don't know where he got the notion, but now, apparently, my "lie-downs" are an offering of the opportunity for Yonah to "roost" on my head! No sooner is my head on the pillow, he's there, standing, quite comfortably, until I raise a hand, to give him a little "cuddling caress"... THAT's his cue to take off and move down to my leg... where, today, when I did manage to doze for a few moments, he really got cozy and, as I dozed, he settled to preen and just while-away the moments... there. When I opened my eyes again, there he was, as if that's where he'd always been, as if it were perfectly natural for him to be there... at the bend of my knee. Now THAT still just amazes me... that he can be SO comfortable, relaxed, on my leg. Then again, "mates". He knows he's perfectly safe there. (And yes, he certainly is!)
Evening came round and we dined together and I made quick of my meal and the washing-up and by 18.30.... WE WERE OUT IN THE YARD FOR ANOTHER HOUR OF SUN-SHINE!>
And no sooner were we "settled", with Yonah in his old house on the little rack, he headed right for the little dish of food that I put in there for him (along with a dish of water... to give him some semblance of it being "his territory" with the necessities and luxuries of food and water... and, it gives him something to "do", other than wait for "visitors"). Yes, he's come to where it isn't "foreign" to be out in the yard, AND he doesn't seem to have the "trepidation" he used to exhibit from the back door. After all, where he is now is where he was "that October morning"... 13 October 2020, where I happened to discover him, in the rain... injured. Today though, these evenings, he gets to bask in the evening sun-shine, FULLY PROTECTED... not only by his old house but... I'm RIGHT THERE... I sit on the steps, almost right beside him, for as long as we're out there. (I can't say for certain, but, I wonder if my presence doesn't comfort him too... His "mate" is there... he's safe.)
After he'd done having his little snack, he took to the corner, in the sun, and gave out about 4 good, hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's". The only other Little Ones there were the sparrows that came for the snack that I'd put onto their feeder... but, after some moments... Yonah's "Lady suitor" came FLYING by, swooped down and then went back up into the sky and round the house. She returned shortly after and landed in the drive, as she does, where she "pranced" about, looking up at Yonah who was looking at her as well, from his "vantage" point in his house.
THEN, to my DELIGHT and SURPRISE, "Lady Dove" FLEW UP and ONTO THE TOP OF YONAH'S HOUSE! She didn't stay long (and how I wished I could have gotten a photo of it), but, that's the first time she's gotten that close to him! And as she landed, Yonah took it all in stride, just looking up at her. As I say, it wasn't for long but at least I hope it's the first of many more, and longer visits. I'm not sure what it would all lead to, since, well... Yonah just can't be out there with her (it would be his "end", to be sure, and after all the Hell he's lived through, I won't have him in a situation that presents anything but his safety and comfort), but maybe they can "communicate" with one-another... and MAYBE others will come too! Even for those moments in a day, Yonah will have other doves. (And what of Winter? Well... we have this time now to figure that out... I'm not sure how to bring Yonah out into the cold... he's never had to deal with that. But maybe between now and then, something will come along and we'll be able to figure it out. It's another "challenge" for me and one that I welcome!)
I didn't want Yonah out too long this evening because the sun was shining quite brightly and hot. Doves can, I've learnt, be "sun-burned", and Yonah, well, it's been a while since he's been in "direct sun-light". But with his "company" and the passing clouds, we managed to stay out until about 19.25! Almost an hour! Vitamin D! A good evening's-worth there! But it was time to come back in. Besides, the Yardies would be eating and leaving soon, for their nightly roosts. We came back into the house, I put Yonah's house on his futon, opened the door and... HE HEADED DIRECTLY TO HIS FOOD IN HIS HOUSE IN HIS ROOM! APPETITE! WOW!
And... as he ate, I went about the evening tasks of closing blinds and curtains.
At 20.02... the windows were closed-up AND... I'd even gotten the night boards in place... Yonah and I had exchanged our "Good night" snuggles and kisses when... he headed BACK to his food and was EATING SO WONDERFULLY! HE WAS SO HUNGRY THIS EVENING! (Maybe that little "visit" put him in even BETTER spirits? I don't know.) And I noticed his "Lady Friend" out-side, was also at the food in the feeder! SO... I just let the two of them eat, especially Yonah. Hey! As long as he has an appetite. And as I told him when, at about 20.06, when he'd done eating and I went in to turn his light out:
There's NO excuse for him to go to sleep at night with hunger or thirst. There's plenty of good, fresh food and clean, fresh water for him... I will ALWAYS make certain of that. And if he's hungry or thirsty? There's no "clock". Nourishment first, above and beyond all else.
As I say... 20.06, his light was off, his room was still, calm... my little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in safely for the night. His fan was on... 27° in his room tonight so the fan circulated the air, bringing in the fresh night air to keep him cooler and comfy for a good night's rest.
Tomorrow's forecast is for another delightful day and, thankfully, it's a "holiday" here so there's no "business" to attend... WE GET TO LOUNGE ABOUT TOGETHER... PLAY, SNUGGLE, CUDDLE, SNOOZE! The PERFECT way to spend a day... holiday or not!
Monday 04 July:
Monday, holiday, and another day of "sleep-in"... or... this is going to be the "usual" hour in the morning for a while? The house was beautifully still, the temperature was comfortably cool, the humidity was low. The sun was breaking over the Eastern mountains and swathing the land-scape in a brilliant light. And just as the clock read "6.04", from the room of my little Heart-and-Soul came the "opening call" to another GLORIOUS day:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"!
And when I called back he repeated the same, "lengthy" coo. It was as if there was so much to be said and he was anxious to get the day going... Well, honestly, I'm anxious to get EVERY day going, as long as Yonah is with me, and so, I rushed in to see what the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" was about. There he was, on his perch, stretching his wings. I opened the door, leaned in to ALL SORTS of "Good morning" kisses! It was a PERFECT start to a day where we were to be together through all of it! I had nothing on my agenda to take me away and the weather was expected to be warm, bright and low humidity. It was a "holiday"... and now, it was to be a PERFECT holiday!
We got right to the "morning routine", curtains and blinds open to the morning sun, the water relay and all the while I kept busy with morning tasks, Yonah grabbed a light "snack" and was off flight... futon, shelves and roof-top, from where he gave several MORE "calls" to the day!
For most of the morning, I had some chores to attend in the kitchen, so I put his "bird-songs" on and the radio on low as I worked, And all the while, Yonah would "drop in" to check to see me. As I worked, I'd suddenly hear the flutter of his wings as he soared through the kitchen and out to the living-room. Several times, he came flying in, then turned round and flew back to his house. He literally was "checking-up on me"! At other times, he came toddling in, silently, like a little stealth spy, and stood about a metre from me, just watching.
When I was finished with my "kitchen work" I moved me into his room, as I do during the day, and as I walked in, he came flying over from his house to meet me... and rest on my shoulder! He was as happy to see me as I was to be with him! And too, as I worked at the work table through the rest of the day, he made special little trips over, resting on my head or on my shoulders... and at times, he'd just come over and "roost" on the back of the chair, behind me. It was obvious that he was delighted that we were together, that I was in the room and he wanted to be "with" me in some way or another.
Of course, every time he came over, I stopped what-ever it was that I was doing, for a cuddle, snuggle a few kisses... and after those, each time, I suppose it was what he wanted, to be acknowledged, and he flew off, usually to his little nest box where he rested, calmly.
All the day went that way, and it was EXQUISITE! Yonah's company, his COMPANIONSHIP is incomparably BRILLIANT! He NEVER ceases to amaze, bewilder, inspire AWE! From his call in the morning to let me know that he's awake, through the moments when it's SO obvious that he wants to be close, shows actual interest and intrigue. He's curious. He wants to be a part of what-ever is going on, whether in his own room or in any other part of the house.
This reminds me of a recent chat with a neighbour who mentioned:
She'd been sitting on her porch when I returned from an errand and she said that she noticed that, as soon as I came round the corner in the truck, Yonah immediately started coo'ing. Some-how, he "knows" the truck, "knows" the sound and "knows" when I've come back from being away. I told her that that was the day that I'd come round and heard him cooing to another dove, in the wooded-area across the road and when the other dove stopped coo'ing, I'd gone to the window to coo and Yonah and I had a little conversation through the window. "He knows you. Obviously, you're mates."
"Mates"... the closest of Friends, the bestest of Companions.
Again, this after-noon, I tried for a bit of a nap and, as he does now, Yonah came over and made himself quite comfortable on my head as I laid on the pillow. And during, he "rested" on my leg, at the knee-bend. (Oh yes... "together"... to be sure.)
And this evening, when I took my "break" for evening meal, I got up from the work table, went to the kitchen where I put together my plate and when I came back into the room to eat, Yonah saw me with my plate and he went directly to his own food! We are now... actually, literally "dining together"... He "knows" our "dinner time" now too! And as I ate my own meal, Yonah had his!
There wasn't a lot of sun this evening, the clouds came along and filtred the sun-shine, and there was the most gentle breeze. It wasn't hot or humid and the breeze was, as I say, soft, so I thought we'd try for what-ever sun-shine we could get in this evening... and some fresh air... and a "change of scene" for Yonah, so I set his stand up at about 18.15 and got his house together... and by 18.20, we were both in the yard. The sun was some-what visible through the clouds so there was "just about enough" to make a difference for Yonah and we both settled... Yonah in his little "old house" and I did a little work in the kitchen garden and then sat on the step. Oddly, there were no Yardies this evening... until rather later on. Yonah called but there were no replies and no doves came round for a while.
One thing he DID do this evening, again, was EAT! WOW! Did he ever eat! In fact, that's how he passed most of his time out-side this evening. (I have a little dish of his food in with him and he devours it as though it were some special diet. Maybe it's the "fresh air"? Something on the line of a "side-walk café". What-ever it is, he enjoys his meals out there!
Then, at about 19.20 or so, as I was thinking that it was approaching Yonah's "seepie-nigh-night" time, his "Lady Friend" made an appearance! She swept down to the drive and toddled about, looking at Yonah, then at me, then at the feeder. She didn't stay long though... and no other doves came round. Since the sun wasn't full, and the temperature was comfortable, I decided to "wait and see" if any of the other doves might come by... for a snack. When, at 19.40, none did, we came back into the house... I brought Yonah into his room, put his old house on his futon, opened the door and almost immediately, he headed directly "home"... and... as he did last evening, he headed to the tiny mirror in one corner of his house where he coo'ed at the little reflection there. It was almost as if he were saying "I'm back... I was out-side again!"
By then, it was already "seepie-nigh-night" time. I'd already done with changing the water in his pool and tidying his house whilst he was out in the yard, so all I needed do then was to close blinds and curtains, and place the night boards. As I worked... Yonah was hanging on the top of the door to his house. (I'll never understand how he manages to cling so well to the "wire", how be balances his body and how he can actually find it comfortable, wrapping his toes round something so narrow. But he does it... exceptionally well!) But as soon as I put the back board on, he headed back into his house... for MORE to eat! So... I put the roof board on and stepped out to let him finish eating.
By 20.28 he was done... and back to his perch for the night. So I went in for our "Good night" kisses and cuddles.
There's something that it bothering me though... There's a small area on the shoulder of his right wing where it appears he's "chewing" on the feathers there. Again, tonight, I covered him in a towel to keep him still enough so that I could hold him and get a good look at the feathers and his skin. There doesn't appear to be anything "wrong". There's no abrasion, and no signs of any parasites. I can't imagine what happened there. The only thing that comes to mind is that there might have been some "sap" from the white pine he tends to walk through on his perch and he may have gotten some of that stuck in there and tried to remove it. I've since moved the little limb that grows across that perch... in case. AND this evening, I noticed what appears to be a "feather" that has no "barbs" on it, sticking out over the feathers on his left wing!
I've looked it up (of course), to see what might have caused these oddities. The common comments included possible stress, but I can't think of any Yonah has had recently; "boredom", but he hasn't shown any of that at all... to the contrary, with all his flying around the house, well..; something wrong in his diet, but he's eating well and eating very much the same as he's always eaten... and he's had his cod liver oil for extra vitamins. Proper rest time was also mentioned... and I believe he's getting that... especially these days when I try to be as quite as I can, and not bother him until he calls. But the bottom line in all resources is that very well might be temporary, that birds will have strange feathers sometimes, and they might get dull, but ought to be fine after the next moulting. And for Yonah, that should be coming in the next couple of months. Mean-while, I'll be keeping a careful eye on the situation and, if it gets worse or doesn't improve... we're looking at our first visit to a vet. (I dread that... the closest one is just over an hour's drive away! But, if it means my Little Guy's health and comfort... we'll manage.)
I even checked again about an hour after he'd settled-down for the night. I was nervous, going in with a light, after he'd been "tucked-in" but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, I even got a friendly "kiss" through the door! And he didn't "start"... But, of course, I spoke as I looked about. "Trust"... he hears my voice and he knows he's safe.
Well, all said, it was a most DELIGHTFUL day. And my Little Guy is getting his sun-shine now... maybe the change in his feathers has something to do with that... I'll keep watching. But for tonight, he's tucked-in, all peaceful and safe for a night's rest. And tomorrow, he'll have the house to himself for about an hour... our "holiday week-end" is over... but I won't be gone long... to be sure. (Quite frankly, I can't tolerate the separation from him... as if, to a reader of this Journal, that isn't already obvious.) But again... my little Heart-and-Soul is safe... and sound...
Tuesday 05 July:
It was quite a darkish, grey morning, this, when I woke, and seeing that there were no Little Ones out in the yard, I figured they'd all have a nice "sleep-in" until the skies decided to brighten a bit, so I closed the door to Yonah's room so as not to disturb him as I went about my "morning routine". I do that during the Winter months because I'm up and about before day-break, and I don't want to disrupt Yonah's "natural" course by disrupting his sleep before the sun so, this morning was rather the same as that.
I went about making my coffee for the morning and settling the kitchen when... at 6.05, through the door, came:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo... hoo".
I replied with the same pattern and Yonah answered with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo", and as I stepped into his room to open his door for the day, he repeated a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and we got into a bit of a conversation right away. And as I opened his door and leaned in, as I do, for "Good morning" kisses, he stretched his wings and leaned forward to peck my nose. He was definitely up and awake and ready to go!
I got straight to opening his curtains and blinds to let in the grey early morning light... there was a faint drizzle falling out-side but, Yonah didn't mind, as I came round to put his house back in place, he was UP AND OUT and across the room. His morning energy is impressive to me, considering how I almost begrudgingly drag me out of bed in the morning. But he's an inspiration, and he gets me moving along right away.
We made quick work of things this morning because I had an errand to run early on, which included getting a dowel for him to replace the limb where he sleeps at night. I happened to notice some "white patches" on it recently and, since I can't be sure what they are, I wanted the whole limb replaced. So, I sat at the work table, in the time we had before the store opened and, I'd not sooner situated my-self when Yonah came FLYING over and came to rest on my shoulder... MORE "Good morning" pecks and pulls on my ear! And when he'd satisfied that little urge, he took to flying back and forth in his room, round and round, up to his shelves, and back to the little ledge on the work table! WHAT a burst of energy he was this morning!
And because it was so dreary, I put his "Natural Spectrum" light on today and THAT seems to REALLY get him charged! Not only was he all over the room, AND on my shoulder, back and the back of the chair, he was out into the living-room and back again, MANY times! He was his own "One Dove Show"!
And it took a bit of "doing" this morning, to be able to get out of the house with-out being "noticed" because every time I left his room, he followed me. I went to the kitchen for coffee and he was right behind me, toddling along. I had to use the loo and as I headed there, he came flying out,"buzzed" by me and went into the living-room. When I came out of the loo and went back to his room, he knew I'd come out and he came flying back and rested on the little shelf on the work table again. It wasn't until he'd take a break for a bite to eat that I managed to get out, get my boots on (and didn't stop to tie them) and head out the front door!
Well... the good news... I DID manage to get the dowel I wanted... it's almost the same diameter as the old limb so when I got back to the house (in just over 30 minutes... wasting NO time while out), I measured and cut and notched and put it into Yonah's house exactly where the limb had been... He made it clear... he didn't like it. I even tried to "encourage" him to TRY it, by putting the "pillow dove" on it, in the place where he slept. Nope. Wasn't having it. I couldn't figure out why but thought: he DOES take notice of absolutely EVERY little thing in his house... he even comes round to "investigate" when I remove the poop in the morning, and checks to make sure that I replace the little water dish in the very spot from which I removed it to put fresh water in. THIS must have been quite something... He'd seen me remove the limb, measure the dowel and put it in. And it was a MUCH different colour too! So... I just left it there for him... hoping that, eventually, he'd give it a try and all would "settle" after a while...
As the day moved along, it became more obvious that this morning's grey wasn't about to change to much of anything other than rain and even more grey. But the "better side" of that was that Yonah and I got to spend the day together, I got to go through a LOT of my own work at the table, and we listened to his bird-songs and a little bit of radio. Even the Little Ones out-side kept to where-ever they'd sheltered from the wet, save for a few moments when it seemed they'd all decided to come to the little back garden for a bit to eat. Blue jays, grosbeaks, sparrows, cardinals... there was, for a short while, quite a variety out there and I would have SO enjoyed it if Yonah could have been out there with them. But, the very idea of them being "free" and Yonah being in his house as the drizzle came down... well... it just didn't seem proper. So we stayed in, and he was able to enjoy the brilliant light of his "NatSpec" lamp, and flying about the house (which he did quiet a lot of today).
And this evening, once again, as if he'd heard a "dinner bell" sound, as I brought my plate in to settle at the work table, he headed for his food. And today, I'd made hard-boiled egg and crumbled the yolk in with this regular food and he ate almost half a yolk! I was SO happy to see that! It's got his vitamin D and protein in there so it was so good for him. (And I'd made 4 eggs, total and we both had eggs for our mid-day snack because I'd put his in earlier in the day. "Lunch" and "dinner". A good portion. And now, after all this time, I've come to learn that it's best to put the crumbled egg on top of his regular food. I've been putting it into a separate dish, giving him the option to "choose". Most often, what I've given has gone to the Little Ones out-side. This evening, there was precious little left.) Anyway, we ate together, and when we were done, I did the washing-up and went for a bit of a lie-down on his futon... and he joined me for the 15 minutes.
I was concerned though... all day Yonah "avoided" his new perch. I couldn't understand why, other than it does look completely different from the limb that had been there all along. First of all, the bark on the limb was a dark grey and the new perch is a broad dowel, almost the same diameter but it's a pale beige. "Hardwood", as it is though. But this evening, I got the notion that perhaps he didn't like it because it was so smooth and offered little in the way of "traction" as he roosted. So I took a piece of the coarsest sand-paper I had an sanded little "ridges" in it along the length from his corner "loft platform" to the front where he usually sleeps. I wiped it with a bit of damp kitchen roll and then dried it... It seems to have been the issue because, at "seepie-nigh-night", he was where he usually is when the light goes out... right there, at the "front" of his house, beside the door, next to the mirror. (I'll be checking on him before I finish the day, just to make sure he's comfortable.)
Anyway, tonight was another "feeding frenzy" of a night, before "tucking-in"! I'd removed the food from the day, with the little bit of egg in it (I won't leave that over-night because I don't want Yonah eating stale egg either at night nor in the morning). That will be served to the Yardies in the morning (it's refrigerated over-night, of course). Into a fresh food dish, I'd put the usual 3 scoops of fresh food and as soon as I'd placed it on the ledge where Yonah's food usually is... I would have to say that he devoured almost an entire scoop's-worth! In fact, we "delayed" lights-out until 20.05 tonight so that he could finish eating and get a hefty drink of water! But it does my heart good to know that through the night, his little crop will be digesting his food, he doesn't go to sleep hungry or thirsty. To me, it's what's owed him: nourishment, comfort, exercise, COMPANIONSHIP, and a good home.
And so... it's been an hour since "tuck-in" and I've gone in to check... My little Heart-and-Soul is safe and sound, right where he always is of a night... on his new perch, beside his mirror, all nice and snug. Success! The new perch is good to go! And my heart is at peace knowing he's on a nice, new, clean perch, settled for a good night's rest... and the rains fall out-side, and the Little Ones of the out-doors are off to find their own place of refuge for the night ahead.
We've made it through another day... together...
Wednesday 06 July:
Todya "officially" commenced at 6.30, with a call of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo... hoo-hoo". A "new pattern" to the coo's and again, how I SO wished I knew what the subtle differences in the patterns mean. That little pause before the addition "hoo's". But I answered with our more common "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo", mostly to see what sort of reply I'd get and almost immediately I was answered with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo". Well, I still wasn't sure what was being said but one thing was for certain, Yonah was up, awake and, as I was to find out, in the mood to "tell all".
When I got in to his house, he was on his perch, at the ready and he had even MORE to say in the way of our "regular" morning chat-patterns. And every time he coo'ed and I replied, he responded, almost immediately. In fact ALL through this morning's windows opening and water relay, our conversation almost never missed a coo. The house was REALLY quite FULL of sound... coo's! (And to the out-side ear, I'm sure it would have sounded as though the house was FULL of mourning doves with all the chatting.)
It was more on the over-cast side at the start of the day, and because I hadn't turned Yonah's "NatSpec" light off last night at it's own power switch, when I put on the power for his fountain, the light came on. He seemed rather happy with the bright light, so, I left it on, put on his "bird-songs" and the radio (quite low) and he was off... a bit of breakfast and up to his roof-top for a few more calls.
Out-side, the Yardies hadn't arrived but in the house, we were all on the move.
I finished-up with all that needed to be done and moved into his room for a few hours together before I had to run and early errand.
Yonah came over to sit on my shoulder and give a few more "Good morning" pecks on the ear and we had "play time" until he'd had enough of that and took off to his futon and then, for a flight round the house and back.
At about 11.00, I had to step out, and so, got my-self together and "snuck" out the door. Yonah was, when I looked to check, preening, on his roof-top so, all was well with the morning.
I was back by 12.15 and when I went into Yonah's room to let him know that I was back (because I'm SURE he'd gone looking for me... he's been doing that a lot of late), he was on his little ledge, "roosting" but instead of being in his nest box where he usually takes it easy during the day, he was looking rather forlorn, facing his food dish! The sun was shining in through his windows, so I turned his NatSpec light off, leaned in to give him some kisses and turned to set myself up for some more work at the work table... Suddenly, he "came to life", hopped down to his door perch and when I sat in the chair, he came over to my shoulder for some snuggles and pecks. He was obviously happy to see and know that I was back in the house.
I have to say that it's rather obvious: we both miss one-another when one or the other isn't around. I know for a fact that it pains me to be apart from him, but it truly does appear that he misses me as well. Oh, but indeed... yes... we are "MATES"! To be quite sure. And I couldn't be more humbled, honoured, privileged by ANY-thing else in Creation. I'll never understand how this came to be, and although I'm still rather saddened that Yonah doesn't have an other dove to keep him company (and I SO WISH I could KNOW how he'd respond to another dove), I'm comforted in seeing that, what-ever it is that I've done for him, Yonah is pleased. THAT is THE MOST important aspect of our being together. Nothing else really matters at all. Yonah is "pleased"... I am honoured.
So we got to spend the few hours of the rest of the day together, until evening meal which we had together. And a we ate, there was a nice sun-shine brightening the sky out-side and so, I resolved to get Yonah out into it, even for a little while. (The "recommended" time being between 11 and 45 minutes... I was sure we could get something in that time-frame this evening.) So I made quick work of eating and washing-up... buy 18.15, Yonah was out in the yard. Sadly, the sun was covered by a bit of passing clouds at that time, but we were out anyway... so that Yonah could get a share of what-ever the sun's light would provide. And it was comfortably cool which made it all the more pleasant.
No sooner had Yonah been settled on his stand, in his old house, with fresh food and water available, he let out a couple of "calls"... of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... Nobody answered so, off he went, to have a bit of a snack. But moments later, there was, in the distance, another dove calling "woo-HOO... woo-HOO... woo-HOO" and Yonah perked right up.
Well, it didn't take long after that when his "Lady-Friend" arrived in the drive. She came down, seemingly out of no-where, toddled up the drive, looking at Yonah as she passed and then went on about what-ever it was that she intended to do until she decided to hit the feeder to get her own evening snack. Things got a bit interesting then because a young male came by and, to my amusement and amazement, the "Lady-Friend" wasn't about to be sharing the bounty of fresh food that I'd put out for ALL the Yardies this evening! Every time the little fellow tried to get a bite, she all but pushed him away... and all the while, Yonah was watching, and pacing. (I actually felt quite good... knowing that Yonah had no "competition" for his food and water which was right there, in his"house" for him and that he ALWAYS has plenty to eat and drink... with-out any fussing.)
When, after a while, a few blue jays arrived, they chased the "Lady-Friend" off and the little guy out there got his chance to have something to eat. The jays didn't mind him and he didn't mind them. And Yonah? Well, Yonah seemed a little bit fascinated by all the commotion across the walk from him as the jays bounced about, sometimes calling out and all the while, busy with eating. It was quite the sight to behold, indeed. I took the opportunity to step inside and work on the "evening routine" so that Yonah's house would be ready to receive him when he got back, and in my absence from the yard, the Yardies came and went, ate and retreated, returned and departed. It was QUITE a busy evening in the kitchen garden and I was glad that Yonah was there, even though not in the centre of it all.
At about 19.30, the Yardies had all left, the sun had come and gone through the clouds and it was approaching Yonah's time for "seepie-nigh-night" so, reluctantly, I brought him back into his room. I would have liked to be able to let him stay out longer, in the fresh air and natural day-light but, I also want him to be able to get his rest at night and I knew that we still had to get his room settled so, it was time.
Got him back, placed him, in his old house, on his futon and stepped away... In seconds, he was out and up on his roof-top, and then, off to the little dove pillow on his futon where, if I didn't know... I'd say he was coo'ing his account of being out-side this evening! SO MUCH TO TELL! So I got his windows closed for the evening and as I worked on those, he came flying back and into his house. He "knows": curtains closed, "seepie-nigh-night" time. BRILLIANT LITTLE GUY!
Well, by 20.00 we were done with all the "formalities" and light went out... my little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in for a night's rest... after, of course, snuggles and kisses (mandatory, those).
He'd gotten some good, fresh air, and though not much in the way of sun-shine, it was, at least, proper day-light. I'll be keeping an eye on his wings and tail now, to check and see for any changes in his feathers. One thing I DO notice is that he's MUCH darker brown than the doves who come to dine. I have to wonder if it's because he doesn't get bombarded with as much direct sun-light as they do. Still, aside from that little "anomaly" on his right "shoulder" and a white spot on his tail (which I REALLY can't figure out... and thankfully, it's about the size of the flat end of a common straight pin, and it doesn't get any larger), he's looking quite well and healthy... and THAT is my PRIMARY concern... above and beyond ALL other things in Life and the world.
Tomorrow's forecast promises sun-shine and warm temperatures... we'll get another evening in the yard... together, with the Yardies!
Thursday 07 July:
Imagine my surprise this morning when, at 5.05... from across the room of my little Heart-and-Soul, I heard the call of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! I've no idea why he was up so early this morning, after "tuck-in" so relatively late, but, when I called back, softly, just in case he really wasn't ready to get up and out, he returned the call and then some. We had quite a little chat this morning before I made my way in to open his room up. And this morning, no "woo-HOO!" from either of us! Just a steady volley of coo's back and forth.
When I got in to open his door, he was, oh yes, at the ready to "take off" into the new day! So I made haste to open curtains, blinds, remove night board and get all things set-up for morning water relay. And as I did, our "chatting" continued.
I don't believe I'll ever come to where I'll "know" what his "time clock" is, or why, on some mornings he's in the mood to chat and others, not so much, but it's always such a delightful relief to my own heart when my Little Guy is so full of energy in the morning! AND, of course, when I lean into his house after opening the door, I'm greeted with "Good morning" kisses. I get to start my day knowing my Heart-and-Soul is well-rested and in good health!
It was, indeed, the promised SUNNY morning, and though the house had a bit of last night's chill, it was truly comfortable. And Yonah wasn't "fluffed" so he was quite comfortable. Another "plus" to a new day.
So I got to the water relay as he took off for a flight round his room and then off into the living-room for a few moments as I continued to settle his room. And when I'd done with all, straightened the kitchen, he came SOARING into his room for his breakfast!
I finished my own tasks and brought my things into the room and set me up at the work table for the morning... and, as is his habit of recent time, Yonah came right over to "check on what I was doing" this morning... on my shoulder, and MANY pecks at my ear. I took that to mean that it wasn't time for me to "work" but, rather, it was time for us to have some "together" time... and of course... that's what we did. (I don't have ANYTHING that's more important that our "together time"... especially when Yonah comes over for it.)
This after-noon, sadly (for me), I had an errand to run, so after we'd had a snooze and then a little break for mid-day snack, I managed to "sneak" out of the house and away... To my unexpected "horror", I was away for almost 3 hours! (It's misery for me when I'm away for even one hour, but this couldn't be helped.) Thankfully, Yonah had been quite "settled" in his nest box when I left...
BUT... when I returned, as I walked into the front door of the house... IMMEDIATELY Yonah called:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"
He was in his room and some-how noticed that I'd returned! And when I called back: "I'm back! I'm sorry I was gone so long. How's my woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo?" he called back with a quite-hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". When I got into his room, he was at his door perch and when I leaned over to give him what I thought would be a little "kiss"... he just "nestled" against my chin! So, we had quite the "return" and a nice long "nuzzle" with MANY little kisses! He seemed SO delighted that I was back! It honestly is such a heart-ache for me to see that he notices when I'm gone and he obviously misses my company... (Then again, I have to wonder if he has any idea how heart-sick I am all the while I'm away... I'd have to say that, yes, some-how, I DO believe that he DOES "know"... and that's what makes getting back together all the MORE comforting to me. It's SUCH an honour to be shown that my mere presence is so appreciated. I'll never understand how or why... but I'll never be able to describe the DELIGHT of the HUMBLING HONOUR I feel I've been bestowed.)
It wasn't long after that it was time for me to prepare my evening meal, and I still had a telephone call to make so I got to that and all the while, aside from the time on the phone, Yonah and I chatted, room-to-room. He was happy being in his room, flying all about and chatting, and I was just as happy to oblige in conversation.
When, almost at our regular hour (17.00), I walked in with my dinner plate, Yonah took to his little ledge... and this evening, again, we dined together.
I'd done with the washing-up by 18.00 and the evening sun was shining brilliantly across the back yard so I rushed to get Yonah's stand set out in the yard and get his old house prepared for him and... by 18.15... WE WERE OUT! YONAH WAS GETTING SOME WONDERFUL SUN-SHINE! Vitamin D, to be sure! And as he basked and paced (as he tends to do when we go out) as some of the Yardies made their evening appearances, I did a bit of my own book-work, sitting there, on the steps. It was something out of a movie... or a book. So peaceful this evening, warm and sunny... and in the company of SO MANY Little Ones in the yard as they came to eat.
It turned into another one of those "later" evenings... we were out there for just about an hour. I kept moving the stand and Yonah's house so that, at all times, at least half was in the complete shade. And this evening, there was so much activity at the feeder, and although he didn't make much of a "fuss" over the others, it seemed Yonah was enjoying being "in the company" of the others. (And how I SO wished that there would have been a way for him to join them, or for them to join him, but... we've come through so much for so long and if he were to fly off and away some-how, make his way to a higher limb of the trees, I just don't know if he'd ever return... And if he did, when. I always think that, with his flying being what it is these days, I doubt he'd be able to escape a predator, especially a hawk. I doubt he could manage to keep up with the others for foraging and shelter from storms. And he's never had to fend against harsh elements of heat and cold. Then too, just the thought, no matter how brief it might be, of him being injured again, and laying, helpless, on the ground... waiting just to die... again... my heart can't bear the pain. So, sad as it is, the truth is, he's safer in his little enclosure. I keep waiting for a dove, or onw of the other Little Ones, to come over to him, at least just to "visit". Maybe one of these evenings...
And so, by 19.30, it was time for us both to come back into the house and I brought Yonah back to HIS room, placed his house, with him in, on his futon and opened the little door... It wasn't even a moment before he was up, out and back to his "real" house, and in to have a bit of a snack. All was well and he was back in HIS room, HIS house, with HIS comforts and safety.
And as he nibbled, I got his blinds and curtains closed... but...
I can't say for certain, but it seemed all the excitement of the evening "out" was just a bit much today. The minutes passed and Yonah made it obvious that he wasn't quite ready to "settle-down" for the night... just yet. He was in and out of his house, up to his shelves, on his roof-top, back into the house, out again to the futon. He was FULL of energy! But, foremost on my mind was that the "Yardies" were heading off for the night and my Little Guy needed to get his 10-14 hours of rest tonight. So I waited a bit longer... and when, at last, he did go back into his house and headed for his food again (WHAT AN APPETITE he's had these evenings!) I took advantage of the opportunity and managed to put his roof board on and close the door to his house (explaining that he needed to go "seepie-nigh-night" to get his rest for tomorrow). So, I kept his desk lamp on to let him finish eating and to get him-self over to his night perch, and I stepped out of the room thinking, if there was no "action" in the room, he'd calm down.
By 20.10, although he didn't really appear to be ready to "give the day away" just yet, I went back in to find him on his perch, so I put my face beside him, through the closed door, and we did exchange "Good night" kisses... and I put the light out for the night.. My little Heart-and-Soul was "tucked-in" for a night's rest (when-ever that might be). But he was safe. Windows closed against the elements (and predators) of the night, curtains closed against the lights out-side. He could sleep, safely and with-out a care. And we'd made it through another day... together... and that, to me, was ALL that mattered... as it always is at the close of our day.
Friday 08 July:
Oh, but it was a "sleepy" start to the morning, this was. I was fortunate to have a morning where I didn't have to jump up at my usual hour and so, I was still in bed when, at 5.34, instead of the sound of a morning "alarm", the sweetest gentle "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" was the first sound I heard for the day. Yonah was up, must have noticed that the house was still and was calling "Is anybody out there?" So, since he was up, I too, was, and for me, the most important task of a day is to make sure that my Little Guy was able to get up and out and head for the rest of the house. So I got up, made my way into his room and, this morning offered me a new opportunity: to see what Yonah would do, should he have access to the entire house, even though his curtains and blinds were still closed. I've often wondered if he'd realise that his door was open, even in the dim light of morning filtered through his curtains.
So I got to him, opened his door, leaned in for "Good morning" kisses and, because I just wanted a little extra "snooze" this morning, I made my-self comfortable on his futon, as if just laying down for a "nap".
For the most part, interestingly, Yonah stayed where he was, on his perch, just as still as he'd been through the night, and I did manage to doze... until... It was about 7.00 when it seemed Yonah had had more than enough of "sleep-in" and it was time to get on with the new day. He called me, several times... a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo", until I finally got up. I had to wonder what he was thinking: this wasn't the "normal routine" of the morning; I was on the futon, his room was still closed against the morning's light, water relay, the usual little "mayhem" of the morning hadn't been done yet. WHAT was going on here? Well, when I did get up, I got to our tasks... opening curtains and blinds and getting right to the fresh water running for his pool. Once I was active, Yonah seemed to just pick right up... "Life was normal" again. He didn't skip a beat.
And from then on, for the most part, we had the rest of the day together, and I got to my usual routine in the kitchen and then moved into his room to settle down to attend to a Friday's tasks.
I DID, how-ever, manage to step out for a bit later on in the morning, to get to the river. We needed fresh sand, and the weather had finally co-operated long enough for the water-level to be low enough so that I could access what I think of as the "good" sand: a perfect combination of fine-to-gravel. The "finer" sand is nice for "basking and bathing" and the coarser sand makes for the perfect "grit" that Yonah needs to help in his digestion. And the some-what larger "pebbles" are something that he enjoys moving about in his house, when he's of a mind to do. There are particular times when I can get that mix... today was one of those and I was off and out for about an hour. (Next month we're going to have another thorough "House-Keeping" day... especially since... next month, if our calculations are correct, toward the end of the month, it will be Yonah's BIRTHDAY... he'll be TWO YEARS OLD !!!!! So, fresh house, fresh sand... and who knows what else we can do, to observe and honour the event!) Anyway, I did manage to get 2 more canisters of "good" sand, to mix with the other 2 canisters that I'd gotten several days ago. (One of those has some "pebbles" in it that are quite large. That will do for the one "general" tray, closer to the front of Yonah's house, where he tends to "play" with the sand and gravel more than much else. Good for keeping his "toe nails" trim and his beak too. And mixed with the other sands, it will make for a nice "natural" habitat. SO important for my Little Guy! Bringing as much of the world he was born into in... to his house here.)
Later today, I had a "Friday errand" to run which took me away for another hour. When I got back, he was in his room... I felt SO terrible... every errand takes time away from us and it always seems like "time" just RUNS! No matter the length of a day... it's never enough. Being with Yonah these almost-two-years has been nothing but pure DELIGHT... and NO days have EVER been boring or "mundane". He's FULL of something new to teach me, and, no matter the world, being with him is just indescribable HEAVEN! But, so that we can have our time together, there are things we need from other places so... I do what I must, and get back as soon as I can.
Well... the rest of the sun-filled day went by and we got to enjoy it... together.
And after our evening meals (together, yes, of course...) WE HAD ANOTHER EVENING IN THE YARD! And, this evening, again, another HOUR! Sadly though, for some reason, the other doves didn't come round for more than about a minute or two. Neither, for that matter, did the others. Yonah's "Lady Dove" came by, only so briefly, and she spent that little while up on the roof of the back gallery, "peeking" at Yonah only from time-to-time. But we had a nice, calm hour in the sun-light and the fresh, calm breeze.
In our time out-side, I've noticed quite the difference between the "shade" of the the doves who are "out" and Yonah's colouration. He's a much darker, almost "richer" shade of brown that they are. I have to wonder if it isn't the fact that they're exposed to the sun for much longer periods of time than Yonah is. I DO recall reading, in several resources, that doves can get "sun-burned", which is why, all of the reference materials stress that, where-ever they're placed out-side, if shading isn't available, about half of the "enclosure" ("cage", if you will) has to be covered in some way so there's an "escape" from the sun. But the difference in the shades of browns and beiges truly is remarkable. (My Little Guy could use more sun-shine though, and I'm glad that he can now get that... for as long as the weather permits. AND... he seems to enjoy it so... If it's Yonah's pleasure, it's my delight.)
By 19.30, we were back in and, as has become "usual", I put Yonah, in his house, on his futon but he's come to know that when he's back... it's HIS room and HIS house and it wasn't but the briefest moment and he was out and "back home"... and off to his "before bed-time snack".
And again, this evening, he had such a GREAT appetite. In fact, at 20.00 he was STILL "snacking". He'd eat a bit whilst we were out, but HEY! If he's hungry, I'm delighted... a good appetite is a sign of good health. I'd already closed his curtains and blinds for the night, done the water relay, and put up the night boards. The desk lamp was on so his room was set for "seepie-nigh-night".
When, at 20.11, I saw that he was on his perch, I went over to bid him a good and restful night. I've the feeling he wasn't quite ready to "close the day" even then, but... sleep and rest are just as important as sun-shine, fresh air and our time up, awake and together. So it was time to put the light out and settle for the night. He didn't seem to mind once the light was out and I was satisfied knowing that he'd gotten his sun-shine, fresh air, change of scenery... a little time out in the world. And now, he was safe and sound, tucked-in for a night's safe sleep. It was a "quick" sort of day (but as I say, they ALL are with my Little Guy), and we had tomorrow to look forward to... The forecast promises more sun-shine and pleasant temperatures, and it's Saturday! A day of no errands... just "US"!
Saturday 09 July:
Again, this morning, it being Saturday with nothing in particular on the day's agenda other than some catching-up with journals and, today, I'd planned on the beginnings of getting to the new sand I have for Yonah (rinsing, cleaning, and the "boiling" that I do to it to make certain there are NO "parasites" in it, nor anything else that would be unhealthy or threatening to my Little Guy), I was laying in bed, pondering it all when, 5.39, the "call to open the day" came floating round the house and into the bed-room. My Heart-and-Soul was up and ready to ROLL! So, I all-but-bounced out of the bed and hurried round to his room. There he was, in the front corner of his house, very much awake but he was on the narrow perch and not on the "new" one. He really didn't like the dowel. I don't quite understand why, but, this morning, I resolved: I was off into the woods today... tonight, my little Heart-and-Soul would have a new perch, another tree limb, nice, fresh, clean, new. But, for this morning... we had other tasks to attend and so, I opened his door, leaned in and he stretched the extra length to get to me for "Good morning" kisses. (Oh yes... new perch. This will never do.)
Other-wise, aside from the perch situation, once the curtains and blinds were open, Yonah and I were back to "normal routine" and our little morning chat, back and forth. And as I ran the water relay, he had a quick bite of breakfast and was off around his room, to places where he could watch the goings-on in HIS domain.
I made quick work of our "preliminaries", then went to the kitchen to fetch my own morning coffee and shortly after, I was settled, at the work table to get some "journalling" caught-up and to spend the morning with my VERY-BEST COMPANION, ever, any-where. Today was OUR day (and the ONLY "item" I had on my "tasks", was to figure out where to look and find a new perch for him).
The sun was brilliant in the sky all day, and this morning, as it rose, it shone in through the windows so beautifully! Yonah and I listened to his bird-songs and a little radio music as well, and I kept as busy as possible, with my own little affairs, at the work table. And several times, I was "accompanied" by a Little Feathered Fellow on my shoulder... and pecks on my ear and cheek. And our morning chat continued, back and forth, from time-to-time. Just two guys, enjoying a Summer Saturday.
I even managed a 20-minute snooze, later in the morning... with Yonah on my knee.
When I woke from that, I got the rest of my coffee and re-settled at the work table and when I noticed that the room had gone quite still, I turned to look over my shoulder and, well... POOL DAY! There was Yonah, just relaxing and soaking in his pool, as comfy and content as he could be. No splashing, just resting and soaking! It was SO GRAND! And when he was finished, he hopped up, across his floor, up onto his door perch where he gave a little "shake" of the feathers and THEN headed up to the little extension-perch, above my left shoulder where he gave a more serious SHAKE. Little droplettes of water scattered in the air like a light mist! And then... 'twas time to preen. A little more "misting" (I, of course, being the recipient) with the following shakes and my Little Guy was off again, flying about, out to the living-room and back again to his house. He was all refreshed and feeling GOOOOD! (And I was just absolutely delighted, as I always am, when he enjoys his swimming pool... with fountain.)
Well the, yes then, this after-noon, my determination and the notion that Yonah would NOT spend another night cramped in the corner of his house, his tail feathers sticking out, I got me up, grabbed the saw, told him I was off to get him a new "nigh-night" perch and, after a few cuddles and kisses, I was out the door! And, very shortly there-after, returned with a maple sapling, the same diameter as the perch he used to have. THIS one, how-ever, is delightfully straighter than the previous one, and the bark is definitely cleaner! I got straight to work... cleaning it off and sawing it to length, then sawing and "shaving" the notches so that it fit over the "wire" of his house exactly where the previous one had been. It took a bit of a while to complete but...
This evening... Yonah has a new perch for his nights, WITH BARK... This one isn't some "refined" dowel... He's "back in the trees again"! AND... he didn't appear to be too impressed with it. I can't imagine why not but, he hopped onto it and then immediately to the other perch, closer to the side of his house, and he paced along it, looking at the new one. Oh well... I figured I'd wait and see where he goes tonight, when "tuck-in" was done. Meanwhile, it does look more "natural", and it ought to be as comfortable to roost on as the other one (with the bark again). And, being the same diameter, his "grasp" for the night will be the same as it was. Again... wait and see...
And so... by then, it was "evening meal" time so we both settled-down to dine together (and yes, he did have his meal as I had mine), and when it was done, and the washing-up was complete, we were OFF... It was time to head to the yard and into the sun-shine!
We were out there tonight, for almost a full 90 minutes this evening! Just waiting for the Yardies to arrive. THEY must have had some other business else-where again because, intermittently, the doves came and went, though they didn't stay to eat, and a couple of finches and sparrows came by as well. But for the most part, it was just Yonah and I in the yard, together this evening, in the sun and the cool evening air.
He ate, and, of course, paced. And he called out but...
It was just as I noticed the hour and that it was time to come in to settle for the night when, suddenly, Mrs. Lady Dove came FLYING down from one of the old maple trees and landed directly a-top Yonah's house there! And she lingered for a moment until he made a move, at which, she alighted and went to the roof... to stare down at him for a bit! I stepped into the kitchen door, to be out of the way, and her "male partner" came over, landed beside her and let out with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" She gave him a wing snap and he took off, heading back into the maples... and shortly after, she followed.
Hopefully, one day, they'll all become accustomed to seeing Yonah out there and hopefully, they'll all enjoy his company and won't be so "skittish" about his presence. I'm pretty sure their caution is because of his "cage". But I'm equally sure Yonah has a way of letting them know that he's well-LOVED.
But, sadly for all, it really was time for him to come in and settle for the night and so... at 19.40, we were back in. Again, I placed Yonah, in his old house, on his futon and he headed to his house... for his "before tuck-in snack". I'd already done the water relay whilst he was out so his water was fresh, house tidy... new perch settled... his house awaited his return... and in moments all was as it ought to be. And as I closed blinds and curtains, installed night boards, Yonah ate.
I left his desk lamp on so that he had light to finish his snack and came to the kitchen and waited. He was done with-in about 5 minutes. Hey! He's got a healthy appetite... and it's as I always say: He will NOT go to sleep hungry or thirsty!
By 20.18 he was done eating, we'd exchanged "Good night" kisses... and he was back on his narrow perch, in his corner. Oh well... The night was still ahead for him... and the new perch there, should he choose it. The light was turned off and my little Heart-and-Soul was officially "tucked-in" for a good night's rest... or so I thought...
I'd moved back to the kitchen to finish his journal when...
20.23 He was coo'ing at the doves who were coo'ing out-side! He was all tucked-in, blinds and curtains closed, but he insisted on "chatting" with a dove, out in the trees, in the back who kept "calling". And when I spoke and said:
"Silly birds. They wouldn't stop by to chat with you all the while you were out there and now they have SO MUCH to say!"
Yonah answered me with one of his "woo-HOO!s", as if replying "Yeah. Right?"
Sometimes, he just shocks me with his replies. It's as if he DOES understand what I'm saying and he DOES reply... not merely "responding". I had to close the back door though... after all... he needs to get his sleep. The doves out-side tend to come round much later than he usually wakes in the morning and I want to make sure he gets his proper rest. Were he to wake later, it would be different. But... Yonah's "days" are on a different "clock" from theirs. "Silly birds".
But, by 20.35, the doves of the yard had finished their say, their stay and their little bit of snacking and the world went peaceful... and too, my Little Guy... our day had officially come to a close.
In closing... at about 20.40 I stepped into Yonah's room... to check... HE WAS ON HIS NEW PERCH! ALL SETTLED AND SNUGGLED! HE'S BACK TO WHERE HE'S COMFORTABLE AGAIN! THE NEW PERCH IS A SUCCESS! He was awake, so we exchanged a few more "Good night" kisses... My little Heart-and-Soul has his "comfy place of rest" again! And... so too... my Heart.
Sunday 10 July:
Ah... the sweetest sound of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... at 6.22 this sunny, Summer, Sunday morning. And our little chat, back and forth. But I didn't wait until the "woo-HOO!" this morning. I made haste to get to my Little Guy because it was a bit later than his 5.00 or so wake-up. And with all that day-light out there, well... it was time for BOTH of us to get ourselves together and enjoy the hours ahead!
Yonah was ON HIS NEW PERCH when I got in to him and I was SO happy to see him where he's been so comfortable all along (until I put that "dowel" in for him). Looks like all is well and fine with this new one. It's met with "approval" and I'm relieved. (I've resolved to getting another limb, the same diameter and such, to have as an extra, should I ever need another one... especially now, when it's easier to find and get than, say, mid-Winter.)
Well, the rest of today really was quite calm, quiet, and Yonah and I were together for it all because I'd had SO MUCH that I needed to catch-up on. Of late, I've been a bit remiss with keeping the Journal posted (as some might have noticed) so today was the day I was determined to keep with it until done. (I was, ultimately, successful and even got the recent photos and videos posted to Yonah's "Portfolio"!) To that end, I established me at the work table this morning and with only breaks for "play, Luvins, kisses, cuddles, snuggles and to respond to the occasional shoulder-landings and pecks on the ears, I worked the day along. Oh yes, we did take a mid-day break for a snack... together. I was "reminded" with a soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and when I looked-up, the clock read 12.35 and Yonah was at his food. He DOES remind me, if I don't get up to get something by a certain time. (BRILLIANT! Mourning doves are simply BRILLIANT!)
And, after we'd done with our mid-day, and I went back to "work", Yonah managed to catch the few moments when the sun managed to make its way in through his window and shine down on his little "beach" in his house... Today, he had "basking time"... at home! (Come the Winter months, there's plenty of that during the sunny days, but at this time of year, well... for the late Spring and early Summer, the sun doesn't tend to shine directly in through the windows... which is why I make sure now, that we get out into it in the evening!)
And so the day went on, we listened to bird-songs, some radio, some recordings and, before we knew it... it was evening meal time! So, I put my food on the hob and got Yonah's room together for us to "dine" together...
This evening, we were out for evening sun from about 18.30-19.40! The "sun-set clouds", as I think of them, were drifting by so the full sun came and went in intervals. Of course, Yonah's place was half sun and half shade so that he could always "escape" the sun when he wanted. But this evening, he settled him-self in the sunnier corner and OH, did he ever "call" to the other doves today! "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! And sure enough, when he called, they started to appear. Down from the maples, across the sky, onto the drive. And yes, the first to arrive was... his "Lady Friend". I'd been sitting quietly on the steps, getting comfortable, listening to Yonah calling when she came swooping down and landed on the drive. I "call" too, along with Yonah, and I'd almost say that she's rather "curious" about me and my presence because she lands, and after having a "good look" at me, she seems to have little trepidation about hopping up onto the walk to the back gallery and comes to about 2 or 3 metres of me, watching me all the while. And when I "coo" (woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo), she tilts her head as if hearing another dove with a "strange accent". It's absolutely my DELIGHT to see her. When she's ascertained that it's me, the same "stranger" who's there each evening with Yonah, she flies up to the roof of the feeder where she watches me for a bit, and then she heads up to the roof... and I can hear her on the metal, walking along until she gets to the edge where she peeks over and down at both Yonah and me. She's quite the sight. And I wonder if it's me she's intrigued by or is there an "interest" in Yonah? maybe she's trying to figure out why Yonah is so comfortable with me being so close by. (They're BRILLIANT, these morning doves, and I wouldn't doubt, for a moment, that "Lady Dove" and even the others who come along with her, wonder what the situation is here. I'm hoping that one day, soon, they'll come to simply accept my presence and feel secure enough to pass some time with Yonah too.)
And this evening, there was a total of SIX doves at the feeder and flying about. (Regrettably, there were chipmunks as well, and THEY tend to be more "vermin-like", chasing the doves away from the food. The can't get up to the feeder, but, when the doves are on the ground, toddling about with one-another, the chipmunks chase them. I'm working on rectifying that situation... some-how. It's no longer "cute" to see them together with the doves... they're aggressive and can be quite threatening. And they can out-number a small flock of doves too.) But Yonah was SO interested in watching the others. And he was quite vociferous this evening! In fact, for a short while, he coo'ed (woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo) and I coo'ed (woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo) and the next thing we knew, another dove, up in the maples, joined our conversation with his own "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... too! It was almost difficult for me to keep my part of the chat through my smiling!
Yes, it did keep us out a bit later again, but it was such a delight to see Yonah so actively communicating with the others, and this evening, he seemed more comfortable with his situation... he's becoming used to our evenings out. And I'm happy that he's getting the actual sun-light and the out-door air for that while.
As I say, it was about 19.40 when I noticed how low in the sky the sun had gotten and so, we came back in. I'd already done the water relay and such whilst Yonah was in the yard, his desk lamp was on, so his room "said"... "seepie-nigh-night time" when he arrived. As usual, I put his old house on his futon, opened the door and he came forward, I gave him a couple of kisses and he was off... up to his roof-top to supervise as I closed the blinds and curtains. And when I'd done, and put up the back board and put his house in "position" for the night, I brought him down and into his house... on his roof-top platform. He hopped off onto his corner "loft"... then over for a bite to eat and then to his "night perch". He was ready for "tuck-in". So, kisses and cuddles, I put his roof board on, closed his door and, with a little whisper of "You get a good, restful seepie-nigh-night now." I turned his desk lamp off... The clock read 20.16. My little Heart-and-Soul was all ready for a night's rest. Our day was officially closed. I quietly left him to the last light coming through his curtains... just enough for him to see... should he want to go for another bite to eat... But, he was, as I say, safe and sound for another night's rest.
Monday 11 July:
HOT! HUMID! Well, for me it was. For Yonah? Well... at 5.50 he was awake, up and ready. "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". And it was a comfort to me to find him, this morning, on his "new" perch" in his "old" place there. He'd passed the night in his usual comfort. The new perch is a success! And by 6.00, door opened, we were both on our way into the day ahead. Me, slowly. Yonah? The sun was up and shining and he was out, about and enjoying the warmth. I'm always impressed by how well he manages what seems to me to be so oppressively hot.
It was a day of getting right to things to be done, as best we could, and I got settled at the work table, along with attending to "chores" around the house. And Yonah attended to making sure that I was about... following me room-to-room, and taking flights round and about. It seemed to be one of our "regular" days until...
At one point, when he came to my shoulder, as he does, I happened to notice that "spot" on his right wing... at the "shoulder". It's where, every now-and-again, a small feather appears to grow "oddly", sticking out from the rest. And usually, Yonah seems to either pluck it, after a day or so, or it falls of it's own. But later this morning, as I say, I got a "solid" look at it and, well, it was looking quite "wrong".
In an area of about a centimetre, the "downy" feathers appeared to have been "chewed"! The narrow "rachis", the centre-most "stalk", as it were, were visible, looking more like little, white, stiff, solid "worms". But the "barbs", that part of a feather that's most visible, were missing, and it was obvious that the feathers had been "chewed-down" almost to the skin! Something was obviously, terribly wrong with my Little Guy! I was horrified! I grabbed TWO pairs of eye-glasses to get a better look at what was there, thinking, immediately... "MITES!" I couldn't think of how such a thing could get to him since everything in his house is regularly cleaned... even the sand in his trays is boiled and baked to make certain that there's NOTHING there that could harm him. Then, I wondered if he was "chewing"... and if so... WHY?
Trying to hold Yonah still, unless it's by HIS choice, is almost impossible. Over the course of our time together, he's come to think of me holding him as "play time" and he enjoys pecking at my hand, and flying away, to come back to my shoulder or arm for more "play". Today wasn't one of those times. Today, I needed to get a GOOD look at what was in that area. So when I did manage to get him to hold, I had to talk to him constantly, as though it was "cuddles". It worked, to a point, and only just long enough for me to move the little feathers aside with a free finger...
No signs of irritation. Nothing that appeared to be caused by any sort of parasites (mites, ticks, fleas, &c.) Either he was chewing or something else was chewing.. on HIM, and if it was something else, it could only be during the night! THAT thought almost sickened me to my core! We'd just come through a night-marish Winter of mice in the house, to the point where I wouldn't leave ANY food for Yonah over-night. The vermin were climbing up the shelving that Yonah's house is on, and getting into his house, and even up to the little ledge where his food was in a semi-covered dish! (Now, mind you, I keep the entire house as clean as could possibly be, and then some, and Yonah's room is the cleanest. Ever since the very first day he came in, I've given particular energy and attention to keeping HIS environment as clean as possible. Even now, when his fan is on, it draws air in through a filtration system to keep dust and spores and the likes out, lest they get into his feathers and respiratory system. So, it was never a matter of "cleanliness" when we had our "rodent troubles".) My mind was full of thoughts of my Little Guy being on his perch at night, settled for a night's rest and, at some point during the darkness, some vermin crawling up to him and biting him! Or, the vermin getting into his house and leaving parasites that they carry. I was physically sickened! But my "instincts", the very same that gave me direction during Yonah's initial recovery days, and those that gave me the idea of including the fountain and pool in his house, that he enjoys so much, urged me to do something, to make sure that there were no parasites causing his affliction, and to ensure that the area there was as germ-free as possible.
Today, the "First Aid" course I'd taken, and the notes that I saved in a binder, came into use. "Betadine"... I remembered seeing that recommended as a first aid treatment. I'm familiar with it, after my years of Nursing, and a check of my "notes" and several references on-line confirmed: It was safe to apply Betadine to wounds on birds, it wouldn't hurt Yonah so... I was off to the local druggist!
While out, I remembered other "treatments" for a variety of mites and other parasites that were recommended. Ivermectin was the highest-recommended application, and I'm slightly familiar familiar with it. Another substance, permethrin was highly recommended. BUT these were for treatment of mites... I haven't found any evidence of those, AND either and/or both substances can be quite harmful or lethal if administered improperly. I decided to stay with an application of the "Betatdine". That won't kill mites, but it will make the "environment" of the area on Yonah's wing much less attractive AND the iodine in "Betadine" wards-off chances of infections. That was good... at least until I could find an avian veterinarian to get Yonah to. (That was my next adventure today...)
When I returned to the house, my heart ached so, thinking o f my little Heart-and-Soul in ANY kind of discomfort, never mind "pain". I dreaded doing anything to or with him that would cause him ANY sort of stress, and though we "play" our little game of "Catch Me!", this time I'd need to "catch", hold and apply something to his little body... and I wasn't even sure whether or not it would cause him any pain. ("Betadine", unlike iodine, doesn't cause any discomfort to humans, which is why it's quite a good thing to have round the house. But Yonah? I couldn't know, for certain, whether it would cause any pain, discomfort or any sort of "negative" sensation... and I NEVER want him to be uncomfortable with me... for ANY reason! THIS was my "moment" though.) I knew that, to leave things as they are could possibly lead to a worsening condition. I wasn't willing to gamble with that. And if, for a few moments, Yonah was uncomfortable, whether because of being "handled" or any residual discomfort from the "Betadine", I just had to have enough faith to believe that he knows... I don't mean him any harm. Hey! We've been through a LOT worse than anything that would happen now.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING NOW: CARE TO AVOID A BROKEN WING! Holding Yonah properly and securely, and keeping him from flapping his wings... THAT would be THE GREATEST CHALLENGE. And I recalled reading, in all of my research, that one of the major injuries to doves is... BROKEN WINGS. Doves aren't "cuddle" birds. They're quite delicate, over-all. So, holding Yonah... quite the challenge... but necessary.
Well! I am SO happy to be able to record that YES, I DID manage to soak a "cotton-tip swab" in quite a bit of "Betadine", and, wrapped in a "hand towel", held Yonah who DID, after a moment of initial "panic", calm down as I spoke softly to him, and he allowed me to make 3 consecutive applications of "Betadine". The most difficult part? His feathers are naturally water-repellent... they're also "Betadine-repellent" to a point so I had to work into the feathers, what there is of them, to get it down to his skin and to cover the area properly. But he didn't seem to mind. I believe, in my core, that he KNOWS that I would NEVER do ANYTHING to harm him, which made this procedure all the more difficult for me because I NEVER want to cause him ANY trauma! But now, although I can't yet be certain the cause of this "affliction", I can be a little more at peace knowing that it's clean.
Immediately after opening the towel, Yonah took flight, back into his house and onto his perch as if the entire ordeal had never happened. And of course, I made certain there were PLENTY of kisses and re-assurances that all will be well. (Though, in my gut, I was then and still am worried.)
Right away, I went back to "investigations and research"... I discovered a product called "Avian Insect Liquidator", a "wash" and "treatment" that contains "permethrin". The claims are that it can be sprayed directly onto feathers and used on housing, nesting, &c. It gets rid of mites, lice, fleas, spiders... so many things. But what caught my attention is that it can be used on the "environmental" items. Research says that it "penetrates" the feathers... claims it's safe for birds, but I'm leery, to say the least. I don't like the idea of any sort of "toxin" ON Yonah. When he preens, he'd spread it, but he'd also be able to ingest it and I'm not comfortable with that. But... I ordered a "ready to use" spray... We've got a good "house-keeping" coming and, well... just to be "safer", I'm planning on using this "Liquidator" on his house... when I take everything in it apart for cleaning... This is just in case there are ANY sorts of "parasites" ANY-where "on his premises".
On a previous "recommendation", I've also ordered "Kaytee Dove Supreme" food for him. It has essential vitamins included in the seed mix and so, I'll be adding that to his usual mixture of regular food. (He'll be now be eating a mix of five different seed mixes, one of which contains "vegetable pellets"... that he usually tries NOT to eat... and a "feather/moulting mix as well. VITAMINS! AND, now, he's getting good, un-filtred sun-shine daily, when we have any, so there's vitamin D coming along! Too late? I can only hope not.)
THEN... CAME THE HORROR OF THE DAY... Although I'd looked into this before with a LOT of investigation and such, today I've decided that we MUST find a veterinarian for Yonah. Not only because of the recent "development" but, well... Wednesday is our 21-month ANNIVERSARY... and in August... Yonah's SECOND BIRTHDAY!!!!! Considering the statistics, that mourning doves in the wild tend to live no longer than 18 months, or, in "perfect conditions", 5 years... Yonah will be reaching almost "middle age" next month so it's time to make sure that all is as well as it possibly can be with and for him. Yes, I've acquired a great deal of knowledge about mourning doves over these 21 months, but I'm not a veterinarian, would never make such an assertion or even imply to have such training or knowledge. So it's time to find a good "doctor", make an appointment and make sure "things"are as they MUST be.
I rang the vet that I knew, some months back, would see Yonah and was told that the practise doesn't tend to birds any longer. They were kind enough to give me a number of another office that they thought might. I rang them, only to be told that they too, no longer attended birds... and they too, gave me another number to contact. Mind, thus far, all three are located between 73km/45mi and 120km/75mi away! The third call resulted in the now-common "computer voice" and "pressing" the appropriate "number" resulted in... nothing, no answer, no recorded message... I had one more number to try and that one too informed me that they too, no longer attended birds BUT the vet who was with the group there had gone else-where and I might try there. WELL!!! I was just on the verge of feeling as dark and alone as I'd felt in the earliest days together with Yonah. They were empty, horrid, oppressive, almost hopeless. I worried, constantly, continuously. I felt useless. I had NO idea what to do for this little Life that I wanted, with my ALL, to help, to bring back to where s/he (I didn't even know THAT much about Yonah then) could re-join the flock, flying, perfectly, free. And I needed help, support, instruction, information... I searched, telephoned, posted to social media, scoured the internet... I found... nothing. I was almost at true despondency but, I was determined that this Little One would NOT suffer, and that together, alone, we WOULD make it all the way through what-ever Creation had to deal at us! Today, again, all of that began to come back, as if it had been lurking in some dark corner, waiting to lunge at my heart! With an almost "last hope" resolve, I dialed the telephone number... and a warm, wonderful voice answered at the other end. I asked if the practise dealt with birds and the response was an immediate "Oh yes." THAT was ALL I SO NEEDED TO HEAR! I explained Yonah's current condition, explained that he's a "mourning dove", expecting to hear what I'd heard (and have already documented in the early months of this journal) before... that they would NOT handle "wild" birds, but I was quick to include our time together and all that has transpired over the months and... WE HAVE FOUND A VET! Granted... about 104km/65mi away... but, even as the BEAUTIFUL young lady informed me... they receive calls from 300-400km/200mi and more away! "Avian veterinarians" are RARE! She kindly explained that the soonest appointment would be about 2 weeks into the future and asked what my current concern is. I described the "spot" on Yonah's wing and what I'd done and why. She said that it could be that he's "chewing"... that the feather or feathers that grow in "oddly" might annoy him and that in an effort to pluck, he's chewed round. It could be some sort of "stress" as well, and that could be for any number of reasons. BUT, when I told her that he was still coo'ing as regularly, eating so VERY well, and flying and walking about the house, she assured me that my attention with the "Betadine" was a very good move, and that, unless the condition worsens, it doesn't sound as though it's "an emergency". I was SO DELIGHTED to hear that! (She did say that if it HAD sounded like an emergency, she would have suggested that I bring Yonah sooner, that she couldn't say what would be done. But again, she said that unless it worsens... I need not panic.) We left it at a "watch-and-see" for another week, and I will make an appointment then anyway... for a general "Health Check".
YONAH HAS A VETERINARIAN AGAIN! And with the time now, I can take a trip down to see the office, meet the doctor who I have been assured is in practise because she honestly CARES for and about birds. So what seemed a hopeless day became a day of goodness...
Yonah and I had our evening meals together... in peace... and yes, he DID eat VERY well, indeed.
The bottom line of all is:
I am because Yonah is... and if anything "untoward" were to happen to Yonah... well... my life-time has been full... I'll say no more about...
After our meals, I got the washing-up done and by 19.00 we were out in the back yard. A bit late, but the sun was still shining nicely... It was so hot though, that even the Yardies seemed to keep to the coolness of the maples, not coming to eat at the feeder. There were a few "calls" from the distance, mourning doves were in the trees, but "nobirdie" came round to eat. Yonah and I sat, very much, on our own, together. By 19.40, the sun was about to drop behind the Western mountains so... we came back in for "seepie-nigh-night"... By 20.40 (quite late, indeed), Yonah's house was settled, the desk lamp was turned off.
My little Heart-and-Soul was all tucked-in... kisses, cuddles, and with the promise of good medical attention available, when and should he ever need. But for tonight, his little "wound" was clean and attended, he was at peace, safe, sound and in the care of my heart, my soul, every aspect of my "being"... as is his due and my Greatest Honour.
Tuesday 12 July:
This morning was an "odd" sort of start to the day. Last night, I'd started out on Yonah's futon, intending to spend the night with him. It was primarily my curiosity... I wanted to be in the room to make certain that there was nothing getting to him in the night... I wanted to be in the room if he should be disturbed by anything at all. And, for the most part, I did just that... for most of the night. The "spot" on his right wing has me horrified. I'm only just slightly re-assured after speaking with the vet about it. Yes, it might just be those "odd" feathers irritating and Yonah's pulling and pecking at the area, but, he's my "Heart-and-Soul", and after our "mouse infestation", knowing that they were able to get into his food at night, and thinking that they could get to HIM, and, knowing that they could bit him... well... It all goes back to how much I wish I could be there, with him, through the night... closer. If I could only know that he wouldn't be startled and, in a panic, take flight, in the dark house over-night, I'd not bother to close the door on his house. But I can't take the chance. I remember, vividly, his earliest days in the house, when, even when he'd simply "try his wings", there were collisions with walls, windows and even the ceiling. And he bled! And my heart was CRUSHED. And just the thought of him being in even a slight discomfort... well...
What makes ALL of this all the worse is the fact that birds NEVER appear to give ANY indications of "pain". They don't whine, whimper, moan. Yonah was "chewed" when I'd "discovered" him in the yard. And he laid in the grass, so still, silent, in the rain. He made his way, on ONE LEG, across the walk and under the steps. And when I brought him into the house... there was NO indication of even "discomfort". I can't ever know the extent of his afflictions... and it tears, deeply, into the core of my being.
Again, I look, and there's no indication of any "parasites" on him, any-where. And the "wound", as it were, is only on the outer surface of his wing. There's no bleeding, no "raw" area. Just chewed feathers. And, in the morning, I check where he pooped during the night... still in the one, same place. So he has "still" nights, other-wise un-disturbed. There's that much. So, my resolve: I'll continue with the "Betadine" for a while longer, keep his house as clean as is humanly possible... but... at least now, it's a comfort knowing that "out there" there IS a veterinarian who DOES CARE!
And I'll make the appointment, even just for a general "check-up". After all... we're about to observe 21 months together... he'll soon be 2 years of age (if calculations are correct). It's time for the opinion of somebody with experience.
And this morning... my little Heart-and-Soul woke with his usual... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" at 5.58 and, as with other mornings, he was all full of energy... and kisses. And we got into the regular routine of the morning, and he flew about his room and the house. He's a true inspiration for the days when I just don't seem to have energy or interest in the events of a day. He's my incentive to keep rolling, no matter what. And he's my absolute JOY... as I say... my reason for taking my next breath. No matter what, there he is... coo'ing and toddling and flying about.
And... after morning routine settled and I was able to situate in his room (which is my PURE delight in EVERY day), we got down to a very nice, though hot and a touch humid day... together.
Ah... to my ULTIMATE DELIGHT... Today was another one of Yonah's "bathing days"! I'd been at the work table, bird-songs and radio playing softly, the sun was shining in through the window and all was so peaceful. As I do, during the day, I turned round to check on Yonah (especially because it was SO quiet behind me) and... THERE HE WAS, JUST AS CALM AS COULD BE.... IN HIS POOL... FOR A SOAK! No splashing... just "luxuriating". It gave me a little "peace of spirit" to see him in the water. I wish he'd do that more often. The moisture is good for his skin, feet and legs... and it would help me to see that if there are any "parasites", chances are they'd be easier to see... as they tried to "float away" on the water. But Yonah DID seem so comfy... even though it was for a relatively short while.
And when he'd done, he got up, stood on a little rock beside the pool, gave a quick "shake" and hopped up to his door perch where, as he does, he gave a few really GOOD shakes... and I got a little mist... We "shared" in a little bathing today.
One thing today though... THERE'S ANOTHER OF THOSE SMALL WING FEATHERS... "CONTOUR", I BELIEVE THEY'RE REFERRED TO AS, COMING IN "TWISTED". INSTEAD OF GROWING IN FLATLY ON HIS WING, THERE'S ONE THAT COMES IN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, CURLING UP-WARD AND OUT-WARD! AND THAT'S THE SPOT WHERE WE'RE HAVING OUR TROUBLES! I'm SO tempted to simply pluck the feather, but my research and even the "Certification" material stresses that wing feathers should NOT be plucked... although, it's also mentioned that, when "dressing an injury"... if need be, plucking a feather or two is actually recommended. I JUST DON'T WANT TO CAUSE YONAH ANY MORE DISCOMFORT... AND, PARTICULARLY, NO DISTRESS! (Again... I'm at odds with my own "instincts". But, if this continues and he continues chewing... time will tell. I might just have to "harden my heart" and stomach and... More to follow on this, no doubt.)
So our day went along, as our days do, BEAUTIFULLY. And we had a mid-day snack and our evening meal together and because there was sun-shine... we went back out into the yard this evening... for 90 MINUTES!
The "Yardies" came to visit... mourning doves, blue jays, sparrows, finches... And as always, my heart yearned for a way to give Yonah and them some way to "get together" in a space that wouldn't put Yonah in any danger. It does hurt me to see him "confined", even though his "old house" is quite spacious. I just don't like the "cage" effect", and that he can't really "interact" with the others. (Although, I'm still not sure how that would work-out... since he obviously doesn't like even "effigies"/decoys, or photos of other doves in "HIS" territory. Oh... the dilemmas... to be worked-out.)
BUT... THIS EVENING, HIS "LADY FRIEND" ACTUALLY CAME BY AND, FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, WAS A-TOP HIS "HOUSE"! I HADN'T NOTICED UNTIL I PASSED THE BACK DOOR AND SAW HER LEAVE! MAYBE... JUST MAYBE THE YARDIES ARE BECOMING ACCUSTOMED TO SEE HIM OUT THERE! THAT WOULD BE SO WONDERFUL! NOW... I NEED TO FIGURE A LITTLE "PERCH" OF SOME KIND SO THEY CAN BE AT "EYE LEVEL" TO EACH-OTHER. WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD COME OF THIS? (AND IF YONAH WILL ACCEPT ANOTHER DOVE... I *WILL* GET HIM A COMPANION... !!! SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.)
And THEN... came our little "catastrophe" for today... and of course, it was AFTER we'd come in from out-side and JUST as it was time for "seepie-nigh-night"... Worth a mention for others who might do the same... I'd started our nightly "water relay" and all seemed to be going fine until I noticed that the water in the catch bucket where the "old water" and the "flush" go, wasn't as high as it should have been. I was almost finished and when I looked, the "drain" tubing had come away from the bucket! WELL! "Water water, every-where"... at least on the floor and in the carpeting. My most sincere regret was that I'd have to delay Yonah's "tuck-in" whilst I got the water up. So... I got right on the task and, thankfully, "tuck-in" was done by 20.00... I'd managed to get most of the water up and away, and had the fans set, one blowing onto the carpet as the window fan drew that air out. My deepest concern at that point was the risk of anything that might be "in the carpeting" becoming air-borne... and Yonah becoming ill from it. There's SO much that can "hide" in our carpeting, and even though Yonah's room is hoovered almost every other day, I still worry about just things.
But, as I say, by 20.00, aside from the fans blowing, Yonah's room was "in order" and my Little Guy was tucked-in, in his house, safe, sound... and there was fresh water in his pool (should he want a drink during the night). I decided to leave the rest until morning... because my little Heart-and-Soul was raised above it all, dry and cozy.
The evening rolled into the night and at 21.35 I stepped into Yonah's room to check on him.. He was on his perch but not asleep. The fans sounded like some kind of machinery droning in his room and so, I decided... his house is on wheels and attached to nothing so... we were off and rolling... out of his room, through the kitchen and out to the living-room where it isn't as dark as his room, but it certainly is much quieter. I talked with him all the while we rolled along and he didn't appear to be at all concerned about the ordeal... and when we got to the living-room, he seemed just fine. I blocked as much of the light from the kitchen as possible, put is night boards up as he would normally have during the night and with-in a minute, he was back on his perch, where he usually spends the night. Now, at least, he'd have more peace tonight, and when all the lights in the house were out, where he was would be of no matter... it was all dark anyway. Ah, but I can hardly wait until morning.
Truth is, when he first arrived, and I realised that he would be with me for "a long term", I'd considered giving him the living-room, at least through the warmer months. In Winter, the living-room tends to get quite cold and his radiator would have little effect on it, since it's larger. But then, I saw (and still see) no reason why he shouldn't have his own room, especially in Winter when it's easier to keep HIS "domain" warmer for him. And so, that's how it came to be that he has his own room now.
But tonight is only a temporary situation, and I doubt it will make much, if any difference to Yonah. Tomorrow, I'll be working on cleaning his room quite thoroughly anyway so... Here's to hoping he has a peaceful night... of plenty of rest. My little Heart-and-Soul.
 Wednesday 13 July *** 21 MONTHS ***:
OO! and WOW! AND WHAT A START TO THE DAY, TODAY! 5.25 WITH A RESOUNDING "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" AND MANY MORE OF THOSE TO FOLLOW! At first, I was SO relieved, as I always am when I hear Yonah call in the morning, but then, I couldn't help but think of him waking up and seeing that he wasn't in his own room and calling out "HEY! What happened here? THIS isn't MY room!"
Last night, it was late, when we did our little "roll through the house"... out of his room, through the kitchen and into the living-room. And the only "light" was the dim lamp in the kitchen. When he'd gotten to the living-room, I hadn't turned any other lights on so it was all, pretty much, in a bit of darkness. I don't know if he actually saw anything as we moved along. And it was after he'd been tucked-in for the night, so I don't know that he was "fully aware". He hadn't shown any signs of stress over it, and as soon as he was "re-settled", I checked to make sure he was still calm... Even just before I headed for bed, I looked-in on him and he was on his perch, quiet and calm. But, well... at day-break, it surely wasn't the surroundings he's come to expect.
I called back with a calm "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... He replied with his previous "5-hoo" call. We "volleyed" a few times until he called that "woo-HOO!" and I went "a-runnin'", as it were. I really wanted to see (hear?) how he was taking-in the change. After all, if I'd ever have to move him for a night again, for any reason, it would be good to know how he'd handle it.
Well? He appeared to have had a peaceful night, last night. All the poop was in the very same place it usually is and there was no indication that he'd moved about over-night. THAT was quite a relief to me! But, I could tell that he could tell that "things just weren't the way they were supposed to be". I could tell that he noticed that he wasn't in HIS room. I imagine the difference in the "morning light", coming through the living-room window instead of HIS windows, and the difference in colour of his surroundings, from the very pale grey-blue-white of HIS walls to the off-white of the living-room. Also, the carpeting in the living-room is a dark brown... HIS carpeting is light beige. SO MANY CHANGES... and they'd all taken place at night, as we rolled along from his room, through the kitchen and out to the living-room. (Hopefully) He'd been asleep when we rolled out, and had gone back to sleep, in the darkness of the living-room... and woke to... well... a whole new surrounding.
Well, for the first hour or so, he stayed on his perch, where he passes the night, not venturing away, either across the perch nor his house. It was, to me, "concerning", but his room was already "moved about" in preparation for today's cleaning. So bringing him back there right away was impossible. And I'd put some cleaner on the carpeting so there were "fumes" that I didn't want him breathing. There was nothing to be done about it all so I waited and hoped.
I went right into the affairs of the morning, in the kitchen and such, and I set-up his "bird-songs" recordings to play in the living-room, thinking that, perhaps the familiar sounds would give my Little Guy a sense of "owner-ship", an "assurance" of sorts, that he was still in HIS territory... that the "old familiar" Little Ones were still there, with him, chirping and coo'ing those "old familiar tunes". I can't say for certain that it "worked", but I left them playing as I got to the rest of the chores of the morning.
When I next looked in the living-room... Yonah was no-where to be seen! I wondered... and then learned... HE'D GONE TO HIS ROOM! POOR LITTLE GUY! WHAT A MESS IN THERE! And his house wasn't there, by his windows. The droning of the fans filled the space. The blinds and curtains were open but... everything was so out of place! He'd gone to the little shelves beside the work table, still, a "familiar" place, and when I walked into the room, he gave me a wing snap... either "THERE YOU ARE!" or "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE HERE?" Which-ever it was, KISSES came and it seemed to be "OK"... or, as "OK" as could be... considering.
For the rest of the morning, as I worked in his room and on cleaning his house, lifting carpet, washing floor, putting "things" in order, Yonah was on his roof-top in the living-room, back and forth to his room, and, from time-to-time, toddled about the living-room and the rest of the house. Seemed he had "adjusted" to it all... better, I have to say, than I did. I just didn't like making changes to his routine.
WHAT A MORNING! WHAT AN ANNIVERSARY DAY!
It took me until 14.15 to get everything back to "normal" in Yonah's room. And, all the work was, primarily, at the end of the room where his house is. As I say, I lifted the carpeting, washed the floor under it, made sure that ALL of the carpet was not only just dry but CLEAN as well. A good over-scrubbing (not so much as a "water stain" remained), and a DEEP hovering of the flooring AND over ALL of the area that had gotten wet last night. (No spores, dust, "mites", nor the occasional seeds that sometimes drop as Yonah eats... since he tends to toss the food in his dish, looking for "just the one seed of choice" as mourning doves do. And I keep watch of that too, because he likes to "toddle" about the floor and "pick up a snack" along the way... I won't have him getting into the habit of finding stray seeds... on the floor, in the carpeting! )
Needless to say, after all that working this morning, the next thing I knew, it was 15.00... and at 16.00, we start to prepare for evening meals (together, of course). The entire day had passed... and all, entirely TOO quickly! But, at least, today, Yonah's room was clean and settled. I even discovered a way to "hoover the sands" in his house! A bit of "manipulation", holding the hose at just the right height above, with one hand, and with the other, gently "disturbing" the sand in the trays. Some sand is sucked into the Hoover, but, for the most part, any "bits of stuff" are removed and that's what I was looking to do. (When the new "parasite spray" arrives, we'll be pulling the entire house apart again, and giving it all a proper scrub, spraying with the anti-mite/tick/flea spray... just to be sure none of THOSE are attacking Yonah!)
Well, we DID have our evening meals together, but by the time we'd done, the evening clouds covered any vestiges of sun-shine so... that, and no Yardies in the yard, we didn't go out for our now-usual "soak in the sun-shine"... (Some doves did show up at the feeder at about 19.40, but at that hour, it's "seepie-nigh-night" time for my Little Guy. The sun hadn't come through though so, a good night's rest was better than being out there.)
It was 19.48 when, after a day of mayhem and commotion and all sorts of activities and upsets, my little Heart-and-Soul FINALLY took his place on his perch and got to settle down, back in his house, in his room, in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
All said and done... 21 MONTHS !!! And to be honest, ALL day, the upper-most thought that stayed in my mind and heart was:
 "The average life-span of a mourning dove is 18 months... " Yonah and I have surpassed that by 3 months now. Admittedly, I can't say that I've ever been happier, more delighted, and, in a way, amazed that I, some lowly little "human", have managed, mostly on my own gut instincts, to provide this Little Guy with what-ever it is he's needed to break that "average"... yet, all the while, the fact remains that, the longer we have had together...
As our "yesterdays" together increase in number... our "tomorrows" decrease.
Yonah has been and remains my sole reason for taking a next breath. Although my "yesterdays" out-number his.. our tomorrows remain the same.
Thursday 14 July:
"Morning call"... 5.42 this morning. And Yonah woke in his house, in his room... his world was back to the way it ought to be... and what a comfort to hear "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" coming from the door-way to HIS room. When I got in to open his door, he was comfortably roosting on his "night spot", on his perch, in his house... all was well with the morning-world again.
Even better, we were able to just get back to our "normal routine" too, this morning. No catastrophes, disasters... just "water relay" and tidying. And it was obvious that it was a "better morning" than yesterday because my "supervisor" was, after morning kisses, of course, off to his "vantage points" where he could watch the goings-on AND chat! (I'm not sure which one of us was more "comforted" by the return-to-normal, but I know it felt delightful to me.)
Did a "wing check" this morning. It seems Yonah's still picking at that spot there. It's not "horrific", but to me, well, the truth is, my entire being aches when he goes through a regular moulting (even more-so now that I know and understand how painful it is for Yonah). Just looking at those little "stubs" in his once other-wise beautiful feathers, hurts me to my core! And the thought that my Little Guy is in ANY discomfort at all is a torture to my soul. What makes it all the worse is not knowing WHY this even started in the first place! There's still no indication of "parasites", and the area isn't "open", so it doesn't appear to be an "injury". I have to wonder if it isn't just something "wrong" with a particular follicle; one feather growing out of sorts, perhaps like an "in-growing hair", and, perhaps, for a while, it caused or is causing some sensation that annoys Yonah, and because of that, he picked, pecked and plucked. Still, no matter the cause, the results are causing me horror and heart-ache!
I APPLIED MORE "BETATDINE" TO THAT SPOT TODAY. I've decided to follow a bit of a "routine" with that. If nothing else, it will help to prohibit any infection. But I'm concerned about the "iodine"... I don't want too much of that getting into Yonah's system, so I'm choosing every 3rd day, unless there are indications that something more frequent is needed.
***** BUT THE BEST NEWS OF THE DAY, TODAY, IS THAT, AT LONG, LONG LAST... WE'VE FINALLY FOUND A DOCTOR !!! A VETERINARIAN !!! AND YONAH HAS AN APPOINTMENT IN A FEW WEEKS !!! AND HE'S EVEN "REGISTERED" AS A "NEW PATIENT" !!! AND THIS TIME, THERE'LL BE NO "MISUNDERSTANDINGS"... I'LL BE SURE TO CALL BEFORE TO CONFIRM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO OBSTACLES WE'LL NEED TO GET THROUGH (as we did in our previous attempt at an office which, I'm to understand, has since stopped caring for Little Feathered Companions, fortunately for the Little Ones)... AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE TRIP (which, sadly, will take just over an hour, but... THIS doctor is the closest, and the people in the office DO sound "compassionate", reviews are positive... I'm hopeful). IT'S QUITE A RELIEF TO BE SURE. And, MAYBE, if Fate is kind, by the time we DO get to the doctor, this "situation"/"condition" will have improved. I'll be doing my best... to be sure.
And... today, the Avian Insect Liquidator arrived! "Mites, lice, biting insects, houseflies, mosquitoes, spiders"... amongst other pests... it's time for "attack"! I don't see any indications that any of those are in Yonah's house or room, but, I'm NOT taking any chances. And this "ready to use" spray contains "Permethrin" which, my research shows is one of the most recommended treatments for these "parasites". (I'm most concerned about the mites at this point.) The "directions" say that it can be sprayed directly onto Yonah, but, with this "spot" where the feathers are "missing", I'm not going to put anything as potent as "permethrin" on his feathers or skin. The label says that "nesting" and such should be sprayed... I won't get to it immediately, since Yonah had to spend a night in the living-room, but... we're due for a good house-keeping anyway so... SPRAY on the next go-through... top to bottom on his house and perches and such. We have another "hectic" sort of day to come. BUT, at least it'll only be "a day"... and not a day AND a night. And I'll HOPE, with my ALL, that this new "stuff" will keep my Heart-and-Soul, safe and healthy!
If nothing else... I'm getting SUCH an education... and as I always say: FROM THE VERY BESTEST TEACHER.. Mr. Professor Yonah Taube!
For the most part, today, I kept busy at the work table and around the house and other than "medical treatment", I just let Yonah do what-ever his little heart desired... I didn't want to interfere or interrupt anything for him, after putting him through having to wake in a strange room and then all the nonsense of taking his room apart. So we went on about our business, with ... OF COURSE ... play and snuggle breaks. There's NEVER ANYTHING more important than... "US Time"!
This evening, we had our evening meals together and by 18.00, WE WERE OUT FOR SUN-SHINE AND YARDIES! In fact, I'd done the washing-up and had gone back to the work table to get things settled there when Yonah came over to my shoulder... TO REMIND ME: THE SUN WAS SHINING... IT WAS TIME TO GO OUT!
The Yardies came round... mourning doves and blue jays, but not too many and not very often this evening. (A lot of that was because of "activities" next door.) BUT Ms. LADY DOVE CAME BY TWICE, AND CAME TO HIS HOUSE! I'm SO hoping she'll get "comfortable" and spend some time with Yonah. (And now, more than ever, I'm seriously considering a little "mate" for him. And now that he has a "doctor", I'll be sure to mention to them that, if anybody brings in a female mourning dove... there's a place where she can be taken care of... Hey! It can't hurt. And with certifications on hand... and MORE to come... I mean, I'd prefer a mourning dove for Yonah, but if I have no choice... I MIGHT consider a ring-neck. I'm just not sure a ring-neck would "suffice" and I do NOT want to cause either Yonah or another dove ANY stress. These are days of "ponderance", to be sure.)
By 19.30, all the Yardies had made it obvious that they weren't coming round and it was 90 minutes for Yonah, the sun was setting and so, we came back in... It was good time out there too; not "too" hot and certainly not "cold". And even though the clouds were gathering, at least there was "good sun-light"... hopefully enough to promote a hefty dose of vitamin D!
When I brought Yonah back to his room and opened the door to his "old house", he was OFF, IMMEDIATELY, back to his "house"... and to the little mirror in the corner, by his floor. There's something about the reflection in that little mirror that he's some-how attracted to and when he comes back in from being out-side, he heads directly for it and gives a couple "woo-HOO-hoo-ho-hoo-hoo's" to it. It's almost as if he's "reporting" on the event of going and being out in the yard! (Yes, I am considering a "mate" for him.)
I'd done the water relay whilst Yonah was out so the only thing remaining was to "close-up" the windows for the night and as I got to that task, Yonah got to his "before bed-time snack". As long as he's still got appetite and is eating, I feel a bit more positive about all of this "doctor" and "medical".
Before turning off the light, I had a GOOD check of his wing, with the "LED Light" (it's brighter so I can see more). It looks "OK", I have to say. No signs of irritation or abrasion. And MOST IMPORTANT... NO SIGNS OF INFECTION OR INFESTATION! Maybe this "Betadine" is helping! I had more research this evening... common claim is that it could take 12 months or another "full moulting" for the feathers to grow back... and... they might not at all. One thing that gives me a bit of comfort: There's NO sign of any trouble on the under-side of his wing, so what-ever this is, it's not "going through". But, hopefully the doctor will be able to give some information and support on the matter... and hopefully, by the time we get there, it'll all be so healthy that the doctor will be amazed! (I'm trying.)
I finished closing blinds and curtains, put up the night boards, closed Yonah's door and left the light on for another 20 minutes so that he could fill his little belly for the night. At 20.15... "Lights out"... after "Good night" kisses... Another day closed... another night ahead of safe and hopefully restful sleep for my little Heart-and-Soul. And tonight, a bit of consolation... my Little Guy has a doctor... and an appointment... and SO MUCH MORE from now on! We'll be just fine. I don't know how many "tomorrows" we have... but when each one comes, I'll be just as grateful as I've ever been... as I ever could be.
Friday 15 July:
Oddly, or not, this morning, I'd been "dozing" in the early morning calm, and in a "half-dream" state.
Standing out-side, on a sunny day, in a back-yard of somebody's house, and suddenly, out of no-where, a blue jay came flying down and landed on my shoulder! And, as Yonah does when he comes to my shoulder, it gave me a couple of pecks on the cheek and flew away. I was astonished! And as the jay flew off, I heard a mourning dove, in the distance, and one came down, and, like-wise, landed on my shoulder and gave a few pecks on my ear (as Yonah does). As I was standing there, smiling, amazed, feeling quite delighted, I actually heard another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... THIS TIME, it was Yonah, calling.
So, in my half-sleep/dream state, I heard the call... the clock read 5.40. I WAS LATE! And I was being summoned. So, with a grand smile, on face and in heart, I was up and off to my little Heart-and-Soul who called again, as I went round to his room. I called back... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo... I'm on my way, m'LOVE!" and from his room... "woo-HOO!" ("Well, let's get on with it then." So I imagined.) Oh but yes, my Little Guy was awake, and as I opened the door to his house, "Good morning" kisses and he was ready to take on the day... scuttled across his perch, hopped across to the opposite perch and it was as though he was waiting for me to get to the windows, open the curtains and blinds. Obviously, well-rested. That's what I like to see and know in the morning.
Before getting to anything else, I did a morning "poop check"... The usual "4" were there, all in the one spot. He'd slept through the night, un-disturbed. I was relieved. And he was energetic, vocal. It was a GREAT morning. And as I went about the morning tasks at the window, letting in the morning sun-rise (chilly as it was this morning), Yonah had a little bite to eat.
PERFECT morning!
And THIS morning, I managed to get settled at the work table, get the rest of "morning tasks" completed and was at the table, with coffee in shortest order. Our day together, ahead, was officially "under way"!
As the morning rolled into the after-noon, Yonah was just SO full of something... he was out of his house, out of his room, toddling out and across the kitchen, into the living-room, looking out the front door (inside door open, screen, of course, on the latch). A couple of "visits" to the decoys, but mostly, he was enjoying the toddling about. It was SO up-lifting to see him so energetic, out to "explore", getting out of his room and exercising. And for the rest of the day, well, when we weren't together, either me at the work table or cuddling and playing, he spent this sunny and warm, low-humidity day, in his little "nest box"... or, on his door perch... "beaking" (as I'm to understand is the term for when he "preens" my hand). And, from time-to-time, we "chatted". Just the perfect way to pass a day... together.
AND, although it still causes me pain to look at, the spot on his wing seems to, not exactly "improving", but it's certainly not getting worse! As I've already noted, the claim is that re-growth of lost feathers could take a year, or a "full moult". I'm just SO relieved to see that it isn't getting worse. No "Betadine" today. Perhaps tomorrow, depending on how things look this evening. (But Sunday, unless there's been a miracle and feathers look REALLY good, if not perfect, we'll give another "application"... if for no other reason than to keep that area "clean and disinfected". We have a doctor appointment coming and I do NOT want to get them ANY excuse for doubting Yonah's care! Although, more important: I DO NOT WANT YONAH IN ANY DISCOMFORT!)
Well, all told, we had a marvellous day together, and I was out for a quick "market errand" for about 30 minutes. But the VERY second I came back into the house, I heard, from Yonah's room, that old familiar and heart-warming "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" I know that, even though I'd managed to "sneak" out the front door while he was lounging in his nest box, he knew that I'd gone out AND, he knew when I'd come back! From replacing or moving even a bit of sand in his house, to my every movement, Yonah Taube is NOT to be doubted when it comes to knowing EVERY little thing that goes on in this house. I doubt I'll ever learn how, but it will NEVER cease to amaze me.
But once I was back, all was well, I returned to his room to be with him and have a light mid-day snack and he had his little snack as I ate. (That's another one of those "amazing moments": he eats when I eat.) When we'd done, I hoovered the house (since it's Friday, and we want to be settled for the week-end), put my evening meal on the hob and settled back with my Little Guy for the rest of the day.
This evening, we had our evening meals together and by about 18.05... we were out and into the sun-shine! And THAT was BEAUTIFUL!
Sadly, I wasn't prepared with the camera but, the very moment Yonah got into the sun this evening, and it was delightfully bright and direct, he headed to the sunniest corner of his old house, laid down almost flat and SPLAYED HIS FEATHERS TO SOAK IN EVERY POSSIBLE BIT OF THE LIGHT AND WARMTH! I've seen him do the same in Winter, when the sun's rays pour in through his windows of a clear day. And I know that it brings a wonderful and most-welcome warmth to him, on his little "beach". But today was rather special because there was no window to filtre the light, and he truly benefited from the healthy UV that helps him with vitamin D! (Not all UV passes through glass so, what he gets in Winter is quite reduced... Not this evening though!) And he laid there for quite a while too. It was so obvious that he was "luxuriating" in the light and warmth!
So there he stayed until he'd had enough and then he went over to the shaded side for a bite to eat and give a "call".... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" to whom-ever might hear him out there. I took that opportunity to come back in and get the evening water relay done, allowing Yonah some "alone time"... and hoping the other doves would come along... especially his Lady Friend, if I stayed away.
I was so disappointed to see that not even the little finches or sparrows came by this evening. There was fresh food and plenty of sun-shine. I suppose they'd all found their fill else-where this evening. But, round about 19.10, the one male mourning dove came to roost on the power-line and gave a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo", and Yonah called back with HIS version of the same call. They had a little "back and forth" chat and the next thing I saw was the other male, at the feeder... all but ignoring Yonah (who was watching him rather attentively, I must say). About 5 minutes later, two females came along to eat, but the male wasn't "inviting guests" and kept chasing them away... None of them stayed later than about 19.35 which was, for me, OK, because it was getting so close to Yonah's "seepie-nigh-night" and tuck-in time. Besides, he'd been out there for about 90 minutes already and I didn't want him to get TOO much of that glorious sun.
At about 10.45, when none of the Yardies returned, I went out to get Yonah, and he seemed really rather happy to come in at that time, so much so, in fact, that, as I carried him in through the back door, he headed to the "front" of his "house" and roosted on the perch, as if "piloting" the trip. And when he got back to his room, I put his house on his futon, opened the door and in a flash... he was back in HIS HOUSE... and "woo-HOO'ing" to his little "friend in the mirror", as he does. I went back out to the yard to bring in the stand and to settle things out there and when I came back in, Yonah was eating his "before tuck-in" snack. I got busy closing his blinds and curtains for the night as he ate... and OH how he ATE! Hey! He's got a REALLY HEALTHY appetite and I'm THRILLED about that! And since he was eating so well, again, this evening, I left his desk lamp on for a while longer... until he was done, and had gone over to his "night spot" on his perch.
"Tuck-in" and "Good night kisses"... 20.15 tonight. It was another "long" day... for both of us.
BUT... at about 20.25, the male dove out-side decided it was time for one "last call" and I'd already stepped out of Yonah's room, thinking he was all "tucked-in and settled-down" for the night when... nope... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... He was calling back to the dove out-side. But it didn't last long. The sun was setting and the doves o' the wood-lands were heading off to roost.
Tonight and tomorrow I'm going to "re-work" our "Evening Sun Schedule" so that Yonah gets good sun-light AND some extra time out there... since the other doves comes a bit later. (I've read that the males will start to call an hour before sun-rise and again, an hour before sun-set so... we'll have to work around that from now on.)
But tonight, as we close this day's journal entry, my little Heart-and-Soul is now nice and "snug" (if "snug" is something a dove can be, roosting on a perch). Fresh water at hand, and food when he wants. The warmer nights are coming, so soon, there'll be open windows through... short as that time is in The North Country. And tomorrow promises more sun-shine so... we have a sunny day... together, to look forward to.
And his wing is looking "OK", I have to say (happily). I'll be keeping an eye on that and making notes... to be sure.
Saturday 16 July:
It was such a delightful, calm, comfortable morning, today, and I was in no particular hurry to get up and start moving about so, when, at 5.48 I heard, from the next room, the "morning call" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", I was up and toddling off... to my little Heart-and-Soul! Truth be known, I didn't want to disturb him this morning. Since he's staying up a bit later these nights, I want to see when HE'S ready to wake up... to learn his "clock".
We had the ENTIRE day TOGETHER today! A brilliant, sunny day, warm and low humidity. And OH... "energetic" too! From the very moment the morning routine commenced, all through the day, as I busied, diligently, at the work table, Yonah was ALL OVER THE HOUSE! Not just his room, but the entire HOUSE!
Flights to the futon... to the orange tree... my shoulders... we napped together, Yonah on my leg. And he made "reconnaissance flights" out of his house, round my head and back again! The breeze from his flights was quite welcome, in the 27° warmth of his room. (Thankfully, as I say, the humidity was low so it was a tolerable heat.)
And I checked his wing (several times, just to be sure) today...That "area" isn't looking "back to normal", but it's certainly looking less "angry", even down to the base. AND, I'm truly relieved and DELIGHTED to see that it's ONLY on the one side, the "outer" aspect of the wing! I was beginning to truly worry that, what-ever it is that's happening, would have some-how had an effect on the under-side as well. It's not! And the area isn't getting any larger. And, obviously, it isn't effect flight! OH NO! THAT much is SO obvious!
So my intention of another application of Betadine tomorrow stands. And from there, I'll see how things look on Wednesday. If they're really not any better (or... FORBID, any worse), I'll make another application of the Betadine. My hope is that, if this has to continue for any length of time, we'll get down to only once weekly until we get to... THE DOCTOR! (And just being able to say/write/type/record that is SO comforting! Yonah has a doctor now! And I have a "support person" to turn to! JUST at a point in time where I SO need just that!)
But it was the FLYING ABOUT that REALLY captures my heart today! My Little Guy was, for the most part, SO ANIMATED! So much flying, round the room, round the entire house! I have to wonder if our daily "sun-shine outings" aren't giving him more energy! (And if they are, I HOPE they're giving him a boost to his immune system as well... to help ward-off what-ever it is he's going through on his wing.) It was like a favourite piece of music, hearing that "whistle" of his wings as he "soared" about. And he's SO adept at making the turns from room to room too! To see him today, it's all but unbelievable that, just over a year ago, I was terrified at the very thought of him flying about the place. He'd had at least two run-ins with the window. And even in his old house, it was painful to watch when he'd try to use his wings. Of course, the window incidents were accidental, when he'd get out of his house and take to the air. And his old house was considered "large"... it's called a "flight cage"... but, to be honest, for "finches" and not doves. Still, today, Yonah is as much "at home" in ANY room in the house as he is in his own... and it's GLORIOUS!
And... when he wasn't flying about, he was out and toddling... several times I happened to notice that he was rather quiet and I'd only just heard him flying, and looking up, there I'd see my Little Guy, toddling off, out of the room, into the kitchen. And sometimes, he'd have gone to the front door. He's taken to going there and just looking out to the road... Watching the traffic? (Another reason why, "releasing" him at this juncture would mean certain harm... he's become accustomed to seeing traffic now, and would have NO idea WHAT to do as a vehicle approached. There's so much he's "lost" in his time here, with me... but then, he's got nothing to worry about because what-ever he wouldn't recognise as "danger" will never be around him to cause him any... and I see to that, to be sure!) Anyway, it's smile-worthy to see him standing there, at the screen door looking out.
There is one thing though, that I notice: If somebody comes round to the house, out front, he heads directly back to his house. He STILL has a distrust for people... and THAT is something I won't interfere with. Even though I'd like him to become comfortable with Deborah... in case I'd ever have to be away from him for any length of time. She's already said that she'd keep an eye on him. She's even offered space for him in her house where he'd be protected from the rest of the house-hold. But, generally, I'd like him to retain a healthy distrust of people... in general.
And so, our day went along as I got to my own tasks, and, when he wasn't out exploring, Yonah took it easy... time in his nest box. (I wonder, sometimes, how he manages... and does he actually get snoozes in whilst he's there. I hope I don't "keep him awake all day" if he wants to rest. Although, I take naps and he naps with... there's that much.)
This evening, after our meals (together, of course), we went out a bit later... Instead of 18.00, I waited until 18.30, hoping that it would be closer to the hour when the Yardies came round. And the sun was quite clear and brilliant and warm again this evening so, I got Yonah set-up out in the yard, where half of his house would be shaded and this evening, I came in, did the "water relay", got his house "settled" and then I pulled the kitchen chair to the back door to sit. I wanted to see if his Lady Dove would come by if I wasn't sitting there. Well... to my disappointment (and perhaps Yonah's too), the Yardies didn't show this evening! Ms. Lady did, but she came by, went to the feeder, had her fill and, by 19.30... she was gone... and that's when Yonah came in. Well? He got an hour of sun-shine today... and THAT'S IMPORTANT... We'll see what tomorrow evening brings. And I even have an old window screen under Yonah's house so there's a place for Ms. Lady to roost... should she wish. OK... "Trial and error", "Live and learn". One of these evenings... perhaps.
I'm trying to figure out how we'll do this come the cooler weather too, this "going out for sun-shine". Winter will be out of the question, assuredly. But in Winter, the sun comes directly into Yonah's windows so he'll benefit from that. Still... there will be cooler nights... I suppose it will be like all else he and I have come through: We'll learn when he get there.
This evening, when I brought him back in and placed his house on his futon and opened the door, I'd no sooner opened when he came hopping over, and OUT and AWAY... back to his house... and indeed... the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to the little reflection... a "checking-in" as it were. And as I got to closing his blinds and curtains, Yonah grabbed his "before seepie-nigh-night" snack. When I'd done with the windows... he was still eating. (WHAT AND APPETITE THERE... MY LITTLE GUY!) I put his night boards up, took his door perch off and closed his door... left the desk lamp on and let him finish his eating as I jotted his journal.
At 20.20 he was on his perch, at his night spot... so I went in, opened his door, leaned in... "Good night" kisses! YAY! My little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in for the night. And he was ready for a night's rest too. No hopping about tonight! But, he DOES appear to be much better, in better spirits lately. Sun-shine? Fresh out-door air? Seeing the other Little Ones? I don't know, can't say with any certainty, but we'll see what it does for that little "affliction" on his wing... and we'll hope... HOPE!
A warm night coming. And out-side, the Yardies and Little Ones of the wood-lands are all quiet... In-side, my Heart-and-Soul is safe and sound... for good, restful night's sleep... the way this "Creation" ought to be for him.
 Sunday 17 July:
(This evening, I'm on the back gallery, Yonah is in his "old house", we're "taking sun" together and I'm getting to jot today's journal entry whilst Yonah paces, as he does, waiting for the Yardies who might not come along until much later because it's SO hot and really rather humid. But the sun is shining in an almost cloudless sky and I won't deny my Little Guy an evening of sun-shine... especially now, with what-ever it is that he has going on with his wing)
That noted, as a HUGE heron flies over-head in the evening sky... today...
For me, it was another "five more minutes" before getting up and out of the bed, but for Yonah, it was 5.38 and that was time to get the day rolling! And so, with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and my "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" reply, I was up and in his room and opened his door... his curtains and blinds and, since I had plans to take his house apart this morning, for some serious cleaning, I took advantage of the couple of minutes and had a lie-down on his futon. AND... as I snoozed, he was UP AND OUT and ALL round about! SO much ENERGY.. and first thing in the morning! Andhe came over to "roost" on my leg for a moment or two and I guess he saw that I was dozing so... he was off... into the kitchen and then the living-room where, as I heard from his room, to "chat" with the decoys on the limb there.
About 10 minutes later, he came flying back into his house, and I heard him get a little bit to eat and then, from his door perch, it was time for me to get up and he let me know with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" Our day... was officially "open".
So I put the kettle on and made my morning coffee, checked the usual morning e-mails (mine and Yonah's), a check of the day's weather (clear and 30°) and... on to the tasks that waited almost patiently...
FIRST line of business this morning: CHECK YONAH'S RIGHT WING! And, I have to report that, although it doesn't appear to be what I would call "better" (though, admittedly, I have NO patience when it comes to ANYTHING "off" with Yonah), the area where the feather are "missing" seems to be only but the tiniest bit "longer", moving back toward his tail, but it doesn't look "worse" in that, it's not "open", there's no indication of any "skin involvement"... so I'm actually wondering if he's not moulting. (I checked this journal for "July" and "August" 2021... and he was moulting then... and I had NO idea WHAT that involved a year ago so I was all but despondent when I saw my little Heart-and-Soul looking so "torn". So now I can't help but wonder if this is just "moulting"... Birds don't drastically moult wing feathers, and NEVER all at once... so they can keep flying... Maybe?) None-the-less, I managed to apply a "proper" coating and soaking of Betadine on the area. If nothing else, it's clean and disinfected. And I'll keep watching and hope that by Wednesday, there's some sign of improvement or, indication that this is just moulting. (And even if it's "only" that, my heart still aches... even though Yonah's mood seems perfectly fine and he's flying about as if all is well. Then again... birds are famous for not showing pain or discomfort... It's all this "inability to actually know" that hurts me the most.)
Well then... "medication applied" and the patient up and about and all over the place... it was "time to attack the house"... and how I dreaded THAT! BUT... I was determined to get that Permethrin onto his house, to make SURE there are NO mites or such in there so... as my poor Little Guy watched-on... the trees came out and went into the shower whilst I took the trays of sand out... and the pool... and the bottom tray... and left nothing but the "cage". ALL of his sand went into the drive (discarded) and ALL of the trays got a good washing. Then, since the sun was bright and hot... they all went out to the yard where they all got a hefty coat of Permethrin" spray... and I let it dry on there... no rinsing. As I was doing the trays, I also brought out Yonah's nest box and gave THAT a thorough spray as well! That too, dried and baked in the sun today.
Oh... and a bowl of fresh river sand, already "boiled" thrice and "baked" twice, was in the oven at 400°F ALL the while I worked on everything else. (Not ready for today... but... It's "getting there".)
The "pool" got scrubbed and rinsed too and then... came the time to put things back the way they ought to be... and sadly... no "sand". (But fortunately, we have "High Calcium Grit" so that will "substitute" for the sand AND, it's healthier too!)
Major difference today? Single layer kitchen roll on the main, bottom tray. Just enough to "cover" so that the Permethrin isn't ALL over the place where Yonah can walk in it. And the 4 trays, two of which used to hold his "beach", got covered with a single layer of kitchen roll (after being sprayed with Permethrin. The pool went back in, the two trees too, and I paced rocks about to hold the kitchen roll down... since the window is open these days and breezes will blow the paper about.
It was WELL PAST NOON, when poor Yonah FINALLY got back to his house and his nest box and his "normalcy".
POOR LITTLE GUY! Starting a day with Betadine... house torn apart... the chaos and mayhem... then the Permethrin... only to go back to a house of "white"... It so reminded me of his earliest days when that's all I had to "line" his "cage" at the time. BUT today, he has a pool, a fountain, trees, perches, MUCH more space in his house AND... HE'S FREE to soar about the rest of the house, at will, for where-ever it is he wants to go! So... for a few days... the white will have to do. Besides, it'll help me... if there are ANY "parasites", they'll be easy to spot on the white paper. So... (and when the sands are thoroughly cleaned and sanitised, I'll be putting them back... my Little Guy needs his "beach").
As if that mayhem didn't suffice (we didn't get done until almost 15.00!), I FINALLY got to "finishing" Yonah's futon! It needed some slats on the arms to keep pillows and cushions from falling through and, since I was "in motion" and had already disturbed poor Yonah... I just moved right along with the drilling... and Yonah went right along, staring at me as though he was thinking me quite hopelessly mad (and he may be perfectly correct on that point). So now, sleeping on his futon will be SO much easier, more comfortable and quicker because I won't have to fiddle-about with boards and such! YAY!
Ah... next thing... Evening meal! And I got to mine rather later this evening. Yonah made sure he had his on time... and I was pleased and delighted to see that.
Because the sun was shining so nicely and in spite of the heat, there was the slightest breeze blowing... OUT WE WENT... TO THE YARD! And I went about a water relay (even though the water in his pool was relatively fresh... there's NEVER "too much" changing of the water for him) and... as I opened with... I brought a kitchen chair out to the back gallery and... well... here we are...
Ms. Lady Dove did come by at about 19.00... landed in the drive and toddled about, looking at me and then at Yonah... Yonah, mean-while, gave her SEVERAL calls of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and she just kept toddling along until about 19.20 when "her boy-friend" made and appearance and "called her away"... After that, it was just Yonah and me... and an old crow in the maples. So, at about 19.35 I figured it was time for us to head back in... Yonah had been out for about 90 minutes so....
Oddly, this evening, when we came back in, Yonah DID head right for his house and, of course, the little reflection in the little mirror, but instead of going for something to eat, he headed for his wall shelves! I had to coax him off and then he headed back to his house. And even as I closed the blinds and curtains, he went to his perch... and not his food. But I set his house for "seepie-nigh-night" and let him be, with the desk lamp on for a while longer... in case he wanted to eat something.
(Sadly, it was THEN that the doves came to the feeder... and Ms. Lady stood there, on the little roof... Well... as it runs now, Yonah gets only but about 8 hours of "rest" at night, and I'm to understand that 10-14 is their usual need so... as much as I might want to keep him out there for longer... especially now with his little "affliction", I want to make sure he gets proper rest so... He's "in for the night".)
As the day ended... I checked-in at 20.10... Yonah was on his perch, in his night spot. So, before it got too late, I said our "seepie-nigh-nights" and we got in a couple of "Good night" kisses. I can see that he's really not too happy with all the "white" in his house where all of his "beach" used to be. But, it's only for a little while. (That Permethrin is good for a couple of months... and there's sand waiting to be cleaned and sanitised so... we'll get to that promptly.) By 20.15, his light was out. But his fan is on for tonight... on the "exchange" setting, bringing in fresh air and drawing the room air out. 19° for tonight's "low"! The thermostat on the fan is set to turn off if the temperature drops below 23° so... he'll be comfortable over-night.
But, this day of madness and mayhem is closed... the week-end is done, and tomorrow, well, we'll deal with that when it presents as "today". For tonight, my little Heart-and-Soul is tucked-in... his house is clean and there's a bit of a defence against any little "parasites" that might have thought they'd found a safe haven. And with it, any that might have managed to get to my Little Guy will be gone in short order. For now, HE's safe... and all is calm for another night of rest.
Monday 18 July:
What a "delightfully dreary" day... rain... much-needed rain. And what made it all the better is that it gave Yonah and I a day to stay together, to relax to the sound of rain-drops on the roof out-side, and enjoy the cooler temperature.
He called, this morning, at 5.43. It was still rather "dark", because of the cloud cover, but, he knew it was "time", time to be up and about. We had a day ahead and he was ready to take it on, for what-ever it presented. And I was SO delighted to hear the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and my spirits were lifted when we had one of our "morning chats" as I got things together. The best of all was going into his room to see my Little Guy on his perch, still comfy, and his wing stretches... preparing for "take-off" when his door was opened and he had access to every bit of the house out-side his own. And when I leaned in for "Good morning kisses", there were plenty of those too so... my Heart-and-Soul was rested and healthy and rain, sun, what-ever could be, ALL was just WONDERFUL!
And this morning, I got a good look at that "area" on his right wing. I can't say that it's looking "better", but I'm taking comfort in the fact that it's NOT looking ANY worse. This morning, it's no larger than it was yesterday, AND, even MORE important, there's NO indication of any "abrasion" or infection. It's dry, no "strange colouration" (red, yellow, green, &c.). AND, as Yonah took flight to his wall shelves this morning, its not disturbing his ability to fly, so he's still able to get out of his house and around as he wants.
And he did make a couple of flights to the liivng-room during the day, and a couple to my shoulder when I was at this work table. There weren't too many flights though, today. Honestly, it was a day for rest and relaxation more than much else... some-what dark, with the rain. And even out-side, there were no Yardies. Everybody was tucked-in, roosting-away the rains. Yonah seemed so relaxed in his nest box today that I didn't put his "NatSpec" light on today. (I'm just SO grateful that he's been getting the sun-shine lately, so a day with-out might even be a welcome change for him.)
So for the day, it was us, together, me doing little things about the place, and us, taking advantage of a day where we could catch little snoozes... some together on his futon, and one where Yonah chose to stay in his next box... until he thought I'd dozed long enough and he called over "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" and waited for me to get up... so that he could fly over to the futon, and we could get in a few cuddles and some "Catch Me!"
I did a lot of working at the work table and Yonah did a lot of flying about the room... getting hi exercise and giving me a bit of peace of mind, knowing that what-ever it is that's happening on his wing, it isn't tampering with his energy nor his mobility.
Other-wise, the rains continued all through the day and all through the day, we were together.
We had our "evening meals" break at our usual time and then, we listened to a little of the day's news and had some cuddles.
I did a close check of his wing and I have to say, it appears that either it's slowed in progression or the Betadine is keeping it clean and healthy. It's not "better", but it's certainly not worse. Wednesday is the next "application"... if necessary... I'm hoping it won't be.
And so, since all the Yardies were off in their places of roosting for most of the day ( two mourning doves came by early in the evening, roosted on the power-line, one gave a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" or two and in short order, they were gone... the rains came back heavy), and there was only rain pouring this evening, we didn't get out into the yard. But, clear days and nights are to come, warm and perfect... we can skip one or two now. I'm just glad we get the time that we do get now.
At 19.35, the rains were coming strong, and Yonah was beginning to calm down so I got his windows closed and night boards up and by 19.40, he was in his house. He hadn't had his "snack" yet, so I left the desk lamp on but closed the door to his house (not his room). It was still early enough and I'd always rather he ate something before "tuck-in"... so his little crop isn't empty through the night. And the waters were changed shortly after we'd had our meals so... all was calm rather early. (Though, he DID, at one point, earlier on, head for his futon pillow and give a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" as if asking "Isn't it time to go to the yard?" I have to wonder if he isn't wondering why we broke our "new routine". He notices so much else.)
At 19.57... I was in the kitchen, working on today's Journal when came the "call"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". Yonah was already on his perch, at his night spot, and I saw that he'd had his "before tuck-in" snack. I was DELIGHTED! He ate! So, since he called me to let me know that "it was time to close the day", we got in our cuddles and kisses and, at 20.05 my little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in snug for the night, as the rain tapped out-side his window.
It was a wonderful day together with my Little Guy, and so nice, in contrast to all the activity of yesterday, and late tuck-in and such. So tonight, we get to make up for rest time lost yesterday, and get ready for what-ever tomorrow is holding for us.
Tuesday 19 July:
OH! What a DAY! If, at 5.58 this morning, we'd had any idea... but even with the 30-plus degree heat, and the humidity, Yonah took it all in stride, from first "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" right through to "seepie-nigh-night". (No matter "the world", he's the closest to actual "Divine inspiration" that any-body could hope for in their life... to be absolutely certain.)
And, at 5.58, this morning, he was well-rested, FULL of kisses and energy, and SO ready to FLY, almost as soon as I'd opened the door to his house! It was SUCH a relief to see him so well, so early in the morning. And as I went along, rolling his house about whilst I opened the curtains and blinds to the early morning sun-rise, we had quite a wonderful chat, back and forth. As I say: no matter the day, as long as my Heart-and-Soul is good, nothing else in Creation matters to me!
And, I have to say that that "spot" of "odd feathers" on his wing is actually looking a bit "better" today! I'm going to give it today, and, of course, check it tomorrow and see whether a third application of Betadine is necessary. I don't want to put too much of that on him because (a) he picks at it and it runs the risk of him ingesting and (b) it absorbs into his skin and there's iodine and other ingredients in there that I'd rather he didn't have in his system. So, if what we've done is sufficient... we shall see. I'm just relieved to see it all showing some "improvement". (But he's still going to the doctor next month, no matter what. There's just too much that could be "off" with-out giving any obvious indications, and the "feathers" could be something other than "external". I'm taking NO chances! But WOW! Am I feeling almost useless again, these days, not "knowing" what's what. Above ALL else, I do NOT want my little Heart-and-Soul in ANY sort of discomfort and that's foremost on my mind... always.) I just hope and (yes... I do...) "pray", and do my best. Hey, my "instincts" got us this far... may they hold true... ALWAYS.
And WHAT A HOT DAY IT BECAME TODAY! I don't know HOW Yonah handles it... 30° in his room, and the humidity rose as the time passed. But he just takes it as though all is well. I keep in mind that mourning doves' "healthy" body temperature can be around 105°F (as I've read), that's about 40°C so, 30° must still be "comfy-cool" to Yonah. (That might explain why he didn't spend the day in his pool? I was a mess in the heat... but, again, my "inspiration" made me take hold of it all and just go on along. Honestly, I believe Yonah came into my "existence" to TEACH ME HOW to simply "live and accept". And he IS the BEST teacher, example and inspiration of ALL-possible!)
And we had eggs today too! A little extra protein (since his current mixture has peanuts and sun-flower seeds in it) and vitamin D! And I've discovered the "secret" to getting him to eat the egg: crumble it and put it on top of his regular food so he has to pick through it to get to the seeds he prefers. I have to say that he DID manage to eat about 1/4 of a yolk today. I suppose that's "OK". There are more eggs for another time, so, ANY is better than none. And for vitamin D, we ARE making it an "evening routine" now, to get out into the sun-shine. (More for his health AND I'm watching to see if it makes a difference in those feathers.)
So, as the heat rolled in during the day, window open and fan moving the air around, the two of us dealt with it all as best we could (though Yonah did MUCH better than I). And I managed to get a "lie-down" in... and Yonah joined me for the earlier part but then went back to his nest box. I'm glad for that though, now that there's the "Permethrin" on it and if there's "residue", just that little bit will manage to make it through on his feathers... not a lot, but, between what's on the box and what might "rub off", if there are ANY parasites... that should take care of some, at least. And in this heat, I'm sure the Little Ones of the wood-lands were doing similar: roosting some-where where they're safe and can snooze the day along. So, here, we were both doing what Nature intended on hot, humid days... taking it easy, taking it in stride.
OH! THE NEW FOOD ARRIVED... AT LAST! "Kaytee Supreme" dove food! There are "seeds" in there that are obviously just too large for Yonah to swallow BUT... I opened the bag and mixed a "scoop" in with the food mix that he usually eats and he saw me "fidgeting" with his food and came FLYING over to my shoulder to see what was going on. So I held the dish next to him AND... after a couple of "glances" and some "random pecks", HE WENT RIGHT FOR IT! SITTING ON MY SHOULDER, HE WAS EATING AS THOUGH HE HADN'T EATEN ALL DAY! I was SO HAPPY to see him actually ENJOY IT! It was one of those moments that people will write in "product reviews" that are often just "too good" to be believable. But, HE TRULY DOES ENJOY THIS MIX! So... Next mix, and from now on, we include "Supreme" with the other 4 seed mixes! Vitamins! Minerals! Good stuff! And plenty of it! (It's as I DO say: NOTHING is "too good" for my little Heart-and-Soul, and NOTHING is "good enough" for him.) Now, if only I could get him to eat "vegetable chop". But, with all the nutrients in all of the mixes... at least there's that much he's getting. And, so far... 21 months, it looks like he's doing pretty well. We'll keep trying though. (The doctor visit will tell us more...)
One note here: I DID call the "Customer Service" number on the bag... for "Kaytee", BEFORE I offered ANY of it to Yonah... to ask where they get the seeds in the mixture from. The woman I spoke with was amazingly caring, kind, compassionate AND informative! My question was, "Do ANY of the ingredients come from China?" (THAT is a particular concern of mine, and the reason I do NOT buy "toys" of ANY kind for Yonah now... I've yet to find ANY that aren't from China or made with "imported materials"... which, as my inquiries have shown, are "imported" from China. I'll have NONE of that in my Little Guy's environment.)
Kaytee seeds are from Wisconsin! (Except, of course, seeds like "Niger", which just doesn't grow in Wisconsin... nor in the US, for that matter.) AND, everything is processed in Wisconsin. Kaytee has been in business for over 100 years. ALL so comforting! AND, as I say, the woman with whom I spoke was SO compassionate when I told her how important Yonah is to me.
Here we have it: * RECOMMENDATION *! The package has a sticker that reads "Veterinarian Recommended". Well... I concur !!!
As for the rest of the day, I have to say that, at 30° and above, we had a rather "quiet" sort of time of it. Yonah was really rather "animated" during all of the heat. It was remarkable to see just how energetic and playful he was in this heat. AND OH! SO MUCH LOVE AND KISSES AND TIME TOGETHER! He was flying all over the place, and no matter where I was... he wanted to be on my shoulder, pecking at my ear! It was GRAND!
And this evening, after meal, we did manage to get about an hour out in the evening sun. But I made certain to maintain a "shaded" half of Yonah's enclosure. (I just can't call these things "cages"... even though that one, Yonah's "old house" is more a "cage" than his current "residence".) The heat and humidity were brutal tonight. But YONAH? He didn't seem to mind it at all! Sadly... no Yardies though. It was just too hot for them... until just before sun-set, by which time, Yonah was already back in HIS room!
And bringing him back in is such an experience in itself... I no sooner put his "old house" on his futon, open the door and WOOSH... he's up, out and into his house... and to the little mirror and the reflection: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!", telling the tale of being out in the yard.
It's SO obvious that he KNOWS that he's back in HIS room. And he's comfortable in HIS room. He KNOWS that it's HIS home, and he's SO happy to be back.
And this evening's "tuck-in"? I closed blinds and curtains, Yonah had his snack and... we rolled right along to light off at 20.04. My Little Guy had quite a day... in the heat (though he obviously found it most comfortable). And I had another PERFECTLY WONDERFUL day with him. Tomorrow? More heat to come but, with the "inspiration" from my Heart-and-Soul... we'll handle that too. We'll be just fine... together.
Wednesday 20 July:
It was quite a brutally hot night, last, and I didn't get much sleep through, so, this morning, when Yonah called, at about 5.30, I'd only just managed to doze-off may 2 hours before. Needless to say, I was quite tired. But, Yonah called, my little Heart-and-Soul was up and ready for the day so, I got up to make sure that his blinds and curtains were open to the day and, more important, the door to his house was open so that he could move about to where-ever he wanted to go.
Obviously, the heat didn't phase my Little Guy in the least, nor did the soft droning of his window fan, running all through the night (just to make sure that it didn't become horrendously hot and stuffy in his room, and to make sure that the air there was circulating all the while) because he was up, and ready to go when I got to him. And, our usual morning kisses and snuggles too. No matter how tired I could possibly be, my heart just dances when Yonah is well, especially in the morning.
But instead of "opening house" and getting to the "morning routine", the water relay and such, once I knew that Yonah wasn't "confined", I put a light blanket down on his futon and had, what I intended to be, a 30-minute lie-down. 2 hours later... I woke to the "call" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". POOR LITTLE GUY! It must have seemed so strange to him to see me actually come in, open his door and go directly to "snooze". He was on his door perch, just over my head, literally staring at me. Well, Yonah called, so it must have been time for me to get on with the business of the day, and, I have to say that, seeing him there, looking at me, made me smile. He was "watching"... me and the clock! (I wouldn't doubt that for a briefest moment... I've come to know that he KNOWS... time, events, routines, so, it's as I say: This morning didn't follow what was expected; he was curious.)
First line of business for me though, this morning, especially since I'd gotten that little "extra", but much-needed rest, was: WING CHECK! I have to say that it looked quite improved! Not as "raggéd", torn, "chewed". The feathers don't appear to be growing back, but the feathers that are there are looking healthier. Perhaps what-ever it was that "got at them" is gone... In any case, I'm passing on today's "planned application of Betadine. We'll give it another day. I don't want Yonah ingesting iodine, and I don't like the idea of it being absorbed into his system. He's not showing any signs of being "ill"... He's FULL of energy and flying about so... I'll give it a little while longer. (And seeing the condition of things gave me some more MUCH-needed energy of my own!)
It was, over-all, another REALLY HOT day today. The temperature reached an "oppressive" 34° at it's hottest. (Well, for me, it was "oppressive". For Yonah, it seemed to be just right. He was in flight, here and there and all over the house again today. I don't know HOW he does it. But, I do keep in mind that his "regular body temperature" is around 40° so... Still... it was HOT!). I went about my own daily chores, tasks and routine ever-so slowly, and Yonah seemed to notice the slowness... and kept coming over to me, as if checking: "Are you OK?" It lifted me so much and kept me going.
Of note today? Well, I had to step out of the house for about an hour, in the early after-noon and, when I came back, I came in through the back door this time. As I approached the door, I cleared my throat, expecting to give my usual "call" when I opened the door BUT... THE VERY SECOND I OPENED THE DOOR, YONAH CAME FLYING FROM HIS ROOM TO MEET ME! HE MUST HAVE HEARD ME COUGH OUT-SIDE AND HE RECOGNISED THAT IT WAS ME! I know that he responds to my voice when he's out-side in the evening. I'll stand at the kitchen window, mostly to "observe" him and the other doves out there, and if I say anything to him (as I do... "Call the other woo-hoo's. Where are they?") he looks directly up at the window, in the direction of my voice, and he stares, looking for me. And, when I'm in another room and call, he'll fly to a place where he can see me. So yes, he recognises my voice! (I've read, in several sources, that mourning doves can recognise one particular dove's call in an entire flock and/or in the wild so... there's the evidence, and I couldn't be more HUMBLED and PRIVILEGED that my little Heart-and-Soul recognises my voice and a simple sound of my clearing my throat. Yeah... we're a "ONE". That's literally my Heart-and-Soul.)
Well then, hot as it was all day, after we had out evening meals together, we headed out to the yard at 18.3 for a bit of evening sun-shine. (I have to wonder if the sun-shine isn't helping the condition of those feathers... vitamin D and who knows what else it must be doing for Yonah.) But this evening, when I was getting things together, Yonah headed to his futon and to the little "dove pillow" and gave it a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" I decided to try something different this time, and put the little pillow into the "old house" and as soon as I got Yonah in there, he went directly to it. And out-side? He seemed SO much more at ease. Much less of his usual "pacing". And he'd go over as if "checking on things" with the little pillow-dove. "Company"? Familiar company? Well, it turned-out that it was probably a good idea because the Yardies didn't come round until well after 19.30 and when they did come, they went directly to the food. There were 6 of them at one point, all vying for the food at the feeder, and NONE of them even acknowledging Yonah. So, at 19.30, we came back in. It was quite a long while out there but, a LOT of Yonah's place was in the full shade of the house and there were a few passing clouds to break the heat and light of the brilliant sun-shine. (Although, to be honest, Yonah seemed to SO enjoy the light and heat... though again, I'll never know HOW).
I'd done the water and such while Yonah was in the yard so when he came in, all we needed to do was get to the windows and the night boards. The "low" for the night was forecast for 22°! So, the fan stayed on, the other window stayed open, all the way. The blinds closed to the top of the fan and over the open window... curtains open. The back board would provide any needed protection from wind and such, should we have any during the night.
When I opened Yonah's door on the "old house", he went directly, as he does, into his house and to the little mirror and then up to his food. I went to attend to things in the kitchen... giving him time to eat a little something. Well! At 20.00 on the mark... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... When I looked in, Yonah was on his door perch. I walked in and gave him some kisses and asked:
"Are you ready for seepie-nigh-night?"
He flew directly up to his perch and to his "night spot"! He was ready for tuck-in and he'd called to me... I needed to turn the light off and just get things in order of a night's rest! (I keep saying: HE'S BRILLIANT! And I keep reminding: HE WAS BORN INTO THE WILD... THERE'S NOTHING "DOMESTIC" ABOUT HIM... AND HE'S ASTOUNDINGLY BRILLIANT! THAT'S MY AWE!)
20.06 Tucked in ... We made it through another day... and hopefully, we'll make it through another night together. It was a "slow" sort of day... the heat and such. But it was GLORIOUS!!! As EVERY day with my Heart-and-Soul is. And tonight, he has HIS fan circulating the air in HIS room. It draws in filtered air from the night out-side his window, fresh and clean. And he has fresh food and water... and a new mixture of food that he obviously enjoys... and he's protected from predators... and the elements... no matter what... just the way it all ought to be and will be... so long as I draw breath!
Thursday 21 July:
"GOOD MORNING!"... 5.25 and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! We DID make it through another night and there was a day ahead worth facing... because my Little Guy was UP, awake, and CALLING! And it was still quite warm and so humid. (Sometimes I wonder if Yonah isn't part "tropical" some-how. I looked out the window on my way into his room and there were 2 doves having a quick breakfast out-side but, for the most part, they've been almost scarce these days, since the heat settled-in. Yonah? He's been in the BEST sort of mood and FULL of SO MUCH ENERGY! "Inspiration" to me... to keep going, I have to say.)
And yes, indeed, when I got into his room, there he was, ready and waiting for me. OH!... kisses "Good morning" and as soon as his door was open, he was "off and away"! IT WAS ANOTHER GRAND AND GLORIOUS DAY! MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL WAS WELL-RESTED AND FULL OF ENERGY! And for me, that's ALL I need to see and know for a day!
WELL! It turned into another quite hot day today. 31° in Yonah's room and I had things to do round the rest of the house (though, thankfully, not many) and a LOT of work to be done at the work table. So we go ourselves into gear, as it were and went on about what was necessary for each of us. And Yonah was ALL OVER THE HOUSE! In his room... the kitchen, for several little strolls, and even out to the living-room where this morning, he surprised me when he toddled over to the front screen door and when the letter carrier arrived, as she does each morning, instead of heading either to the corner and his limb or back to his room, HE ACTUALLY WALKED OVER TO THE DOOR AS IF TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT WHAT WAS GOING ON OUT-SIDE! AND HIS USUAL LITTLE "TODDLE", THIS MORNING, LOOKED MORE LIKE A "CONFIDENT STRUT" !!! It appears he's TRULY become comfortable... this entire house is HIS territory and he's going to take advantage of every bit of it. (And I couldn't be happier if I tried!)
Through the day, the sun shone, and the breeze continued to blow... infrequently but, we had the fan on, doors and windows open, and I attended, mostly, to affairs at the work table. And now and again, I went for a lie-down on his futon, a little "shut-eye" but never really a "snooze" because today, Yonah wasn't about to let me "snooze the day away". EVERY time I got my head on the pillow, he was right there, and today, MOST of the time, at a place where he could stare directly at my face! And when I opened my eyes... WING SNAP! HE WANTED TO PLAY! WELL! OF COURSE WE PLAYED! "Catch Me!" and all sorts of little games... including "Cuddles and Snuggles and Kisses"! It was a day of FULL ENERGY... for Yonah. (Me? I was under the heat and humidity, to be honest. But, as I say: My Little Guy is my inspiration to persevere. NOTHING is "impossible" with my little Heart-and-Soul around! We can handle EVERYTHING!
And that's pretty much how the rest of the day went; me trying to do the house-hold tasks and Yonah... being the FEATHERED LITTLE BUNDLE OF LOVE AND LIFE THAT HE IS... AND THAT HE IS PERFECT AT BEING!
This evening, after meal, we went out to the yard, at about 18.30. There were clouds in the sky, threatening to cover the sun-shine, but the weather report showed no signs of storms so we took the chance and it was good that we did because, there WAS sun-shine! And the "brisk" breezes of earlier had calmed toward the "gentle" side and it really was delightful, and, thanks to the earlier rain, cooler than it had been all day. So Yonah's stand was set up.
Some-how, this evening, he didn't seem as anxious to go out as he's been recently. But, when I got him into his "old house" he seemed agreeable and so, we went out. (And while he was out, I did the water relay AND got the sheet from his futon washed and on the line to dry over-night! I don't do that during the day because, well... "poops" on the mattress. I DO need to get another sheet. I didn't because I wasn't sure that this one was the right size and didn't know whether Yonah would approve of the grey colour. Well, it is the right size and he DOES approve so... another sheet, on the shopping list so I can simply swap on "laundry day".) That said...
He was out there for about 20 minutes before the "flock of 4" arrived, toddling down the drive, and Yonah had been rather quiet this evening, until they showed. He paced a bit. They made their way to the feeder and, for a while, EVERYbirdie in the yard was dining. What I don't understand is how they can be so close to one-another, and it seems nobody really pays any attention to Yonah... and after a while, he doesn't pay any attention to them either. But they all ate. ("A good time was had by all." one imagines.)
Done with eating, they all left and I was about to bring Yonah back in when the one "Lady Dove" returned to the feeder. I won't disturb ANY of the Little Ones when they're eating, so Yonah got to stay out a bit longer. The sun was setting, there was still quite a lot of day-light though, and it was getting cooler so I didn't have to worry about him getting TOO much such or heat.
It was 19.43 when Yonah called... "Time to come in." All the Yardies had left, apparently for the night, and my poor Little Guy was out there all alone! SO... In we came and again, this evening, as soon as I'd opened the door to his "old house", on the futon, he took flight and headed right for "home"... and the little mirror... and the little "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" (HONEY! I'm HOME!). And whilst he re-acquainted with the little dove in the mirror, I got busy on closing house for the night. (Again, tonight, I'll leave the fan on and the other window open, though not completely, as tonight's low is expected to be 19°... a difference from last night's 22°!) And as I worked on the windows, Yonah headed to his roof-top where, when I was finished with my tasks, I lifted him, caressed him in cupped hands, gave all sorts of kisses and gently brought him over to his ledge for snacks. (He's so funny when I do that. He hops out of my hands, onto the ledge, and gives the strangest little tilts of his head as if wondering:
"How did I get HERE? I didn't fly. I didn't walk. One minute I'm on my roof-top, the next, here I am in the house!"
I do wonder what he makes of the change though. Thankfully, it's not traumatic.
Once he'd settled-in, I closed the door to his house and left him alone to have his "before tuck-in snack". He did eat when he was out-side, but I DO feel better when I know that he doesn't go to sleep at night, hungry. And so... at about 20.20, I went back in to check... and, there he was, on his perch, settled-down, settled-in for the night. Kisses, of course, and all sorts of "seepie-nigh-night", as much as it still pains me at the close of the day, I turn the desk lamp off for my Little Guy, so he can get a good night's restful sleep. (I know he's not getting that "10-14 hours these days, but, he wakes when he's ready... and I still bet that if I were to let him, he'd stay up and awake all through the night. If we could both tolerate it... time with Yonah is always so short... I'd stay awake with him from now until we both took out last breath!) But, as things are and life is... sleep, restful sleep... and restful, healthy, healthful sleep.
This evening... I can't understand how, but, on that "spot" on his wing, ANOTHER FEATHER is growing in in a "reverse" direction. Instead of laying flat against his wing, it grows out-ward and "back-ward" of sorts! It wasn't that way all day and I was SO hopeful that the condition was improved. Well, resolution for tonight: another application of Betadine tomorrow... if for no other reason, to keep the area clean and, since the previous applications DID make an improvement, well... it's been a few days since the last application. Tomorrow should be OK... We'll apply in the morning and keep careful watch.
I only HOPE that he's not in ANY discomfort at all. In 2 weeks from today, we have the appointment with the veterinarian... My insides are knotted with worry, and hope... HOPE. Just that my little Heart-and-Soul isn't in even the slightest discomfort... that's what I want. And I hope that the veterinarian will tell me, honestly, that this will be fine with Yonah's next moult. Mean-while...
Tonight, I know his house is clean, the "Permethrin" is still there, working (in the back-ground) to keep mites and such away. There's REALLY GOOD, HEALTHFUL food and fresh water immediately available. His fan will keep the air moving, bringing in filtered from the out-side... and... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE... he'll have a peaceful, restful night ahead... my Little Guy... my little Heart-and-Soul.
Friday 22 July:
OO! What a day! I was up BEFORE my Little Guy, this morning! And last night, before "closing house" for the night, it was comfortable enough so that I could stop his fan, so he had a nice, quiet night for resting. And at 5.57... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and OH... did we CHAT this morning! Back and forth and forth and back until ... yes... "woo-HOO!"
But my little Heart-and-Soul was rested, and in good spirits! THAT, IS ALL THAT MATTERED TO ME! He'd had a good night's rest and he was in good health... HE CALLED!
Oddly though, this morning, he wasn't on this "night perch" when I got to opening his door. And all his "poops" were in the corner! He'd slept in the corner of his house! When he doesn't sleep in his usual place, I wonder... and am concerned. But, he had kisses, though I had to lean in farther. And as soon as I got to removing night boards and opening windows, he was up and about... in his house, on the door perch as I ran the morning water relay. Still, I WORRY! Of course I do.
Last night, I'd washed the futon sheet and put it on the line and this morning, it was dry enough to put back on! Just goes to show what the night was like: warm and dry, so I got right to putting his room back to the way it's supposed to be.
That spot on his wing looked pretty good this morning, but as the day progressed, it started looking a touch "off"... so today... another application of Betadine. Today is the THIRD application. I'm hoping it's the last, but we still have another 2 weeks before the doctor. But looking at it, it just looks as though the feathers there are growing in all sorts of different directions! That's the way it "looks". Well? If necessary, we'll just have to push the appointment up. I WILL NOT have my Heart-and-Soul in ANY discomfort!
But, he's got energy... he's been all over the room today, as I worked at the work table. And I tried, twice, to have a "lie-down" and both times, he wasn't having that. My head was on the pillow and he was on my head... and playing with my hand! Still, birds... they just don't show their pain, and that breaks me. Makes me worry all the more. For now, the best I can do is watch him and that spot. Thankfully, there's no signs of parasites. Though, at the same time, it makes me wonder about "worse". "Time"... We've made it through the "attack" and the after-math... we'll make this too... WE WILL!
And so the day rolled on, with sun-shine that actually made its way in through Yonah's windows! Briefly, but brilliantly. And there was, to break the heat and humidity, the slightest breezes now and again, to give us both, a little reprieve.
And although he really was quite active all through the day, there's obviously something that's either "bothering" or some-how "annoying" my Little Guy. He was spending quite a bit of time, quietly, in his nest box. That "spot" on his right wing seems to be a little bit larger than it's been, and THAT has me MOST troubled! It's not stopping him from flying about! To be sure, he flew a LOT today, as I worked at the table. And there were a LOT of "wing snaps" for attention, affection and play. He's not what one might call "lethargic" in any way. Maybe it's the heat and humidity? After all, out-side, the Yardies aren't flocking to the feeder like they did before all of this heat. And even the mornings are quieter than they have been... the Little Ones aren't "singing" and "calling" from the trees. Yonah isn't showing any "signs" of being ill. His poop is as regular as could be. Yes, it's a little less "globular". Instead of the little "balls" of browns and whites, it's more the likes of a little "rope-like" strand. And it's wetter than it used to be. But then , he IS drinking more ateer of late. And I would imagine that's to be expected in this heat. I'm rather glad though, that I decided to put another application of Betadine on his wing today. At least I can be pretty sure that that area is disinfected. Now, if only I knew, or could have ANY idea just WHAT is happening there. (The two weeks until his doctor visit now seem SO FAR OFF in the future! But, if things take a "turn" for any worse... we'll be in the truck and on the road... Emergency. No matter what!)
This evening, we took our "evening meals" break, together. Yonah didn't eat as much as he often does, but he IS eating. Tonight, I'm going to get back to the "old" mixture of his food, just in case it's something in there now that he doesn't like. In his dish is a mixture of his "basic" with some of the "new"... "Supreme" and a mixture that has peanuts and sun-flower seeds in it. Maybe there's something in there that he doesn't like... perhaps it's too much "variety". As it is today and always has been: I'm just so stupid when it comes to actually "knowing" what he thinks, likes, dislikes in SO many respects, so I can only depend on "trial and error". And there's NO question as to whether or not and/or how much, how far I'll do/go to make sure he's happy and healthy. As I say: we've come this far... we have a LONG way yet to go... together.
After meals, it was time to head out-side. If one thing I DO want to be sure of, it's that Yonah gets his sun-shine now, whilst we may. And this evening, again, I put his little dove pillow in with him and he DOES seem to be more relaxed with that in his old house, with him. By 18.10 he was out in the yard and as the sun came along into him, he nestled in it... tail feathers splayed to take-in the light, warmth... and the "UV" he needs. Vitamin D this evening! And he ate a bit. And what's in his dish is the original mix... and he ate VERY well. (Telling me that yes, I have to work on the next mix... and "introduce" the new "Supreme". He does like his "tried and true" and if that's the case, that's what he shall have. And we'll figure some way to compensate for what-ever vitamins and minerals he needs (since he REALLY is NOT fond of cod liver oil in his food... my Sweet Little Guy).
At about 18.45, I was sitting on a kitchen chair, just in-side the back screen door, getting today's Journal entry down, and as I typed, I heard Yonah call: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and, off in the distance, a reply of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". As I looked up, "the evening flock" was arriving! It was almost as though Yonah called and they heard him and knew that their "dinner was served"! I'm SO hoping that they come to recognise Yonah's call and associate it with meal-time AND that they become comfortable enough to visit with him when he's out there. If they do and Yonah is "OK" with them, it will settle my query: I WILL be getting another dove as his companion!
That said, in the flock (of 4 doves, this evening), Yonah's "Lady Caller" came along and she had a bit to eat and then went, as she does, to the end of the back walk where she stood, for quite a while. Yonah notices her and began his usual pacing. It's painful for me, with Yonah in his house, unable to be with the rest. But the reality is: out there, if anything should happen, the others can fly away... Yonah probably can't keep up and, well, no... I won't play with Fate. So... one of these days, maybe one or more of the flock will come over to his house and thy can have "together" time that way. For now, as long and as often as we can, going out after evening meal will be our "routine".
Well, another 90-minute evening in the sun, this. And at 19.33 I looked out the kitchen window to see if any of the Yardies were about and to my surprise... THERE WAS A CARDINAL ROOSTED ON THE CORNER OF YONAH'S HOUSE! AND YONAH? HE WAS JUST SORT OF RESTING THERE, PAYING NO ATTENTION TO THE CARDINAL. The "Lady Dove" was on the feeder, staring at Yonah... and honestly, he wasn't really paying her much mind either. But, sadly, the cardinal must have seen me come to the window and took off. And shortly after, "Lady Dove" did the same... leaving my Little Guy alone out there as the sun set behind the Western mountains. So... at 19.47 ("7.47" on the analog clocks) I called out: "Are you ready to come in for seepie-nigh-night?" and Yonah perked right up. Apparently he was, indeed. I went out to get him and as soon as I brought him back into his room and opened the door to his little house, he looked at the dove-pillow and said:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo".
As if to say "We're back home now, you and me."
And with that, I put the pillow back on the futon with his other pillows and Yonah flew up and into his house. I closed his blinds and curtains, put up the night boards, desk lamp on... Yonah got a drink of water (fresh, because I'd done the water relay when he went out this evening) and came to his door perch... for kisses. And when those were done, he headed up to his perch. I got his door closed, his house was all set for the night, and left him for a while to have his snack. (And his food is now the regular mix with a bit of the new "Supreme" mixed in for the added vitamins.)
At 20.0 I peeked in from the kitchen... to see where Yonah was. Moments earlier, he'd been at his food and now he was on his perch so... I went in, opened his door, leaned in for "Good night kisses". He was ready for "tuck-in". Out-side, all the Yardies, save about 2 sparrows, had already left for the night. It was time for "everybirdie" to get "roosted" and so, my Little Guy was all safe and sound for the night. His fan was on for air circulation (to be turned off later when the night cools... 19° tonight, so his other window is half open... curtains open, blinds closed). He was set.
And so, we closed another day together. And tomorrow? Saturday! No "agenda" for me other than going through his photos of late AND, as I noticed today, some older photos in his Journal that seem to have gotten "lost" in the "re-make" we did a little while ago. But other than that? TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER DAY!
A "closing note" this evening:
I did more research on "wings" and "feathers" and "moulting" whilst Yonah was out-side. I'm more prone to thinking that what he's going through right now very well might just be that: moulting. There's a "pattern" to the feathers that are coming out, and the shape and location of the "spot". And since it's only on one wing, and birds don't moult feathers on both wings at the same time, of course, because they need the feathers for flight, no matter what, and he's about due for a "wing moult" because this would be his first "real" moult" there, that might just be what's happening there. So I just have to keep a careful watch on what's going on with him now and hope. But it has put me a little bit at a "consolation"... for now. He doesn't appear to be in "discomfort". It doesn't appear to effect his general mood. Though the other moultings did, but they were considerably more drastic... face, head, neck, tail. So, there's a bit of "assurance". Still, I'll be watching for new feathers to come in... and hope that they do so soon... for both of us.
My little Heart-and-Soul will have ALL the "care and attention" he can possibly get, to make sure that ALL of his days are "the BEST of days" for him... so long as we both take breath... and I will take breath... so long as he takes breath.
Saturday 23 July:
The morning hadn't really even gotten started out-side in the world when, 5.19 and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" came floating through the house. My Heart-and-Soul was up and ready to FLY! So I replied, in kind, wondering, really, if he was just "calling" or if he really was ready to get moving. His reply was immediate and just as long! So we had a little "volley" of coo's, back and forth, and I prepared me to prepare for him. (I was just getting dressed for the day when he'd called.)
Oh, when I got into his room, over to his house and opened the door for "Good morning" kisses... and as I leaned in for the fist "peck", RIGHT IN MY FACE, another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" AND ANOTHER right after! ANd when I backed away and said "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" he answered with his "woo-HOO!" It was, to me, AMAZING! I remember, so well, the very first time he coo'ed after being i the house, recovering, for WEEKS. I was literally in TEARS with JOY. And now, he's SO comfortable with and around me that he COO'S, BOLDLY, FACE-TO-FACE! It's REALLY "AWE-FULL"!
Then too, once i got the blinds open and opened his window completely, he heard another dove out-side and gave a HEARTY "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" to that one... and, for a moment, it seemed they were having a chat between them.
No matter... my HEART-AND-SOUL WAS WELL AND FINE THIS MORNING! AND... I managed to get a GOOD look at that "area" on his wing this morning and evn THAT was looking "improved"! I am SO HOPING that it truly is nothing but moulting! It very well might be... I'm hoping with my all that it doesn't get "worse" between now and his doctor appointment! (But if it does? We're on the road to have it attended... "Emergency"! Thta's all there is to that.)
As for today... well... I happened to discover a LOT of images that had gone "missing" in Yonah's Journal after the "clean-up" of several weeks ago and so, from first thing this morning, all through the HOT, HOT day (30-plus degrees in Yonah's room), I was at the work table, sorting, searching, re-coding.. and Yonah? When he wasn't on his door perch beside me, he was on my shoulder, or on the little shelf on the work table or SOME-WHERE CLOSE BY. Today truly was a "TOGETHER" day for us. And I tried to get a little lie-down in... three times, during the day and Yonah was NOT having it! No sooner did I lay on his futon... he was right beside me, again, with the "face-to-face... He wanted to play, he wanted kisses, he wanted "together time"! So... my "lie-downs" were pretty much only just that. No snoozing today!
AND... he has a new "toy": the un-ravelled threads from a white flannel blanket... They were loose from the beginning, it being so old and "well-abused" overr the years, and yesterday I saw him pecking and pulling at the little "ball of threads" so, I cut it loose and he had the GREATEST time... tossing it all about! And today, he wa carrying it back and forth in the room as I worked! SO... I've found what I need to get him! And when he was done "playing" with it... it went into his nest box. Oh yes... we're off to find yarns and the likes for him now! (And a nice aspect of that is that, when he'd dropped this into the pool, it's too big to clog the fountain! And, it dries rather quickly! Win-Win!)
So the day went on... and the next thing I saw, I was being "reminded" that it was "evening meals" time! Yonah was eating and I put my own meal together and we dined...
At 18.30 the sun was shining, but it was SO HOT, but, Yonah getting sun-shine is one of THE MOST important matters of my day now, so, I got the house settled and we went out for a little evening sun. It was really quite amazing to see, but as soon as Yonah was set, his old house on the rack, he headed directly for the sunny corner and SPLAYED his feathers! 31° and he was soaking in as much of it all as he possibly could! I don't know HOW he does it, but, he obviously LOVES it! Well, if it means he's getting enough for his vitamin D requirements, I'm just as DELIGHTED as I could be. AND HE LOOKS ABSOLUTLEY *** REGAL *** when he splays wings and tail! The browns, blacks, greys, white... It really is rather breath-taking. And knowing that he's SO comfortable and enjoying it makes it all the better to see. (And, I'm hoping that the sun-shine will help keep him in good health and his feathers in top condition too!)
I brought a chair out onto the back gallery to keep him company... there wasn't a Yardie in sight this evening. And, oddly, there was still a LOT of food left in the feeder from last night's serving. It's been so hot that even the rodents haven't been round to steal a meal. For me, it was horrifically hot. But... there was my Little Guy, lounging and luxuriating as I sat on the side-line.
At 19.15, I was stilling quietly, working on today's journalling when I heard the unmistakable "whistle" of wings... TWO of the other doves came to the roof and were looking at Yonah! I sat, just typing and in a moment, they took off... one to the drive and the other to eat. And Yonah? He called to them with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" and then a "woo-HOO!" I DO wish at least one would be curious enough to go "visit" with Yonah so I could see his reaction (and know better, if a "companion" for him would be appreciated). Oh well... We have more evenings out... maybe one of them will work out.
By 19.45 the sun was behind a bit of clouds and it seemed that ALL the Yardies who were coming to dine this evening had come, dined and departed... Yonah got a bit more than an hour out this evening (and the "recommendations" read "between 11 and 45 minutes at least" so... we filled THAT order). I got up an moved my things into the house and went back out for my Little Guy who was obviously ready to com inside for the night... He actually looks a bit excited when I get him to come in... He knows: a snack and some well-deserved rest is to follow!
And so, in we came, and this evening, when I got him to his futon and opened the door, he headed, as he does, into his house, to the little mirror, for a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo... Honey, I'm home." but... BUT.. he was in such a hurry, it seemed, to get out to the living-room this evening to "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" the decoys on the limb! Well! FAR be it from me to interfere with HIS plans. I went about getting his place ready for him for the night. (The water relay was done... when he'd gone out.)
TONIGHT'S AMAZING MOMENT... I WA S IN YONAH'S ROOM, PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER FOR HIM FOR THE NIGHT... BLINDS, &C. AND HE WAS ON THE LIMB IN THE LIVING-ROOM. I CALLED TO HIM "ARE YOU COMING IN?" AND NOTHING... * BUT * WHEN I CALLED "YOU KNOW IT'S TIME FOR 'SEEPIE-NIGH-NIGHT'." WOOSH-WHISTLE !!! IN HE CAME, RIGHT TO HIS ROOF-TOP, AND HE STOOD THERE, LOOKING AT ME, WITH HEAD TILTED AS I MOVED HIS HOUSE INTO "POSITION" FOR THE NIGHT! HE RECOGNISES "SEEPIE-NIGH-NIGHT" ... THE SOUND OF THE EXPRESSION! ONE MIGHT EVEN BE TEMPTED TO SAY... HE "UNDERSTANDS THE WORDS" !!! I WAS AWE-STRUCK... and then I brought him down, on his little platform and he hopped right over to his perch, scuttled back to his "loft", hopped over to his food dish and began eating... his "before tuck-in, night snack". NOW... OK! AGAIN! To think that "people" murder these BRILLIANT little LIVES... and call it "sport". Repulsive lot!
Well, I closed his house, as it were, and left the desk lamp on and stepped out to let him eat in peace while I jotted a bit more on his Journal. It was already 20.00 but he's been "tucking-in" at 20.20 of late so... Besides, better he should eat. I NEVER want for him to go into the night with ANY hunger... so...
At about 20.12, I heard his familiar "muffled oo" that he makes when he gets to his night spot on his perch and I looked in... and sure enough... there he was. It was "tuck-in" time!
It didn't take but a moment... a couple of kisses and... the desk lamp turned off... my little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in for a night's sleep after a good "soaking" in the sun-light and being out of the house, to see the trees and such. And tomorrow? Well, it's threatening 34° so we're in for another "HOT" one, and I have plenty to attend in the house... with my Little Guy. So tonight, safe and sound, nice and cozy, he can get a restful sleep and we'll "attend" the day ahead... after the first "woo-HOO". (As much as I dislike the endings of our days, I'm always anxious for the next one to follow. I haven't been able to enjoy that anticipation in more years than I care to remember.)
Sunday 24 July:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... 5.25. SOME-birdie got a good, restful night's sleep last night! And I was up and putting the kettle on when the call came rolling through the house. And again, this morning, we had the greatest chat as I prepared to go in to "open house". The "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's" volleyed back and forth and forth and back for quite the while before that "closing statement" of the final "woo-HOO!" It was the opening of what was to be "quite the day"!
All during the day, in spite of the heat (32°) and the humidity (I'm not even sure what it was but it felt as oppressive as the heat... to me, anyway) my Little Guy was ALL OVER the house! ALL OVER the room! In his house, on his futon, on the shelf on the work table... It was one of those "cuddle and snuggle and LOVE ME!" days. He was SO FULL of energy!
And when I'd gone out to the living-room, to check on "things" out the front door, I turned to find him right behind me! I don't know HOW he'd gotten out there, but he did so in silence!
AND almost every time I headed to the kitchen, even just to get something to drink, he came toddling out and waited for me to go back into the room! It's "endearing", in the truest sense of the word. It's also humbling because he shows me that he notices when I leave the room AND that he wants to be where-ever I happen to be!
COMPANIONSHIP
How I SO WISH that I could get that message across to ALL people... around the entire planet! AND.... especially those who find it "fun" to murder these Little Ones. They NEED to know and understand the horror of their "sport"! (I can only hope that some-where, some-how, some PEOPLE are actually seeing these words that I record... and that they'll pass these lessons on to others.)
AND... this morning... A BATH! I've been wondering why Yonah hasn't availed himself of the water in this heat and today... as I was working along, I happened to hear that SO-familiar "SPLASH" and turned to see my little Heart-and-Soul splashing away in his pool... and then settling to enjoy a comfy soak. (It's nice now, seeing him in his pool, now that it's large enough for him to be comfortable in it. I look back at the first ones... the glass pie plate, the little glass storage "casserole"... Yes, things HAVE changed... for the better. And I'm STILL learning! But he's comfortable, and that's all that matters.)
When he came out though, and was shaking off the water... I wa able to get a MUCH BETTER look at his right wing... and it appears that it DOES bother him some-how because it does "soak" in the water, unlike "good feathers" that tend to repel, and the little "stumps" of what used to be feathers DO look "broken" or "chewed". They're discoloured now, from the Betadine, and as he settled to dry, that wing trembles. I won't put more Betadine on it though. At least not for a while again. I don't want to put too much "iodine" on him, and it doesn't appear to be "infected". He picks at it through the day. But then, like most doves, my Little Guy loves to preen. It's obviously not keeping him from flying, and it doesn't appear to keep him from "resting" because he does that during the day, in his nest box... and he appears to be calm and comfortable.
*** But... birds tend to never let their pains be known... no matter HOW severe. So, my heart shatters to think that he MIGHT be in pain... and just won't let it show. I'm SO thankful to have found a veterinarian for him... and I'm determined that, should this look worse... we're off and rolling... "Emergency"! No matter WHAT! I will NOT have my little Heart-and-Soul in discomfort or pain! I just will NOT! ***
And so... as I worked along on gathering photos that I've taken and haven't had the time to put onto his web-site, I found more photos that, some-how, missed being included in his "Portfolio"... from back in June, so the day was spent, together, as I re-worked the photo pages on the site to include those.
I tried (again... "tried") for a couple of snoozes during the day, but it was another one of those where, I no sooner laid down and Yonah was right over... pecking at my head and hands, and toddling up and down my legs. It was another one of those days where... we HAD to be together... and I wasn't going to "snooze away the day" with him there.
Oddly (or not, really), it was about 16.00 this evening, and I was working along on images, photos and the likes when Yonah hopped into his house from his door perch and went for his food dish. REMINDER: I had to put MY evening meal on the hob! It's still an amazement to me that his "routine" is mine... And I have to wonder if he's gotten his from me. Even if it IS that, imagine... a Little One from the wood-lands, "learning" a routine of a human house-hold. I DO insist: it MORE than simple "cognizance"... MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL IS BRILLIANT! And so... my meal on the hob and at 17.00 we BOTH took our "evening break" for "evening meal" together.
Sadly though, we didn't get to go out this evening... With the heat and humidity, the sky clouded as we had our evening meals, and the winds picked-up. I couldn't see the sense in putting my Little Guy through all of the "transferring" into his old house, and then carrying him out to the yard. As it all turned-out though, the winds did calm a bit and for the briefest while, there was a break in the clouds and some sun-shine, but by then, it was already 19.00. And, strangely enough, the ONLY little Yardies who came to dine at the feeder were a couple of sparrows and a few finches. Mrs. Lady Dove made the briefest appearance at about 18.45 or so, in the drive. She landed, toddled and left. (I had to wonder: was it because Yonah wasn't out there this evening, that she didn't stay? But then, as I say, she was the only mourning dove to show at all. Wind? Heat? The threat of a storm? What-ever it was, it was, and I'm rather glad that I didn't put Yonah through all the motions, bringing him out, only to be there alone, except for me.)
At about 19.30, I was still working at the work table, the house was calm, Yonah's waters were all fresh and clean, his house was settled and he'd been up on his top wall shelf for a while when... "woosh-whistle", down he came and into his house. Another "reminder" for me of "the time"... It was approaching "seepie-nigh-night" hour! So, I wrapped my things up and, thanking him for letting me know the time, moved my things out and went about getting to closing the window blinds. (Curtains and the other window will be open again, tonight... the "low"... 22°! The fan will be on too, to be sure. Not necessarily to "cool" so much as to keep the air in Yonah's room circulating. The best part of it all is that, the air coming in through the open window is directed toward the ceiling, via the blinds... but the air drawn into the room comes through the filtration... nice and clean.) Anyway, as I got to the windows, Yonah got to his "pre-tuck-in" snack. THAT does my heart SO MUCH GOOD! Seeing him eating, knowing that he has an appetite and will eat gives me a bit of confidence that his wing isn't bothering him and that it isn't as serious as I might be making it. (Though, it isn't "not serious", in ANY manner because it's not as it should be and even with Yonah flying about, cuddling, coo'ing, eating and drinking, I'll continue to worry!) But, he did eat... and he ate WELL! And when I'd done and put his house "into position" for the night, he was STILL eating, so I put up the night boards, closed the door to his house, left the desk lamp on and gave him all the time he needed to eat as much as he wanted...
By 20.20... he was done, and on his perch in his night spot, ready for tuck-in. So... I went in, opened his door, leaned in for "Good night" kisses and... by 20.25... light off... my little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in for another night's safe sleep... and his little crop was full! All was well with the world (as far as I'm concerned... )
And tomorrow? Well, I'm going to have to be away for a few hours (and the very thought is eating at me, to be honest). But we'll have the morning hours and the evening meal together... and then the late evening, and if there's sun-shine... at least our hour out, together. But we'll "attend" to all that... when tomorrow presents as "today". For now... it's a night's sleep... in his own house, in his own room... wrapped and protected my my heart and soul.
Monday 25 July:
The house was calm this morning, and comfortably cool again, at last. One "heat wave" done for a while. And I was up rather early so I quietly closed the door to Yonah's room so as not to disturb his morning rest as I went about my morning coffee. And as I sat at the the kitchen table, plotting, planning and scheming the rest of this day, and woefully resenting an errand I needed to run that I knew would take several hours today... as the clock marked exactly 6.00... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo...hoo-hoo" came the morning call. Out-side the sun was beginning to shine but now, IN the house... it was BRILLIANT!
I called back: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo... hoo-hoo" AND Yonah answered the same! So I tried a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo...hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" AND HE CALLED BACK WITH THE VERY SAME! And for several minutes, we spoke, a lovely little dialogue, first thing in the morning. AND... when I got into this room, opened the door to his house and leaned in for SO MANY morning kisses... THIS morning there were kisses... and breaks for more coo'ing... back and forth! It was like some romantic scene of two characters, so deeply in love, meeting again after having been separated, over a period of YEARS!
I have to think that he knew, this morning, of my anxieties of the day: I had to leave for several hours today, and that's ALWAYS THE MOST DIFFICULT thing for me. I don't like leaving my Little Guy alone, especially for any time longer than about an hour. I SO CHERISH our time together, whether we "do" anything "special" or not. And it's so obvious, when I do, that he notices that he's in the house alone. It was very much on my mind, though I tried to appear as though it was to be just another :"normal" day. But Yonah seems to "know", some-how, when I'm anxious about anything so this morning, it was as though he was trying to tell me that it was "OK", he understands and that I shouldn't give it any thought.
And from the time he woke until right up to the moment I had to leave, some hours later, it was SUCH a "vociferous" morning. Our conversations kept right on, rolling along, from one "woo-HOO" to the next.
Well, I left, and was gone for about 4 hours today. It's been quite the while since I'd been away for that length of time, but when I got back...
I walked in through the back door which is directly across the house from Yonah's house and as I opened the door I called "Where's my 'Woo-Hoo'?" and I saw my little Heart-and-Soul HOP from his perch to his door perch, and he stood there and gave SUCH a WING SNAP! It looked like "arms flailing", and expression of:
"THERE YOU ARE! YOU'RE BACK! YAY!"
I'd left the radio on with his bird-songs (mostly so that there would be "voices"... "people" speaking, during my absence) and AS I walked over to his house I heard a song that plays every once in a while on the station, and that I always sing-along with:
"Coming Up Close by "'Til Tuesday"!
And the lyrics:
Comin' up close. Everything sounds like, "Welcome Home", come home.
When I got over to his door, my Little Guy slouched, as he does when we "cuddle" and I cupped him in my hands, as I do, and as I gave him kisses, he was SO calm, SO relaxed, as if he was SO comforted knowing that I was back, he wasn't alone and we were together again. His "flock" was complete again, and all was well with his world. It was indescribably calming to me, so re-assuring. And, unlike most -often, Yonah made NO moves, no attempts to fly up and away, as he will often do when the "cuddles" have been "sufficient". It was as though we could have just spent the rest of the day just as we were.
Moments like this put such a stress on the absolute necessity of * COMPANIONSHIP *! I can't say that all doves are the same. And I truly never would have expected this of a mourning dove... and certainly not where a wild mourning dove and a human are concerned. Again, I've read a great many accounts where doves are known to "bond" with their people, take active interest in the every-day affairs of a house-hold. But those were accounts of "domestic" doves, raised by people from the moment they're born. HERE is the absolute, undeniable, incontrovertible evidence that MOURNING DOVES can and will develop a true RELATIONSHIP... that they do NOT like to be left alone, that they DO notice their environment, and they ARE SENTIENT, missing their "mate"... just as much, if not more, than any human! *COMPANIONSHIP* IS SO INTEGRAL! AND... SO FILLING TO... AS I CALL YONAH... HEART AND SOUL!
Well, because of the hour of day, by the time I got back, it was "evening meal". SO I got mine together quickly and my Little Guy and I had our meals together and then... at 18.30, there was wonderful, bright, evening sun-shine filling the sky... we went OUT to the yard!
No sooner was Yonah's house set-up on the rack when he laid in the sunniest corner and SPLAYED, soaking in ALL of the light and warmth the sun had to offer. It's BEAUTIFUL seeing him looking so comfortable, and it's so obvious that he thoroughly enjoys the time, basking. And it does me good to know that he's getting his "UV" for his vitamin D and feathers. (And I'm still wondering how we're going to manage this, come the cold months of Winter. But, fortunately... we still have time to work on that project.)
Oddly, again, this evening, save for a few sparrows and a golden-yellow finch, there were no other Yardies until about 19.30 when a young male mourning dove came round. He's one of the "usuals", but this evening, he came solo and got to enjoy all the food that had been put out for him. I say "young" because his head is only just showing the slate-blue-grey on his head, and only when he managed to position himself "just so" did I see the trance of iridescent yellow and red on his collar. He reminded me of the early days when Yonah and I were together, and I thought Yonah was a young female. (THEN came the coo'ing AND as the days passed, the grey head and iridescent collar. My "Little Lady" was a "Little Guy"! Imagine that!) But, "Young Mister" didn't stay long and he really didn't give Yonah much attention. For that matter, Yonah wasn't much "interested" in him either. But and so, by 19.48, the sun had dropped behind the Western mountains, the air was growing cooler and so... it was time to get back into the house for the night.
I was glad that Yonah had gotten a good hour of sun-shine though. (Research says: 11-45 minutes. We go for as much as we can get.)
Again, this evening, I no sooner had gotten Yonah's "old house" onto his futon and opened the door when he went SOARING HOME. He knows when he's in HIS room and truly DOES like HIS house. There's no hesitation when it comes to "going home" at the end of the day. And since again, this evening, I'd gotten the water relay and tidying done whilst Yonah basked, all that need to be done then was to attend to the windows.
And as I closed blinds and got night boards installed, Yonah had his "nigh-night" snack, and what a GREAT appetite too! (It ALWAYS delights me to my core to see him eating so well. I went about "closing house" and let him eat until he was satisfied.)
At 20.07, Yonah had had his fill and was back over to his perch so, with a bit of "cuddling" and some "Good night" kisses, it was time to turn his desk lamp off so that he could get some much-needed rest. Curtains open again, tonight, but blinds closed. Fan temperature set to turn off at 75°F. It was another warm night ahead so open windows, fresh air...and my little Heart-and-Soul was all tucked-in, safe and sound for a night of rest, sleep... not a care in the world.
I'd gone out and come back. He was here and happy to see me return. We were back together... just the way it's supposed to be... all was well... with our world tonight.
Tuesday 26 July:
The clock had JUST reached 5.55 when... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came floating out on the cool morning silence. The sun was rising, and a little Mourning Dove was anxious to get on with the hours that waited ahead. And we "chatted" as I got things together to go in to open his house, and windows to the golden sun-shine. And as I went about my "morning duties" of water relay and the likes, Yonah took to his roof-top platform and we "discussed"...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo", volleying coos until the work was complete (and satisfactory... of course).
Today I had a few things that I needed to attend to... at home, with my Little Guy, and so, I went about my business and Yonah, about his.
This morning though, he took me by surprise... I'd stepped out to get the day's post and was talking with the post mistress for some time, and when I returned, FORTUNATELY I HAPPENED TO LOOK INTO THE LIVING-ROOM THROUGH THE SCREEN DOOR... YONAH WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE, WAITING FOR ME! He'd heard me talking out-side and had come to the door! He's SO comfortable in the house now. This is something that I'd hope he'd do: not confine him-self to only "HIS" room. It's certainly not the vastness of the "great out-doors" but I'm comforted to know that he has "space" and gets exercise both flying and his "toddling". No matter what, it's more than what I imagine the vast number of other Little Ones are afforded. And, I HAVE to say that it's really up-lifting, endearing, to see him standing there, at the door, when I come in. (Though, I DO have to be ever-so careful now, when I come in or even step out. No more leaving doors open. He can sneak-up, silently, as he's done when I'm in the kitchen. It's not that I want him "confined to the house" in the sense of "imprisonment". But, should he take off and out, the consequences could be fatal... and I'd never be able to live with that thought.) Anyway, my Little Guy has now become a part and member of the entire house-hold... and for that, I'm grateful. When I think of others, "put into a cage" to be left there... between the space of the house and the little items like a "bath", a "pool", a "fountain", trees... "necessities", really, and how all I can recall, over the course of my life-time, seeing these Little Ones in small "cages"... Well... Yonah most certainly isn't "* only a bird in a gilded cage"... as it were... he's a Little One with a house and a home.
And today, as a note, I sifted through Yonah's "new food" mix... the "Kaytee Dove Supreme". Two of the ingredients are "popcorn" and "green split peas" (and the peas are whole, not split). Doves don't "chew" their food, as a rule, swallowing whole seeds that are "stored" in their crop, to be "ground" and digested. Both, the corn and peas are entirely too large to be swallowed, but I want to make sure that Yonah gets as much variety in his food as possible, and the "Kaytee" has a really wonderful variety of vitamins and other nutrients in it, so I want to make sure that Yonah gets the full benefit of everything that's in there... including the corn and peas. So... the same way I "sift" the "wild song-bird mix" that he started on, removing the peanuts and sun-flower seeds, I put the "Supreme" through the large sieve, separating the larger "seeds" and such, then put that through the grinder until some was almost a powder and the rest was broken-down to a size that Yonah could swallow with-out any trouble. When done, it all got mixed back in with the rest of the seeds and a whole new batch of seed mixes, including the other 4 varieties I have for him, is now ready for his meals. (Now, if only i could get him to eat his "vegetable chop"... but, there are things we continue to work on... hopefully, one of these days I'll figure it all out.)
As for the rest of today? Well, I spent most of it at the work table, as usual. There seems to be a never-ending array of tasks and chores that I can do... either at the work table or with Yonah, in his room. And, thankfully, it was a cooler day than those we've had lately, so it was a GOOD day... and Yonah was in and out of his house, flying and toddling, here and there.
This evening, after meal, there was "just enough" sun-shine, as the common "evening clouds" started to gather (as they seem to do at the end of every day in The North Country) and I was so happy! So, at 18.30, I set his old house on his futon with the door open and had to bring him, on his roof-top platform, over to the open door there. Interestingly, as soon as he got there, he looked in and hopped right in. He KNOWS the old house and now, he knows that it means we're going out-side! (I'm happy that he went right in because the old house is the "carrier" we'll be using for the trip to the "doctor" next week. At least he's familiar and comfortable with being in it. Though, in the truck, for the ride, it'll be covered, for the most part, as it was for our first trip... about a year ago. Hopefully we won't have to make this sort of trip any more often than once yearly.) Anyway... 18.30 and we were out in the back yard and Yonah was splayed in his "old house", soaking-in the warmth and light. And I got a much better look at that little "area" on his right wing, in the sun-light. It's actually looking quite improved! It almost looks as though some of the feathers are growing back! I'm not sure HOW, since feathers don't just "re-grow"... the old one fall out and are replaced. But, at any rate, his wing is looking healthier. Maybe the sun-shine? (As I say, I still have to figure out how we're going to manage this matter of sun-shine, come the cold months... but with the doctor appointment coming, at least I might have a proper reference, and the advice of somebody who's better-educated in "things-dove" than I am. THAT is MUCH better than our earliest months together... and even the past year. It's a bit of a comfort... at long last.)
But, this evening, not a single mourning dove came by! A couple of sparrows and finches stopped by but didn't stay long. And I was sitting, quietly, on the back gallery as I do. For a while, I wondered if my presence was keeping the Yardies away but, as the evening moved by... no Yardies, no doves! And the evening sun was warm, the air was cool. It was comfortable enough. There's no telling, really, what brings the Little Ones and what keeps them away. I felt bad for Yonah, being out there, alone. Though, I have to say, he does seem to enjoy the time AND the sun-shine... even for an hour. And when, at 19.30, it was obvious that nobody (nobirdie) else was coming... we headed back into the house for the evening.
I DO have to note though, I'm relieved to see the improvement in that spot on his right wing... AND that he's still full of energy... and appears to be in "good spirits"... eating, drinking, flying and... enjoying the sun-shine.
Again, this evening.... I placed the old house on the futon, opened the door and Yonah took flight... "home". He TRULY IS becoming accustomed to this "new routine". BRILLIANT LITTLE GUY! And since water and tidy was done whilst he was out, all we needed to do was close-up the windows for the night. His desk lamp was on already so... "night" had come. And as I went about closing the blinds, Yonah went about making his "rounds"... "woo-HOOs" to the dove pillow and the little reflection in the little mirror and then... up to his "before tuck-in" snack.
After I'd done with windows and night boards, Yonah was still eating so I closed the door to his house and stepped out to the kitchen for a while... At 20.10, I looked in and he'd done eating and was on his perch... on his night spot, so I went over, opened the door, leaned in... "Good night" kisses and my little Heart-and-Soul settled-in for the night. Another day... came to a close... another "today"... turned to "yesterday" with hopes for a "tomorrow" to become another "today". But for tonight: all was settled, calm and quiet and safe.
(* "A Bird in a Gilded Cage": a song composed by Arthur J. Lamb and Harry Von Tilzer, a sentimental ballad that became one of the most popular songs of 1900)
Wednesday 27 July:
The sun was only just about cleared over the Eastern mountains this morning when, at 6.03... from behind the closed door to my little Heart-and-Soul's room came... gently, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". And though it wasn't a "very chatty" start to the day, no "lengthy" coo's or too much "back and forth", the "Good morning" kisses were "abundant", indeed and we DID get in some chatting as I worked on opening the windows to this really cool morning. (It's obvious that August is approaching... very warm, if not "hot" days and quite cool nights.)
This morning, Yonah's wing looked quite good! Although, there's still that one feather that keeps appearing... "reversed", contoured not in the direction of all his other wing feathers ("coverts") but directly opposite. He's had that all along and I don't understand how this is happening... now... since it's not a "new feather". But, at least, next week, I can ask a veterinarian, and maybe he'll know what causes it and what can "fix" it. (It's nice to be able to think in terms of a "veterinarian" now. I don't feel so "alone".)
And, as I got busy with the water relay... Yonah was up and out and all about in his room! WOOSH! How he wakes in the morning with so much energy is ALWAYS an inspiration to me... not to mention... a GREAT comfort... at least I can see that he had a good night's rest (by his energy and... of course, that his "nightly poops" are all in one place) and is well enough to get up and about. To me, THAT is THE most important part of EVERY day!
This morning was on the "chilly" side, compared to the recent days. (Thankfully, the night didn't chill to the point where Yonah had to "fluff".) I put the "Sherpa" hooded sweat-shirt on to sit at the work table and Yonah came RUSHING over to rest on my shoulder and then in the hood. HE SO LUVS that sweat-shirt! And I LUV that he's SO COMFORTABLE in it! He even comes along with me, as I go through the house. "Bird In The Hood"! That's my Little Guy! That's my little Heart-and-Soul!
And for the rest of the day? Well... the FASCINATING THING: HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE LITTLE SHELF ON THE WORK TABLE OR ON THE SHELVING BESIDE THE WORK TABLE... PLACES WHERE HE COULD BE CLOSER TO ME AND WE COULD LOOK AT EACH-OTHER. Personally, I BELIEVE that he KNOWS my anxieties about the days I'll be away next week. (And "anxieties" is a MAJOR UNDER-STATEMENT! Neither of us is accustomed to not being together for the major part of a day. And honestly, I could be quite physically ill when I think of the hours away... But, hopefully, in the long-run, this "returning to work", which is what I'm doing now... after 5 years of "retirement", will be of some help with keeping Yonah in the VERY BEST of health and housing and the rest. The good part of the job: I'm a mere 2 minutes, literally, away, just "next door", and it's only for 2 hours each day. I'll still be close by, so I'll know what's going on with Yonah and, in about 2 minutes after I'm done with work... in the morning... WE'LL BE TOGETHER FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!) Still... it's the 2 days of about 12 hours each... 160km away. But, time... other-wise, it passes so quickly... I just PRAY that these days pass quicker.
But Deborah has said that she'll come by to "visit" with Yonah, during the day... a "voice", a "presence" in the house. Something so that he doesn't feel "alone and abandoned". One hopes... One can only "hope".
Well! This evening, after we had our evening meals, we got out to the yard! At 18.30 it looked as though there wouldn't be much sunshine, but we went out anyway and the clouds managed to give way to an hour's sun-shine!
Yonah was SO enjoying being out again. In fact, this evening, it was a breeze getting him into his old house to go out. I believe he actually looks forward to it now... and I don't blame him. From his reactions when he gets out there, soaking-in the warmth and light, it must be one of the high-lights of his day!
Unfortunately, only two mourning doves came by this evening (more than the previous several evenings though) and they didn't come until almost 19.30. A young male and young female. And then they spent a LOT of their time fighting at the feeder! The male insisted upon eating alone. And there was quite the tussle! So dear Yonah stood in his house, watching... and THEN HE went over to the food he had (I put food and water in for him) and enjoyed a little snack... un-fettered. I was a bit disappointed though because the other two paid no attention to my Little Guy... Still, he didn't seem to mind in the least.
But we got another hour and 15 minutes out, together, this evening. I sat on the back gallery, quietly watching and enjoying being out... with my little Heart-and-Soul.
When it started going for 20.00, I wanted to bring Yonah in, because that's his "usual tuck-in time" and by then, the other two had left on their way. And when I got him back in his room, he headed directly for his house to "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" to his little mirror and then went up to get some fresh food... for his nightly snack. I'd already done the water relay so all that needed to be done was to close the blinds and put up the night boards... and Yonah nibbled all the while.
But at 20.08, he was on his "night perch"... ready for "lights-out". And so, with a few kisses and a nuzzle, I turned his desk lamp off... My little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in for a good night's restful sleep. We managed through another day... and tomorrow... we'll address when it happens... together.
Thursday 28 July:
A bit of a dreary start to this Thursday morning. Clouds in the sky and mists rising from the little valleys in the mountains. Rain in the forecast so I wondered what sort of time we were in for the rest of the day. But the world out-side was calm until...
5.65 and a soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo... hoo-hoo" came through the door-way. I answered, in kind and the reply was "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo". OK... short and sweet. So I tried another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo-hoo" and THAT was enough "chat"... "woo-HOO!" came the answer and I was up and on the way to my little Heart-and-Soul who'd obviously gotten a good, restful night's sleep. When I got to Yonah's house, and opened the door, the "Good morning" kisses were plentiful and he was in quite the best of spirits, ready to "take off" and start his daily rounds... futon, roof-top... watching me as I ran the morning water relay. Glorious. Just glorious.
And as Yonah settled-in to the morning, I went about getting the rest of the house in order, a list of tasks to get to, and as I woked in the kitchen, we chatted, back and forth.
One thing I have to note though, about the day... and my Little Guy: lately, he's been more "attentive". It seems he wants or needs to know where I am when I'm not in his room. And when I am in the room, he seems to want or need to be close by, some-where where he can keep an eye on me. Now, I have some business to attend in the coming week that will take me from the house for about 12 hours each day and it's tearing me apart, worrying about Yonah being alone. I won't be "at home" in the morning when he wakes, so when he calls, there won't be a reply! But I WILL be back round about our evening meal hour. Still, he's never been "home alone" for so many hours, and my worst worry is when he wakes and nobody answers his calls.
I will insist that he can "sense" my anxieties and he's trying to assuage them or trying to tell me "Don't go. Don't leave me." Which ever it is, it's amazing, really, that he can be so sensitive to my moods. I've noticed it all through the time we've been together, but it never ceases to amaze me. It also drives my awareness of just how inferior we humans are to the Little Ones... in so many ways. Especially considering how much THEY can learn about us, from the sound of our voices and the tones to, as I say, sensing our emotions and we? We know SO close to nothing about them. We can't learn a "vocabulary", can't "communicate" with them, as they communicate with one-another... silently. It DOES put the hierarchy of Creation in perspective.
As for my business away... well... I try to focus on the almost 22 months that Yonah and I have been together and how quickly that time has passed... and I hope that each day that I'm away will go as quickly... if not more-so.
And so... our morning rolled it's way into after-noon and this after-noon... we did get the rain... and quite a down-pouring, but Yonah and I were together and I took advantage of the time to grab a bit of a snooze... and interestingly, today, my 30-minute "attempt" was permitted! Two quick visits as I laid down... with pecks on the head and the next thing I knew... the customary "2 minutes before the alarm"... the "wake-up pecks". But I was "allowed" to snooze! (Again... I have to wonder: does Yonah "know" that the anxiety tends to tire me? I doubt I'll ever get a true answer to that. But for now... it certainly seems so.)
The after-noon was dark, and it passed along as it will but...
We got SUN after meals this evening! And so, we were out, into the yard at 18.20, and IMMEDIATELY... the TAIL FEATHERS SPLAYED! That is one of the most BEAUTIFUL sights to behold... Yonah's FULL display of the browns, greys, black and white of his tail-feathers! And to know that he's SO enjoying the warmth and light is a tonic to the soul, to be sure.
The other mourning doves had come by earlier though, shortly after the rain, so when we got out, they'd already gone.... so... my Little Guy took advantage of the time and had a bit of a nibble. (Fresh food and water was righ there for him, of course.) And me? I took advantage of the time too... sitting on the back gallery, journalling and watching my little Heart-and-Soul enjoying the out-of-doors.
At about 19.00 FIVE MOURNING DOVES came along... to have their evening meal. Earlier today, I'd cleaned Yonah's "old house" and had put some of the scattered food onto the drive. Apparently the rains didn't wash it away and, in spite of all the fresh food in the feeder, the flock preferred the seeds in the soil. (Oh well... I try to give them "better"... but that's that choice of the doves.) So they congregated along the drive and Yonah, in his house, with his fresh food and water near-by, watched the others as they tussled about, vying for what each thought to be the best of what was there.
Amazingly though... as I sat on the gallery... I watched a mourning dove on the drive literally open his wings, hop directly at a chipmunk and give it quite and audible SMACK! WELL! Mourning Dove: 1, rodent: ZERO! And again I say: "Symbol of Peace"... Perhaps they are, but they're not to be annoyed or angered nor their strength mistaken.
At about 19.24 though, the flock had departed, and the clouds began to rise again, over the Western mountains, blocking any more sun, as it dipped lower in the sky. So... Yonah had gotten a full hour of full sun-shine today and now it was coming toward "nigh-night" time... and so, we went back into his room... and this evening, I'd no sooner gotten Yonah's house onto the futon and opened the door... WOOSH! He was off, in flight and back in his house (which was all set for him and "seepie-nigh-night").
All we needed were our "Good night" kisses, a little snugglings and... 19.49... the desk lamp was off. (The fan is going to be on this evening though... it's really quite warm and humid so the fan will make sure to draw fresh, filterd air in and circulate it. And if the temperature drops to below 24° (75°F), the fan is set to turn off.) My little Heart-and-Soul was "tucked-in" for a good night's rest and sleep. It wasn't "much of a day", but tomorrow's forecast is for warm and sunny so... we'll see what we can get out of that. (I'm looking forward to some cooler, pleasant days when we can get out into the yard, during the day.)
For now... safe from predators and the elements, in his own house, in his own room... my Little Guy can rest.
Friday 29 July:
5.43 and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! And to garnish the morning with a touch of serendipity, the mourning doves out-side were calling the very same thing! Needless to say, it brightened my spirits, because my thought was "My Little Guy is still 'in tune and rhythm' with the Little Ones of the wood-lands." We may have been together for going on 22 months, but I still do NOT think of him as being "domesticated" nor do I think of him as being "domestic" in ANY manner! He's a little mourning dove from the wilderness... and we just happen to have a "bond" of some sort... Truth is, he has my heart and soul, and IS my Heart-and-Soul, but, no matter what... Yonah is NOT, in ANY sort, "domestic", as far as I am concerned. And this morning, what-ever the cause was for the particular coo'ing pattern, he's in sync with the doves "out there" and THAT, to me, just proves his "connections" with his "wild" side. And I'm comforted by that.
And he was quite full of energy this morning too. I'd no sooner opened the door to his house, "Good morning" kisses and other such "greetings", I'd gone to the kitchen to get the morning water relay going and from his room I heard even MORE "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... I walked into his room to find him up and on the wall shelves! AND... FULL of conversation! We "chatted" all the while I opened windows and ran the water relay. It was a PERFECT start to another warm day... all energy and dialogue.
For the rest of the day, it was other-wise calm, quiet. I went about the usual "Friday" tasks and got those out of the way, and we spent the majority of the time together, in his room, as the temperature out-side rose. July is obviously coming to a close and August, it seems, is rushing in and bringing with, the heat of the "short Summer". And I took a snooze break... just a lie-down, for a while. Yonah took advantage of the moment, toddling from my head to my toes. It's honestly "amusing". He CAN land on my head as I lay down, and he SO seems to enjoy the walking up and down, along my side. As for me? I'm just more delighted than I can say. Firstly, because I'd NEVER even thought that he'd become THAT comfortable with my presence in ANY way, but too, that he's SO comfortable that I've become just a bit of "terrain" to tread. And he makes him-self comfortable in different places... my shoulder, knee... and lately, on the side of my head! (THAT, I have to be careful of because he'll poop there. I don't worry about that, other than making sure it doesn't drop on the front of my face or in my ear. Even my "research" on the matter confirms: there's nothing "harmful" about his poop. He eats very well, and healthy food, nothing harmful or other-wise "toxic". And he's in great health... no indications of any sort of "digestive" troubles. So, on the "off moments" when he does manage to get a poop on my head, it's a simple matter of a quick-but-thorough wash. Still... that he's even THAT comfortable with me... I'm not a "predator" to be feared, is, in its own, more a compliment, honour... to me.)
So that's the way we passed our Friday... chatting, visiting, playing, snuggling, cuddling... together.
This evening, I wasn't sure that we'd get any time out-side after meals because it appeared to cloud-over, but, at 18.00, the sun came through brilliantly and so... WE WERE OUT TO THE YARD!
This evening, three mourning doves came by for their evening meals and "Ms. Lady Dove" was the first to arrive. I'd put some extra food in front of Yonah's place, trying to entice her over. I'd like to see Yonah's reaction to a "lady dove" and thought this a perfect opportunity. He usually just paces a bit when she arrives and is a bit more "animated" when the "guys" arrive. And when she's on the ground, pecking about, he occasionally coo's at her. But, for the most part, she pays him no particular attention. Even this evening, she was more concerned with eating. And I intentionally didn't sit on the gallery so that she'd feel more at east out there. (But, I kept careful watch from the kitchen, ever ready to head out to the yard, should ANY need arise.) Nope. Ms. Lady and the guys just went on about their business... and Yonah too, had a bit of a "nosh". They were all involved with their own affairs. But there will be more evenings out, in the days ahead. Maybe one of these times there'll be a "get-together. At least Yonah is getting his sun-shine, his "vitamin D", out-side air, change of scenery and "exposure" to other mourning doves. (And I still wonder what we'll do come Winter. There's time. We'll think of something...)
By 19.30, the other doves had left and, considering the hour, Yonah came back in to his own room where everything was already set for the night. (I'd done the water and windows whilst he was out.) And again, this evening, no sooner was his old house on his futon, door open... he was UP AND OUT AND TO HIS HOUSE! Our going to the yard in the evenings has simply become part of a daily routine already. (He's BRILLIANT! HE TRULY IS!)
He hopped in, hopped up, checked his food, had a few pecks-and-nibbles and... by 20.00 he was all tucked-in for the night.
A quiet day, all told... and tonight, his fan was on, set to "cycle" as the temperature in his room cooled with the night. Weather, predators, any and every else was of no concern... my little Heart-and-Soul was all safe and sound, a restful, safe night ahead. And tomorrow? Saturday... and MORE time together... And I have some "studying" to do for an up-coming "Rehabber's" test so, we'll be at that for a while... and "Luvin' Breaks", play, snoozes... just "quality time together". "Life"... the way it OUGHT to be!
 Saturday 30 July:
Oh... this morning's photo just shows what sort of day we were in for, right away, from the first "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" at 5.20.
It was a morning of MANY "Good morning" kisses, and "Off, off and AWAY!". Supervising the morning routine and making sure that the rest of the house was in proper order. And when all the "first tasks" were complete and I'd gone to the kitchen to "close up" things before coming back into Yonah's room for a day of "other things", my Little Guy made the rounds.
I'm SO delighted to see him toddling out of his room and through the kitchen where he makes a stop. It just seems like he's either checking to see where I am (making sure I'm still in the house) or just stopping long enough to make it know that HE is "in the house". Which-ever it is, it NEVER fails to make me smile. Yonah's comfort in this house is my absolute JOY! And through the rest of the morning? Well, there was one snooze, of course (as is my habit) together, with Yonah coming to "visit", to take his "customary stroll" along, from head to toe and then, off to what-ever comes to his mind. AND, I had a few tasks to complete at the work table today, and with the bit of a "chill" in the air (a preface to the heat-wave that's in the forecast for the coming week), I put on Yonah's favourite: the Sherpa hooded sweat-shirt... He just SO enjoys "roosting" on my shoulder when I wear that, and pecking at my ear, pulling at my eye-glasses... and getting snuggles, as he rests against my face (as I try to continue with what I'm doing... and as I fail to do so because I MUCH rather go along with the nestling and snuggling). And at noon, we had a bit of mid-day snacks... I, at the work table and Yonah at his "ledge" and after, when I went to the kitchen to wash my few dishes... I had "supervising company"... My Little Guy on my shoulder. He watches as I wash, as if it intrigues him. And of course, I enjoy the company.
When the washing-up was done and we came back to his room, there was a moment's "mandatory" cuddles and snuggles and kisses as he roosted at his door perch, rubbing his head up against my chin as I stroked his neck and "shoulders" with my thumbs, as he was cupped in my hands. He REALLY, REALLY enjoys that and I'd swear that, for the most part, we could spend an entire after-noon that way... often. (I could. It's the most calming, fulfilling time imaginable.)
Our day was full of sun-shine, calm breezes, tolerable temperatures and low humidity. And my Little Guy and I passed it peacefully, calmly. I did my review of information I'll need for an up-coming licensure test with regard to future care for and of the Little Ones, and Yonah "supervised", most often, from the top of my head where he seems to enjoy spending time when I'm busy reading at the work table. Every now and then, he "dropped down" to my shoulder to give a few pecks, and when I reached up to him, I got a few pecks on the fingers and he was off to his roof-top... for a few moments, before coming back to my head. It was if he wanted to see what I was reading (or, he was making sure that I wasn't "dozing"... I can't be sure which). What-ever the reason, it did give me just a minute to take my attention away from what I was doing to laugh. (And, honestly, it did help keep me going with the reading.)
We managed to get a 30-minute "shut-eye" in too, at one point. Neither a nap nor a snooze because I had "traffic" up and down, head-to-toe. But it was a bit of "resting the eyes"... for me. It was a bit of "bounce-and-toddle" for Yonah.
This evening, at 16.00, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... It was time to put evening meal on the heat! He's my little "clock" now, amongst so many other things. And from there, the day rolled into the evening... we had our meals together from 17.00-18.00 and at about 18.15... WE HEADED OUT TO THE YARD FOR EVENING SUN!
It was a perfect evening, for the most part. Pleasantly warm, brilliant sun with just a few passing clouds to lend a bit of a coolness in between sun-bathing. And we managed to get a good 45 minutes in. Not the 90 that we're accustomed to, but better that the "11 minute minimum" I've read ought to be, and MUCH better than none at all. But the Yardies never come round, for some reason. Not a single mourning dove. Perhaps they'd found other places in this perfect weather, or they're scouting for a place of refuge from the threatened 38° that are supposed to set-in in the coming week! (Thankfully, we're not that far from the wood-lands and a lazy, clear, mountain river... for just such a spell.) What-ever the reason, it was Yonah and I, sitting at the back walk for the duration. We kept one-another good company.
 At 19.30, we came in because, well, we were alone and tonight, I wanted to get Yonah settled-in to try something different in the way of blocking the traffic lights during the night.
The coming week, I have two days when I will have to leave the house quite early in the morning. On the first day, I'm hoping Yonah will be awake before I have to leave, so that I can get him settled for the day with-out disturbing his rest. But on the second day, I'll have to be out before sun-rise and so, the "night boards" have to be set aside. To remove the back board, I have to roll his house about. And to get to the blinds and curtains as well. So tonight, we're trying a bit of "blanket" over the back and roof of his house with the blinds drawn half-way down the window. That way, I'll be able to simply drop the blanket off Yonah's house in the morning and the upper blinds will help to keep the night traffic lights out and away from shining on him directly.
He didn't quite know what to make of this "new procedure" this evening, but, in no time at all, he was quite settled, on his perch, ready for "seepie-nigh-night". That's my Little Champion: As long as he's in HIS house, in HIS room, apparently all is well. But I'll be watching during the night to make sure that all DOES go well... This is our "trial run". If it fails, well... we're off to a "Plan B"... and I'm not so sure what that would be, other than putting things as they've always been and risking disturbing my Little Guy early one morning. We "hope".
By 20.00 though, I put turned the desk lamp off for the night, and all was peaceful. My little Heart-and-Soul was tucked-in, safe and sound for a good night's rest and sleep.
It was a GLORIOUS sort of day. But then... it was a FULL DAY in Yonah's company... and NOTHING could be as PERFECT as THAT! And tomorrow... I've one errand to run, the forecast is for another sun-filled day, and other than the one, brief errand... it'll be another FULL DAY... with my Heart-and-Soul. "DIVINE"!
Sunday 31 July:
The end of another month, the end of another week-end... and today is one of THE MOST difficult days I have to journal because, for the next 2 days, I have to be away from my Heart-and-Soul for ENTIRE days... and I am not only unhappy, I'm despairing. There were days, quite a while ago, when I would leave the house in the late morning, to travel for our house-hold needs, and I would be away for 3 or 4 hours. In those days, Yonah was in his old house, and, with the exception of the later shopping days, he was still "in" his old house, and not about the rest of the entire house.
I'm not at my "best", even when I'm away for an hour or so, locally, and I was never quite "calm" when I'd go shopping. I don't like leaving my Little Guy alone, with no talking, no voices, no "presence". Mourning doves live in flocks, and, for all intent an purpose, Yonah and I are our own "flock". And, truthfully, if HE has a "bond" with me, sees me as his "mate", that sentiment is very-much mutual. He's the only real "life" in my daily existence... he's quite literally my "Life"... It IS, quite precisely true that "I am because he is". And so, when we're not here, in this old house, together, even though not in the same room at all times, there is, in my heart and soul, a void... painfully empty. So these trips, which could have been one trip of 2 days but I wouldn't not be here in the morning when my Little Guy wakes and ESPECIALLY at night when it's time for "seepie-nigh-night", I've chosen to put the travel in for each. I'll be here in the morning, at least on Monday, when he wakes (I hope he wakes before I have to leave), and I'll be here on both evenings for "tuck-in". (Tuesday will be difficult because I have to leave much earlier in the morning and doubt he'll be awake before I have to leave.)
We've "configured" a way so that his "tuck-in" will be close to "normal", and the "blankets" on his house for the night worked last night. So in the morning, there's no need to "roll him about" to get to the windows to open blinds and to remove night boards. And during the day, today, I left the blinds down half-way, where they were over-night last night, and though Yonah's room wasn't "bright" with the out-side day-light, it wasn't "too dark". For 2 days, it will be more as thought the skies are cloudy. But at least I won't have to disturb him in the mornings. And that's been a particular concern of mine. I do NOT want to disturb him... or his rest.
That said, this morning, at 5.29, as I was pondering the coming days and what needed to be "settled" in the house whilst I'm away... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo".... my little HEART-AND-SOUL was up and awake! And I called back (sorrowfully, thinking of Tuesday morning when, he'll call and there won't be a reply... ) "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and he answered "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and then, a moment later... "woo-HOO!" And so, our Sunday commenced!
This morning, I went in to kisses, cuddles, snuggles... I will definitely say that he KNOWS my anxieties, and he's trying to put me at ease. But, his affections make me miss him all the more... and I haven't even left yet!
I didn't get to the morning routine and water relay until much later because, well, I wanted to "change" the "routine" a bit today so that Monday and Tuesday, when we don't do the "regular morning routine" (I won't have time on Monday and I won't be at home on Tuesday when he wakes) won't be too drastic a change for him. (I did get to the entire routine by about 10.00 though... Fresh water is a MUST for my Little Guy! Especially in his pool, where he tends to drink from.) But the blankets on the back of his house were removed right away, of course.
As the day progressed, I had one errand to run, for about 30 minutes and the rest of the day was spent together. No matter where I was in the rest of the house, Yonah was almost always beside me. He toddled out to the kitchen, went to the front door to look out, but came back into the kitchen whilst I was there. When I was at the work table, he spent a LOT of time in my head. I don't quite understand the attraction to the head but, that's where he was most comfortable, and I, most certainly, didn't mind it at all! And when he went back into his house, he tended to "wait" for me on his door perch, with the occasional wing snap. He was exceptionally "affectionate" ALL day today. It truly touched my heart, deeply. It was as if he knew how I ached every time I though about the hours when I wouldn't be here with him, and he was either trying to "make up for the lost time to come" or to console me, letting me know that it was all going to be OK. Which-ever it was, there were moments when I SO wished I could just hold him close and hug him... my Little Guy... my Heart-and-Soul.
And I DID manage to get a 30-minute "nap" in during the day too... and, as usual, as soon as I laid down, Yonah came over to my shoulder, but stood there, staring at me. And when I dozed-off and woke again, he was nestled on the bend of my knee... We'd napped together today.
Evening meal time came and at 16.00, he coo'ed to remind me and at 17.00 we had our meals together.
Sadly though, this evening, the sky was completely covered by clouds so we didn't get to go out. I'm hoping to be back early enough tomorrow evening and if there's sun-shine, we'll get at least an hour out in it, together. (I'll have an exceptionally early night of it because Tuesday, I'll have to be up and on the road before he wakes.) But, the Yardies (doves and finches) didn't arrive until almost 19.45 this evening anyway, and they didn't stay long so "company" wouldn't have been this evening.
At about 19.30, Yonah called to me several times... I hadn't done the evening water relay! So I got right to that, to make sure that the water would be fresh for tonight and clean for tomorrow, in the event I don't get to change it before I leave. And he watched, from the top of the door to his house.
When that was done, I put the blanket back up on his roof and draped it over the window-side again and left a "roll" a-top. Yonah was fascinated by this new arrangement and headed right up to it and toddled and hopped about, checking it. It seems he rather enjoys it! A "must remember". But, by about 19.45, he was back in his house and so, I "closed up" for the night, leaving his desk light on for a while longer so that he had time to grab his "before tuck-in snack"... and I came to jot today's journal.
My Little Guy was finally finished with his snack and on his perch, ready for tuck-in at 20.20. He's gotten accustomed to the "later nights" of late. Hmmm... But he was certainly there, comfy and settled, so, I leaned in for "Good night" kisses and cuddles. Light off at 20.25. Our day had come to a close... And the blankets on his house seem to be perfect! Nice and thick, keeping the light out, even with the blind half open. Good call. His fan is on for air circulation and the door to his room is open... plenty of air through the night. He should sleep very well... safe and sound. And tomorrow? Well... we'll see when he wakes... how his night was. But for now... We close a day, we close a month... and tomorrow... if calculations are at all correct... OUR BIRTHDAY MONTH BEGINS! My little Heart-and-Soul will be 2 YEARS of age! (May ALL the time to come be PERFECT for him... health and all else.) 2 years! We've made it beyond the "18 months"! We're off toward the next "mile-stone"... 5 years!
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