MARCH 2024
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Friday 01 March:
To my surprise, this morning's "Call To Order" came at... 6.15! I mean, after last night's late tuck-in at almost 21.00 and my little Heart-and-Soul giving me a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" at almost mid-night... I expected a "sleep-in" this morning but nope. And this morning's "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" was quite clear, strong, he was awake and he wasn't going to be awake by him-self! I gave my reply, from the comfort of the futon, repeating his coo, and instantly, he returned comment with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". So, we had a little "chat" before I popped up to check on the time and situation. So this morning, after what truly wasn't even NEAR the "claimed 12-14 hours" that mourning doves allegedly take for a night's rest, we were both up and about on approximately 6 hours' rest. But, this Little Guy was none-the-worse for it.
By the time I got to open the door to his house, even in the very dim light that was trying to break through the blinds and curtain, he was stretching the wings, preening the feathers and preparing to take on the day that was about to come rushing into his room. AND... this morning... I GOT SO MANY KISSES AGAIN! He's such an inspiration: even with about HALF of the sleep he SHOULD have gotten over-night, he was energetic and even affectionate. I, on the other hand, would have either stayed on the futon or gone back for an immediate "snooze" had my Life not had this Little One in it.
And so, with that, as the morning routine commenced, opening of the blinds and curtains to a relatively clear morning, a scuttle over to check on Bustelo-Birdie who'd had a "sleep-over" last night and a hop across the house to the food shelf, and I got a couple of "pecks on the nose" when I turned from the open window and stuck it in through the openings. And through the water relay, we had another morning chat, back and forth as I ran from kitchen to pool with fresh morning's waters.
This morning's "poop=check report": 6 again, this morning, as there were, yesterday. 3 "regular" size and 3 only just slightly larger. I imagine that, if I were to weigh them, they'd all amount to the genearlly-norma 7. And the colouration was as yesterday: slightly greenish, but brown, not "black" and not "dark". No halos on any of them this morning... the white was white and the ratio of white-to-dark was perfect!
But and how-ever, today, being the first of the month, today was "Bene-bac Day"! So this morning, I sprinkled today's portion onto the food that was already in the dish (since it was put in there fresh, last evening).
(And I add, as I type, I monitored the day's following poops... some were a bit "quite wet", but Yonah tends to drink more water when there's anything "added" to his food. He does like-wise when I add the milk thistle, so "liquid" is expected. Thankfully, there wasn't much. And hopefully he gets enough of the Bene-bac to make an actual difference in his little system. I've really no way of knowing for certain, but... we do our best and, especially on "energetic" and "affectionate" mornings like this, it appears we're doing very well.)
By the time I'd done with all of the running back and forth, the skies had clouded-over! We had a bit of flurries this morning but... they didn't linger long and soon after... SUN-SHINE! BRILLIANT, CLEAR SUN-SHINE CAME POURING IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS!
And my little Heart-and-Soul took to the terracotta dish of twigs on the shelf just below his house... and as I attended the morning's "first of the month" task, he "woo-HOO'ed"... his little "perch-coo", as it is... and fluttered, as he coo'ed.
That was this morning. For the most part, Yonah stayed on the dish and made only one trip to the living-room and only a couple of brief sojourns to his loft. I never know why he sometimes prefers to bask in the sun-shine and at other times, almost avoids it. But, I'm positive that he goes where he wants when he wants so, if that's where he was comfortable...
This after-noon, after a morning of lounging AND permitting me a 15-minute shut-eye (solo... he didn't come to the futon today), I got back to the desk to get caught-up with journalling and such and suddenly, from his dish under his house, crazy Little Guy came fluttering over to my shoulder and took to tugging at my ear! And he seemed, for a while, to be quite comfy there. So we had a bit of a chat until "chat" was no longer "required" and he headed to his house... Ah-HAH, THAT was until I brought Bustelo-Birdie down to the desk and THEN, he came RUSHING BACK to poke and peck at Bustelo-Birdie... for a few moments. "Play time"! AND... KISSING time too! I actually got MORE KISSES as he preened on the desk.
This morning's light flurries had passed shortly after 9.00 and the sun managed to clear the skies and POUR in through the windows. (I still don't know why, instead of basking, today, Yonah preferred being in the little terracotta dish on the shelf, out of the sun-shine, but... tomorrow's forecast is for snow and clouds so, we'll have the UV light on if that's the case. Not the same as natural sun-shine, but, hopefully he'll get enough to fill a vitamin D requirement. Were the temperature warm enough today, it would have been a nice day to be out in the yard in the sun-shine, but, truth is, even the Yardies were scarce today; the chill in the air.) OH... And the temperature in the room this after-noon? 28°! The weather report claims 4° out-side. But, I always say, there's no reason for fluffing in this house. (I opened his window, completely, and the fresh air was most welcome. Much fluttering and whistling of wings followed. Looks like we both appreciate the air from the great out-doors.)
I have to add something here today that I may have mentioned in earlier posts to this Journal:
Every Winter, there's been one... just the one, little "Lady Dove" who stays through the seasons, and comes to the yard for breakfast almost every morning. She's quite feisty too! She likes to commandeer the feeder, even against blue jays AND, I've seen her chase squirrels when she's of a mind.
She'll chase other mourning doves away from food as well, and they all acquiesce when she gives them the old "wing-snap" and pursues them until they retreat. (I've even taken to putting extra food/seeds out in another area in the yard for the "exiled".)
In the evenings, if she leaves during the day, she'll be the last little Yardie out there, even almost into the after sun-down hour! And quite often, she just "rests" on the back walk (where there's food), not eating, just "being there".
And, as I say, that's if she leaves during the day because very often, she'll come to eat in the morning, fly away for a while and then return, to either "roost", as it were, on the walk or, if the sun is shining on the feeder, she'll "roost" there... just there, still.
I can't help but wonder: Is she Yonah's mate? Is she the same dove who comes to "visit" with him when he's out in the yard? Is she here, waiting for him to return? Or, what truly strikes at my heart, painfully, does she know Yonah is in this house and she waits for him to come back out, even in his "old house" (the smaller "cage" that we use for our trips to the yard)?
I can tell she's a female because of her colouration and the fact that she doesn't coo at all. But for a female, her character is quite strong, she's really ever-so stoic, "over-Wintering" here, year after year.
Today, again, she was here this morning, for breakfast and then left. But about 2 hours later, she returned to "guard food" on the back walk and as I type this (at 15.15), she's been "basking" in the sun-shine that's been illuminating, and probably warming, the feeder.
Every time I see her out there, in the cold, I can't help but wonder. And I SO WISH I could figure a way to get Yonah some-where where they could see each-other. The worst is: I SO SO VERY MUCH WISH that, if they belong together, I could figure a way to make that be. But I know that putting Yonah out there, in the "wild" again, would, in most likelihood, be his "end", and I'd never be able to live another moment if I never saw him again, and had to "be" with the thought of him being attacked again and, suffering... to his death. Yet, at the same time, the very notion of bringing the Little Lady into the house, taking HER away from her natural environment, even if she and Yonah got along perfectly well... the guilt of what would be "capturing" her would out-weigh what-ever happiness I might have, seeing them together. (No, I don't care about the "laws" and other such proven idiocy where mourning doves are concerned. Besides, if she's over-Wintering here, she's not "migratory"... I could argue... to no avail, of course.)
I just wanted to jot this here. As I say, I've NO intention of "capture", nor of removing this Little Lady from her world. I just wish I knew more about the situation. It's now been two years, two Winters... I wonder... and it's another "wonder" I'll never have an answer to/for.
And so as the after-noon hours passed, at 15.40, as I sat at the desk, radio and bird-songs playing, softly, my PRECIOUS LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL had taken to his loft. His window was open, the room temperature wss 27°, the sun had moved toward the Western mountains but the light still filled the room... and when I looked up, little eyes were closed... snoozing... and, I'll say... MUCH DESERVED! (Let's see how late he wants to stay up tonight though!)
Well, "time tells", to be sure, and we had our evening meals together. Yes, Yonah had a little bit more of his Bene-bac, though it really is obvious when it's in there because he doesn't eat as much during the day. And I don't leave food with Bene-bac in his dish over-night (even the instructions insist no longer than 8 hours) so, what-ever is left at the end of the day gets added to the food for the Yardies the next morning, and put in the fridge. Hey! These Little Ones in THIS yard benefit from Bene-bac and milk thistle, with a variety of some of the best seeds available... and, sometimes, even the Nr. 1 rated pellets. (Of course, I have to admit, I don't mind because, well, many of them are mourning doves and I just happen to have a particular "bent" for them... in case the reader-ship couldn't tell.)
That said, after evening meals and washing-up, I cleaned-up the "left-overs" from today's food in a fresh dish. And, as is usual, when I went to remove the day's food, from Yonah's reaction, an unsuspecting on-looker would be led to believe that I "steal" his food from him regularly! It really is a comedy skit: Yonah comes RUSHING over to his dish and makes every possible attempt to stop me from removing anything from that shelf, including but not limited to the seeds he scatters when he eats. He tries to get between my hand (as I scrape the extra seeds) and where-ever his food is! And when I go to remove the dish, suddenly, it's as if, well, if he could, he'd yell "I wasn't finished with that yet!" It's just comical. And yet, when a fresh dish with fresh food is put back, more often than not, he'll hop over, look at it and then stare at me for a while, but won't eat any.
Tonight, I cleaned his shelf, put the fresh food there and he did come right over to "investigate", didn't eat right away but moments later, it seemed he was making up for all the food he hadn't eaten during the day, or, he was so happy that there was nothing "added" to this food that he truly enjoyed it this time.
(As a note: THIS batch of his food has the pellets that he manages to "sort-out" - something I don't think I'll EVER be able to figure out... with all the pecking, I've always wondered how he manages to get the seeds he does want and avoid the ones he doesn't -anyway, this batch has the pellets pulverised, so most of all of the seeds have, at least, a "dusting" of the pellets, so he's getting the nutrition from them anyway.)
OK, food done, we changed the water, as per usual.
This after-noon, I'd changed the water too because I'd noticed some "poops" in the pool and although I know that birds will, as a rule, poop in the same water they drink... in the wild and/or in a house, if I notice poop in the pool, the water gets changed according to the regular changes... 7-8 "flushes" through the tubing so that ALL the water in the pool and what-ever was in the tubing is completely fresh. BUT, because I was "making with the water relay" and the sun was shining brightly, I could see that it caused a bit of... well... "interest" because I was being watched, with obvious scrutiny. It was almost as if Yonah wasn't sure whether we were starting the day over or if it was "seepie-nigh-night time" already. But once I'd finished and put the fountain back on, he hopped over, took a sip of the fresh, clean water and went on about his business... WHAT A CHARACTER!
And so, out-side, the sun was gone, the sky was dark, we finished listening to the evening news and I thought it a good time to get to closing the curtains and starting the "settling-down" for the night.
As I did, Yonah watched, then went for a little bite to eat and... it got LATE again! (I honestly don't understand how or where time goes any more. It's long been said that the older we get, the shorter the time seems... it's true. No matter what I'm doing, it seems that the clock speeds by when I'm occupied... and to too, the day.) When I next checked the clock... it was already 19.45! SO, I went to get the pillows for the futon, since the windows were closed and the back-board was already installed...
When I came back, my little Heart-and-Soul was on the futon... and I figured it was about to be another night of "Catch Me!" because I'm not going seepie-nigh-night yet! BUT it was the MOST ENDEARING little episode:
As I do, rather often, I leaned forward onto the futon and "nestled" my Little Guy between my arms, him, standing on the futon, and I leaned over so that I could give him kisses on the top of his head. HE JUST SNUGGLES RIGHT DOWN, NO PANIC, AND EVEN THOUGH HE HAS TWO WAYS TO "ESCAPE", FORWARD AND BACK, AND IF HE WANTED, HE COULD EASILY FLY UP AND OUT AS WELL, HE JUST HUNKERS-DOWN AND SEEMS TO ENJOY THE AFFECTIONS! EVEN WHEN I LIFT ME UP-RIGHT AND HES FREE TO RUN/FLY! HE ENJOYS THE CONTACT AND AFFECTION! (Of course, there are those times when, true to a bird, he makes it obvious that he does NOT enjoy it... birds, it's rather commonly know, do NOT like to be "cuddled".) When he does this, it touches me SO deeply! He trusts me so implicitly and he actually enjoys the contact... and... well.. so do I.
When all the "Luvins" were done, I got back up and said "You see the time? It's time, I think, for us to get ready for seepie-nigh-night. Y'know?"
Didn't take bu a moment's time... I brought Beanie-Birdie over to his loft and said "You see this? Beanie-Birdie's in your loft all ready for seepie-nigh-night." and UP HE FLEW... over to see Beanie-Birdie and then scuttled to his night roost... (it was already 20.22!).
And so, with my Little Guy all settled-in, I put the "mediation" music on, got to the desk to get today's journal typed in... our Friday had come to a close... too soon, too quickly... But we had a good day together... all told. And he had his monthly Bene-bac for his tummy. (Poop check scrutiny tomorrow, to be sure... especially since he was drinking quite a bit of water today... as he does, with the Bene-bac.) And tonight, fresh food, fresh water... and his room is toasty-cozy at 26°... not too hot... not chilled. AND... he's safe and sound in his own house...
At 20.58 I moved me to the kitchen...
There was a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" when I got to the kitchen, but I had to go back to close his house and put up the roof-board anyway... so there were KISSES! AND MORE KISSES! And when I looked back in, he was on his food shelf... in that "crouched" position, tail up, fluttering... "woo-HOOoo!" The little "perch-coo". So I popped my head back in for... MORE KISSES ! And then he got up, hopped across to his perch and headed for the night roost... (at 21.08... and we count the time and wait to see...)
Saturday 02 March:
WELL then... we DID manage to get through the night, last night. I'm still not sure "how", but I even managed to get to the futon, turn off the moon light and we both "snoozed" through until...
6.30 this morning and one of the MOST "CONVERSATIONAL" mornings we've had in quite the while!
It all began with a clear and hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and when I answered with my best "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... the reply to that was a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and the "conversation" turned so "fun" because the "woo-HOO's" got longer and more frequent until... and I was actually waiting for it and thought I wouldn't get up until... "woo-HOO!"... and that wasn't a "comfy little perch-coo.. It actually sounded like "Listen here! This chatting is fine, but there's a morning out-side that window and it's time to let it in!"
So, with a major smile, I sat up and looked, from the futon, to the little silhouette on the perch. Wing-stretches were already in progress! My little Heart-and-Soul was up and ready to "rock another day"!
When I opened the door and popped my face in for "Good morning" kisses... they were quite abundant this morning! Looked like somebirdie DID manage to get a good night's "seepie-nigh-night" last night and was "full of energy" this morning. And, since I got kisses, I could only believe that he was good spirits too (because if/when he isn't, instead of kisses in the morning, he scuttles, decidedly, away, across his perch, to his loft, and then hops to the other side of his house... to obviously avoid me). SO... roof-board off, I ran to the kitchen to put the kettle on for my morning coffee and to check the clock for the time. I rushed back to the room (where the blinds and curtains were still closed so it was rather "dark"), grabbed the containers for morning water relay, put them by the kitchen basin and rushed back to open the windows to that "morning out-side".
A grey morning, looking as though there was a "drizzle in the air". But as soon as the curtains were opened and that "grey light" came in, Herr Taube was UP and hopping about in his house! A quick "check" on Beanie-Birdie who was still in the loft, then across to the food shelf which was closer to me as I finished opening the windows.
I headed out to the kitchen to start this morning's water relay and we continued our "conversation" of earlier. Honestly, the house was FULL of coo'in this morning and it was HEAVENLY!
When I'd done with all of the little morning tasks and finally got the chance to get in and check poops, to my amazement... MORE KISSES!
As for poops: 5 of them this morning, 2 of them slightly larger than the other 3. But I'd say that, if one were to weigh or calculate the total, they'd equal the "normal 7" of a "healthy" morning. And yes, as I'd rather expected the day after "Bene-bac", there were "green halos" of moisture around each one, but nothing "concerning". So, either Yonah managed to dodge a bit of the Bene-bac in his food or, it simply worked through his system and did what it was intended to do. What-ever... Clear voice, conversation, kisses, good poops... a PERFECT start to a cloudy March morning.
I got things, in general, settled quickly and all that remained was to check on the house-plants (as it done "week-endly") and when I got to the living-room, there, on the tree, with the decoys, was my Little Guy! So I toddled over to HIM and we had a brief chat and he hopped right over to my shoulder and literally "settled-down" as comfortably as he possibly could do! And... there he stayed as I watered the plants and put the kitchen together! We were all over the house, together, and he was "roosting" on my shoulder! He's "ridden-along" before, but TODAY WAS A FIRST where he "ROOSTED"! If I'd have stayed still long enough, I suspect he'd have taken a SNOOZE there! And he didn't leave until I went back into his room to get to the desk and at things I wanted to attend this morning!
When I got to the desk, before sitting, he took off and went to his house... to his roof-top platform where Beanie-Birdie was (I'd taken him out of the loft during the water relay) and as he gave Beanie-Birdie and "woo-HOO"... I managed to sit at the desk and...
No sooner had I done... flutter and whistle of wings and a tug on the ear! My Little Companion was back! And so, we played, of course, across the desk, over to the futon, with Bustelo-Birdie... until HE had had enough and headed back to his house... and to his loft.
I managed to get back to the tasks at hand for a while... and Yonah "lounged", I typed, we listened to his bird-songs and the radio and... just before it was time to break for lunch, I was allowed an entire 30-minute snooze today! The sky was grey, the UV light was on, the room was warm... it's Saturday... Snooze day. AND, apparently, Yonah agreed... We snoozed...
At noon, we took a 45-minute break to have our mid-day snacks and I got back to the affairs of the day... and my Little Guy got back to lounging in his loft.
Of Note Today: We discovered... Yonah likes Joni Mitchell! Well, he likes "singing along with" her "Big Yellow Taxi"! I haven't hear him "respond" with what sounds like "signing" since the first night I played Dvořák's "Song To The Moon"! And that was, well... now... some years ago, back in our earliest days together. It was on a collection of songs that I was playing as I sat at the old "work table" in his room. All was calm and quiet, save for the bird-songs and the radio. Yonah had been "perch-cooing" in his loft when song came on and Yonah started coo'ing... not "perch-coo'ing"... FULL-LENGTH coo'ing... but only at the parts he seemed to like! Well, today, he did the same thing with "Big Yellow Taxi"! So, I've been meaning to get a new "collection" together for him, with music and his bird-songs, for those days when I'm away for a while, running errands, instead of playing the radio (which, here, in this area, will suddenly go silent for no obvious reason and have nothing, not even static, for hours... and sometimes, days). So Dvořák', Mitchell and a few contemporaries have to "make the list". Go figure! (And again, I'm reminded of the claims that mourning doves don't hear words and that birds aren't all that intelligent. Honestly... "don't it always seem to" show... you just really can't trust half of what you read... if not more than that. I'm SO learning as time with Yonah passes!)
OK.. and so...
This after-noon was a "challenge", to be sure.
I tried to focus on getting his web-site pages together and Journal pages to-date but... little Mr. "I Wanna LUV" wanted to roost on my shoulder, tug at my ear, give a few wing-snaps, play with the Birdies... ALL OF THEM! And of course... Me? Refuse? NOT! He kept me busy, but completely un-focused but I SURELY DO NOT COMPLAIN! Honestly... it's as if he DOES sense my trepidation about this coming "hospital visit" I have to make on Tuesday... and every time I see him, every time he comes over, wants to play, stares at me from his house (as he's doing as I type this), my resolve grows ever-stronger: this will be a matter of getting to hospital, getting the affair finished and getting back to my Heart-and-Soul... by, if not before LUNCH! I might get back and want to snooze, but I want to snooze with my LOVE, my Little Guy, my Heart-and-Soul... the ONLY reason I'm even bothering with all of this!
And so... Saturday rolled along... the radio played, the grey skies began to drizzle... "March"...
I did manage to get a few things accomplished this after-noon including but not limited to PLAY TIME! with Birdies! AND, snuggles and visits! It was the GREATEST part of the day and the reminder as to why I'm here and that being here is appreciated and that I truly AM MOST BLESSED, HONOURED AND PRIVILEGED with the presence and Love of the most PRECIOUS AND CHERISHED little Life.
And at 17.00, we both took a break from what we were doing (Yonah had been in his loft for most of the remainder of the day) to have our evening meals together. (And yes, he ate very well this evening... I'm looking forward to tomorrow's "poop check".)
And this evening, right after washing-up, I did the water relay and blinds-and-curtains, and put the back-board up... went, right away, for my pillows for the futon. And out-side, even that early, the skies had gone dark. There was a heavier cloud cover and a slight drizzle out there. But tonight is expected to be another "warm" night... for the month of March so I won't worry about my Little Guy being chilled...
Then...
Poor "Bubbaloo"! I was working on his "2022 Journal", "mediation" music playing, the little desk light on... waters changed, blinds and curtains closed, my pillows on the futon... and Beanie-Birdie in the loft. He'd gone quite quiet for a bit and I looked up at the clock... 20.33 !!! So I moved my "stuff" out of his room, put the cover-sheet on the futon for me for tonight and my Little Guy was already on his "night roost" and made NO attempt to leave there! He was TIRED! It was LATE! So when all was done and his room settled, the desk lamp turned to dimmest, I leaned in for a couple of "Good night" kisses and a "seepie-nigh-night". Kisses? A couple. But "seepie-nigh-night"... Okie-dokie. Tonight, when I stepped out of the room, no "call-backs". Somebirdie was terribly tired tonight.
Well, tuck-in time tonight: 20.40. Let's see how the rest of the night goes though... "tuck-in" doesn't equate with or to... "seepie-nigh-night"... to be sure...
Sunday 03 March:
WHAT a beginning to a day THIS was! 6.30, a "normal" hour for "morning call", the house was cozy-warm, the morning light, what little there was this morning, lighting the room just enough to let "morning" be seen.
But, the CONVERSATION this morning was, well, something truly remarkable!
It all started with a usual "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", clear, no breaks or skips. Really just SUPER! My Precious Little Guy sounded well-rested and, actually, he DID have a couple of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" last night JUST as I was getting ready to come to "seepie-nigh-night". THAT was a bit of a "something" because he'd been so quiet for a good hour and longer as I "settled house" before putting the lights out. And then, because we tend to "close the day" a bit later these days (as the night comes later, the mornings, earlier), when I crept into the room to turn the desk lamp off and the moon light on, it was moments before I was coming in my-self... and I THOUGHT I'd managed to make it in and back out of the room with-out disturbing Yonah... I was "corrected" when, just as I was starting to brush my teeth, through the house came the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". It was "soft" though, as though he knew: it was late and we couldn't be "yelling" to one-another. (I say "as though" but I tend to believe, truly, that he's very much aware. Perhaps it's the darkness of night and in his way, he feels that being too loud might attract un-wanted "others"... predators. But what-ever it is, what-ever the reason... the "calls" were almost a whisper.)
I called, softly too, that I was just getting ready to come to seepie-nigh-night and I'd be right there... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came the reply. So I went to the door to his room and whispered "We have to get ready for seepie-nigh-night now. It's late, much later than I'd planned on but I'm on my way. Only a couple minutes more."
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and... I managed to finish my evening ablutions and when I DID get back to the room, the house in darkness, the moon light on in the room, I got to the futon and turned the last light off... and in the darkness, I whispered:
"It's OK. All done. I'm here. We're going seepie-nigh-night now. OK? OK. You get your rest. It's all safe and warm and cozy. And you call me in the morning when you wake up. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Get a good rest.
We were tucked-in for the night.
Now, this morning... and the "conversation" went along...
After the first "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", I managed to get a good "morning voice" together and answered with the same "pattern"... and I waited a moment for the reply:
"woo-Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo", which was equally clear and a little bit louder than the first. I was SO relieved to hear the clarity of the little voice from the relative darkness of the room.
So I answered with a "repeat" of his coo's and he came back with a repeat too.
We "volleyed" a few times and then came the "woo-HOO!" BUT that wasn't the end of it... After that came a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! And THAT got volleyed a couple of times with another "woo-HOO!" at the end.
This whole scenario went on for what must have been a proper 5 minutes or longer, and all the while, I waited to see if there'd be any sort of movement of the little silhouette in the house across the room. Nope. So I got up, quickly ran to the kitchen to check the clock and put the kettle on whilst assuring that I was on my way to "open house" for the morning...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" was the response. (I interpreted it as "OK. Fine. But let's get on with this. The morning isn't going to wait, y'know.")
By the time I got back to open his door, my Little Guy was stretching his wings, "adjusting feathers" for the "morning presentation" and when I popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses, I got a few but he made it quite obvious that my "priorities" this morning left a LOT to be desired. I failed to come to HIM first. (Tell me again that birds aren't "cognizant". Not buying...)
Well, OK... I got the house opened and went to open curtains and blinds. Out-side this morning, a cover of clouds and a "fog" in the trees. An "odd" sort of "March morning" out there. And it was quite warm, considering, out there and in the room. And as I worked with the windows, Yonah hopped about and over to the food shelf to come watch me... or... "supervise" this morning's activities. "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" ("Carry on!" as it were.)
WHAT A START TO A DAY!
Quick check of morning poops: 8 in total... but 2 were from last night. I'd seen them before I tucked-in. So this morning's were 6, and again, totally, they'd be the equivalent of the "regularly-scheduled 7". And the "whites" were white, the darker portions were quite dark, a "greenish-dark", but not "green-black" dark. The "composition was "normal". And they ahd jus tthe slightest "halo" of "green" on the kitchen-roll paper. Nothing that would cause any "concern"... a "healthy" quantity of moisture.
SO... we had clear coo's and healthy poops and it appeared that we also had a great bit of energy this morning too! SO... I got to the water relay and getting the room settled for the coming day. And as I did, my Little Guy took to his wall shelves and then over to Burdie-Birdie who was on the futon where he usually it... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".... indeed.
When I'd done with all the running about ("normal morning") I came back into the room with morning coffee and went to the desk to settle-down and get to the tasks of a morning...
Beanie-Birdie was still in the loft where he'd passed the night and Yonah was "preening" him! Gentle, repeated pecks to head, neck, back... (And again, my own thoughts of whether or not he'd accept another dove in "his" house... the "pangs"... I'll never know, but the over-ruling thought I keep in mind is: If he were to reject another dove, the "damage"... I couldn't tolerate knowing I was responsible for the "damage" to another dove so... "We're the flock", as others put it. And Yonah doesn't seem to mind the "others" that are here so...)
As soon as he realised I was settling at the desk and getting started with this morning's journalling, he came RUSHING over to my shoulder... a few tugs on the ear, a couple pecks at the neck... First thing in the morning and the "togetherness" started. If I'd had any doubts about the "LOVE"... all gone now. And when I looked over (laughing, I have to admit) I got such a stare! And he was off! Apparently, I needed to acknowledge his presence and once I'd done... he headed out to the living-room.
He spent the better part of an hour out there, on his tree, this morning. Out there, in the living-room, coo'ing. I took a stroll out to check on him and when I got there, he hopped right over to my shoulder! He's doing that quite a bit of late. And kisses too! (I can't help but believe he senses my anxieties these days and I feel terrible about it. I'm doing my best to dispel them because I don't want him "sharing" them. And it annoys me that I can't, no matter how I might try, explain it all to him... and know that he understands.) But when I started back to his room, to the desk, he headed back to the tree for a while longer.
As I sat at the desk, he came flying back into the room, to his house, and then back over to me, again, to my shoulder, and when he "landed"... I got a "wing-snap"!
I got up and remembered that Beanie-Birdie was still in his loft! Thinking that he wanted to go there and Beanie-Birdie was in the way, I put Beanie-Birdie up on his roof-top platform... and he came RUSHING up and I started playing with Beanie-Birdie. He was obviously annoyed. I was paying attention... not to HIM! He pecked at Beanie-Birdie and then came "bounding" over to the front of his house, closer to me, and stood there, almost looking "defiant", so I leaned forward to give him a kiss and... he actually managed a bite... on my lower lip! BUT... when he'd done, he backed away and shook his head. Apparently, even HE wasn't expecting to manage a solid "grab"! Imagine that! But all was well when I laughed and went for another kiss. I got the usual gentle pecks on the nose...
Meanwhile, I put the UV light on this morning. The fog was lifting, there were breaks in the clouds but the sun just wasn't making a clear showing so... we used what resources were available to us. And Sunday morning moved along... and I got back to the desk.
)Sunday seems to be rolling along at quite a pace. It's already 11.43, the morning is almost gone already and I'm still moving about, trying to get the day together here.
Went to market this morning and was back with-in 30 minutes.
Yonah has been with me all morning... and when I came back, put some food on the hob to cook, I sat back at the desk and he came right over to my shoulder.
I'm "anxious" about Tuesday's surgery, SO MANY QUESTIONS AND VARIABLES, but the WORST of ALL is the very notion of being away from my HEART-AND-SOUL... and the "potential hazards" of even the most mundane procedure. I worry about him being alone (again... since I haven't done this since August of 2022 when I had to go away for an entire day, twice, for going back to work... and all of that turned wrong, ultimately... though he was perfectly fine each time).
And what makes it all the more difficult is that he spends so much time on my shoulder, as though he KNOWS that I'm anxious, and that too, disturbs me so deeply. This is another one of those times when he brings to my attention, my inferiority: I can't explain to him, and I can't understand what he tells me when he coo's. And he's been coo'ing quite a lot this morning. Again, "humans"... "highest evolved", so intelligent. Here's this little bundle of feathered LIFE, so empathetic, sensitive to so much in Creation, with so much to say. HE knows so much about me... I know so little about him. And the fact of the matter here is: were it not for him, I wouldn't bother with any of this "medical maintenance". He IS the sole reason... why I even bother to take a next breath... and I doubt anybody understands that fact... nor do I believe that anybody would bother to try.)
We didn't have our regular lunch today. I was cooking on the hob and working at the desk. And my Little Guy was on my shoulder, then out to the living-room to his tree again. I wonder how much time he spends there when I'm not in the house... and of course, my thoughts go back to Tuesday-coming... all those hours... with the house to him-self... it's gnawing at me. I know I can't be with him all of the time. It's just impossible. But there's a major part of me that... well, I suppose it's me who "needs" to be with him more than he needs to have me around. Still...
At end of day... at 19.32...
WHAT A DAY OF LOVE AND AFFECTION! COO'ING AND KISSES... AND EVEN SNUGGLES, CUDDLES, PLAYING ON THE FUTON... BUT ABOVE ALL... THE AFFECTION! He's had days of riding round on my shoulder, and sitting on my shoulder as I work at the desk, but today REALLY SURPASSED ALL THE OTHERS!
Today, he'd be in his loft and suddenly get up and come over to my shoulder, tug at my ear until I turned my head to give him kisses. Or, several times... yes.. SEVERAL times, he came over and just settled there, watching what-ever I was doing. He just wanted to be ON me... that close. And "play" today? WOW! Running back and forth on the futon, letting me snuggle him between my arms and give him kisses, which we've done before but today, he wasn't so quick to run away.
I can't be absolutely sure, but I will always believe that he senses my trepidation about Tuesday's medical procedure which I'd rather not undergo but, well, it's necessary. I've kept busy all day but... the thoughts come and go and when then come... he seems to know.
He truly IS my Heart-and-Soul !!!
One thing I happened to notice today though: his head and neck feathers look so "soft", much softer than they used to. I'm wondering if there's something missing in his diet that's making the new feathers "weaker". Or is it that he sleeps under a heater and the temperature keeps them lighter-weight. He's getting more fat and protein now, with the peanuts and sun-flower seeds in his food mix. And he's always gotten "moulting mix" in there, it's part of the "recipe" and has been all along. And now that I've pulverised the pellets, he's getting the nutrients in those as well. Sadly, I don't know that current diet will help with current feathers (and as much as I dread his moultings, we'll have to wait for the next one before we see any change in feathers), but, at least his little system now has the opportunity to build what he needs for the next round and I'll be watching... with extreme scrutiny.
This is another one of those times: it's all "live and learn" here for me, but it's been almost 4 years now and I would hate to think that he's deficient in anything because of my stupidity. Especially on days like this where his LOVE is SO obvious, and his TRUST too. He depends on me and my knowledge, just as an infant depends on a proper parent. I'm obligated to provide nothing but the very best for him... but like any parent, my knowledge is so limited, and with Yonah, more-so than if he were a "people infant".
When I think back to the earlier days, when the first thing I'd learnt was that the average life-span of a mourning dove is approximately 18 months... and then, in a "best scenario", could be as much as 5 years... ah... then came the "some have been known to live 20 years when properly cared-for" and then, as found on the web-sites added to today's entry...
30 years 4 months...
At first I thought Yonah and I would have only the time it took him to recover from his wounds and he would be back out into the wild (to fend for himself, as he was born to do). But the moment HE decided to stay, AND when I saw that some of his injuries would never allow him the opportunity to properly escape any further attacks, well, I thought we'd have about another 2 years... maybe 5. (We're coming on 4 years now, and that's not accounting for his age, for which none can be certain, but we're figuring he's going to be about 4 years of age come August 2024.) I resolved then that I would be here with him, for him, for how-ever long his little heart keeps beating... I made that most-solemn vow... so, and to that end, I will always be searching for information, continuing my education. It may make little or no difference to other people, but I don't want "recognition"... I'll just make certain that my little Heart-and-Soul needs for nothing (as long as it's humanly possible for me to provide).
Well then... 20.17 and, I'm at the desk, and Yonah's house is all settled for the night. He's on his "night roost"... with kisses, of course. I've decided to stay with him until I get his notes here, done for the day. Our "mediation" music is playing and the futon is all set for me for a little while later. Tonight is difficult. It's another one of those nights where, after a day of so much affection, I wish I could shrink me down to fit in his house with him. I'd have to sleep in the loft, but Beanie-Birdie is in there again, tonight. But we could "share".
If we get a 2-bed-room place when we move from here, I'm going to figure a way to "furnish" one room, for him so that he can have the entire room over-night. Not sure how, but I'm sure I can come up with something. And if it's only 1 bed-room... I might be able to figure that out too. I just don't want it so that he'd be ON the bed with me at night, for fear of me moving in my sleep with him too close. These are the thoughts of nights like this. He's my sole Companion, my sole cause and reason for even "being". But tomorrow night is going to be a living Hell for me, knowing that on Tuesday morning, I'll be off... and in surgery. I know the procedure is as common as a tooth extraction. I just wish they could do it with-out anaesthesia. I don't want to be un-aware, and I don't like not knowing how long it will take for it all to wear off enough for me to be able to stand and walk on my own. Too many "variables"... I don't like "variables". I don't know who would take care of Yonah in my absence, no matter how long or short a while. And to be honest, I don't know of anybody I could honestly say that I trust to attend to him. And I don't know how he'd adjust to another person. He's not "shop-raised". He's not "shop-born". And he's obviously accustomed to certain routines. And I will NOT have him suffer ANYTHING AGAIN! Not to mention:
Mourning Doves "mate" for life, and, as is shown in the content of his web-site, there's evidence that they "mourn" the loss of a mate. If he and I are "the flock"... I will NOT be the cause of his "mourning"! No matter the reason, I will NOT!
I have a "Living Will" drawn, legally, and he's the sole beneficiary of everything, what little there is, and should it ever come to it, everything I have goes to whom-ever will give him care... including the proceeds of sales of anything material. (And I don't trust anybody in that respect either, to be honest.) He's my "Family", my "child", my "ultimate responsibility". HE chose me that evening when he climbed onto my hand. HE trusted me. I cannot and will not betray that trust. I simply will not.
(I hope I'm just being "un-necessarily frantic", over-thinking, as I've always tended to do. I'm hoping to be made the fool on Tuesday evening. That's my hope for tonight...)
Mean-while, he's settled-in beside me, in his house... and the rest of the house is still. Sunday has come to a close. And when I'm done here, I'll close his door, put me together and get to the futon... until tomorrow... when we have things to do... namely... House-keeping for him! Clean house! Clean pool! My little Heart-and-Soul....
This evening, I happened upon the following... to be added to other pages on the site, to be sure, the "earlier" pages...
How Long Do Mourning Doves Live? (Mourning Dove Lifespan) | Birdfact
30 years 4 months... ("Shot"... go figure. But according to the "law", having Yonah here is punishable by fines & more...)
Mourning dove - Bird Informer
21.01... time to wrap things up and give my Little Guy his peace for the night....
OK. There was one "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" when I got to the kitchen, but I had to go back to close his door anyway.
BUT TONIGHT, WHEN I LOOKED IN TO GIVE HIM KISSES "GOOD NIGHT" HE JUST STOOD THERE, ON HIS PERCH, AND STARED, STERNLY, UN-MOVING... A HARD STARE AT ME. FOR THE LONGEST WHILE... JUST STARED AT ME. AND WHEN I WENT TO HOLD HIM, AS I DO, TO KISS HIM, HE GAVE ME THE HARDEST PECKS, LIKE SOME-ONE WOULD KISS SOME-ONE WITH GREAT RESOLVE. I HAVE to control my anxieties. Thankfully, tomorrow will be busy... with house-keeping. We'll see how it all goes then. BUT I CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THE STARE... I WONDER... ALWAYS... I WONDER... and I'm just too inferior and incompetent to "KNOW"...
Monday 04 March:
This morning, I woke at 6.13 and got right up to start my day because I had much on the agenda to accomplish (since tomorrow will be a wasted day... me... at hospital... surgery). Managed to put the kettle on and head to the loo and... of course, the moment I got to there... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo"!
"Call to order" this morning: 6.15!
Poor Little Guy... the rest of his morning was a complete "tornado".
But WOW! Did we ever chat back and forth this morning! He was vociferous and so clear! And when I got back to him, in the darkness of the morning, it started rather cloudy (and was, for the most part, the same all day today), there he was, on his perch, waiting for me to "open house"!
And again, this morning... OH THE KISSES!
Clear voice, wing stretches and KISSES! There couldn't be a better start to a day!
And poops? 7... SEVEN! ALL OF ABOUT THE SAME "NORMAL" SIZE! AND PERFECT COLOUR... AND ONLY TRACE HALOS OF GREEN! His little belly is good too! Nope, couldn't be a better start to the day.
Well, I didn't do the water relay this morning... because... at 7.30, the "tragedy" began... House-keeping! He never really likes that because the stability of his house is disturbed, and things are removed and he always acts like he's being robbed! And this morning was no different.
"We" drained his pool and took it out to the kitchen where the pool got a thorough scrubbing and the the "fountain" too, got a proper scrubbing. And then I set the pool and fountain together in the kitchen basin and filled it with nothing but white vinegar and let it run!
Whilst that ran, the trays came out and got scrubbed. I didn't scrub the main tray on the bottom this time. It was clean. But then, it's covered with kitchen roll under the trays so... and I wanted to save some time this morning. The important part was the pool and the trays and the rest of his house.
Amy came by for a visit... She's going to check-in on Yonah during the day tomorrow. And as we stood in the kitchen talking, my Little Guy made a flight to the living-room, then came back through for one of his "surveillance" flights and went back for a while, and then flew through to go back to his house (which was still completely taken apart).
Oh, and as always, as I removed things from his house, he was obviously no happy... pecking at my hands as if to say "HEY! THAT'S MINE!" That always gets me laughing. Three years of this, monthly, and he STILL thinks I'm taking his house away.
Amy had a thought: in the wild, wind and rain and storms come by and destroy their nest, their "home". I'm the "storm" now... I come through and ruin everything, taking it all away. (But I still say: I'm also the "construction crew" that comes back to re-build... and when I do, for the most part, everything goes back to the way it was so... I still have to laugh.)
Whilst his house was apart, his window was completely open. It was warm enough for that today, in spite of the clouds covering the sun. And I got some hoovering done too... in fact, to make sure that all of his fountain was clean, I hoovered whilst the vinegar ran through. It got CLEANED today!
By lunch break, everything was clean, food shelf and such, fresh food, clean water... and yes, t was as though none of the mayhem had happened, and my Little Guy went for his lunch as I put mine on...
We lunched together.
OH... this morning... as I took the little trays to the kitchen, my "Supervisor" accompanied... on my shoulder. And when I put them into the kitchen basin, he watched... as if intrigued! Once then were in, he took off and headed back to his house... almost as if to verify that those WERE HIS!
This after-noon, I had to head out to fetch water from the river for his orange tree and Norfolk Island pine and whilst there, I noticed some brown grasses that had obviously been "scrubbed" by the over-flow... I grabbed a bunch thinking Yonah would like to play with some of it.
When I got it back, I sprayed it with Permethrin, let it dry, then put it in a bowl and covered with boiling water... a good swish round and 10 rinses in fresh, running water... patted dry with kitchen roll, dried...
This evening, I put a bit into his house on the little stack of twigs and yes, he DID enjoy tearing at it and brought some up to the loft! It was so cute, bringing bits to the reflection in the little mirror there and "placing" it with care, on his loft.
I expect to find much of it in the pool and on the floor tomorrow. But there's more. And if he does enjoy it, I know where to get more! (Another "trial and error"... and I feel better giving him these grasses than the mosses now, especially this year since we never really had a "Winter", no long-term freezes, so there's no telling what's growing in the mosses now... and I won't be collecting any come the warm weather this year. Mites, ticks, other insects... not taking any chances. Grasses can be soaked in boiling water and anything on them can be seen... unlike with mosses where I've discovered all sorts of "creatures" in it, even after multiple long-time soaks and rinses.)
"Tante Nancy" came by twice today. And both times she said that, should I need her for any help whilst I'm in hospital tomorrow or when I get back, just to let her know. She's VERY available... So now we have Amy AND Tante Nancy to help out! I know that Yonah likes (or tolerates) Amy... not sure how he'll "receive" Nancy, but it's a comfort to know that there are people available.
Oh, and the hospital phoned with info about tomorrow and I told three different people about the importance of coming back tomorrow because of Yonah and all three were SO UNDERSTANDING! The responses sounded "heart-felt" so... we'll see how it goes tomorrow. It's supposed to be "same day". It all rides on my responses to the anaesthesia and a Nurse said there might be alternatives offered... We'll see tomorrow...
Well, by the time all the house-keeping and house-work was complete... it was time for evening meals.
I feel terrible... so busy and occupied all through the day, and I could tell that Yonah noticed it all too. He wanted to be "together" again today. But I want to be "here" for him tomorrow when all is done and I want us to be able to just "be together" with nothing that need be done.
Well, we had evening meals and right away, we did water relay and closed the windows... there was a little "day light" lingering but it was "dark enough".
And now... at 20.41, my little Heart-and-Soul has been on his perch as I've been typing and he just went over to his food for a snack.. it's "tuck-in time"... He's back on his perch... doing a little "end of day preening".
Earlier, when I stepped out of the room to get a drink of water, he CALLED AND CALLED... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo--hoo" until I came back to the room. Yeah... he knows "something" isn't as it ought to be. And it rips my heart.
It was another LATE night tonight, but we both "tucked-in" at the same time. 21.31, I'd showered and whilst I did, I left his door open and he had access to the room and such. When I was finished, I put on my jammies, put the lights out in the house and came into the room... Kisses, cuddles... but I KNOW that he KNOWS something is "off" these days. But assurances that tomorrow would be OK, just earlier and a little different, he seemed to calm. HE did... my heart cried.
Tuesday 05 March:
There isn't much that I can say about much of the day today because my PRECIOUS HEART-AND-SOUL had the house for 8 hours while I was "out for surgery"... But all the while I was in hospital, I pulled out his calling cards and a "card" that I'd printed to keep with my "papers" for them there. (The crazy old guy with the bird... But most people seemed to understand... Yes, sure, there's a "risk" letting people know about him, but I'm at a point now, with almost 4 years together, as so many who know about Yonah say: taking him from the home he has would be irredeemably evil. No more "hiding" my Little Guy. We're over that.)
But as for the day that was...
I was on his futon with two alarms set to make sure I was up and ready to roll by 6.30, but, thankfully, I actually woke at shortly after 4.00... so, being up, instead of staying up (I was tired) or staying on the futon, I brought the alarm with and went to the bed-room. (I haven't slept in there in MONTHS now... don't miss it, and it wasn't as uncomfortable as I'd been imagining, after getting so used to being on Yonah's futon. That way, the alarms could get me up but wouldn't disturb my little Heart-and-Soul...
When the 5.20 alarm sounded, I got up and got into the shower... quietly. There was no reason to disturb Yonah right away.
But I wanted to get his room together for the day before I had to leave, blinds and curtains open so he wouldn't be alone, in the dark all day. (And it was another dreary, dark day which would have been morbidly dark in his room with closed windows. I wasn't having that!) And I wanted him to have fresh water in his pool... for drinking or bathing. So...
At 6.00, I crept into his room and started folding the sheet on his futon and removing the pillows and as I did...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo" from behind me... in the darkness. I don't know if he was awake already or if I'd disturbed him, but I was some-what relieved that he was awake but so saddened that I might have awakened him... before he was ready to wake on his own.
Well... ALL the while I got his place ready for the day, he coo'ed... ALL the while... coo'ing. I coo'ed, he coo'ed... but he coo'ed all the more! And the more he coo'ed, the heavier my heart.
We got everything accomplished though, so it was, for the most part, like any other morning... bird-songs and radio on, fresh water, windows open... but at 6.25... I was heading out the door, the ride had arrived, and as I closed the front door behind me, I could hear my CHERISHED LITTLE GUY, MY HEART-AND-SOUL, still coo'ing! I called "I'll be back soon!" and headed out...
Yes, I left at 6.30... BUT... I walked back in at 14.00 !!! And as we arrived, Amy was out front... she was there to check on Yonah... and had been by twice during the day! She's such a BLESSING to both Yonah and to me!
We got into the house and when I got to Yonah's room (immediately, of course), he was "lounging" in his loft... BUT the moment he realised that I was in the room he came BOUNCING to his door perch... for SNUGGLES, CUDDLES, KISSES, LUVINS !!!!! I don't care what others might think or even believe... I can say that I KNOW that he's VERY aware when "things" are different and when I'm not in the house and I can say that I KNOW that he (at least) appears to be SO HAPPY when, after I've been away, I return! We BOTH MISS each-other... and we BOTH show our happiness when we're re-united!
Well... a quick run to the pharmacy and Amy drove. She asked if I needed anything other than the prescription and I said I didn't. (All I wanted was to get back to my Little Guy!)
When, at LONG LAST, we were back together and the house settled, I was amazingly feeling very well! But I wanted to take things a little easy. I'd made a soup to have when I returned so... at almost 15.00 I heated some and sat at the desk to have a late lunch AND YONAH went and had a bit too! And THEN, he let me have a 30-minute snooze! (I'd swear he knew that I wasn't "completely" my-self and, more than likely, understood that our regular "life" had been disrupted this morning. I've gone shopping but usually am away for 4 hours... today was DOUBLE that, and the way I left this morning, abruptly... well...)
I have to say though, that it was rather obvious that he'd been "concerned". I wondered if he'd had any thoughts that I might have left him, abandoned him... being away for so long. And I could tell that he was relieved, calmer, now that we were back together. (They see, they know... they might not understand, but they're VERY MUCH AWARE... and I can attest to that fact.)
Oh, I DID get a "poop check" of last night's poops: only 5, but of a "proper" size, with only the slightest "halo" on the "poop rug" (the strip of kitchen roll that I put under his "night roost" every night). I was relieved to see that, AND I check around the room for more from during the day. From the looks of where they were and weren't, I'd say my poor PRECIOUS LITTLE GUY passed most of his day in his house... The poops were there, on the "floor" of his house... They ALL looked good! I was SO relieved!
Well, at 17.00, I was hungry again and there was more soup to be had so... back to our normal evening routine... we had "supper" together, watched a bit of news and... AND...
As I was sitting at the desk, finished with eating, I started to get things together to get some notes typed for the Journal today and from beside me... SPLASHING! 18.09... MY LITTLE GUY WAS IN HIS POOL, TAKING A SPLASH'N'SOAK! The room was quite warm and calm... the only thing was, I'd put some of those grasses into his house this morning, so he'd have something "different" to work or play with and some of them were in the pool! I wanted to get them out and change the water before they made their way into the fountain but... there he was, as comfy as could be. So I let him finish his bathing and....
After I'd done the washing-up... I got to the water changes, though tonight, slower than usual and instead of all at once, I split the running so that the bucket that catches the run-offs wasn't so heavy. It was odd because when I took the first bucket away, it seemed Yonah didn't mind but when I came back to start again for the second, he stood on his perch, head titled, watching me as if wondering why I was doing the work again. (I tell you... NOTHING goes by un-noticed.)
I didn't get much accomplished after that, moving slower than usual, but it was all well and fine. By 20.30, Yonah was in his house, on his perch at his night roost. So I got the room settled for the two of us for the night and brought Beanie-Birdie in to the loft...At 20.47 he was tucked-in... quietly. He was tired too! And by 21.00 I was putting the lights out for both of us.
8 hours away from him... It was living Hell for me. But now that it's done, I can rest better, knowing that my medical situation has been attended... more "longevity" for me... more time to be here for the ONLY little LIFE in Creation that means anything, that matters at all. I'll be here for my Heart-and-Soul as long as his little heart beats... and that's the only thing of any importance.
Wednesday 06 March:
Precious Little Guy... this morning he woke to find me with my head at his end of the futon! Something different! After yesterday, something ELSE different. (I changed positions on the futon last night so that I didn't sleep on the "surgery side". Odd for both of us, but it IS rather nice to wake in the morning and look up and there's the little silhouette there, on the perch, almost over-head. The only thing that could be better would be to see him out and about, in the room... but... that's not happening, unfortunately.
But it was about 6.20 when the soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo....hoo" "call to order" sounded. Another "soft" call, but clear. And I managed a "call-back" which was answered right away. Again, after yesterday, it was such a comfort to know my little Heart-and-Soul was sounding well and apparently well-rested.
We had a little "banter" as I got me to wake up and as soon as I got up from the futon and stood at his door, he was stretching wings and prepping for the day ahead.
Poop check before all else... 7 truly "healthy" poops, a bit on the "darker" side again, but I'm thinking it might have something to do with the peanuts and sun-flower seeds. I'll have to cut them out of the next dish of food and see if there's any change. Maybe "too much fat" suddenly? Both are higher in fat than his regular diet. (Or maybe something to do with what-ever is in the pellets that he seldom eats but are now a regular part of all that's there in his food. Well... trial and error, here we go. As long as he's got energy, his voice is clear and the poops are healthy. We'll see...)
As soon as I opened his door and pooped my head in... KISSES! I felt pangs of guilt from yesterday when he stopped long enough for another couple of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's". So I gave him more kisses and whispered: "I'm not going any-where today. It's you and me. I have one run into town but that's going to be quick. And we're together for the rest of the day. I promise." I got more kisses back and I got to opening the blinds and curtains on yet, another dark, grey morning... "March"... it ought to be snowing out there but... just more rain. I'm happy that the Little Guy is in here these days, out of the chilled dampness, protected. And his room was comfortably warm this morning too! No "fluffing" against cold or rain.
As soon as the blinds and curtains were open, he was up and hopping across to the other perch with a flutter of feathers and we were off and rolling... got his house back into position and I headed to the kitchen to straighten things up there. I had one errand to run on this grey and dreary day and the rest of the day together.
And it was a bit of a day of getting "things" back together that had gone a bit amok in the past weeks. Many papers to sort and file and such and "papers" are ALWAYS a source of intrigue and amusement. Yonah enjoys pecking at them, and I swear there are moments when it appears he's READING them.
But my activities make him obviously comfortable, because when he's not "sorting" he relaxes in his loft. And today was a perfect day for "relaxing". We were together and the day was dim. We enjoyed each-other's company.
We had lunch at noon and I was allowed a 25-minute snooze, though not at first. When my head touched the pillow, my Little Guy came rushing down from his loft to set on my shoulder, but not to snooze. He toddled up and down my arm a few times, ruffled his feathers and then, I suppose he thought again and allowed me to "rest" until... of course... 2 minutes before the alarm was set to sound. (I'll never understand how he knows the alarm is about to sound... but he does.)
The rest of the after-noon, I parked me at his desk and got busy recounting yesterday's events since I didn't get to his journal during the day and was so exhausted last evening.
My Little Guy stayed in his loft... as he probably would have done were he out-side... on a day like today.
At least here, now, he doesn't have to be concerned with trying to find a protected place, warm and dry. Here, if he wants to be wet, he's got his pool, but other-wise, food and water are convenient.
And he took a quick trip out to the living-room today too. A few "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" with the decoys and back he came.
I got two "visits" to the shoulder... and it seemed that they were only for kisses. He pecked at my ear, I turned, gave him kisses, stroked his head, neck and back and he was off again. "Kisses"... and knowing we were together. Sometimes it seems it means as much to him that we're together as it means to me.
This evening, we had our evening meals together and after, just before water relay, I brought another "batch" of the river grasses that were slightly "rolled together". I put them in his house, on his floor, on the stack of twigs and he poked at them a bit but... I stepped out of the room for mere moments and when I got back, they were "gone"... the whole "bunch", altogether, was in his loft! One trip! What a character! Looks like I'll have to get more of that for him.
And after water relay, he was up on this roof, watching as I closed the curtains and but the back-board up... "Signs" of "close of day"... so I brought in the lap-top to get to journalling and... my Little Guy headed to the old lap-top, as he does of an evening... pecking at the screen... as he does.
We're "normal" again tonight.
Meanwhile, the rains pour out-side his windows in the darkness but his room is a comfortable 27,5° tonight! And he has fresh water in his pool, plenty of fresh food in his dish (with-out peanuts or sun-flower seeds). Looking forward to tomorrow's "poop check".
But it's nice, at 19.48, to be relaxed again... last night I was so tired at this hour. Tonight I'm tired too but "our house-hold" is as it used to be. Though I'll be heading to the futon shortly after Yonah's "tuck-in" again.
At 20.30 he still didn't appear to be ready for any "seepie-nigh-night" so I dimmed the lights and put our "meditation music" on. Pillows and such already on the futon, he was on the desk shelf with Bustelo-Birdie, Beanie-Birdie was in the loft. But the dim lights and the music... he headed right for his door perch... and I caught up with his Journal... and at 20.51... he headed up to his night roost...
Time for both of us to tuck-in for the night!
Thursday 07 March:
6.40 "Call to order" this morning! And yes, we both went seepie-nigh-night at the same hour last night! When I got to the futon, I'd left one moon light on for a while, trying to keep with a bit of a "normal" and "regular" sort of routine, and to make it visible that I was, in fact, on the futon with my Little Guy for the night. not sure if if really made any difference in things, but since these days are a bit different, I don't want to give "cause for concern". There's no way of knowing, for certain, how my Little Love perceives all of this, especially after the "whirl-wind" of Tuesday morning and all those hours of being alone. Chances are I make more of it than he does, but I keep remembering those 2 days when I'd gone back to work and had to be out of the house before sun-rise... and all the hours of being away. Others say "Oh, he probably didn't even notice." or, there's the reading that I recall that claims that birds think "only for the moment", pre-occupied with "immediate needs"; food, water, protection from predators. I'll argue that, vehemently. I've seen too much over these three years, and there's incontrovertible evidence that, at least THIS Little Guy has "recall" and is VERY MUCH aware of MUCH more than "the moment". Anyway...
This morning's call was ever-so soft, but clear. And I didn't have my "morning woo-hoo in tune" so, his "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo" was answered with my feeble "morning voice". And for a few moments, we "chatted" in the darkness of the early hour's dim light before I managed to get me up and off the futon.
And as soon as I stood up I could see the little silhouette, stretching wings and "putting feathers together", as it were. "Woo-hoo's and wing-stretches"... Thursday was "open".
And when I opened his door and said "Good morning to YOU! Kisses?" he bobbed his head forward... and KISSES KISSES and MORE KISSES! It was time to get the blinds and curtains open, the waters changed.
Out-side this morning, yet another dreary morning... grey, over-cast, and there was a bit of a chill coming in through the slightly-opened window. But a comfy 26° in Yonah's room. No "chills" in the house today. I put the UV light on though. (I'd still really like to know what difference it makes in what Yonah sees around the room with it on. But what I do see is the change in his general "energy"... he seems to be more active with it on, on these dreary days so, perhaps it does make some difference to him. I'm just grateful for having it for him and I hope it does as intended: help him with "vitamin D", if nothing else.)
Mandatory morning poop-check report this morning: I'll call it "off", because they're different from the past few days. 6 total, but 2 of them are rather "large" and "wet". I'm wondering what causes the changes. But then again, don't we all have "those days"? I just have to keep careful watch. The "new" grasses? They were boiled and dried. But we'll watch.
As far as energy is concerned, there's obviously no lack of that. (But then... birds "hide their pains" so, when my Little Guy is in "best of energy", I tend to wonder.)
This morning was quite the experience: another morning of "being with" and "being on". I'd no sooner gotten the house settled and sat at the desk to get to this morning's notes and journalling when...
"Flutter-flutter, whistle-whistle" of wings and, there he was, my Little Guy, my Heart-and-Soul, on my shoulder, pecking at my ear! "LUVINS!" And that wasn't the last of it!
Today, it seems my body's finally coming off the "shock" of all that's happened over the past couple of days and although I slept quite well through the night, last, I was having a "fatigued" sort of start to the say and shortly after getting the day started, I went back to the futon and took a quick snooze this morning for what was supposed to be 20 minutes but when the alarm sounded, he was on my leg, all snuggled, so I waited for him... about 10 minutes more and he was off and I was up and moving.
But no matter where I was, what I was doing, I had "a little bird on my shoulder".
One of "those" mornings, One of those days? I can't help but wonder if he's not aware of the minor, I'll call it "discomfort" I'm experiencing from Tuesday's surgery. I wouldn't doubt that he does. (I wonder if he remembers any of his own pain from years ago... from the attack that "brought us together".) Brings a smile to my face when I recall the concern of the medical staff when they asked, several times "Is there somebody who can check onwe you during the day for a while, to make sure you're OK?" Oh... INDEED THERE IS! I've got a "private duty home Nurse"... "live-in", in fact. No matter where I go, I have "supervision". (And there isn't any better than Herr Taube, let me tell you.)
We've also come to find another little "tune" that he seems to enjoy too!
As I worked at the desk, I was playing the tunes on our iPod here, which has a collection of all sorts of music from the 1920s through contemporary, and American, European, Middle Eastern... "eclectic", as it is. Well, the Little Guy was, for a brief while, in his loft, all nestled and settled when a particular song came on and suddenly, he was all "perch-coos" and "fluttering"...
A little French tune from Québec, 2005 perhaps: "J'entends ta voix" by France d'Amour. Every time she sang what's been written as "Ma ouh-ouh", Yonah replied "woo-HOO!". Just to be sure it was the song, I played it through once and then again and sure enough... he was singing along! (We'll have to work on his "MP3 player play-list"... to include music with his song-birds!)
Well... just before lunch break, for the first time all morning, he took off to the living-room for some exercise and a visit... and... lunch...
THE SUN CAME THROUGH THIS AFTER-NOON! AND IT REALLY WAS MOST WELCOMED BY MY LITTLE GUY! As I sat at the desk, catching-up on much that had been neglected the past two days, I looked over my shoulder to see him BASKING, on his beach, feathers splayed. It's a sight that always brings me both joy and a little sadness. The joy is seeing him bathed in that brilliant light and knowing the warmth that comes through the glass of his windows. Just looking at him shows his enjoyment, his comfort. And knowing that he can do that with no thoughts or fears of being disturbed, no predators to threaten him, knowing that he can simply relax gives me such an inner peace of spirit. I often think that there's so little that I can give him, and seeing these moments makes me think: I'm doing OK in this respect. He's safe here. I can give him safety.
The sadness comes from knowing that the beneficial UV rays of the sun-shine don't penetrate the glass of the windows. Some does, yes, but surely not enough. I've no particular statistics on the sort of glass on these windows, but being of a newer sort, I imagine they were created to block "harmful UV", some of which is also "beneficial" for the creation of necessary vitamin D that Yonah needs for his bones, feathers and general health. I can only hope that with the "high nutrition pellets" and the combination of seeds in his food, that he does get all that he needs.
Meanwhile, it was a pure delight to see him resting there, so calm and peaceful.
The rest of the after-noon was as peaceful. When he was done with his basking, he headed, as he does of a day, up to his loft to continue his "lounging" and I continued with the rest of my own affairs of the day.
I managed to sneak in one extra "snooze" of about 20 minutes too, before evening meal time. And this time too, my Little Love came over to "roost" a bit on my legs as I laid on his futon.
And, as all days do, this one came rushing into meals... At about 16.30, Yonah had his, and at 17.00 I sat at the desk to have mine... and after, we made quick business of the washing-up so that I could get to my next "item": I'm still working on changes and up-dates to his web-site so, I set me up at the desk for that and then got to the evening water relay and closing the windows... It was nice to have our meals in day-light for a change. Spring is coming along quickly, the days are growing longer. (And I see by the calendar, this is the week of "Daylight Savings" when, as of Sunday, our 17.00 now will be only 16.00 again... and again, we'll have to "adjust" accordingly... though I do my best to keep the "natural clock" so as not to impose such nonsense as "Daylight Savings" on Yonah.)
By 19.00 we were done, his room was settled, even to having my pillows on the futon for the night, and I put our "meditation music" on, brought Bustelo-Birdie to Yonah's loft because when he realised we were "closing the day", he'd gone over to Bustelo-Birdie tonight to give a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" instead of Beanie-Birdie. (I don't know, for certain, which he prefers, but, since he went to Bustelo-Birdie...)
At 20.15, he was on his door perch... it was time to get to closing the rest of the house for the night... and to be honest, I was perfectly ready...
Friday 08 March:
Well, well, well, indeed, we had quite the night of it last night.
"Tuck-in" never happened until about 21.30, at least. I'd lost interest in the "time-keeping" as the time passed. Yonah wasn't having "tuck-in" or "seepie-nigh-night" last night, for some reason. When I thought we'd gotten ready to settle-in for the night, he headed for the desk shelf and then over to the wall shelves. And all the while, coo'ing: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". Not so much "singing" or "evening coo'ing", I could sense that there was something he was trying to convey, but, as it always is, I was at a complete loss for understanding. It was yet another reminder of the inferiority of "humans" where "comprehension" is concerned.
Yonah has obviously come to where HE's learned "human language", "English". "Kisses", "seepie-nigh'night", the names of the "Birdies" (and the obvious ability to differentiate the 4 of them when spoken). He recognises his name and knows when it's spoken. He recognises "lunch" and "supper" and "water". And all the while, all I can do is "transliterate" the likes of "woo-HOO" and variations on that. Indeed... indeed... the utter and absolute inferiority of "humanity". And last night, it troubled me to my core. When he has so much to say, at any time of the day, I wonder what it is he's telling. There are times when it appears he's merely "singing", as it were, coo'ing because of pleasure, as a person might sing or whistle or hum a tune. There are times when it seems more as though he's trying to convey a message of importance, be it "pleasure", "displeasure" or, as with last night, some sort of "warning". And though I say "it appears", that's the best way I can describe what is, after all, my own perception and interpretation of his sounds. I've neither the intelligence nor the ability to actually interpret any of his coo's or calls.
But last evening was particularly note-worthy in that, he'll sometimes become "vociferous" before tuck-in, but usually, it's in his house or on his roof-top. Last evening, he was restless as well, flying from place-to-place around the room and obviously NOT wanted to be "home"... on his "night roost".
Since my surgery, and because I was given some tablets to take to alleviate pain or discomfort, I'd taken one only after I was sure that my Little Guy was settled quietly for the night and just before heading to the futon for the night. Last night, I didn't dare because I didn't want to be "sedated", in case something untoward happened during the night and I'd need to be awake and aware at a moment's call. As it turned out, I was glad to have made that decision...
I'll say that we managed to get matters settled, some-what, by about 21.30. Yonah was on his night roost and I was off to the futon. I chose to leave one moon light on for what I'd planned on being about a half hour or so, as before, to keep enough light in the room so that Yonah could see that I was "there", in the room, beside him, at the ready. What happened was, I'd dozed-off for almost 3 hours! It was 0.24 (just after mid-night) when I had to make a "loo trip", and when I woke, I had to slowly rise off the futon (because of stiffness at the surgery sites) and as I did... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... I was, apparently, being told "You fell asleep with the light on and I can't get any rest." or "Hey! Are you OK? It's not like you to leave a light on this long." Which ever it was, when I checked the clock, I was so sorry for having done.
So I made the loo trip and coming back to the room, I stopped at Yonah's door to apologise for my inconsideration. He appeared to be fine, on his night roost, and so, I got back to the futon and once settled, turned the moon light off... whispering "I'm sorry. Now we can go seepie-nigh-night. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Get a good rest now." (I wasn't planning on sleeping through the night though... considering Yonah's obvious trepidation. I'd figured on "snoozing", "dozing" and "napping", waking now and again, to make certain all was well. Well...)
The room settled, I settled, we settled, the lights were off, the night was established until...
I was aware of being "half-asleep", as it were, and in some sort of "half-dream" about something I can't recall today, when I heard THE SOUND OF WINGS! THE FLUTTERING! YONAH WAS TRYING TO FLY! SOMETHING HAD STARTLED HIM IN THE DARKNESS OF THE ROOM! AND THOUGH, SOME-HOW, IN MORE RECENT TIMES, NO ACTUAL HARM HAS COME FROM SUCH EVENTS, IN HIS EARLIER DAYS/NIGHTS, HE HAS INJURED HIM-SELF TO THE POINT OF SOME BLOOD-SHED SO NOW, MY ENTIRE BEING RUSHES INTO "PANIC" WHEN I HEAR HIM IN HIS HOUSE, FLYING! ESPECIALLY IN THE DARKNESS! I GOT THE MOON LIGHTS ON, NOT WANTING TO USE THE CEILING FIXTURE TO "FLOOD" THE ROOM WITH BRIGHT LIGHT, AFRAID I'D STARTLE HIM EVEN MORE, AND GOT UP FROM THE FUTON (it's sometimes amazing how pains disappear in "panic") AND RUSHED OVER. MY PRECIOUS LITTLE GUY WAS STANDING ON THE FLOOR OF HIS HOUSE, JUST INSIDE HIS DOOR! HE DIDN'T RESPOND, AT ALL, TO SEEING ME, EVEN AS I OPENED THE DOOR, WHISPERING "WHAT HAPPENED, MY LITTLE LOVE? WHAT HAPPENED?" (As if I expected him to answer me so that I'd understand.) A CHECK ACROSS HIS HOUSE... NO BLOOD! I LEANED IN CLOSER TO CHECK HIM FOR ANY SIGNS OF INJURY. NONE. I WAS RELIEVED, BUT HE WASN'T MAKING ANY MOTION AT ALL! I DIDN'T KNOW IF HE WAS "STUNNED" OR "TERRIFIED"... OR "CONSOLED", KNOWING THAT I WAS THERE TO MAKE SURE HE WAS PROTECTED. BUT IT WORRIED ME. HE WAS "FROZEN" IN PLACE AND I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING WHY. I REACHED MY HANDS OUT TO PICK HIM UP AND BRING HIM CLOSER TO ME. HE JUST LET ME, BUT WHEN I BROUGHT HIM CLOSER TO MY CHIN, AS I DO, HE FLEW OFF, UP TO THE WALL SHELVES, AND TODDLED A BIT, BACK AND FORTH AND THEN LET OUT A "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! I LOOKED UP AND IN A WHISPER, SAID "IT'S OK NOW. IT'S ALL OK NOW. YOU'RE SAFE. NOTHING'S HERE TO HURT YOU. IT'S REALLY OK NOW." AND OUT OF CURIOSITY, KNOWING HE WAS OK, SPEAKING AND ABLE TO FLY, NO INJURIES, I CHECKED THE CLOCK...
"3.33"
I LISTENED CAREFULLY, FOR ANY SOUNDS IN THE HOUSE AT ALL, ANY RUMBLINGS OR THUMPINGS OR THE LIKES, EITHER FROM OUT-SIDE OR, PERHAPS, THE HOUSE HAVING "SETTLED". SILENCE. THE HOUSE WAS STILL. SO ODD, EVEN THOUGH, AS I SAY, HE'S DONE THIS BEFORE, THOUGH, THANKFULLY, NOT OFTEN. I CHECKED ROUND THE HOUSE TO SEE IF ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, WAS "MOVED" OR DISPLACED. ALL WAS WELL.
AFTER A COUPLE OF MOMENTS, HE LET ME REACH UP TO TAKE HIM IN MY CUPPED HANDS AND BRING HIM BACK TO HIS HOUSE AND WHEN HE WAS IN, HE HOPPED FROM MY HANDS TO THE PERCH OPPOSITE HIS "NIGHT ROOST" AND THERE HE STAYED, AGAIN, PERFECTLY STILL. HE LET ME "HOLD" HIM IN ONE HAND, I GAVE HIM KISSES, TELLING HIM HE WAS OK AND THAT HE WAS SAFE. HE DIDN'T MOVE AND I GOT NO KISSES IN RETURN. IT WAS STRANGE, AND I WAS CONCERNED.
AFTER A FEW MORE MOMENTS OF "NO RESPONSE" BUT NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF INJURY, I DECIDED TO TRY TO LAY BACK DOWN ON THE FUTON TO SEE WHAT, IF ANYTHING, HE WOULD DO WHEN LEFT ON HIS OWN... I MUST HAVE LAID THERE A GOOD 5 MINUTES, AND I'D LEFT HIS DOOR OPEN, THE ONE MOON LIGHT ON... AND WHEN I GOT BACK UP, HE WAS STILL RIGHT WHERE HE'D BEEN... STILL AND "CROUCHED", BUT NOT IN ANY VISIBLE DISTRESS. I REACHED IN TO STROKE HIS HEAD AND NECK AND HE HEADED OVER TO HIS LOFT TO CHECK ON BURDIE-BIRDIE WHO WAS THERE FOR THE NIGHT AND THEN SCUTTLED OVER TO HIS NIGHT ROOST. I LEANED IN, GAVE HIM A FEW KISSES. HE TURNED ROUND TO FACE THE LITTLE MOON LIGHT ON THE DESK SHELF AND THEN BACK TO THE POSITION HE SLEEPS IN... I STEPPED AWAY, LEAVING THE MOON LIGHT ON, CLOSED HIS DOOR AND LAID BACK DOWN ON THE FUTON FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. WHEN IT SEEMED THAT ALL HAD RE-SETTLED, AND MY LITTLE LOVE APPEARED TO BE SETTLED-IN (again), I TURNED THE MOON LIGHT OFF AND WHISPERED, IN THE DARK "I LOVE YOU. I DO SO MUCH LOVE YOU. AND YOU'RE SAFE. I'M RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE WHERE I CAN SEE YOU. NOTHING'S HERE TO HURT YOU. IT'S OK NOW. YOU CAN GET SOME REST... I'M RIGHT HERE. I LOVE YOU."...
It must have been close to 4.00 this morning when we managed to drift off... I stayed some-what "half awake" until...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo... hoo"... soft but clear... the morning "call to order". (Checking the clock: 6.15.) Amazing. As if the event of this morning had never happened. My little Heart-and-Soul was up and about and as "kissie" as he could be on any regular morning. And no sooner did I open his door, exchanged "Good morning" kisses, he was off and about, as I opened blinds and curtains to a lightly-frosted world out-side. This morning was "chilled" out there, in contrast to the wet and dreary days of recent times. And the sky was CLEAR... the sun was breaking over the tree tops. And poop check: 7 total, all of the same "normal" size, no "green halos", the whites were white, the rest, a slightly greenish-brown. Perfect. Just as birds will do, no indication of any disturbance. Honestly, as I say, always: Yonah Taube is my inspiration, my source of comfort and strength. I'm "post-operation" these days, with the expected pains and discomforts associated with surgery. But no matter how I might feel, no matter how I'm "reminded" of the incisions, I look at this little bundle of feathered stoicism and my situation becomes non-existent. He's been through MUCH worse that I've ever been and yet, this morning, chats, conversations, coo's, flights, kisses... He's my teacher, professor, mentor, idol, example, inspiration... honour, privilege... BLESSING.
We made the water relay as quick as possible and, we were on our way into a new day!
And it was another morning of "being together" today too. I'd done settling the kitchen and the rest of the house and gotten things settled at the desk in preparation for the day's activities when, no sooner had I sat on the chair, there he was, my LOVE, on my shoulder, at my ear. He wanted "snuggles" and kisses! And when he chatted a little more about this morning, and he'd gotten the affections he came for, he was back off, in flight... but only for some moments before returning for MORE affections (for which, of course, I was all too MORE than happy to oblige). And when, again, all was well... he was back to his house, AND at 10.57... HE WAS BASKING, ON HIS BEACH, IN THE BRILLIANT SUN-SHINE THAT POURED INTO HIS ROOM!
For the entire day, the sun shone into the room, and I was at the desk, working on my Little Guy's web-site, trying to make it "fresh"... AND TODAY, AGAIN, WHEN HE WASN'T BUSY MOVING TWIGS AND GRASSES FROM THE FLOOR OF HIS HOUSE TO THE LOFT, HE CAME OVER FOR KISSES AND CUDDLES! HE'S GETTING VERY "CUDDLY" OF LATE! IT REALLY IS QUITE AMAZING! HE ENJOYS THE "CONTACT"! IT'S NOT "COMMON" FOR BIRDS TO LIKE CONTACT, CUDDLING AND SNUGGLING. BUT HE MAKES IT OBVIOUS THAT HE'S NOT JUST "HERE FOR THE ATTENTION". HE ACTUALLY TODDLES ABOUT MY SHOULDERS AND ARMS TO GET INTO A POSITION WHERE I CAN "HOLD" HIM, AND STROKE HIS HEAD AND NECK AND BACK! NO ATTEMPTS TO LEAVE, well, not immediate, anyway. IT'S JUST ANOTHER ONE OF HIS "AMAZING LITTLE MIRACLES"!
One thing that kept crossing my mind though, every time he came over today was this morning... I still have no idea what could have startled him in the dark at 3.30 this morning, but I do have to wonder if he doesn't remember it, in some manner, and if he doesn't understand that I was right there for and with him. I wonder if, in some manner, he's not completely aware, cognizant of the fact that I was there to protect him and that I AM here to protect him. I'm sure that there are those who would insist that he isn't, but, in these years I've come to learn to doubt much of all that I'd read along the way (which is why I have so much work to correct on his web-site). He can't be a "one off"... or a "one in a million". (I just SO wonder what the doves in the yard think as they go about their daily routines... and why it is that THEY don't seem to understand that I'm probably one of the safest humans they'll ever encounter. It would be truly wonderful, if they'd trust me at least half of how Yonah trusts me. But... "Creation". And it's probably for the best that they don't.)
I've noticed, of late, that the doves haven't been around at all again for the past couple of days. A very few blue jays too. I DID see a hawk yesterday, as I stepped out the door momentarily. I wonder... the yard is fenced so that hawks and the likes can't get at any of the "Yardies" whilst they eat. But I'm sure they don't see it that way. Again, if they're off hiding else-where, best they do so. One day, I won't be here, the yard won't be fenced... I don't want them coming here always expecting to be protected (though I wish I could take them where-ever I go just to do that... But I'm just "a crazy old man with a bird".)
I took an extremely quick run to the store this after-noon and, indeed, the moment I said "I have to run to the store but I'll be back in a few minutes." "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came the reply. Not sure if that was a "Don't leave me." or "Make it quick." But I DID make it quick... about 15 minutes, and when I got back, there was my Little Guy, busy with his twigs. So I re-settled at the desk, he came over for more snuggles and I got back to his web-site... he got back to his house.
And so our day went along, together, the two of us "being busy", and at 16.30, he had his little "evening meal", at 17.00 I put the news on and sat at the desk to have mine.
As soon as the washing-up was done... I got back to the web-work and...
I got a new "Home" page on the web-site this evening. It's not "exactly" how I'd like it but it's much "cleaner" and it's "fresh". I'm some-what pleased with it as it is, and glad to have made some sort of changes to the site. I don't know that many have come to see it, don't know that many actually "follow" it, but it's "moving", not so "stagnant" now. And with the additions of journal entries (which still need a LOT of work), it's "active" on the internet so it will "move about" on "searches" (as if there are many who are searching for information on mourning doves...). But HEY! I started with almost NO help for Yonah and went looking. At least there's something more now.
AND...
To celebrate, and to bring Yonah more into line in today's "tech", I've wanted to get something that would be more direct in the world of internet and "searches", so I looked about to see what I could find in the way of a "domain" that contained "mourning dove" so that if that came into a search, it would direct to Yonah. Well, after searching, and finding sites that are "for sale" at $6900 plus... mourningdove.us came up at an intro of 4,99$ and 19,99$/yr so... as of tonight, mourningdove.us is now yonahtaube.com! It's auto-linked so that if somebody finds the ".us", they'll find my Little Guy! (So now I have to get onto the "formal intro" that I've been working on in my head... explaining the situation. I dare somebody to try to come and take him from me, especially after all these years and considering how we're "attached". But I want this information that's on his site, out there, to save (hopefully) other mourning doves around the world! So? So... (and if we move about, as we're looking to do, good luck with the tracking... we'll be "on the wing", and yes, I'm willing to do that to keep my Little Love safe.)
By 20.12 I'd done the water relay (several breaks again, this evening, not wanting to carry a full bucket of water, just yet), and got the blinds and windows closed... and no sooner had I done... my little Heart-and-Soul was up to his night roost! He'd taken a quick visit to the wall shelves for a few "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" and a visit with Beanie-Biride, so Beanie-Birdie took a "flight" to the loft and apparently, that was the "signal"...
Our "meditation music" was on the old lap-top so I settled at the desk to complete today's journalling whilst the Little Guy "settled-down" for the night... after... of course, a quick visit to the door perch... for more cuddles... I can't get over the cuddles!
Well, 21.06 and the journalling done and the rest of the house is settled for the night... time for me to get to the futon... let's see how this works tonight...
Saturday 09 March:
6.15 morning "call to order"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". Clear and soft (again... "soft"). I have to wonder why "soft", but then, last night was exceptionally late with our "tuck-in". And as I got to the futon, ready to put the moon lights off, my Precious Little Love called over: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from his night roost. He was still aware of the room... even though he seemed to have been settled and, I thought, snoozing, at least.
So I got up again, went over, opened his door and popped in for some "Good night" kisses and whispered words of consolation... I'm here, I'll be here, everything's OK. I got so MANY kisses in return and I let him decide when the kisses were enough and he went back to his "position" for the night.
When I got back to the futon, put my head on the pillow and the lights went off, the room was quiet. By then, it had to be 21.30 at the very least. POOR LITTLE GUY! I kept him up WAY too late! (And tonight will be "strange" again, for both of us: "Daylight Savings"... but it'll be an hour earlier than what we've become accustomed to, though, I keep in mind that the changing of "clocks" means nothing to this Cherished Little Life. So we'll do our best to keep with HIS "time" and see how we do. (This nonsense of changing clocks always presents a bit of a "challenge" every time it happens, trying to keep things "normal". But, we manage... some-how. We've managed for almost 4 years now. We'll "slide right into it" again, I'm sure.)
We had a little "conversation" again, this morning, though, the "volley" of coo's, from the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to a full-on "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo" and a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! It must have gone on for a good 5 minutes or just longer before the customary "woo-HOO!"... "OK! Let's get up and get this show started!", as it were.
KISSES KISSES KISSES again, this morning. As best I know, we both slept through the night, for the "night" we both had. And from the looks of "poop-check" this morning, Yonah had a "peaceful" night; all were just under the "night roost". This morning, though, there were only 4, and they were rather "large". "Quantity" about the same as 7... 3 were "double", the 4th just slightly larger than 1 "normal". A bit of "green halo" round each. And the "dark" portion is back to "almost-black-green". According to documentation I've seen over the years, it's still "normal" in colour. Milk thistle isn't really "due" for another 6 days, but we have it in the house... looks like we'll put some in and see what happens. (It's difficult for me, not really having any "references" that I feel I can "trust with my all". The internet... my "resource". And never anything actually specific on any particular topic any more. But we do our best... and so far... it's been OK. "Hope"... always "hope".)
AND... we did morning routine and through it all, from windows to waters, we chatted, back and forth, from his room to the kitchen and back again. With wing stretches, and perch-hopping. Before I'd done with the water relay, my Little Love was up and out and about the room, checking on Bustelo-Birdie on the desk shelf, and Burdie-Birdie on the futon. AND shortly after, he was out of the room, soaring round to the living-room for a visit with the decoys on his tree there! Great energy! (Better, I have to say, than my own. I just marvel at how he can get up and take flight so soon after waking. I'm almost dragging first thing in the morning, but there, my "mentor", my "inspiration" is, coo'ing, hopping about, flying! Truth is, he's my sole reason for facing any... ANY day!
We're back to "Winter" again, this morning. Over-cast and the chill from last night came in through the window as soon as the blinds were raised. Forecasts of "wet snow" coming over the week-end. And when I see that, I can only think: THIS Little Guy won't have a thing to be concerned with or about; he'll be warm, protected, plenty of food and water, and we'll be together, safe and sound.
And his food is fresh this morning. So too, the water. Where we go from here is up to us, and I have things to do in his room, so... we're off to a Saturday! TOGETHER! And nothing else in Creation matters... at all.
So then, the clocks were re-set this morning already, and the day rolled on... with only minor breaks in the clouds. There was a period where the sun shone brilliantly in through the window and Yonah got a chance to bask. Poor Little Guy, the forecast is terrible again: rain tonight, turning to snow, then back to rain, then to snow. No sun-shine. Thankfully we have the UV light which he seems to enjoy, but it's nothing even similar to the light and warmth of the sun-shine.
But he was full of energy today, in spite of the drear, and I worked on composing a bit of a "Biography" for his web-site. An account of how he came into the house and what we did together those first weeks and months. Yes, it's in his Journal, but I want a "biography", one web-page that explains it all, in the event anybody should EVER question the care and LOVE that he gets. It's written in "1st Bird" (person) and, as a "document", several pages. I've checked spelling and grammar, but will re-proof before setting it to site. It was quite something, re-living those early days, and having him here, with me, as I recalled, recounted and then... was able to hold him and give him kisses during the day... We've come such a very LONG way in such a relatively short period of time. And it drives deeper, how quickly these past 3 years have gone by. It also gnaws at the heart to remember the average life expectancy and how, with each passing month we're together, it's one less month... leading to one less year... it's painful, really. But with the pain, I tend to "prepare" my-self for "the moment". I know, full-well, that there's no such thing as being "prepared" for such a loss. But what I do know is that we won't be "separated" for very long. After all, as I call Yonah my "Heart-and-Soul", with-out him, there truly is nothing more.
He was exceptionally "affectionate" all day today. When not "working on his little loft-nesting" with the twigs and grasses in his house, or "lounging", he was on my shoulder or we were playing on the futon together.
And when he was in his house, as I sat at the desk, every time I got up, no matter the reason, he came RUSHING to his door perch... HE WANTED TO BE HELD, STROKED, WHISPERED TO, KISSED! Previously, he's been in such a mood but not through an entire day and not as often as today. I wonder... but it's Divine, in the truest sense of the word, to know what he WANTS to be close, and that he enjoys the contact and affection because I've got SO MUCH to give... and it's ALL his.
(And I keep remembering how the common conception is that birds do NOT like to be "cuddled" or "fondled" or "held"... and here we are... There's SO MUCH on his web-site that needs "modification" at the very least. Then again, he isn't a "common" or "typical" bird that one would have round the house. And ours IS a rather "odd" sort of "relationship" when our "origins" are taken into consideration. Still... he's really a LOVING Little Guy and he IS my Heart-and-Soul.)
So I worked on his "bio" all through the day, with little exception, right up to evening meal time... in "Daylight Savings" and the oddest thing:
In "common time" I'd taken mean breaks an hour sooner today... lunch and dinner. But both times, Yonah had his meals with me, as though he too, was already on "Daylight Savings". Even to our dinners... We ate together this evening. AND, even more oddly, when dinners were done, I started the water relay and my Little Guy was all but ready for our "close of day"!
I "broke" that though... I put more grasses in his house and WOW... did he ever get busy on THAT! Brought every bit of it up to his loft! I'm going to have to hope I can get more before this is gone! He enjoys it so much! Shame, really, that the "trays" of grass didn't make such a bit hit. But I've a feeling that might have something to do with the "potting mix" it was planted in instead of "soil". I still have a LOT of the seed left, and the extra trays... if possible, I'll have to see about getting some actual "soil" and try to grow another "lawn" or perhaps, growing some in pots which I can leave round the house and Yonah can fly about and pick what he wants.
(All the while, I keep thinking in terms of us leaving this place, moving to some place healthier... perhaps smaller, but different, none-the-less... This is the only "house" Yonah has ever known. I worry about him changing and not feeling "comfortable" in "new surroundings". But I've a feeling that what others have said will hold true: As long as we're together, all will be fine.)
At any rate, the time on the "regular" clock reads 19.44 now, the "changed" clocks are reading "20.44" and my Precious Little Guy is on his roof-top. Curtains closed for the night, water relay done. Rain falling out-side. "Meditation Music" playing... and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"s abound. I'm being told something... or it's the "call to the evening"... Mourning doves do that... call to the morning, call to the evening... and in this house, "call to order". But the house is settled, the room is almost set for the night so...
One thing I'm amazed at is how awake my little Heart-and-Soul was all day! I KNOW he didn't get much rest last night and yet, he was up and about at the regular hour. There was one point when he was on my arm as I worked at the desk when I could swear he looked "tired". But, full of energy and motion. Tonight will do us good to tuck-in earlier... and hopefully tomorrow will simply "fall in line". At least it's dark enough for "seepie-nigh-night" at a civil hour. As the days grow longer, the sun sets later and that's when it gets confusing... for me anyway.
(Just to show that you never know, even though you think you might... I thought I was getting ahead of all this "time change" and settling-in to settle-down when...)
The house was settled, and the lights in the room were dimmed, the "meditation music" was playing softly and with the "calls from the room", I finished my evening ablutions and came back, thinking we'd get to "tuck-in" and have a proper night of it, despite what's called "a loss of an hour"... as if Yonah cares about "an hour"...
But when I got to the door... (20.15 "Standard", 21.15 already on the clock on the desk)... there was my Little Guy... on the old lap-top, tapping at the static screen (nothing was moving, as would be when the "news" is on or something of the sort)! When I'd left the room, he was on his night roost!
The music played. Yonah put some lyrics to the tune with "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". Apparently, "tuck-in" was not to be... at least not "now".
Well, I wasn't about to "force an issue". It was, after all, earlier than our usual, no matter what a "clock" might read. So I sat on the futon and we "woo-HOO'ed" together for a while. And my Little Guy seemed to be quite satisfied with that until I made the mistake of getting up to go over and "cuddle"... Nope... we could sing with the tunes but there was to be no "cuddling". OK. I sat back on the futon and let the Little Guy be... he went back to his "screen-pecking" until...
After a short moment, I said "You know... it's raining out-side and it's going to get chilly tonight. And tomorrow, when you wake up, the "people clocks" will be later than it really is so we'll have to get moving sooner than usual. And now, the house is quiet so that's good. All the birdies out-side are tucked-in for the night, out of the rain and hopefully warm and dry, so I think it really is about time we got ready for seepie-nigh-night."
That did it! Yonah heard "seepie-nigh-night" and turned toward his house and with a flutter, UP he went, to his door perch where he stopped a moment, gave me a "side-ways glance" and hopped up to his night roost!
(Yeah, birds don't learn words... tell me again...)
From there, it was quick moving... the lap-top went to the kitchen, I got back to say "Good seepie-nigh-night" to my Heart-and-Soul who really wasn't at all too happy about the situation. I didn't get many kisses, and those few I did get just seemed "forced", as if "following protocol". (Yes, there IS a difference between "I LOVE YOU!" and "If you insist." even with birds.)
But I managed to get the house settled, the room settled, the moon lights on and I headed for the futon...
I laid my head on the pillow, left one dim moon light on and whispered: "You get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow we'll deal with the world as we must and no more. OK? But for tonight, you get rest."
A soft "woo-HOO" came the reply. A "perch-coo".
We exchanged "perch-coos" for, at the very least, 3-5 minutes, back and forth. And I added a few "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-I-LOVE-YOU"s to the mix and those too, were answered with the soft "woo-HOO"... so I waited until there were no more replies... left the one moon light on for about another 20 minutes and then...
All lights out for the night... silence and calm... I whispered "I'm right here with you and everything's OK. You get a good seepie-nigh-night... I LOVE YOU..."
Saturday... closed.
Sunday 10 March:
*** SNOW *** It did, indeed, bring snow, last night. And as the forecast fore-told, wet and heavy. Not all too much, just enough to cover trees and grasses, but there it is. "Winter"...
And just in time for the "change of clocks", an hour ahead, "Daylight Savings"... as if that means anything to a little mourning dove who, as this morning's clock read "7.00", and according to "Standard Time", 'twas merely "6.00"...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" came the "call to order" in the early morning, "Wintry" dim light of the room.
Clear, but some-what "sedate", there was a "softness" to the coo. But when I answered with my best "morning voice"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", the reply was a prompt "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo".
For a few more minutes, we "bantered" in the dark until that "final woo-HOO!" and there we had it: Sunday came to its opening and it was time to "let the rodeo roll"!
In the room, it was comfortably 25°. Out-side the window, the world was covered in white, the sky was grey, but the snow on the paved road was all but gone already. In the back yard, the Little Ones were gathering, looking for breakfast. "March"? More like early December. But it was peaceful. And speaking of "peaceful", we had a good night, last night, one we settled-down.
Poop-check: 5, rather "large" (which always "concerns" me because I wonder how they get passed, why "all at once") but "healthy". They're still a bit on the "dark" side, but the "halos" were "normal" so so tummy troubles. And they were all together, so yes, it was a "calm" night on the roost.
And thought there weren't all that many "kisses" this morning, there was a LOT to be said. The coo's... rolled and floated across and around the house, all the while I got to the "affairs of a morning". From the opening of blinds, to the pouring of this morning's fresh water, Yonah was up, out on this roof-top and chatting the morning hours away!
Good mood, good health, good energy... GOOD MORNING!
Ahead? Well, that was all to be seen because I had nothing pressing to take me out of the house today, much to be done at the desk, and my Precious Little Guy was already "making the rounds" with a flight to the living-room, to the desk shelf, the wall shelves... to Burdie-Birdie and such. So, 'twas an active start to a "Winter Sunday Morning"... (much similar to a scripted scene from some television romance).
We made ii through another night... and into another one of those silly changes of clocks. (Though, for Yonah... "Clock? Ain't nobody got a care about clock." We go to sleep when we're tired. We wake up when we aren't tired any more. You call it 7, I call it 6 and we'll call the whole thing off." Good morning.)
Well, we got "settled-in" to the Sunday morning, and the snows started to melt, the house was comfy-warm and it was a "some-what Wintry Sunday"... with me at the desk and my Heart-and-Soul on my shoulder. (Had Yonah been a parrot, I'd be a pirate.)
At day's close... The day stayed over-cast. We had the UV light on for most of it. But we had a window open for the fresh air. And I worked (as usual) on Yonah's BIOGRAPHY! As of end of day, it has a page, now we have to include it on the rest of the site and then, put it on-line, live.
His "story" is now documented, explaining how and why he's been with me all this while. "We" want that information on the site, on the internet, in case there's ever any question about him, his care, his "Life" here. Sure, the photos tell his story, with "evidence" of how well he's treated. But better to have a few more particulars, in one place, easy reading. (I doubt that many will take the time, but at least it's there. It proves that I care for and about him, and that it wasn't my intention to "capture" him in any way.)
But it kept me busy, save for our lunch break (at the "new noon") and a quick snooze (that I took alone this time because my little "nap-mate" was in the living-room for that 30 minutes, which makes me happier because he gets his exercise and gets out of his house and room for a change.)
Other-wise, during the day, I was in and out of the room, cooking, in the kitchen, and almost every time I stepped out, he came to the kitchen, toddled around and headed to the living-room until I went back to his room. It was as if he were checking to make sure that I hadn't left the house. He makes it obvious when he doesn't want to be "alone", but I don't understand today because, for the past week, with very exceptionally few moments, we HAVE been together every day (and night, of course). I wonder if Tuesday, when I was away for that 8 hours, it didn't onhave some impact on him. I'm sensitive to him being in a house where nothing but he moves, where there's the constant same sounds, for the most part. I don't move about much when I'm at the desk. My fingers do, but the onrest of me doesn't. But he's truly obviously aware of my presence. And he makes that known too, by when he comes to his door perch and snaps his wings. He sees me, he knows I'm here. I've gone shopping for 4 hours, several times (and I'm going to have to go again, soon... there are provisions we need in the house that I'll have to travel to get... I'm sorry). But I guess the 8 hours is just pushing it a bit too long. (Well, another reason why I was so anxious to get this surgery done and back to him. After all... HE is THE reason for my taking ANY care of me... with-out him, none of this is worth the time or effort.)
Anyway, tomorrow, if weather permits, I'll have to make a quick run to market and be back... and we'll spend the rest of the day together. I have MORE work to do on his web-site and MORE of his Journal to catch-up on so... And if the weather keeps with the current trend (the snow of this morning did melt some, but there's more, "they" say, on the way), we'll be together, listening to our music, playing, cuddling, woo-hoo'ing.
We're really following a "new time" together too. We had lunch together at noon. And this evening, he was ready to have "supper" when I sat to have mine!
Today, we played with Burdie-Birdie on the futon for a while and he "preened" Burdie-Birdie, so calmly. It was heart-warming, and as it always does when I see him with Burdie-Birdie, it reminded me so much of when I made Burdie-Birdie and it looked like he was attacking it! Turns out, he had a new friend. It still causes me painful regrets, but I had no way of knowing... back then. He's taught me SO VERY much over these 3 years... SO SO VERY much.
And... during the day, I'd look over to his house when he'd been quiet and he came to his door perch, standing there, staring at me... wanting cuddles, snuggles, kisses, back and neck strokes! He wanted affection again today. And when I got up and held him, as I do, and gave him all that, when I stopped, he'd shake his head, look up at me and peck at my hands... for more. He didn't want me to stop! (I have to get some kind of higher chair that I can put at his door so I can sit there longer. Something on our "new house shopping" list. (I'm SO looking forward to our "new house" now... clean air, hopefully calmer... for both of us.)
After meals, he was busy, picking twigs and grasses from the floor of his house
When I went over to check on the water before changing, he hopped over to the door perch for MORE kisses, and then flew up to my shoulder for a while... and, of course, more kisses. It's as though that's really all he wants during the day lately. I have to wonder why. But I SO LOVE IT!
Well then, at 18.30 (on the clock) we did the water relay. And I see that I have to get more grasses for him! He's having a blast with the bit that I brought. Some of it ends up in the pool, but most is on his loft. Today's snows covered my source so... on the calendar for next "first thaw"! Just in time for "Spring nesting"!
The clock moved on and the day turned night, the sun set, the waters were changed... and by 19.30 on the clock, my Precious Little Love was in his loft, resting after a busy hour (as I got today's journal notes typed). I was relived to see him calming, (though he did find something on his floor that needed "arranging"... so...). I'm trying to co-ordinate the clock with the actual time-of-day out-side his window. But since it was dark... it was time to get his room together...
21.25 Finally getting to tuck in for the night. The Little Guy's been on his night roost for over an hour, and when I dimmed the light just now... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... softly.
Monday11 March:
I have to say that today was one of the oddest days in that, though the morning started as others, rather busy first thing, the rest of the day seemed to simply slip by in mere moments. This is the first time in a long while that I'm only getting to this entry just before "tuck-in"!
Last night, Yonah and I did manage to get to "tuck-in" for the night, together, and with no real reluctance on his part. He was tired and ready for some sleep when I noticed the hour (though, in "standard time" it was only 20.25... still, he seemed more than ready to settle down for the night and to be honest, I was too).
(In fact, as I type, with our "meditation music" playing, it's 19.50 and he's already on his door-perch... getting ready, it seems, to "head up to the night roost.)
And I'd gotten onto the futon, with only the moon lights on, left one on for about and when that went off... silence... we were both "tucked and settled" for the night.
This morning, it was almost 7.00 on the mark (or... 6.00, in "standard" time, which makes better sense and yet, is still quite early, considering) when... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo...hoo". This morning's call was a bit softer again, and that last "hoo" had a noticeable "break" before it. "Morning voice"? I'm forever and constantly terrified of Yonah getting ANY sort of respiratory illness, especially in this old house. (Thankfully, we're on the look-out... DAILY... for healthier living... this place, this "owner" have both proven a complete horror and for many months now, I'm doing all possible to make sure that the air in here, especially during the "Winter" months when doors and windows aren't open all day or night... although, one window in Yonah's room is open from top and bottom at all times, and there are 2 "purifiers" running, non-stop... anyway...) Ever since I learned his anatomy, discovered that much of his entire body is "lung" or "lung-related" (and why), not to mention the respiratory illnesses birds, in general, are so susceptible too, I listen to his every coo, and watch his face for "discharge" (which is something on his original "evaluation" when we finally got to "Dr. Krazieladie"), and I take care to notice his breathing, especially when we play or we're close.
But when I called back with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... the response was a bit clearer and stronger. Perhaps it was just "morning voice", his "vocal cords" weren't quite "primed" yet. And we had a brief "chat" before I got up and started the day...
And this morning, when I opened the windows... the skies out-side were grey, the wind was quite strong, there were flurries in the air and it was quite chilly! (A comfy 24° in the room though and that's the temperature tha matter above all.)
Poops: 5 rather large again, dark-dark green... not quite "black-green" but not much "halo". The 5 MIGHT be the equivalent of 6 or 7 "normal", but again... it's that they're as large as they are that makes me wonder... Firday is "milk thistle" again... and I'll have to see what that does... I was considering adding it to a regular routine, but with the added "protein" I thought I might wait. We'll have to see, as I say. I DO dislike all of this "trial and error", but when I look for information on-line (which is my sole resource, sadly) I see a LOT of the very same.
Birds, generally, are so "un-known". To think, they survived the extinction of their relatives, dinosaurs, and yet, "the most intelligent being in Creation" can't understand them, their actual needs, their languages. Indeed, they ought to humble humanity... shame, really, humanity isn't clever enough to know that, nor of moral elevation to accept the fact.
Something that truly touched my heart... to its core... this morning and brought back my insecurities about "proper care and concern"... When I'd done with the morning water relay and come back into the room to get things "settled" for our day ahead... Yonah was in his loft, Beanie-Birdie was still there from last night and Yonah was "preening" Beanie-Birdie! Something inside me was crushed, thinking my Most Precious Little Heart-and-Soul was feeling "lonely" and that Beanie-Birdie was his "substitute mate"! These are the moments whey my head spins with wondering whether or not I ought to find another dove, of some sort, for him, or not. And then, as always, I wonder what he would think of another dove in "his" house, "his" territory. Would a male be seen as a "friend" or a threat to what's been "his" for 3 years? Would a female be a "mate" or an "intruder"? What if he rejected her? What if she rejected him? I just can't know any of this for certain and I really don't want to cause him any inconvenience nor, do I want another dove to suffer. But seeing the "two of them" this morning... I can't help but "weep", from the soul. It just strikes as "lonely"... in spite of all others ("humans", of course) who tell me that he's perfectly happy with the two of us being together, that WE are a "flock", I am HIS "flock", that WE are "mates" and if he were dissatisfied with the situation, he'd give out-ward indications of it... first of all, no "snuggling", no coming to my shoulder... and he'd be lethargic and probably sickly. So, I can only go on with things as they are and hope. (But I do have a sense that he knows how much I LOVE him... some-how, he's VERY much aware of how much I LOVE him.) I just WISH I could KNOW... but being only "human"... I doubt I ever will.
Well, I got his house and room together but this morning, I wanted to get him some more "protein" to add to his diet and I wanted something "fresh" so.... I headed back to the kitchen and I made another batch of peanuts and sun-flower seeds for the next round of food. He has some in his already, but I wanted to make fresh. Oops... today's grinding of peanuts turned to "peanut-butter"! And THIS Little Guy does NOT like peanut-butter (so I learnt when I tried, several times, to put some in with this seeds)! So, what it is now is, just enough peanut-butter to mix with the sun-flower bits so that it's all almost "mealy". It looks like seeds because the sun-flower bits are now "coated" with the peanut-butter. I'm HOPING that it tastes good enough, when mixed with the usual mix, that Yonah will actually enjoy it (and if so, I'll have to remember how I made it!).
He OUGHT to have the protein, and I'm also hoping it will help with his feathers, as well as general health. ONE IMPORTANT NOTE THOUGH: "poops"... they're a great indicator of liver and digestive troubles and too much protein can cause all sorts of complications so... "monitoring"... and more "monitoring". And exercise. This Little Guy is very much like the rest of us: too much of a "good thing" can be as hazardous, if not more-so, than not enough and with that tiny body, strong as it might be (after all... look at what he recovered from when first he came into my life and what he's survived since, in this "strange world"), there are SO MANY DELICATE facets! BUT... He's ALL I have to think about in all of Creation... and I've infinite time, and space in my heart for him. (And notes to note in his journal... and on his "Care" pages on his web-site.)
One of the great parts of the day was when the sun finally came through the morning's clouds! It was WONDERFUL through the after-noon and we both had the day together, in his room, the two of us.
And OH OH OH THE CUDDLES TODAY! He was back and forth to my shoulders, toddling about on my back and some of the "door-perch cuddles" were for the longest time! He was SO ENJOYING the closeness, the affections, the rubs on the neck, the kisses on the head. It was AMAZING! (I wish I could figure how to get this on video because it really is indescribable and trying to put it to words is just "failing".) And I keep thinking that I really DO need to get some sort of chair so that I could sit high enough so that we could sit there for as long as my Little Guy could go on with these cuddles (and today, it seemed that we could have passed the entire day).
Once again... OH! If only we could just cuddle the way people cuddle with a cat or a dog. But... one thing for certain: the cuddles last only as long as Yonah wants and that changes each time and no, it's not a "common" thing that he likes the cuddles. Not to mention, as I've said before, with him being as small as he is... the wrong move and... irreversible injury. (I remember reading that the majority of injuries to birds brought to veterinarians is broken wings because of people trying to "cuddle" a bird. And my Little Guy might be "sturdy", as he's proven SO often and in SO many ways, but he's a "bird" and as fragile as any other.) So? So I just LOVE the LOVE when we have it... and wonder the rest of the time.
And so, our day rolled along, me trying to catch up with things, keep up with others, typing, book-keeping, playing with my BESTEST COMPANION... We had our lunches together at noon, I didn't snooze again, today so I got other things done and... as I say... PLAYED AND SNUGGLED!
This evening, we closed all of that for our evening meals at 17.00 and at 18.30, I got the evening water relay done (thinking my Little Guy might want to get to settling-down... silly me.)
At 20.17, I was wrapping-up at the desk and I looked-up... he was already on his night roost! So I got up, brought Beanie-Birdie over to his house and the very second he saw beanie-Birdie "going to the loft" he RUSHED over there before Beanie-Birdie arrived! When I put Beanie-Birdie on the loft, Yonah gave a "check" and THEN...
WOOSH! He was up to his roof-top with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and a few "perch-coo's" to follow. So I figured he wasn't really quite ready for "tuck-in" and I went back to my wrap-up at the desk.
Oh... the coo'ing that continued on as I went about getting to the Journal for today! Mourning doves are known for their coo's in the morning, round sun-rise, and in the evening, round sun-set. Well... this evening, there was MUCH to be said to close the day and it was all coming out now. (And I was amazed because only moments before, it DID look like he was tired and wanted to go "seepie-nigh-night". Then again, lately, it seems, he's been doing that a lot: looking like it's time to rest only to come up with a burst of last minute energy so...). The coo'ing went on, solidly, for a good 10 minutes or more before he headed back to his door perch and then to the futon to say "seepie-nigh-night" tp Burdie-Birdie who was still there (because I hadn't yet brought Burdie-Birdie to the "seepie-nigh-night nook" in the wall shelves, maybe he stopped to say "Hey you! Time for tuck-in here... don't let him leave you out here like this all night!").
Well, OK... I got Burdie-Birdie tucked-in, got a cuddle and kisses with Yonah who was watching me from the futon, and I got him back to his house where he had a nibble and as I thought we were about to "settle-in" (again)... flutter and whistle of wings... back up to the roof-top for more "night coo's". Well, so, then, OK. I was more curious than anything else, to see how late he really wanted to stay up, so I went back to the desk to put a little more into the Journal for the day...
At 20.59 he made his way back to his house and up to the night roost... "Let's see where this gets us... I'm ready for tuck-in... " I thought... and kept typing for a little longer. And so well..
(We finally got settled, Yonah on his night roost and I on the futon, at 21.15)
Tuesday 12 March:
Last night, we finally did get settled, Yonah on his night roost and I, on the futon, at about 21.15... of course, I'd left the one moon light on for a few more minutes so, I'll guess we got to "seepie-nigh-night" at some time round 21.30...
SAVED from a disturbing dream this morning, the "call" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo... ho..oo" came shortly before 7.00 on the clock in the kitchen.
It started soft but clear, and that last little "skip"... well, of course it bothered me. So I got right up this morning to have a quick check on how my little Heart-and-Soul looked and where he was!
In the dim morning light, before I got to open his door, I could see that Precious little silhouette, there, on the perch, head raised and looking at me as I approached. I quickly looked down at the little bit of kitchen roll under his night-roost... all the "poops" were there, as "neatly" as they could be, so there weren't any "scattered" which would have indicated some disturbance during the night. And when I opened the door and stuck my head in for "Good morning" kisses... well... there were MANY!
I got right to "opening house" this morning, to see what was what and I no sooner got to opening the blinds to a clear, cool morning out-side when, behind me, a little "hop" across his house, to the corner closest to me. That was "normal" for a morning... and when I'd done, in the light, I went back in for more kisses (and mostly to check to see his little face... eyes, nose/beak, his toes, his feathers and better look at poops). Kisses were plentiful and this morning, again, it was more like kisses between old Friends long-separated! I always wonder about that: the differences in the "energy" behind the kisses and the number. Sometimes it IS like long-parted Friends, almost "passionate", and other times, they're rather like "routine" kisses... then too, are the mornings when kisses seem to be "formality". With each difference I always wonder what my Little Guy is thinking, what kind of night he had, if he's tired or just "doesn't really want to be bothered". And when I think of how "shallow" most documentation is, where birds are concerned, how "vague" and almost "lifeless", well, if I had the means, bill-boards, television presentations, interviews... Then again, who would take my word for any of this? Eh? No "letters after my name", "titles", papers in frames on the walls presented by some "house of higher education". All I have is (as of tomorrow) 3 years and 5 months of "live-in-live-with" education from the best teacher, professor, mentor possible:
Professor Yonah Taube, Esq.
Poops were, as I say, where they should have been and again, this morning, they were rather "larger than regular" though not as large as, say, an egg. (They've never been quite that large, but there have been times when they were rather close to it and THOSE bother me terribly, thinking that perhaps they were "stalled" in digestion or something else, something worse.) 5 in number, 7 in "over-all quantity"... and almost no "halo" for any of them so there wasn't an "over-abundance" of liquid. Poops looked "healthy".
AND, as I went about the rest of our "morning routine", running out and into the room with the water relay and getting things back together after out night of sleep, there was conversation. And as the coo's increased, so did the clarity and strength. Maybe my Precious Little Guy had slept so soundly that his "voice" needed time to wake up? Well, what-ever it was that stifled that last little "ho...oo" was gone. And he looked perfectly well and I was perfectly relieved.
(About that "dream"... I was SO hoping that I hadn't tossed or made any noise in my sleep during it, this morning and that that was what woke Yonah. And I was so grateful that he was "there" to wake me when he did. Of course, it was at a "regular" time... the 7.00 - which only 4 days ago was 6.00 - still, I hoped then and still do, that I didn't disturb his rest. We didn't "tuck-in" until rather late last night... silly Little Guy...)
And so, with all of that behind us, I went on to make and have my morning coffee and attend to the affairs of the rest of the house, of a morning. And when I stepped out to check today's post, when I came back in, my Little Guy was on his tree, in the corner of the living-room, calling. (Not sure if he was chatting with the decoys or calling to make sure I hadn't left him, but when I walked back in and looked over at him, I got a "wing-snap"... as if to say "HEY! YOU! What's this walking out the door here?" When I went over to "chat", he hopped off his tree, as he does, onto my shoulder, and made him-self quite comfy there for quite the while...and then, with a WOOSH... flutter and whistle of wings... he was off and back into his house...).
It was a beautifully clear morning, this, and not "too cold". The snows of late are almost gone again, last night was only "just below" freezing, but still warm enough to keep the melt of yesterday from freezing to ice. And it was WONDERFUL to see the early morning sun, "dappling" the walls of the room today.
I had ONE errand to run this morning and I held-out until I knew I could make it out and back in as short a time possible. I didn't go through a "routine" of saying that I was leaving this time. Yonah was already in his loft, Beanie-Birdie was still there and the 2 of them seemed to be "lounging" together, quite comfortably so I didn't want to disturb.
But when I got back... well... that started our day of... "affection" !!!
I came back, took care of groceries in the kitchen and when I came into the room to settle at the desk, prepared to get on with the day... my little Heart-and-Soul came RUSHING to the door perch, gave a wing-snap and I went over to "cuddle" (in cupped hands) him and give more kisses and HOW HE LUXURIATED IN THE AFFECTION! He nestled right down, pressing his head against my kisses, and, had I a chair high enough to be there for an extended length of time, it seemed we could have just spent the entire day that way!
So much so that, when I DID get to the desk... even at lunch, he made a point to come over, every few moments or so, to "roost" on my shoulder, either watching what I was doing at the computer or to give my ear a tug!
And I've come to the conclusion that one of the things that he truly DOES enjoy is when I put my kippa on him! It covers him from head-to-tail and "drops" down the sides so it does cover him... but the way it sits, he can still see out from under it perfectly. We did this several times today and each time, it was because he had come over and taken it off my head (which he does, regularly) and when I retrieved it, I put it on him. We even did it when he was on his roof-top! I'd gone over to see him there, gotten my head close enough for him to pull the kippa off and when I fetched it, I put it on him and he toddled about a bit, not trying to get it off but almost "wearing" it.
I have to wonder if he sees it on my head and has some notion of him having one too, for him. (Maybe I have to get another for him or make one? Certainly not a tiny one that would "fit" him, another of the same size. Parrots, they say, are VERY cognizant of such things as "apparel"... I've NO doubt at all that Yonah has that same awareness and after all, he's seldom seen me with-out mine on. He probably DOES think: If HE's got one, I should have one too." Honestly, again, the things this little Bundle of Life has taught me... even if, sometimes, it probably is my "projection"... Still... seeing and being are believing.)
And so, as the day went along, we both "settled-down" to get to our respective "entertainments of the day... I at the desk, Yonah picking through twigs, flying about the room "visiting" with Bustelo-Birdie, Baby-Birdie, Burdie-Birdie and Beanie-Birdie who'd returned to his place on the top wall shelf shortly after we'd "opened house" this morning.
BUT, oddly enough, every time I got up to leave the room, going to the kitchen or the loo... I was watched, carefully and with scrutiny, almost as if being checked to make sure I hadn't left the house... left my Little Guy alone!
And ALL through the day, the "visits" to my shoulder were so frequent!
Then too... the "cuddles" at the door-perch too were in "high demand" today! SO MANY times as I was working along, I heard the "wing snaps" and when I looked, there he was, my little Heart-and-Soul, standing on his door perch, staring, and when he noticed I was looking, the "beckoning wing-snap"... and yes, there is a definite motion and body posture to the "beckoning" that's entirely different from the "Get away" wing-snap (that he makes if I show him that brush that I'd bought for him). Oh, but how he's teaching me every day! The subtle differences in "coo's", and the wing-snaps, the pecks on the hand that mean either "Hey! Stop that!" or the little signs of affection. How HUMBLED I truly am! (And how I wish there was a way to impart my intentions to the other mourning doves in the yard... I wonder why it is that Yonah knows, but I can't get my love for them across. But then, Yonah and I have had 3 years together and it did take time for him to understand that I meant him only the best and not a moment's harm. Still... as I say, I'm forever humbled by his Companionship.)
And what just added to the pure delight of another day with my Little Companion was the BRILLIANT SUN-SHINE! The room was bright and warm, and seemed more a day of mid-Spring than late Winter. And of course, EVERY day that I can pass in the company of "Yonah Taube is a PERFECT day.
ALL through the day, as I tried to get things together at the desk I had to take breaks for cuddles and kisses on the shoulder. It was TRULY another day of "affection". Could it be the season? I don't know, but it was WONDERFUL! (Even though I got so little "accomplished", but that doesn't matter... what DOES matter is time with the BEST Little bit of LOVE in Creation!)
What was more... every time (so it seemed) I got up from the desk and left the room, even simply to get a tea in the kitchen, what-ever he was doing, he stopped to watch, as if to make sure that I wasn't leaving for any length of time. In one respect it was so comforting and yet, I couldn't help but think that it seemed he didn't want to be "left alone" for any length of time. (Again... humbled and honoured. I deserve the humility... I certainly don't deserve the honour.) When I think though, the most recent "absence" was that 8 hours on the 5th. Now I'm beginning to wonder what happened in this house during my absence that brought my Little Guy to even notice when I step away from the desk. It's difficult for me to leave him for any length of time, even to go to market, promarily because of this house, but now, the wondering about what happened over an extended length of time... Thankfully, he's been perfectly well and fine since, but I'll always wonder now...
But ALL through the day today, the "visits" to the shoulder... the KISSES.. the tugs on the ear! I'm pretty sure that very few ever believe this, considering this Little One is "from the wild". But what-ever it is that's happened over the course of our time together... rest assured, nobody is more surprised than I am... and have been... and always will be. I don't know how or why Yonah was brought into my life... a "life" I didn't have before him, but... it's been an education and the ultimate experience of a life-time that, well, is, in a word... indescribable.
So today rolled along, as "todays" tend to do and at 16.30, Yonah took his evening meal break and I had my meal on the hob. At 17.00, we both "settled" for our "joint meals". And by 18.30, the sun was disappearing from the skies out-side the window so I decided it was a good time to get to the evening water relay, get that out of the way so we could (hopefully) settle-down for a proper night's rest (and not at 21.30?).
WELL! OF ALL THE THINGS... TONIGHT, AS I REACHED FOR THE LITTLE TRAY OF WATER-TRANSPORT CONTAINERS, THE LITTLE GUY HOPPED ONTO MY SHOULDER AND THEN TODDLED TO MY BACK AND... FOR THE FIRST FEW TRIPS TO AND FROM THE KITCHEN, HE RODE ALONG! I HAD TO EMPTY THE CATCH-BUCKET A FEW TIMES AND HE EVEN STAYED WITH ME AS I WENT TO THE LOO TO THE BASIN THERE! AND I NOTICED, IN THE MIRROR, HE WAS WATCHING AS I POURED THE WATER INTO THE BASIN, ALMOST AS IF HE WAS SO INTERESTED IN WHAT WAS GOING ON! HOW I WONDERED WHAT HE WAS THINKING AT THAT MOMENT... WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE TO KNOW... EVEN PART OF WHAT HE WAS THINKING... WHAT HE THINKS OF ANY AND EVERY ACTIVITY THAT GOES ON AROUND HIM IN THIS HOUSE! BUT TONIGHT, HE JUST SEEMED SO CONTENT, BEING ON MY SHOULDER AS I MOVED ABOUT THE HOUSE, NOT IN THE LEAST BIT UNCOMFORTABLE. "TRUST"... HE DOES "KNOW" THAT I'D NEVER CAUSE HIM HARM...
AND THEN, WHEN THE WATERS WERE CHANGED, I CLOSED THE WINDOW BLINDS AND CURTAINS AS I USUALLY DO, PUT THE BACK-BOARD ON FOR THE NIGHT AND WHEN I'D DONE WITH THAT, HE WAS ON THE DOOR PERCH... LOOKING AT ME... SO I STOPPED WHAT I WAS DOING FOR MORE CUDDLES AND WOW! HE NESTLED RIGHT AGAINST MY HANDS AND FACE AGAIN AND "LUXURIATED" IN THE AFFECTIONS AND ATTENTION! WHAT A DAY! WHAT AN EVENING!
Well then, by 20.00 it seemed that we'd settled the room and settled the day so I got to the desk to try to get some words down for today's journal... the lights dimmed a bit for the night, our "meditation music" playing softly... Yonah was on his perch, then over to his loft... It seemed he was getting ready to close the day. At 20.58 I looked up to see him on his night roost and thought it time for both of us to get ready for "seepie-nigh-night"... Not a chance. No sooner did I stand up when he was back to the door perch. So, I went about the business of preparing the futon for me, with pillow and cover-sheet (thinking it would be a "hint")...
Wednesday 13 March: THREE YEARS 5 MONTHS AND... COUNTING! MY LOVE, MY HEART-AND-SOUL... I'M STILL TYPING BECAUSE HE'S STILL HERE...
Well? We didn't really get to "close house" at 21.11, but it wasn't too much later than that. I managed to get the room "closed" and got me onto the futon shortly after typing that last line on the journal last night, and left only one little moon light on when I did get to the futon.
But it wasn't "easy"... for some reason, the Little Guy wanted to stay up even later! I'll never figure what he thinks at the end of a day. I'd have thought he'd be more than ready, since the sun had set hours before. But there's something... probably that he's more accustomed to the artificial lighting he's been living in for so long now. (Maybe, one of these days, I should try getting us both to "seepie-nigh-night" at sun-set and see what happens. no doubt... confusion and reluctance. I often liken Yonah to a child who, when young, wants so much to stay up at night with the "adults". I know I was one of those. I remember even staying awake, in the bed, until the parents were tucked-in for the night, waiting until I figured they were asleep and then getting up to watch TV or something, and trying to stay awake as long as possible. The next mornings were difficult but I tried. For Yonah? Seems the next mornings are merely the next mornings and no matter what, sun-rise is sun-rise... even in a room where the actual sun-rise is hidden by window blinds and curtains... something I'm hoping we can do away with in a new home... soon...)
Anyway, once I put all the lights out, all was well... and we both went to sleep until...
Just about 7.00 this morning...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo...h..."
Again, the coo'ing was shortened. I waited a moment and then... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo...hoo".
Now I was awake and concerned. I don't like the "shortened" coo's. It frightens me, thinking my Precious Little Guy is having some sort of respiratory troubles now, and with the air in this house being as poor as it is, the house being so old and so neglected for so long, and an owner who bears no responsibility for anything including the health and safety of tenants...
Well... we're actively pursuing better, more appropriate housing and now that the weather is changing, the days are warmer, the doors and windows are open more often so there's more out-side air coming through. Will it be enough? We'll all see and know. But, should anything "untoward" befall my Heart-and-Soul, there will be Hellish ramifications, to be sure.
I "am" ONLY because Yonah is...
When I got up to check, there was my Little Guy, on his night roost, waiting for me to open the door, preening (looking his best and presentable as always). I gave a little "early morning 'woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo' in my own crackling voice and he replied, clearly... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo".
I was a bit relieved but tried another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and he replied, this time, with a full-on...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"!
OK! We were OK this morning! And I was intensely relieved!
We got right into the morning routine... roof board off, curtains and blinds open, back-board removed and as soon as the light of day came into the room (a clear morning too), my Little Guy was hopping along... first to the loft to check on Beanie-Birdie, who'd "spent the night" again, and then to his corner by his food where he could watch me closer as I got the curtains pulled and tied back.
Water relay was immediately next. (I try to get to that before he heads down for a morning drink. I don't always succeed, but I try. Sure, it's still clean, from the night before, but, as I always say:
If I won't drink it, it doesn't belong where he has to drink it.
From there, it was another morning, but for me... it was another particularly "Special" morning. Today was, for me, another "Anniversary" morning... as is the 13th of EVERY month, as has been the 13th of every month. And today, we head into 3 years, 6 months... 3 and a half years... more than half of the "average best life-span" of 5 years, and 2 years past the "general average life-span" of a mourning dove.
These anniversaries are bitter-sweet for me. I celebrate the time we've had together, especially when I recount the first day. But at the same time, it saddens me because I'm all to well aware:
There comes a time when yesterdays start to outnumber tomorrows and the more yesterdays, the fewer tomorrows.
This morning though, what mattered was that we were still together, and my Precious, Cherished little Heart-and-Soul appeared to be healthy, he had his usual energy AND KISSES! THIS MORNING'S KISSES WERE MANY! (From both of us!)
Poop check though: 5 total, 4 were quite large and rather "ropey", as I call it. Not "compact" or "egg-shaped". They'd obviously come out rather some-what loosely. Thankfully though, not much in the way of a "green halo" of water. And the colours, dark and white, were "normal", healthy. I'm wondering if it doesn't have something to do with the extra peanuts and sun-flower seeds and the fat. (Tomorrow is milk thistle day though... for 2 days at least so... If need be, we'll stop the "extra fat" for a while... too much isn't good at all so... I've been more concerned about the protein, and there's such a thing as too much of that as well... Tomorrow, back to "regular diet" with milk thistle... He's not going to be happy about it... the milk thistle is bitter... I'm fortunate that I can take it in a capsule but, we'll work with what we have here... I know my Little Guy won't starve!)
We had a some-what "affectionate morning today... kisses and cuddles on the door perch. And as I worked, later in the morning and through the day, only 2 visits to the shoulder. For most of the time, Yonah was either busy flying about the room or, for about an hour, this morning, he was out in the living-room on his tree. He wasn't "avoiding" me... it just seemed he really wasn't interested in all the "cuddles" and "snuggles". Hey, he's entitled. We all have those days, and to be honest, if he were to become "too affectionate" for "too many days in a row"... I'd panic, wondering why.
The really great part of the day was that we had sun-shine. It wasn't "brilliant", but it was "enough" because, just after lunch... I happened to look up and over to see...
IT WAS BATH-DAY! (I had to chuckle... yesterday, during the day, I'd showered and put on the sweats and t-shirt I usually wear to bed and Yonah obviously noticed... His general "affect" was "different" in that he seemed to be looking at me, perhaps expecting "seepie-nigh-night" time. So today... since I'd showered yesterday, it was HIS turn!) He settled for a bit of a soak and then a grand little splash-about! Honestly, when I think: during some of the coldest days in Winter, not the brightest, sunniest, warmest, but the coldest, he decides it's a good time to splash in the bath. And lately, even late at night, when, out-side, the sun has set and the skies are dark, that too, is a good time for a bath. But when I see that he CAN enjoy a refreshing "bathe", when the mood strikes, no matter the weather, no matter the time of day, not needing to give any thought to anything other than the water and the pool, that's one of the moments when I delight in something I've been able to give him. No worries about predators or interruptions. And when he came out of this "swim", hopped up to the door perch, gave a good "shake" of the feathers and headed up to his wall shelf to preen and dry, it was even more of a comfort to me. He seems to be so happy after a nice visit to the pool. And again, it's there, for him, when-ever he chooses... and... the water is clean, always clean... and usually comfortable, because it's "room temperature". (And I don't have to worry about any sort of "things" growing in it... it's fresh, twice daily, except when other-wise a change is needed.... like... after a bath. As I say: If I wouldn't drink it, it won't be in his house.)
During the rest of the day today, he wasn't quite as "affectionate" as he's been of recent days. Hmmm.... I wonder. As I worked at the desk, he didn't come over to visit as often and when he did, he didn't stay long. Just long enough for me to give a couple of kisses, strokes on the neck and he was off and gone again.
He spent a good hour in the living-room too... on his tree, with the decoys, quietly. Looks like the "Luvin' Season" is past... for now?
But I continued to work along with the day, and when he wasn't "other-wise occupied", my Little Guy was in his loft, lounging... I'm supposing as most Little Ones do of a day (or so I've read that's what they do... after all, they can't be out there flying ALL of the time...). He knew I was "here" for him, and most of the time, it does seem that that's all he really wants to know: that I'm here... and we're together. (It's what makes running errands so difficult for me. Truth is, the WORST part of errands for me is being away from my Heart-and-Soul... and it appears, that sentiment is mutual.)
We had out evening meals together though and after, we got to the water relay and shortly after, the windows... closing blinds and curtains and installing the back-board (holding off with the rood board until later... )
After all that was done, I got to the desk to get some notes on today's Journal and the clock ticked-away the remainder of the day... and I heard... "woo-HOO!" My little Supervisor had been on the desk shelf, over where I was busily typing for the past hour... the clock read "20.00"... I thought (silly me) that it was time to settle-down and get ready for "tuck-in"... "seepie-nigh-night"... but the joke was on me...
I got up, got the room all set for both of us, put the roof board on Yonah's house, got my pillows for the futon and set that for me. To be honest, I could have gone "seepie-nigh-night" but... HAH! As I was putting things in order, my Little Guy was up and off and away... across the room to the wall shelf... with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... which I heard as a "Hah-hah-hah-hah-hah... fooled you!" SO... after a failed attempt at a "cuddle and some neck-rubs" (he wasn't having any at the moment), I went back to the desk...
A couple of moments later... flutter of wings, Yonah was "heading home for the night" and off to his perch...
At 21.02, he was on his night roost, our "meditation music" was playing, the lighting was dim, and the temperature in his room was a comfy 26°. I got up, went to the bed-room to put on my jammies and... (to be continued tomorrow...)
Thursday 14 March:
Well? We managed to make it to "lights out" last night at about 21.30... and even after we'd both "tucked-in", in the dark, an exchange of the softest "perch-coo's"... I was on the futon, all comfy, and I'd put the last of the moon lights out when... "woo-HOO", so softly. It had a "comforting" quality, some-how, the softness, almost as if it was a little "Good night" coming through. And I "woo-HOO'ed" back, at first, not expecting a reply but... it had to have gone on for a good 5 minutes before I didn't get an answer again and we both (apparently) drifted off to a night's sleep.
And this morning, at just about 7.00, came the "Good morning": "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-h...oo". Again, that little "skip", but it was clear. My first thought was that I don't like that "skip", but the clarity was good. So now I'm wondering if it isn't, some-how, intentional, and if so, what does it mean? I've come to realise that there's a "purpose" in the patterns. There's a definite difference in the "tone" the "duration", the "volume", the "strength", as it were and the "timing" of each coo. Just as with the "woo-HOO"... there's a "perch-coo", that's "softer", calmer, that sounds "contented". And there's a "woo-HOO!" that has a definite quality of "statement": something akin to "HEY!" or, as in the mornings, after an exchange of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's", a quality that sounds like "OK! Let's get moving!". It's aggravating for me, not being able to be certain as to what's being said, but it's humbling, it puts me in my proper place in Creation, when, considering, my Little Guy has OBVIOUSLY come to recognise "seepie-nigh-night", "lunch", "supper" and, I dare say "I LOVE YOU" (because THAT almost always gets a beautiful, soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"). HE hears the distinct differences, and responds/reacts appropriately. Me? I can only guess, speculate, and hope I'm interpreting properly.
But, bottom line is, when I looked up from the pillow, from where I was laying, I could see, there, above me, a perfect little silhouette, perched, so comfortably, right where he was last night when I'd put the lights out.
And when I got up and opened his door, stuck my head in for "Good morning" kisses, this morning, they were, indeed, plentiful! There's no greater start to a day than to know you're a welcomed sight to THE Most Precious and Cherished being in your existence.
Poops, this morning, were (to me) amazing! 6 of the most perfect little ones, in size, consistency, colour and moisture! (BUT... THIS MORNING, THOUGH A DAY EARLY... MILK THISTLE IN WITH FRESH FOOD... and another "watch and see" what follows... after all the "extras" of the past few days.)
Out-side this morning, the chill of the night came through as soon as the window blinds were lifted, but the temperature in the room was a cozy 23°. But the sky was clear. A sunny day in the forecast and more "Spring-like" temperatures in the promise of the forecast. And I had NOTHING to do today but to sit with my Bestest Little Guy and get to his web-site and Journal!
When I stepped out for a moment, to check today's post, I came back to find him in the living-room already! Up, out and about. He'd watched, so patiently, as I made the water relay, and had my own coffee. But there he was, flying about, ready to take-on the day ahead! As soon as I stepped in... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from the corner. And he followed me back to his room and as I settled at the desk, he settled into his house...
And the sun rose higher in the sky and flooded the room with BRILLIANT light and warmth!
I noticed that I'd left Beanie-Birdie in the loft though and wanted to bring him back to the wall shelf BUT....
I went to move Beanie-Birdie back to the wall shelves and he came RUSHING over to peck at my hand, but not in a "loving" sort of way. It was really rather quite obvious that he wanted Beanie-Birdie to stay there, in the loft! So... Beanie-Birdie stays... in the loft. And it appears that Yonah is comfortable with the "company" because he settled-in there, in his little corner, as I settled at the desk. (Again, the "pangs" of wonder: is he lonely, should I see about getting another dove, I don't know, I don't believe I ever will know...) I left Beanie-Birdie in the loft and during the morning, Yonah made him-self quite comfy there... beside his Beanie-Birdie...
This is getting interesting because at night now, it seems we HAVE to have Beanie-Birdie in the loft before we get to tuck-in. And to think, I'd started with Bustelo-Birdie but since I changed to Beanie-Birdie, there's an obvious preference... More "I wonder"...
The morning went along, the sun got brighter in the room. I got to business at the desk and my Little Guy got to the business of flying about the room, checking on what I was doing at the desk and "arranging" his house.
AND... again, today, we took breaks in our routines when I was "called to the door-perch" for cuddles and snuggles. He REALLY LIKES those cuddles! (And I'm just as amazed today as I was the first time, at how he literally snuggles right against my face as I stroke his head and neck. "Affection" and physical contact.... and from a HUMAN! I'm SO HIGHLY HONOURED, PRIVILEGED AND BLESSED!
After lunch today, I moved his house so that the sun shone in on his beach and pool, opened his window as wide as possible to let in the fresh, almost-warm air. And, true to the Little One he is, my Little One headed to his loft to "roost"... as I got back to the affairs of the day at the desk... with bird-songs and radio playing. 27° in the room... with the out-side air just "blending" softly. It was more like a mid-Spring day than a "late Winter" (and with no snow left on the ground out-side... it was, indeed... "Spring"... for us.)
The rest of the day went along, the sun shone, but Yonah took only the briefest moment to "bask". Well? It wasn't really warm enough to go out-side, and I'm noticing no mourning doves in the yard again. I wonder about that... I "worry" about that. I've been seeing that cat in the yard of late... not comforting. (It's why I look so hard for a place with a nice yard where I can sit out there with my Little Love and he can relax and enjoy the fresh air and full sun-shine with NO fears or concerns.)
We DID get a good 20 minutes to play with Burdie-Birdie on the futon today though! Note to self: Put aside a particular span of time to play with Burdie-Birdie now. Especially now, since Yonah appears to want the "contact", attention, affection and play time. (Sometimes I feel I'm the worst Companion for him. But then, truth is, as I always say: There's never too much and never enough I can give to my Heart-and-Soul... no matter what I do, I always want to do more for him.)
And before I knew what happened to another day... "meal time"... so we broke for that, and, sadly, after the washing-up and such, it was time for water relay which I know Yonah recognises as "end of day". POOR LITTLE GUY! His day too, was closing! And whilst I ran that, he simply went to the desk shelf to watch. I did take stops in between runs for kisses... and kisses were soft, gentle. (But for me... well... again... I wasn't giving enough time to him.)
And now... it's already 20.20... and my Heart-and-Soul is on his night roost. (Although, from recent nights, that really doesn't mean he's tired or ready for tuck-in... crazy Little Guy.) His waters are fresh, his food... well, it's still today's but it has the milk thistle in there and so, I give Yonah 2 days to peck at that. His windows are closed up for the night... The rest of the house is settled... Let's see...
21.13 Here we go...
Friday 15 March:
Well? We actually did manage to "tuck-in" by 21.30-ish last night. I'd wrapped every-thing up around the house, and after MANY kisses "Good-night", I got my Little One's house closed securely (in case of "startle in the dark" and a "night flight") and I laid on the futon for a few minutes longer with the one moon light on... mostly so that he could see that I was there with him, even though I did keep letting him know that I was there by talking, quietly. When he didn't coo, I realised that he was ready for "seepie-nigh-night" so I put the last light out and... whispered "I LOVE YOU... Get a good seepie-nigh-night. I LOVE you..."...
Next thing was a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" this morning at about 7.10 this morning! A "good seepie-nigh-night"! And it sounded so clear this morning.
I answered with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and he replied with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
Twice, I replied, in kind, and twice came the reply. I tried a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo and THAT got the "final woo-HOO!". I was up and off to start our Friday together. Our "morning chat" was done... and I was thrilled... my little Heart-and-Soul was awake and ready to take on the new day!
We got through the morning routine, and had a little more chatting whilst I put the kettle on in the kitchen and set containers up for the water relay. And when I opened the curtains and blinds, he hopped over to the corner to "supervise".
Poops, this morning, 6 some-what larger than "regular" but smaller than the "larger" that I've seen in recent days. And 3 of them were actually "stacked", one upon the other! Very little "green halo" on the kitchen roll, so that was quite a relief. All said, "Morning Poop Report": all things normal. YAY! (Milk thistle with food today though... just to be sure.)
Last night's rains were obviously on their last, and thankfully, the morning wasn't cold. But it was grey, dreary. When we got everything settled, we put the UV light on for the day to compensate (as it were) for the absence of sun-shine.
Today, there was a task that had to be attended: changing the filters on the heating exhaust register in the room. It's been a while since it was installed and I was curious to see what was on the back-side of it. (I'll get to the point with this: the in-take in the house is pulled through "activated charcoal fabric", the furnace has a "MERV 13 HEPA" filter installed - new, yesterday - and the out-put is twice-filtered through the same "fabric". All of the registers in the house have filters on them. With the age of this house and the "musty" odour that some-times permeates, it's been said that I've turned the entire system into one grand "air purifier". But, considering the fact that most of a bird's anatomy is "respiratory", nothing is "too much" where air quality is concerned. I DO NOT want ANY threats to Yonah's respiratory system! So... perhaps I go "a bit far", but it's certainly not "too far. And I was a bit surprised to see "dust" caught on the back of the filter in his room. Granted, it's several months, still, ANY dust on it. But at least it was caught... That much less in the air breathed.)
To get to the registre though, I had to get down on the floor by the desk and as I was working to remove the cover, I heard the "whistle" of fluttering wings and then, "a little something" on my back. My Little Guy had flown down from his house and landed on my back, toddled to my shoulder where he could see and watch what I was doing! Now THIS is one of those moments that make my heart DANCE! He's SO aware ("cognizant") of EVERY little thing that goes on in his realm, and he IS (as I've read), curious and interested in EVERY new thing! I started to laugh as I asked "What ARE you doing back there? Crazy bird! I have to get closer to the floor... " and as I moved, he took off to the futon ... to watch from across the room!
Well, between me being on the floor and going back and forth to the kitchen, on one trip into the kitchen, he rode on my shoulder to come watch what was going on there... and when, apparently, everything happening wasn't entertaining enough, he headed to the living-room (with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to the decoys... I suppose he was telling them that I was boring...). I went on with the task-at-hand and finished... and my supervisor returned to his house...
Time to break for our lunch! AND...
As I sat at the desk having my lunch, my PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE was SO BUSY... Flying about picking up twigs and what-ever else he could find, from the orange tree. I was amazed when, AND as I sat to type today's notes, he flew from his loft, over to the tree, found a twig, flew from the tree to the futon, carrying it and then off to the loft! (It almost seems that he showed it to Beanie-Birdie, who was in the loft all day today, and then carefully placed it in the space by the little mirror there, between Beanie-Birdie and the back of his house! Now, again, I wonder... does he miss a "mate"? These are the moments that tear at my heart... because I'm reminded just how much I don't know about him... and how much more I actually YEARN to know. This is the moment when I'm put in my place, so inferior to Yonah... so VERY inferior to him.)
After lunch break, it was time to clean... the house, Yonah's room. I'd made a bit of a mess of things with the filtre changes this morning, so the Little Guy was on his own... to continue looking around for more "nest material" (which I have to get out and find more of, because most of the grasses are gone... they end up on the floor, the shelves... where-ever...) and watching, again, with scrutiny, as I cleaned HIS room. (He's like a kid where his room is concerned: Why are you moving that? What are you doing with that? Ever-watchful.)
When, at LONG last, everything was done and completed...
We had our evening meals together tonight. I'm glad my Little One is still on the food with the milk thistle tonight but tomorrow... we change it all to "regular"... I'm sure he's going to SO enjoy that! (It's obvious that he doesn't like the milk thistle, but I'm told it's bitter... I'll have to give it a try. We take the same thing, though I take it in a capsule. Tomorrow I'll try emptying the capsule into... apple sauce or something of the sort. Report to follow.)
After meal, I closed "business of the week" and ran the evening "water relay"... and was watched (supervised) from the perch.
AND... when I came back into the room from settling the rest of the house... there he was, my Little LOVE... on the key-board of his favourite place... the old lap-top... as the evening "news" continued to play. All nice and cozy, taking breaks to preen, I've looked to see what he sees on the screen as he pecks at it but it seems nobody knows. Apparently, many birds enjoy lap-top computers and pecking at the screen, but nobody knows why. Yet another one of those times when I SO wish I could know... KNOW... what he sees... along with what he sees with the "UV". And again... I'm reminded how inferior we "people" truly are when compared to them.
The rest of the evening... I got to the Journal, Yonah, when the "news" got boring, headed up to his house for an evening bite to eat.
But even at 20.00 he didn't seem interested in settling-down for the night... so I got up, closed the blinds and windows and installed the back-board. We played a little while with Burdie-Birdie and Baby-Birdie (because Beanie-Birdie was still on the loft... in the "new nesting"). And at 20.20... another nosh... I was caught-up with today's "work" and my Little Love came down to his door perch to "preen"... I was wondering... "Time?"...
Saturday 16 March:
Last night's summary here: When I put the lap-tops in the kitchen, last night, as I do every night (I NEVER leave computers in Yonah's room over-night), I checked the kitchen clock... 21.06. Yonah was settled on his night roost and I got to the futon with one moon light on. From the pillow, I could see his little silhouette there, above me, so still, comfy, "settled"... but as I laid my head on the pillow, he softly called "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"...
I softly replied "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and he came back with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo".
We exchanged coo's for a few more minutes until he switched to a soft "woo-HOO"... more like a "perch coo" than anything else. So we exchanged a few of those for a little while longer and I waited for him to stop. He did. I did. The room fell silent. I laid on the futon waiting to hear anything more and when, in about 10 minutes, there was still silence, I put the moon light off... the room was dark... We both went to sleep. I figure it was about 21.30 again. And I worry about the later hour. If it were closer to sun-set, it would be OK. But that much later... I wonder what's going on. And when it gets later and Yonah doesn't want to go "seepie-nigh-night", it just makes me nervous, wondering why. Have I done something to change his "natural rhythm" of sleep? Is he "concerned" about something? Does he worry about being alone? Beanie-Birdie was in his loft (and stays there through the day now... and he "cuddles with" during the day. It's tearing at my heart... not knowing.
Then, this morning, at 6.50 came a nice, clear, soft, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". "Morning call". But it was clear this morning. And when I "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo'ed" in reply, it started a little "morning chat". My little Heart-and-Soul sounded rested, and from the length of time we exchanged coo's this morning, he sounded "healthy" too! WHAT a relief!
Poops were good this morning too. 6 of them, a bit on the "slightly large" side, but again, only slightly larger than the "usual". Good composition, colour, and no particular "halo" to even mention!
This morning, I removed the food with the milk thistle to put fresh food into his dish... with-out any "extras" (no peanuts or sun-flower seeds, Bene-bac, milk thistle) and it didn't take long before he realised it was his "favourite"! Breakfast, this morning, was "enjoyed".
Water relay? Well... it took a while before it seemed there was any interest in that routine. But then, I woke a bit on the "tired" side this morning and it is Saturday. I managed to get the windows open, the water relay done before the morning "hop" across his house. I had to stop to take a good, solid look to check if he was OK and all appeared well. I suppose "All creatures, great and small" are entitled to "slow start mornings". And my encouragement and consolation was the clarity of the "morning call".
And out-side, this morning, it was "cool", not too cold, and the sky was clear in the East so the sun came up and POURED in through the windows!
UN-fortunately, this morning, I had some cooking that I needed to get started as soon as possible, so, no sooner had we "settled" the room, bird-songs and radio, and my little Heart-and-Soul "woo-HOO'ing" with the bird-songs. (He sings with some of them the way any of us would sing along to a favourite tune... Tell me again there's no "cognizance".... Not buying into that claim. Shame, really, how people who don't bother to take the time to actually "learn" can be so vociferous, and how many others who won't bother to take the time, take the claims to be "incontrovertible fact". But then, that's why this Journal is being kept. It might not be read by those who ought to read it, but the information is here... and it's "first-hand"... and taught by the greatest "Professor" possible... "Herr Yonah Taube, Esquire.")
Poor Babe... I was so busy during the day, cooking and such. And he took a couple of trips to the living-room to "tell" the "birds" out there about how neglected he's been. (It was cute though, as he came soaring through the kitchen, as if to let me know he was "leaving". The trips weren't his usual "direct route", but there seemed to be a bit of a "hesitation" when he got to me. I could hear the difference in the flutter of the wings. Today, I am on the "miserable companion" list... deservedly-so, I'll admit.
BUT, after lunch, we DID have a bit of a time playing with Burdie-Birdie on the futon! AND when I moved Beanie-Birdie from the loft back to the wall shelf, we had some play-time with him too... until the Little Guy "grew weary" of that and toddled away.
And when I finally got back to the desk to get on with other work in the room, he came over to the door perch...so we took time for "cuddles"... which he obviously enjoyed... snuggled into my chin... for a little while, anyway.
For the rest of the day, I was "allowed" to sit at the desk and attend to "affairs of the desk". BUT... we took a break to PLAY with Burdie-Birdie! And I'm SO AMAZED... I cover Yonah with the "excess" fabric that's at the back end of Burdie-Birdie (where I "hide" my hand and arm when we play) and there's absolutely NO "panic". Most of the time, he just "waits" until the fabric is lifted, sometimes he "flutters" a bit under it. BUT, when I lift it, he simply toddles away, as if everything's just perfectly fine and things like that happen. One thing that pleases me about his reaction is that it shows me that he has no fear. Of course, I call him whilst he's under there, so he hears my voice and knows I'm "there". But, originally, I tried doing that (many months ago) to see what his response would be... it was "calm" from the beginning. I was curious as to whether he had any "fears" from being attacked... apparently, he KNOWS he's safe when I'm around. And there's NO greater GIFT to me than his trust.
We played for a good 20 minutes, until he got bored.
Oh... we DID have our evening meals together this evening... I was "reminded" that it was time to eat, by a rather sudden "drop-in visit" from the desk shelf and a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". It was only 16.50, but hey... It was "time"! Sometimes (most times, really) I wonder about Yonah's "clock". But I DO notice that it still follows the "Yardies". They come round for something to eat, in the yard, and he goes for something to eat at about the same time. And it's usually the same time I should take time to eat. Seems I've adopted their schedule... the "natural" schedule. No complaints there. If it's good enough for the Little Ones, it has to be the right way to be.
After we'd eaten, and listened to the day's "news", I got right along with putting the room in order and the washing-up and when I came back into the room, my little Heart-and-Soul made a dash to the futon... to Burdie-Birdie... and WE TOOK ANOTHER PLAY BREAK ON THE FUTON WITH BURDIE-BIRDIE! A good 15-20 minutes of chasing and Yonah took a few minutes to "preen" his "play-mate". He reminded me of when I'd first "made" Burdie-Birdie... how it appeared that he was "attacking" the little "pillow". I thought he resented it, saw it as a "foe"... Oh, but my stupidity! Come to learn, over the course of time, he was "welcoming" the "new arrival". And seeing how he SO enjoys that little thing, how he rushes over, every morning, when Burdie-Birdie comes out of the nook on the book-shelf, it's just like every moment we've been together: I'm constantly learning something new, something more. (If only I could get such messages out to the rest of the world... but... here, with this Journal, I'm doing the best I can with what I have. Others might "briefly study"... my life is my learning... and my teacher is FAR above and beyond the "clinical studies". So say I, anyway.)
When play time was done, and my Little Guy headed off to the wall shelves... and then back over to his roof-top, it was time for "evening routine". The sun out-side had given way to the night to come, and waters had to be changed, the "house" needed to be set and the room, settled. I got to my tasks "under supervision". My little "Boss" watched, with care, from his roof-top platform, and as I went about my running back and forth, he went about his "evening coo'ing".
He didn't like it when Burdie-Birdie went to his nook in the book-shelf at about 19.30. He literally came RUSHING down from the wall shelf where he'd gone to when I'd done with moving his house about so I could get to the blinds and curtains on the windows. ! So... Burdie-Birdie came back out and he coo'ed and "preened" a little longer.
I grabbed the opportunity to get to the desk and add to today's Journal for a while and then, at 20.50, my Little Guy had returned "home" for the night and I got a "woo-HOO!"... from his night roost. I'd put our "meditation music" on, thinking that it would be the "hint" that "seepie-nigh-night" time was coming but... ah well...at 20.55... he was back up with a hop, over to the food shelf for a snack. No "seepie-nigh-night" yet. (But what a comfort to me to see him able to fill his little crop for the night ahead, when he wanted. I think of the Little Ones out in the wild, who, by that hour, were - hopefully - already nestled, roosting for the night ahead, and if they got a little hungry, would have to wait until morning's light before heading out to search for something to eat. It's a grand comfort to know that my Little Guy doesn't "go to bed hungry" or thirsty, and although the "foraging" is something that's given great importance in my readings, I'm glad that Yonah doesn't have to wait to eat or drink until his "foraging" and flying about searching is done.)
By 21.05 though, he was back on his door perch, and I noticed his little eyes were closing. It was time for both of us to "tuck-in" for the night! And seeing him there, beside me, closer than he'd be on his night roost, and where, when he opened his eyes, he knew I was still there with him (his little mirror on that night roost perch blocks his view of the desk and chair)... either he was "giving me a hint" by being there or he was comforting himself being where he could KNOW that he wasn't alone.
Honestly, there are times when I just can't doubt that my attachment to him is, some-how and to some extent... mutual. Maybe we ARE... "the flock"... I can only hope, with my ALL, that I'm "OK" where companionship is concerned. I KNOW I'm not the "perfect mate", but I do my best-humanly-possible....
(Well, I won't wait-up to close today's entry... more to report tomorrow...)
Sunday 17 March:
We did, last, manage to put all the lights out by about 21.30 again. The house got settled, the room got settled, and with a little "coaxing", Yonah made his way back up to his perch, after a "quick check" on Beanie-Birdie, in the loft. I leaned in for a couple of sweet and gentle "Good night" kisses... The moon lights were on and I got to the futon. My Cherished Little Life was on his night roost, all hunkered-down. I could see the little silhouette above, all calm. And we had a bit of a "chat", "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", back and forth, for a few minutes, and an exchange of "perch-coo's" for a minute or two. And I waited until my Little Love decided that the "chatting" was done... I turned one moon light off and laid there, for a bit longer, until it seemed we were both ready to close our eyes for the night. When the room was dark, all lights off, I whispered "You have a good seepie-nigh-night now. Get a good rest. I'll see you in the morning. You call me when you wake up. OK? I LOVE YOU"... No response or reply. Saturday was officially closed.
And this morning, I woke to see that the morning out-side our windows had begun. The room was noticeably lighter, but it was obvious that the skies out-side weren't "clear" this morning. I wondered what the time was, and was just thinking "I wonder if it's a 'sleep-in Sunday this morning." when... from over-head came a clear but "odd":
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo... ... ... hoo."
The "pause" there was longer than others. But the coo's were strong and clear. I made my best effort to answer, in my own "crackled morning voice"... with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"....
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" was the reply. (Oh, but what I wouldn't give to understand these "patterns".)
We had a bit of a "dialogue" for a few minutes. I wanted to hear whether his voice would be clear, and how strong. All seemed great as we continued our little "repartée" (which is, sometimes, what it seems we're having). His voice cleared, got a bit louder and then... "woo-HOO!"... TWICE! Time to get up, get on with Sunday!
I got up from the futon, opened his door, popped my head in for a few "quick kisses"... and they were "quick"... no "kissie-kissie" this morning... OK. I stepped out to check the kitchen clock... 7.14. I put the kettle on and headed back into Yonah's room... he was calling "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and the "tone" was almost-obviously "Hey! It's still dark in here! Let's get these windows open!"
OK! When I got back to his house, I popped-in for another try for "Good morning" kisses... only a few, and they actually seemed "rushed"... Not the gentle kisses of last night. (Oh yes, this Little Guy has his "messages to convey" and he makes them clear...) So I got right to the business of opening curtains and blinds to let in the dim, over-cast, grey and dreary day-light. it was noticeably "warm" out there this morning, and wet, brown, beige, grey. Only the white pines lent any breaks of green. But "Spring" was out there, and "March" was just an extension of the prolonged "Autumn". No snow. No Winter. No sun-shine.
And as I opened window-covers and rolled along with the "morning routine", my Little Guy fluffed, preened and watched from his "night roost" this morning. He didn't seem so ready to hop about... yet.
We chatted as I made my way back and forth with this morning's "water relay", but when I brought Burdie-Birdie out from the nook where he'd been last night, Yonah made a "direct flight" over to say "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!", and there we had it: the "official official" commencement of a new day.
Morning poop-check: 6 just-slightly-larger-than-common (I'll call them that), only one had any sort of "halo"... moisture... but this morning, they're more on a "beige" colour and the one with the halo... the halo on the kitchen-roll was BROWN! LIGHT BROWN... not "green". "With-in normal", but the change is puzzling.
NOTE: Just did a bit of research, and reading along, I may have found the answer:
NBD_shelters_symptoms_of_illness.pdf (avianwelfare.org) says: ". Birds eating primarily seed have green feces, a pellet diet produces brown feces, "
Avian Enrichment - Get the Scoop on Poop says: "Uncolored pellets will result in brown poop."
Could very well be that I ground the "High Potency" pellets (beige) so that they mixed with the seeds Yonah prefers and now he's actually getting the nutrition from them and they're giving the "beige" colour. The poops look fine, over all and he's got energy, to be sure. I'll just keep monitoring.
That said, after all the morning routine was complete and I managed to get to the desk to get on with this morning's Journal... the Little Guy had been in his loft and as I sat down he got up, hopped down to the door perch and WOOSH... headed over to the futon. A little "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to Burdie-Birdie. I got up and went over to the two of them and I tried playing, but he wasn't interested. He took flight to his roof-top and then out to the living-room for a couple of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to the decoys (I could hear him clearly, from his room where I was already at the desk). (Spent a good half hour out there. I went out to "visit", he hopped onto my shoulder, as he does, gave ME a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" in the ear and went back to his tree. But, all said, he's got his energy and he's looking great!)
The morning was dreary, for the most part. There WAS a break though, and WOW! the sun POURED in through the windows... for the briefest of moments. A "tease", at best.
And my little Heart-and-Soul "roosted" in his house, made a couple of trips to the futon, wall shelves, visiting with Beanie- and Burdie- and I got on with a few tasks at the desk... a "Sunday morning" in our little "mountain shack"... together... "together"... that's ALL that matters... to me.
And so... our day together was DELIGHTFUL (of course it was... we were together all through it... save about half an hour when I made a mad dash on an errand).
I was at the desk, catching-up with work on Yonah's Journal pages, he lounged in his loft, grabbing the breaks of sun-shine which weren't long nor many. It never got "dark enough" to put the UV light on though, and I was glad for that. I know he needs his UV, but I prefer that it come in from the sun-shine... I'm not sure which he prefers though. (But I must admit that when it's on, he DOES seem to have a LOT of energy so, it must make a difference to him some-how. I'm just glad we have it.)
And of course, during the day, we had our "play breaks"... with Burdie-Birdie, on the futon. (I didn't get a "snooze" in today though so there was none of that today.) AND, although they weren't many, we DID get out "cuddle-breaks" in too!
Oddly, I was reading a couple of "new" (to me) web-sites with information on mourning doves and to my surprise... I'd searched for "pet mourning doves", expecting to find nothing but "warnings" about it being illegals and such but shockingly, there are sites out there that actually almost "encourage" "keeping" mourning doves! Not sure how, not sure why they aren't taken-down by our "friends at the "D.E. See" - I don't dare post the acronym because, well, because of the "Warning" posted on Yonah's web-site - but although the information provided on the "generality" of mourning doves is quite informative (and, I have to say, from experience, quite factual, over all), I'm a bit "put off" by the fact that "keeping" a mourning dove is, although not patent, almost "encouraged". For me, Yonah is a mourning dove but he's certainly NOT a "pet" and never will be. I don't view him as a "pet". He's a "Companion" in the truest sense. He's a "Friend". He was, is and will remain "wild", no matter how connected we might become.
But I did notice, again, the mention of how "doves", in general, become attached to "mates", even people. (True, obviously.) And how they are "curious" and "inquisitive". (True, again.) And 3 out of 3 sites mention that they enjoy "lounging" during the day. (OH! SO TRUE, THAT.) They don't need (so say the sites) a LOT of flying about and, as in the wild, they'll prefer to walk along the ground. One mentioned that they ought to be given "supervised run of the house". "Supervised"? Aside from the hazards of exposed windows that would appear to be openings, and perhaps, the placement of furnishings (and, as I used to... and, to a point, still do, worry about Yonah, in particular, getting stuck under or behind something), I can't help but think how I would NEVER even consider keeping my Little Guy in his house, behind a closed door, through a day. Even when I leave for extended lengths of time, he has complete run of the entire house and he's proven that he knows where to go, how to get there and back, safely. I suppose, over time, all doves will come to learn such things. After all, in the very beginning, Yonah DID have a couple of "run-ins" with a window and did manage to get caught-up in a curtain. But these days? The entire house is his.
But it was a comfort to know that his staying in his loft for hours at a time really is just the way mourning doves "do" of a day. (Of course, I never would expect him to be flying all the time. Poor Little One. And he does fly... when he wants... and he DOES walk... or as I see it, "toddle" about the floors, often sneaking-up on me when I least expect, which is why I walk with care, ALWAYS.) Still, those sites will be in his "Bibliography" when the "site-cleaning" is done next. The information was an education for me, and the goal is to have Yonah's site a "central repository" of references, a "one-stop shop".
At 16.00, he came over to his door perch and gave a few hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's". It was time for me to put my evening meal on the hob! He's got the timing, even with human "Daylight Savings"! And at 17.00, we both took out evening meal breaks, and listened to the daily news on the lap-top.
When done, I got the washing-up done quickly, got a few more lines of "cleaning up" that I was working on and, by 19.00, the evening water relay was done, the blinds and curtains, closed against the darkness of night out-side and the chills that are in tonight's forecast. ("March"... the "bi-polar" month: one day warm, next day chilled. I mean, we DID have a flurry today, again, in the midst of a light rain.)
After I'd gotten tonight's water relay done, and the rest of the house settled, I settled me at the desk to get notes on today's Journal typed and... my little Supervisor headed up to the top wall shelf, over my left shoulder, I suppose, where he could watch me type, and for quite the while, in the general stillness of the room and our music playing, from behind me, but filling the room...
'woo-HOOooo".... "perch-coo's".
I got up and went over to him and he stared at me... "woo-HOOooo" and that little "flutter" that he does. And then, he looked over at Beanie-Birdie... so I asked "Is it time for Beanie-Birdie to go to the loft? Is it time for Beanie-Birdie to go seepie-nigh-night?" He came toddling over to Beanie-Birdie and pranced about a bit. So... Beanie-Birdie went to the loft... Yonah followed and settled on his roof-top... with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and settled there. And I went back to the desk... "woo-HOOoooo" from the roof-top. Looked like Sunday was coming to a close, at 20.00.
Now, I say it "looked like". At 20.23, the Little Guy was very much "at home" on his roof-top. I'd even put our "meditation music" on as a "hint" that it was approaching "seepie-nigh-night" time but hey, seepie-nigh-night comes when Herr Taube says it's seepie-nigh-night time - so long as he doesn't get carried away. I mean, as I often say: if we could both manage it, I'd stay up and awake with him all through the day and night. Our time together is potentially so short, due to his aging and my current age, if we could be together "eternally" (which is, in a manner, the way I see us anyway, "here-after"). So I kept on with the Journalling for a while longer.
It's 21.27... the Little Guy is in his house, on his night roost, the house is calm, the lights are dim. His room is settled for the night... let's see where this goes... No telling until tomorrow.
Monday 18 March:
6.45 this morning... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo... ...hoo". Another morning call with a "break" in it. But when I answered (my "morning voice"... more a "sing" than a "coo" and not very good for either, to be honest), my little Heart-and-Soul replied with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
We "exchanged" coo's, back and forth and they varied from the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to the all-in-all-out "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! WELL! WOOHOO! And our little morning chat went on for several long minutes too before "woo-HOO!" (at which, I, of course, got up from the futon and went over to open house).
All was fine, though kisses were few. And when I got to the morning routine... out-side, this morning, the air was chilled and the sky was a bit on the over-cast side (again). There's some "snow" in the forecast for the day. "Winter", making a last stand.
Poops? Only 5... 4 of which were, again, rather "large". Slight "halos" round the 4 largest. But good in colours this morning... "greenish" but not "bad greenish". Tummy seems good. That's a morning relief!
As for last night? Well... yes, at 21.27 I got to "wrap" the day. My Little Guy was on his night roost, looking all cozy and settled, so I put the rest of the house together, put his roof-board on and the music off. Turned the desk lamp off and put the moon lights on and we exchanged "Good night" kisses... quite a few of them too. Thinking all was settled and we were both ready for seepie-nigh-night, I closed the door to his house and headed for the futon with the moon lights on. As I got situated, I turned off the one moon light that's more "in front of" him and whispered my "Good nights"... and apparently my Little Guy wanted to "schmooze" or he was telling me "Hey! It's time for seepie-nigh-night here, no talking!"
Out of no-where came
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... our "before-sleep" chat.
The "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" went back and forth for a good 5 minutes before the final "woo-HOO"... Yonah almost whispered, it was that soft, his, I answered with mine, as softly... and I waited...
I could see his little silhouette above me, on his night roost, so still. I figured he was ready for sleep, so I turned off the last moon light and in the darkness, in a really low whisper, I assured him that I was with him, right here, and I was staying here for the night. I'll suppose it was all OK because the next thing I heard from my little Heart-and-Soul was this morning's "call to order"... We had a good sleep... together.
Now then, for the rest of this morning, I was supposed to be out this after-noon, on a "medical call" but the weather was supposed to be rather "unsuitable for travel" (there's snow in the forecast for higher up the mountains), and the truck has been making odd sounds so I didn't want to risk it all. I called to postpone and WOW, am I ever glad I did!
Having the day ahead, I moved right back into Yonah's room and set things up on the desk so we could be together today (as the flurries started falling out-side the window... ever-so lightly).
No sooner had I sat on the desk chair and started things moving when...
FLUTTER OF WINGS AND... THERE HE WAS, MY LOVE, ON MY SHOULDER, PECKING AT MY CHEEK! So, it was "break time" for cuddles, snuggles and some play-time too!
It didn't last for too long and he took off, over to Burdie-Birdie, on the futon and then back to his house to his loft. But that too, was only moments because, as I got to typing, there he was again, on my shoulder! MORE, MORE, MORE! Every time he comes over to me, I'm just so delighted that I can't ignore him! So, another "break". And yes, it was more cuddles and kisses and Luvins! And he tugged at my ear, toddled round my back and across again for MORE cuddles, and WOOSH, he was off again, back to his house.
OK. Apparently we were... nope, I hadn't gotten but about another sentence typed and MORE AGAIN! I was in HEAVEN! To think I was planning, for weeks, to make this trip I was supposed to take this after-noon and who knows? I would have missed all of this! He was BACK, tugging on my ear! I never know what starts this, but I never mind it at all, in fact, it really IS what I live for. And so, after THIS little round of "Luvins", my little JOY, DELIGHT, HEAVEN was up and off and away to his roof-top for some morning preening.
One thing though: that one feather on his right wing that some-times grows "twisted" is back. It doesn't appear to bother Yonah at all. He doesn't pick at it. But I wonder why it grows in quite nicely, perfectly in shape and condition, but some-how, some-thing twists it and it sticks out from his wing. It'll disappear as quickly as it appears. In fact, it wasn't like that when we woke this morning. Ever-so strange. And I've looked-it-up, many times, to see what causes it and what ought to be done about it. "Birders" who "groom" for "show" suggest plucking it. They claim it doesn't "hurt" to pluck it, but hey, I know what it's like to "pluck" a moustache hair and, well, even though it's a quick and very temporary "discomfort", as I say, I've seen that feather suddenly disappear on its own and if I don't have to cause my Little Guy any discomfort, I won't. If it bothered him and stopped him from flying, that would be one thing. But he flies about perfectly well and fine so... we leave it and watch.
As for the flying? It certainly and surely didn't stop him from taking a flight out to the living-room this morning and spending the better part of a half hour on his tree with the decoys. And as I worked in his room, I could hear him (clearly) "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo'ing" out there. And the next thing I knew, he was flying back to his house, landing on his door perch... the morning had passed already (I just don't know how time rushes away any more these days but I wish it would stop) and it was time to break for lunch!
As we had our lunch together, at noon, the lightest flurries of snow started falling out-side. Nothing of any particular importance, but just a reminder that "Spring" isn't until tomorrow, but Winter was holding-on for as long as possible. And my thoughts went, as they do, to the Little Ones out there, especially the robins who've already started to make a notable appearance. And I look at Yonah and think of how the snow, ice, cold, Winter in general, is of no consequence to him in his own room, in this old house, in his own little house. I don't know if he misses toddling and hopping about in the snow, but, at least he doesn't have to care about frostbite (and I've seen the results of that: lost toes and even feet!). Again, I'm able to afford him that much comfort. It's not "perfect" by any means, but hey, if it gives my Heart-and-Soul comfort and longevity, after the Hell he's suffered, maybe I'm doing OK by him.
Ah, but then, I got up to bring my lunch dishes to the kitchen and he watched me, carefully, from his loft and when, in a moment, I returned, he hopped down to his door perch and staring at me, gave me that "HEY! OVER HERE!" wing-snap! MORE CUDDLES! HE WAS IN SUCH A "CUDDLES" SORT OF MOOD ALL MORNING! So, of course, more cuddles until he decided to head up to his loft and I went back to the desk to continue the tasks I chose to neglect, in favour of LUVINS!
HAH! No such thing! He saw me sit, start to type and... HE WAS BACK ON MY SHOULDER, TUGGING AT MY EAR! So what? Another delay? No problem for me! And we cuddled, snuggled. He toddled up and down my arm, flew up to the top of my head (and actually made him-self quite comfy up there... until I reached for the phone/camera; he does NOT like having pictures taken on him; I'll never know what it is about the camera that bothers him, but as soon as he sees it... he's gone).
Later today, I tried for a 30-minute snooze on the futon and as only my Little Guy can, I got comfortable, alarm set, closed my eyes. We were listening to "our music" on the iPod, I was just drifting off into a doze when...
Flutter-flutter and peck-peck. he'd come over to peck at my hand. So I reached up and brought him over to the futon from the pillow and he hopped up onto my shoulder, toddled along and down to the bend in my leg at the knee and re-settled there for a few moments. (I never did get my snooze, he didn't stay on my leg for the duration, but, I got "shut-eye" and Yonah? Well, he headed up to his loft for a "lounge".)
Well... our day is coming to a close (it's 19.48 now...) and THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLY AMAZING, HEART-WARMING, INSPIRATION, AND AWE-FULL DAYS I CAN RECALL SINCE THE DAY YONAH HOPPED ONTO MY ARM FOR THE FIRST TIME !!!
ALL DAY AND EVERY TIME I GOT UP FROM THE DESK, NO MATTER HOW LONG I WAS AWAY, WHEN I GOT BACK, MY LITTLE LOVE CAME RUSHING OVER TO MY SHOULDER, PECKING AT MY CHEEK AND TUGGING AT MY EAR !!! I CAN'T EVEN RECALL THE NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT I CAN SAY THAT IT WAS WELL MORE THAN THREE !!! AND IN BETWEEN, WHEN HE WAS IN HIS LOFT, HE'D COME TO THE DOOR PERCH AND GIVE A WING-SNAP FOR CUDDLES AND KISSES!
WHEN I WENT INTO THE KITCHEN TO WASH THE LUNCH DISHES, HE STAYED WITH ME, ON MY SHOULDER, WATCHING MY EVERY MOVE AND AGAIN, WHEN I WENT IN TO WASH THE DINNER DISHES, HE DID THE SAME THING !
AND THIS EVENING, I WENT TO THE LIVING-ROOM TO OPEN THE FRONT DOOR FOR A WHILE (as I do of an evening, to bring fresh air into the house for a while) AS I STOOD THERE, LOOKING OUT TO SEE HOW FAR AWAY THE SNOW WAS FALLING (on the Western mountains) HE CAME FLYING OUT, FLEW ROUND THREE TIMES, AND THEN FLEW BACK INTO HIS ROOM ! AS IF TO CHECK ON ME, MAKE SURE I WAS STILL IN THE HOUSE !
WE'VE HAD "AFFECTIONATE" DAYS BEFORE, BUT TODAY WAS SPECTACULARLY MORE-SO THAN EVER BEFORE !!!
AND THE "TWISTED FEATHER" ON HIS RIGHT WING? DISAPPEARED. I've NO idea where or how, but it's not there this evening.
NOW I SIT HERE WONDERING WHAT TODAY WAS ALL ABOUT... Could it be that I'm reviewing and, for the most part, actually "re-living" says in November 2022 (which is what I've been working on for the past few weeks, putting "notes" together because I'd grown so lax in keeping his Journal properly when I'd gone to work and reading through the notes was bringing back such pain; how I HATED leaving him every morning for those months)? I shouldn't doubt it one bit. But he was here to "console" me, as if he were telling me "It's OK. I understood, then, and I understand now, and it's over, done. You meant no hurt or harm. I know that. Let it stay there. I LOVE YOU." Or... could it be "something else"? Something I don't even dare to let set in my mind more than the time to type this?
WHAT-EVER IT WAS... IT WAS... AS I SAY... "AWE-FULL" !!! ASTONISHING ! AND I EVEN MANAGED TO SNEAK A VIDEO ON HIM ON MY SHOULDER, PLAYING WITH MY HAND, TUGGING AT MY EAR AND
WEARING MY KIPPA! MUST BE SURE TO POST IT HERE... AND ELSE-WHERE. UNBELIEVABLE (with-out video evidence).
Even now, after water relay is done, his windows closed, back-board up, I sit at the desk, typing and he's come from his loft (where Beanie-Birdie has been all day), had a little something to eat and is on his door perch... nope... toddling about the floor of his house now, but watching me. I know he knows I'd never "leave" him. But when he "calls" for cuddles and kisses (which is what the wing-snaps have been for all day today), and he nestles against my face for rubs and kisses... how it breaks my heart to think that he might think I might. No... "silly bird" (as I say to him), "leave" him? No Yonah... no me. With-out him, I take to a bed (or his futon), and together, we wait... to be taken from this.
I AM SO THRILLED AND DELIGHTED THAT I CHOSE TO POSTPONE TODAY'S APPOINTMENT AND TO STAY HERE WITH MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL !!! TODAY WAS A DAY THAT COULD NEVER BE REPLACED BY OR WITH ANY-THING ELSE IN CREATION !!!
Of course, now we get to see what settling-down, settling-in and tuck-in will be like tonight... Oh... the suspense... WHAT A CHARACTER THIS LITTLE ONE IS !
Tuesday 19 March:
So, well, OK then. Last night went along some-what as expected but not. The house was settled, Yonah's house was settled and I thought he was settled too, at 21.15. Lights were dimmed, my Little LOVE was in his house, on his perch, looking all "settled-in" for the night and then... THEN, just as I started to get the futon together, the "flutter and whistle" of wings; HE WAS UP AND OFF AND IN FLIGHT! Off to the upper-most wall shelf. "woo-HOO's"... "perch-coo's", and that little "flutter" of "come hither". WHAT a character!
I didn't expect him to be ready for "tuck-in" tonight, again, but I didn't expect a flight and flutter. And when I said "Hey! It's time for us to go seepie-nigh-night", he was having NONE of THAT! It was more "affection time". I can't, for the life of me, understand it. We're up all day. I take a snooze, he takes a "lounge" during the day, but to be up and about and THAT full of energy at such a late hour. And I can't help but think of the Little Ones out-side, in the night, LONG-ago, roosting some-where out there, and here, in here, there's a little bundle of feathered LOVE, STILL, apparently, ready to take on the night ahead with MORE play, MORE Luvins, and NO rest. (I just hope I haven't ruined his "circadian rhythms" with all the artificial lighting and such. But Yonah has become so much like a child who, when the sun goes down, he just doesn't want to miss anything. (Very much like I was as a child: wanting to stay up to see what the adults did after I was relegated to the bed. I'd swear that, if we still had the "Late Show" and the "Late Late Show" on television, Yonah would stay up to watch until he finally gave-in to fatigue.)
I literally had to reach up, hold him close, give him more kisses and cuddles and snuggles, all of which he relished, rubbing his head against my chin, and "sneak" him back "home". And even THAT wasn't quite enough because he managed to make his way to my shoulder and as I moved over to his house, situated me so that he was "in" his house, he toddled across to my other shoulder, avoiding his house.
When, at last, he hopped off me and into his house, he headed to the "food shelf" on the opposite side from his night perch and I had to "coerce" him over to his loft, where Beanie-Birdie was, and then he hesitantly scuttled over to his night roost where, of course, we needed more kisses. Ah, he recognised those too. Those kisses meant "tuck-in", and he turned his back to me, as he does, and hopped over to the corner where I couldn't reach him for any more kisses.
Having an opportunity, I put the desk lamp off, the moon lights on. The room was really quite dark now, and I managed to get his house closed for the night and I got me onto the futon, head on the pillow where I could see the little silhouette above. My Little Love was still hopping about up there, perch-to-perch, and head bobbing up and down. He just did NOT want to settled-down tonight!
And then came a little "chat"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". But what was most noticeable was how "soft". He was "whispering"! Yes, mourning doves CAN "whisper". The coo's were so soft and gentle. And I answered his coo's with the same "pattern" and he continued to reply each time until the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" changed to "woo-HOO"... that "perch-coo" again. And I could see him, "crunched-down", fluttering again. OK. So, for a while, we exchanged "woo-HOO's" until I changed it to "I LOVE YOO-hoo...oo...oo". Some-how, something about that seemed to translate into something that he either understood or was perplexed by. After about 4 or 5 of those, each one answered with a "woo-HOO"... my Little Guy got the last "hoo" in... So I waited about 10 minutes and turned off the last of the moon lights and the room was dark. I whispered, VERY soft and low: "OK now, you and I have to get some seepie-nigh-night. OK? I'm right here and I'm not going any-where tonight. I'm right here and we're going to seepie-nigh-night together. And tomorrow, you wake me when you're ready and we have another day ahead with more things to do... together. You know I LOVE YOU. And I'm NOT leaving you. So you seepie-nigh-night."
Off we both went...
At 7.00 this morning... in the dimmest early morning light, came that sweetest first sound of a day:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo"
Thankfully, THIS morning's little "hoo" sounded intentionally paused! My Little Heart-and-Soul FINALLY managed to get his night's rest. Of course, not the "12-14 hours" of documentation" I've read, but HEY! He sounded rested AND, when I answered "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" (in my "morning voice, since my "woo-hoos" weren't quite ready yet), WE HAD A DIALOGUE! The "woo-hoos" volleyed back and forth for what seemed a healthy 5 minutes... before the "finale" of "woo-HOO!"
I looked up from my pillow and could see the little silhouette up there, on the perch, all still quite snug, but giving a few "flutters of feathers". Yonah was getting ready for his "cameo"!
UP we were and ON was the day!
I opened his door, leaned in for "Good morning" kisses and WOW! KISSES this morning! It was the beginning of another "Day of Luvins"! So many. So gentle. SO MANY! Apparently somebirdie was well-rested AND in good spirits! Well, well, WELL! AND... poops looked good this morning too. 5 some-what "large", but "quality" was "normal", and though there were halos round all, it wasn't a lot. That was a pleasant surprise this morning because yesterday, I'd noticed that the Little Guy was drinking quite a bit of water. I'd expected quite a lot more actual "liquid" this morning. Then again, he was REALLY quite active through the day yesterday so I'll suppose he was "using" the water as he drank.
So, we chatted through the morning routine. Even as soon as I headed to the kitchen to put the kettle on, he was "calling". (I almost wondered if he was calling to verify that I hadn't left him... again. But we DID call back and forth, and when I finally got to open the curtains and blinds, this morning, he was up and over to the corner where he comes of a morning of late... and I got KISSES through the "grating"!)
Out-side, this morning, another "dull" sort of morning... over-cast with the slightest bit of "mountain flurries". In the higher peaks to the West, the falling snow was visible here, at the house. The winds were carrying the "stray" flakes over to us. But here, the ground was still "grey, beige, dreary". There was an obvious "chill" to the air that tried to get into the room, but the temperature in-side was a cozy 22° and with his "private heater", the Little Guy was nice and toasty-cozy.
THEN, the day REALLY came to order when I went to the kitchen to set up for this morning's "water relay".
I was at the basin, rinsing and arranging the containers when, behind me: MASSIVE FLUTTERS AND WHISTLES OF WINGS! YONAH WAS IN FLIGHT! he came into the kitchen, headed for the living-room and circled, thrice again, just out-side the kitchen, as if checking the rooms and, more importantly, checking my where-abouts! When he'd verified my presence, he flew right back to his house and to his door perch. It looked like he was waiting for me to come in and get on with this morning's tasks in his house. (And I don't doubt that's just what he was doing.)
And we chatted through my running back and forth, rinsing and filling his pool. CHATTY MORNING, THIS!
When all the morning "work" was complete, I poured a beaker of coffee and brought the lap-top in to the desk to get started with the day's chores AND...
NO SOONER HAD I SAT ON THE CHAIR AND OPENED THE LAP-TOP... WOOSH! PECK-PECK, TAP-TAP, TUG-TUG AT THE EAR !!! HEY! ATTENTION HERE !!! First thing this morning we picked-up from where we'd left-off yesterday! Another day of "affections and play" was beginning!
WELL! As the morning rolled along, and the sun made brief appearances, now and again, I tried to get to morning "business", hoping to get on with the "list" of other items I have waiting, but, OH NO! THAT was not to be, NOT on Herr Taube's agenda. HIS agenda was FULL of "breaks"... for Luvin's and play!
He came over, so many times I've lost count of them, it seemed, JUST as I'd get into what-ever I was doing. He wanted the "contact". I simple verbal acknowledgement of "Yes? I see you there. I LOVE YOU." wasn't "sufficient". Oh NO! I had to stop the typing, look at him, give him strokes on the head and back, cup him in my hands, play as he ran down and up my arm! Flights to the desk shelf and back. Flights to the wall shelves and back. He was in FULL PLAY mood this morning. And of course, what-ever was in the rest of the house this morning, NOTHING was more important than time with my Heart-and-Soul! I was in absolute HEAVEN!
Yonah was obviously rested and feeling well, but more, he wanted to be WITH ME! Healthy. Rested. Good mood. Nobody could ask for anything more.
One thing that I DID manage to get to this morning (even with breaks for play and Luvins):
We got an "edit" of yesterday's video of him on my shoulder! AND, it got put onto the server! (Links, of course, were sent to the "appropriate parties".) It even has a little "music back". It's not on a "collection" as are the rest of the videos, yet. But that's more of the work that has to be done on his site. (We have SO MUCH to catch-up with and on. But in my own defence, I have to say that days like yesterday and today don't help me reach that goal any easier. I CAN'T refuse the attention when that little bundle of feathered LOVE comes over for attention and affection. It doesn't happen often, so when it does, Creation just has to step aside for a while. NOTHING is more important than my little Heart-and-Soul!)
This after-noon (which came entirely TOO quickly), we broke for lunch together and caught a little of the day's news... and one of the most endearing "events" was when I pulled-up the new video on the computer, to make sure it was running on the internet... as it played, Yonah came rushing over to my shoulder and stood there, watching it! I had to wonder if he recognises him-self in it. Does he know it's him and not another dove? He used to peck at the doves when I'd play an on-line video, and there's one video of a mourning dove at a feeder and Yonah used to pick at the screen right where the food was, on the video. He's coo'ed at and with some of the doves on-line, but I wonder if he actually recognises that the dove in the videos of him are HIM. (He sees him-self in the little mirrors he has in his house so I'd doubt he'd understand that they're a reflection of him so, I doubt he understands videos of him-self. Still, it's fascinating to see him stop everything to come and look at his own videos.)
This after-noon though, I managed to get a 20-minute snooze in... the little LOVE BUG was out in the living-room for about half and hour, on his little tree. But the very moment I opened my eyes, in HIS room, he came RUSHING back! I SWEAR he KNOWS... and I envy him: he can sense my physical and emotional and I'm so utterly useless when it comes to him. (Although, there are moments when I tend to wonder if what I think of as "projecting" my perceptions and interpretations aren't some kind of a "sense" of his feelings and thoughts.) But he came into the room and headed right back to his loft. There was a bit of sun-shine out-side (in spite of the snow falling on the Western mountains) and I was glad to see him getting some of that, though I wish it were more. As the season is changing and the sun is moving farther toward the North, the sun won't be "pouring" in through his windows much longer... Shame... really. (But in my search for a "new home" for us, sun-shine in the windows is one of the most important aspects I'm look for.)
And so well, it's 20.06 and the house is settled, and Yonah's house is settled, the blinds and curtains are closed, the back-board is up... and as soon as I finished doing that, he headed, no, DASHED over to the wall shelves to Beanie-Birdie who was up there, where he usually passes the day! Beanie-Birdie had to go to the loft! It's seepie-nigh-night time and Beanie-Birdie HAS to go to the loft! And sure enough, Beanie-Birdie went to the loft and Yonah-Babe DASHED home... to the loft! Whether it gets us tucked-in soon is another story... to be continued...
His new video has made quite an impression. 2 of the 3 messages sent as "notification" have come back. One said "He loves you!" and the other "He's really playful." Indeed. And all the while I keep in mind that, according to the "rules", there are those who would rip him from his "home", from all he has here and, in one scenario, abuse him as a "sample", a "token", or what they refer to as "a learning example". In another scenario? "Euthanasia", under the guise of that being "humane" because he can't "go back to his natural environment". Well... we carry on, I carry on, I carry on giving him ALL that I humanly can give him.
Today, he rode on my back and shoulder when I washed the dinner dishes. AND this evening, for almost ALL of the 9 trips I made back and forth for "water relay" he was right there, on my shoulder and back. And when I emptied the bucket into the basin in the loo, he watched, as if fascinated by it! A "new room", a "new sound" as the water rushed down the drain, new motions, watching the bucket. He really is fascinated by "new".
But that he makes himself so comfortable (as long as I'm wearing a Sherpa, for some reason) that he stays with me as I walk, even briskly, around the house... THAT FASCINATES ME!
We had a MAGNIFICENT day together today. Even though it puts some rather important events farther into the future, which I probably shouldn't do, yesterday and today have made it ALL so WONDERFUL! (I don't get much of what I plan for in a day, but HEY! My little Heart-and-Soul and I get to be together, and the only reason I "be" is because of him and this is all a part of it.)
And so... the clock ticks and he's on his night roost... time to try for closing the room... here we go...
(By 20.54 we managed to get the room settled, the futon was set for me for the night, our "meditation" music was playing, low-volume, of course, the desk lamp dimmed and the Little Guy is on his night roost after a "quick visit" to the wall shelves where he headed moments before, and started his "nightly coo", from all-out coo's to, of course, the "perch-coo's" of a night. We'll see how tonight goes with "tuck-in" but it looks like he's got his own "agenda"... and I can't help but smile...)
Wednesday 20 March:
Oh, but last night proved to be another one of "those" nights. We DID manage to get the room settled shortly after the last entry for yesterday, but the Little Guy wasn't having "tuck-in" just yet. He went back into his house, to his "night perch" (but not the "night roost"), and he had to "check his food", then go over to check on Beanie-Birdie in the loft. And another flight out to the shelves and a few more "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's". (Another time when I REALLY wished I knew what he was "saying".) He was making it quite clear "Not yet."
So, I made the futon all ready for me to simply put my head down, stopped the music, brought the lap-top to the kitchen and when done, I reached up, thinking I was going to "bring him home" but he took off and headed right to his night roost.
Tell me he doesn't recognise what goes on around him. The computer gone, the music stopped, the lights dimmed... he knows, and I'll never be convinced to the contrary.
Well then, with all that attended, I popped my head into his house for "kisses good night"... NONE. Not only "none" but he actually turned his tail to me (as it were)! I had to laugh, really. He literally turned on his perch to face away from me! But I managed to get a couple of kisses in anyway and quietly, as I explained what I was doing, I got the door to his house closed and went over to the futon to lay down. From where I laid, I could see is little silhouette in the light of the two moon lights, which were the only lights on in the room. He'd turned round, gotten back to his night roost and was fluffing and preening! Time to settle-down, tuck-in, go seepie-nigh-night and there he was, prepping for a night on the town!
So, from the futon, where he could see me, I raised my hand and pointed. "You're something, you know? It's time for seepie-nigh-night now. All the Little One out-side are already seepie-nigh-night. You have to go seepie-nigh-night and me too. And I'm right here with you. You're not going seepie-nigh-night alone. I'm right here. You can see me. Now... we have to get some rest. OK?"
He actually answered, softly: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"...
So I went along with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" back. That started a "dialogue", back and forth, for a good 3 minutes at least, until Yonah changed it to... "woo-HOO"... a "perch-coo". I figured that was his way of saying "OK. Seepie-nigh-night now." But no, the perch-coo's were exchanged for another few minutes until he got the last one in.
I turned off one moon light, the one more in front of him, so the other was lighting from behind and I started to doze. About 5 minutes later, I turned off the last light, whispered "Good night now. Seepie-nigh-night. I'm right here and I'm staying here. You're not alone. And you're safe and warm. You get good sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
We both were tucked-in for the night. (I need to get a little clock that I can see at night but I'm thinking we FINALLY got to close the day at about 21.45.)
6.50 this morning... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", nice and clear, not too loud, not too softly either. Wednesday, called to order.
I answered with a clear "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and the reply was immediate and the same. As I usually do, I laid on the futon, looking up to my little Heart-and-Soul, right there on his night roost, and I could see his little head bobbing about, him preening in preparation for a new day.
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" were exchanged several times before the "final"... "woo-HOO!" and so, our morning pleasantries exchanged I got up and went over to his door, opened it, popped my head in for "Good morning kisses" and WOW! SO MANY GENTLE MORNING KISSES THIS MORNING! (As if the reluctance of last night never happened. THAT'S my little LOVE!)
He was in good spirits this morning, looking great, stretching wings, getting his feathers "in order". So I was on the roll... along to setting the kitchen up for morning water relay and such.
We "chatted" whilst I put the kettle on in the kitchen and came back to open the curtains and blinds. And as soon as I got the blinds up, Yonah was up... and hopping about in his house.
In the morning light, dim as it was, because the sky was over-cast and there were flurries in the air adding to the little bit of snow on the ground that had fallen during the night, I did a "poop-check":
4 some-what large, 2 with a "slight halo" but, all of them were other-wise "normal", colour, consistency, composition. And with those, my Little Guy was in GREAT mood, with GREAT energy, so... Wednesday was well under-way. ALL was well with the world!
We had "chats" during water relay, and shortly after, I was re-settled, in his room, at his desk, and he was making "visits" to my shoulder, "supervising" my activities (making sure I was accomplishing what needed attending of a morning.)
I got so involved with all sorts of "affairs" at the desk that the time rolled by... and I didn't even hear the "splash" when, just before noon... I heard the "flutter" of feathers and wings beside me... It struck me as "odd" because the room had been so quiet for most of the morning so it was to my surprise when I looked over at his house and he was there, on the door perch... WET! HE'D BEEN IN THE POOL! The "shaking of feathers" was a "dry-off"! And as soon as I looked up, he was up and in flight, up to the top wall shelf to "preen"! I marvel, really, when, out-side, the temperatures are rather "chilled' and yet, it seems those are the days when Yonah most-likes to have a "bath".
It does my heart good though, when I see that, no matter the weather in the world, when he feels he can enjoy a nice "splash in the pool", he has the opportunity. The Little Ones out-side would probably "ice" in this weather, and I wonder how they feel, during the cold months. Would they too, enjoy a "dip in the pool" but wouldn't dare? Then too, I think: my Little Guy not only has the little pleasure of a bath, but there's fresh, good food to eat and fresh, clean water to drink, and no need to fly about, searching for any of it. In my readings, I see so many "recommendations" to "hide food" or "treats" so that birds can "forage". But, over our time together, it comforts me to know that THIS Little One is guaranteed his needs are "at wing"... as it were... all through the day and night so, when the "urge" strikes, he knows all is there, no need to fly about in search. (And... even more importantly, no threats of predators. If he wants, he has the house to fly around for exercise and change of scene, and NOTHING will suddenly swoop down to pluck him from the open air to attack him.)
So, "bath" done, and the noon hour, I prepared my lunch... and as my Precious Little Guy dried and preened, I sat at the desk and started my mid-day meal... and when he was done with his "ablutions", he too, headed "home" for a bite to eat.
After lunch... it was "back to business"... together...
And for the rest? Well, is was such another "affectionate" day!
Every time I sat down at the desk to start typing, my Little LOVE-LOVE-LOVE came RUSHING over to my shoulder to tug at my ear! Today wasn't just a "peck on the cheek" sort of a "Hello there. Watcha doin'?" Today was a "serious" "Hey there! You here! I'm here! Let's do the cuddle-thing!"
And it was a "cuddle-thing" affair! He wanted the touching, the stroking, being cupped in my hands! He wanted to be on my shoulder and with me when I got up to leave the room. I literally had to coax him off my shoulder so that I could go to the loo! (There are some things my sensibilities demand that Yonah really does NOT "need" to accompany me for. And yes, I DID say: "Lookie here, you; YOU can poop no matter where, when, whether I'm seeing or not, but I'm a 'people' and SOME people just don't do that sort of thing so you have to wait here and I'll be right back. I gotta go potty." ) Stood up and since he was more toward my back, I turned so that he was closer to his house. I was hoping he'd "take the hint" and hop over either to his roof-top or his perch but I had to reach up and back for him and as I did, only then did he actually alight and yes, went for his roof-top.
What a character, this Little Bundle of LOVE. What a Divine Blessing he is. And to be sure, I really didn't want to "part company" any more than he did, but....
When I got back to the desk (after the loo), he was "waiting" for me, in his house, on his perch, and as I sat down, he came back over to peck at my face. ("Where did you go? You were gone for so long? I was worried!" Or something of the sort.)
Well I got a little bit more work done with the rest of the day and before I realised it, "evening meal"... I was "reminded" (again, Yonah's done it before too) at about 15.55. So I got up, "excused my-self" and put my meal on the hob and came back into the room to try to grab a few more moments of working.
At 17.00, we were together, having our meals... I, at the desk, and my LOVE at his "meal shelf"....
This evening, the water relay was done by 18.45. I was trying to get the room settled, get the "environment" settled, thinking we could both "retire" to seepie-nigh-night at a "proper hour" tonight. (HAH! on me!)
Windows were closed, against the night and the chill by19.30... I was starting to believe that we WOULD settle-in for the night shortly after that because it USED to be that, when I closed the curtains and put the back-board up for the night, the Little Guy understood that that meant we were going to be seepie-nigh-night soon. "USED" to be... tonight was not "USED to be"... he had NO interest in "seepie-nigh-night" tonight! Instead, closed curtains and a back-board were PLAY TIME!
He flew about the room! To the wall shelves, the top of his house, the desk shelf. "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" to Burdie-Birdie and Baby-Birdie. He was "gathering the troops"! It was SO "entertaining", but I kept thinking of the time he'd need to rest (and was hoping he was, as it's been called "discharging energy").
At 20.23 he was still up on the wall shelves and I was typing some of today's notes here when... WOOSH... he came down to join Burdie-Birdie on the futon! I tried to not pay any attention, so I kept typing but... then, a couple of moments later... WOOSH again... he headed to his house, for a little bite to eat and then came down to his door perch where he "scrunched", as he does when he's taking a "snooze" there. Time? Not really. I let him get cozy. I wanted to see how long it would be before he finally went up to his night roost....
At 21.03 (I looked up at the clock), he came over to my shoulder and started tugging at my ear! So I reached up to "cuddle". Nope. He was off again, back to his house.
Well... since it's late I'm going to try... off to the kitchen to put the computers away. The old one was playing the "mediation" music (which obviously isn't working tonight). Maybe if I start getting me to seepie-nigh-night... "Maybe"....
Thursday 21 March:
6.40 this morning! After getting to settle-in and getting to seepie-nigh-night at what HAD to be close to 22.00 last night.
Oh yes, last night was about as expected. My Little "Night Owl" just did NOT want to "tuck-in" at all!
As I noted last, the clock read 21.19 when I made the last notation on the Journal for the day. The computer was in the kitchen already and the house was completely settled. Yonah's house door was still "open" and he was in, on his night roost when I got there. My pillows were set on the futon, but I hadn't put the cover sheet on yet and, silly as I am, I decided to put that on before closing Yonah's house...
As I was placing the sheet on the futon... WOOSH and FLUTTERS... he was up, out and up to the wall shelves, to the top one, of course. I looked up at him, he looked down at me and gave a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! (I had to think that he was telling me "Yeah? You THOUGHT you were getting away with it? I think not.")
Well, I put the sheet on the futon and said "Listen, you... it's time for seepie-nigh-night now. I want to get to seepie-nigh-night now, so you have to get to seepie-nigh-night too."
The reply: "woo-HOO"... a "perch-coo"! And he scrunched, as he does, tail raised and gave the little "flutter" that goes with. He wasn't having any "seepie-nigh-night" at the moment. So, I reached up and managed to cup him in my hands and bring him down. He didn't make a move, and when I held him to my face for kisses, he just "nestled". OK. Maybe it was the "Good night kisses"?
I got him to his house and onto his night roost and he scuttled over to his loft to check Beanie-Birdie. Gave Beanie- a little "nibble" on the "beak" and then scuttled back to his night roost. I thought it was time...
So I put the moon lights on, the desk lamp off and got onto the futon, laid my head on the pillow and I could see the little silhouette above me... "shuffling" left and right, head bobbing, looking around.
I stretched my arm up, moving my hand about so that the motion could be seen, in the dim light, and quietly said:
"I'm right over here, where I am every night. You're not alone. You see? I know you can see me. I'm right here. You're safe. I'm not leaving. We're going seepie-nigh-night together. OK?"
It seemed to work. He settled, quietly. So I turned one moon light off and laid there for several minutes. All was quiet. All seemed well. My little Heart-and Soul had settled... tucked-in for the night.
I laid there, still, for several minutes... and then turned the last light off...
As I say... this morning.. 6.40... in the early morning dim light in the room: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". I'll never understand how this Little One does it. "Readings" claim that mourning doves either "get" or "require" 12-14 hours of rest at night. THIS Little Guy is going for about 8, and I wonder, most times, if he even gets that much of a night lately, because I don't know if he actually gets to actual "sleep" when I put the lights out.
Anyway, we exchanged our little "commentaries" for a couple of minutes before the "woo-HOO!" of "Hey! Are you going to get up or what?" Well, for me, is was "UP!" whether or not I liked it. But of course, when Yonah is awake, we're ALL awake and I WON'T leave him up there, in his house, essentially "locked in". If NOTHING else, his door HAS to be opened so that he's free to go where he wants, when he wants. But then, getting up to do that means... We're off and rolling! And so it was...
I opened his door... and KISSES "Good morning". Those gentle pecks, mostly in the nose-corner of the right eye (which is normal, and I'll never understand why he goes for the eye...that eye... that corner...but that's where he seems to prefer) and across the fore-head. And of course, I reached in to "cuddle" and give kisses back and he seemed to just enjoy it so much this morning.
When kisses were done, the rest of the morning routine could get under-way... Curtains and blinds open, and "supervised" from his "vantage corner"... water relay.
Poops, this morning (essential of the day): 6 "normal" sized. Only a small "halo" round only one. PERFECT! No sings of any "tummy troubles", and with the clarity of the morning call, and all the affections... a PERFECT start to another day.
And THIS day was a "crisp" one. Out-side, there were traces of the snows of yesterday, but the sky was clear... strong breezes blowing. More like the beginnings of Winter than the beginnings of Spring. But the room was comfortably warm so all was well.
This morning, I had cooking to do in the kitchen and got started right after water relay, which, compared to our "regular" mornings, was an oddity in the routine. (Reminded me a bit of the "work days" back in 2022, but at least THIS time I was just in the kitchen where I could be seen and heard.)
I'd no sooner gotten into all the machinations of food preparation at the kitchen counter when I turned to notice a little "somebirdie" standing at the door to his room. My Little Supervisor was coming out to check on me... or simply to visit (or... to check to make sure that I was still in the house with him). He toddled out into the kitchen as I walked over to ask "Are you OK?" and to say "You see? I'm still here. I'm just here and I'm NOT leaving!" I'd no sooner said that he was up in the air and off to the living-room for a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" with the decoys and to spend about 30 minutes or so with them. Instead of the radio in his room, I'd put music on in the living-room so, maybe the sound out there was more comforting. (Though the "bird-songs" were on in his room... they're part of every morning routine... right away, after opening the window.)
Well I continued with the cooking and it ran right into the "lunch break" time! We didn't have much "together" time this morning (to my heart-ache). But I did make sure to make "visits" to my Little Love during my cooking.
Thankfully, the sun shone into the room this morning, and my Little Guy was enjoying it, in his loft, all nice and cozy... with Beanie-Birdie.
At noon, we broke for lunch together. I had lunch... Yonah had a "bask" on his beach, in the sun-shine. But as I ate, he came over for a "visit" to my shoulder to tug at my ear. (I wonder, as I type this: the tugging on the ear... it must be the little gold hoop I wear that attracts his attention. He seems to "play" with it! I'm still trying to find some sort of "toy" or "toys" for him that move, of their own. What I'd REALLY like is a little "motion sensor" "plus" birdie that will, at the very least, wobble or vibrate when he pecks at it, the way he pecks at the Beanie-, Bustelo- and Burdie-Birdies. I made a little "sticks-on-string" hanging item for his house and for a while he seemed to enjoy that. It was made particularly so that he'd have something to peck at to keep his beak trim. But, like all "toys"... the novelty wore off and there it hangs... motionless. Well? A "project" for me!)
Anyway... I got lunch, Yonah got Luvins.. and I had a quick... VERY quick errand to run so he had the house to him-self for about 30 minutes, and when I got back I managed a 30-minute snooze!
At first, Yonah came over to my shoulder and almost seemed to be considering staying with me, but decided that snoozing wasn't for him and he took off to his house... and I dozed off...
When I woke, he must have seen my eyes open and came RUSHING down to my leg from his house! "Hey! It's about time!" I laid there waiting to see what he'd do next: stay, toddle about, come up to my face? When he realised I was awake but not moving, he took off and I got up and headed over to the desk, thinking (incorrectly, of course) that I could get a bit of this morning's events typed to the Journal... BUT... OH NO! I no sooner sat on the chair and... WOOSH! There he was, on my shoulder, tugging at my ear, pecking at my cheek. So? So... OF COURSE, we played... cuddled... snuggled... kissed... and he ran down and back up on my arm! We played like that for several moments until HE felt is was enough and took off... to the futon... to Burdie-Birdie... and I was allowed to continue with a bit more work.
All too soon, as time does any more... evening meals. We sat, together, as we do of an evening, I had my meal rather quickly so to get a little more time to catch-up on notes and such before it was "water time"... and my Little Guy came over to the desk to peck at the lap-top screen for a bit (as he does... when "the news" is on... I'm coming to a point where I believe he recognises the voices of the people on there now), and then to the futon, the wall shelves... He's certainly NOT what might be called "lethargic" by any stretch of the imagination. And I'm THRILLED to see him so energetic... even if it means another late night ahead...
Well, again, tonight, I thought I'd try to get the room settled at a "reasonable" hour, try and see if we couldn't manage a "tuck-in" before 21.00 or 21.30 so, at about 19.00, I started the water changes... and then, moved on to the windows. By 19.30, all was done.
There's a "threat" of a VERY crisp night ahead tonight. I'm relieved to know that my Little Heart-and-Soul has his own heater above him in his house to keep the chills away. This old house and the other-wise useless heat-pump can let the place get rather chilly. But with that heater, made especially for birds (chickens, actually, but also other Little Ones), I'm a little less concerned. So long as the electric isn't interrupted, there's warmth for THE MOST IMPORTANT LITTLE BEING IN CREATION!
(Well? it's 20.30) He was on the desk, at the corner, and I'd put a little collection of "Baroque and Classical" music on for tonight instead of our "meditation" music... He'd snuggled there, at the corner as I typed today's Journal notes, and was looking rather "settled" and then... Dvorak's "Song to the Moon" came on. That was the VERY FIRST piece of music I'd played that he'd responded to, WAY back when, as it were! When it started, his little eyes opened and his feathers settled back down. He STILL seems to enjoy that piece of music so much!
So I stopped typing and rested my head on the desk beside him.
"That's your Dvorak. I remember when you heard that and you said "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" when it played."
He blinked his eyes and looked at me for a moment, and then stood up, toddled to the edge of the desk. I thought he wanted to head for his house, so I put my arm over for him to hop onto, thinking I'd give him a lift... He hopped onto my arm, toddled up to my shoulder, onto my back and...
Off he went, to the top wall shelf... "woo-HOO".... perch-coos from the far corner. Oh well. I had a little more to add to the notes so... we "perch-coo'ed" back and forth for a while. and I tried to sit, calmly, at the desk, catching-up and hoping the "general serenity" of the room would "pass a hint"...
At 20.45 he finally decided it's time... he's on his night roost... here we go! I'm wrapping-up for the night now, getting ready to move things out of the room.
21.00 He's still on his night roost... the futon is set for me for the night, the desk light is off, the moon lights are on. I don't know about my Little Guy, but I'm certainly ready for "tuck-in"... let's see... To be continued on tomorrow's entry...
Friday 22 March:
OK... Last night I got the time (21.17) typed here, turned the lap-top off and got back to my little Heart-and-Soul who'd been quiet and apparently "settled-in" and "settled-down" for the night. Got to the futon... moon lights on and the room was dimly lit, just enough to "see". All was calm, nothing "bright"... I put my head on the pillow and looked up to see the precious little silhouette above. He seemed to be "looking about" and "checking his feathers", but, other-wise, he was "settled" on his night roost.
As I do, a whispered "OK my Precious Little One, time for seepie-nigh-night. You get a good night's rest and I'll get a good night's rest too. We have things to get to tomorrow, but right now, we'll get good sleep so we're ready for another day..."
Ah... as I spoke: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". (I'm supposing that was a "OK. So be quiet already, so we can both get that 'good sleep'.")
It was soft, almost a whisper. So I "whispered" back: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
Yonah replied: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and I tried a "woo-HOO"... "perch-coo". He replied with a "woo-HOO"... and that was the end of that for the night.
I turn one moon light off and from the pillow, I could see the little silhouette above, "hunkering-down" on the perch, under the heater. So I waited a few more minutes and then, I turned the last light off... and whispered "Good night my Little One. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Sleep well, sleep restful. I'm right here with everybirdie."
This morning, I was just waking my-self, on the futon, and considering getting up and starting the day. The early morning light was coming in through the blinds and curtains, the house was still calm and quiet when...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".... my REASON FOR BEING was awake too!
I answered with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and he answered, clearly: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
Wondering what sort of response it would get, I coo'ed "woo-HOO"... not the "perch coo" but more along the sort of coo that he gives when he's had enough "chatting" and... I got a some-what "firm" "woo-HOO" back. So, it seemed it really was time to get up and get on with the day ahead.
Looking up from the pillow, I could see that little silhouette up there, on the "night perch". He was already stretching his wings! So yes, to be sure, it WAS time... I needed to get up and open the door, get on with today's "affairs". And so, I did... and when I opened the door, more wing stretches and, popping my head in for "Good morning" kisses, what I got seemed not so much "gentle" but more along the lines of "OK. Kisses. But let's get these curtains open and on with the day."
There really is a difference between the "Hello. I've missed you." and a little sense of "urgency", importance. Maybe I AM learning the "subtleties" of coo's and kisses! Only yesterday, I'd posted, to social media, that more people should know the "cognizance" and "sentience" of mourning doves. Well? This morning drove that point to more clarity. (And again, this morning, I had to wonder what the other mourning doves in the yard "know"... about that "human" who comes out to put food out for them, and what that one mourning dove who comes to visit with Yonah when we go out in warm weather, thinks of him, of his "cage", of me, as I sit on the back gallery. And then, I wonder where all the others are, these days. None have been around here, again, for many weeks. Where have they gone? And why did they leave? I might be learning Yonah's communications, but, as always, I'm just another "human"... so obviously inferior to mourning doves.)
And so... off we were, on with "opening a Friday"... We chatted room-to-room as I set the kitchen, kettle on for my morning coffee, and then as I opened the curtains and blinds to the clear but REALLY quite "snappy-cold" world out-side. (-7 ° out there this morning, and threats of snow to come, 20.00 tonight and right through tomorrow, into Sunday morning... "March"... "Spring". Looks like Nature is about to try, one more time, to bring "Winter". We had a day ahead of us this morning, to make sure the house is warmed enough to make it through that. Thankfully, there's still a little electric radiator in the room, at the ready. I can't provide a "perfect" world for my little Heart-and-Soul, but, at least, I can give him protection from a "Winter storm" and a warm place to be, with plenty of food and water... and LOVE... and, if need be, we'll figure a way to "snuggle"... to keep warm... if need be.)
As I opened the windows, the Little Guy hopped over to his other perch to watch me, as he does of a morning. We chatted briefly and I got to my "task"... water relay,
Poop-check this morning: 6 total, back to a dark green, over-all. 5 were rather "large" but not what I think of as "egg-size". The 6th was quite considerably small. 3 of the larger had a "slight halo" on the kitchen-roll, but all said, they were "normal". Promising... healthy tummy over-night, and a great sight to see, first thing of a morning.
And the coo's this morning, were clear. "Good voice". Wing stretches. And then, as I did the water relay, WOOSH! Herr Tube was up, out, and over to the wall-shelves, a stop by to say "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to Burdie-Birdie on the futon and then up to his roof-top! (He has more energy first thing in the morning than I could even imagine! He's my "inspiration", my "incentive", my "encouragement". As long as he's in good health and mood, it matters not, the rest of the world.)
I got the house settled, got "things together" and by about 9.00, got to sit at the desk to get to the day's tasks. As soon as I sat, my Little Guy was over to my shoulder, tugging at my ear! Our day had officially "commenced"... together!
As I typed, he flew about a bit and then, as the sun rose higher above the tree-line and managed to come in through the windows, he headed to his loft. "Friday"... "Winter"... and my most Precious and Cherished Heart-and-Soul was settled for his day.
As the day went along, I tried to catch-up with more of my "fallen behinds" and the Little Guy was having none of it. Visiting to tug at my ear. And at lunch break, he headed out to the living-room for about 20 minutes and as soon as I came into his room to have lunch, he came in and roosted at his door perch. He looked a bit "fluffed" and was "falling asleep" there for a moment. Well, with his "late night hours" of recent... I'm surprised when he doesn't take a nap! (I did, after lunch, for about 20 minutes, and, to my surprise, I was "allowed". But not until we exchanged "comments"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and "woo-HOO"... perch-coo. Silly little LOVE! )
When I woke from my snooze, he was in his loft, "lounging", awake, snuggled with Beanie-Birdie. He REALLY likes having Beanie-Birdie in the loft! And they look so comfy together. (And as I typed this... "woo-HOO"... perch-coo's again... The sky out-side is clouding-over and it's really quite cold out there, thankfully the room is at 25° after a morning of only 21°... the electric radiator is in the room, in case we need it to keep things "cozy" on the week-end... snow it threatened to begin at 20.00 and last through to Sunday morning... but I'll do what-ever it takes to keep my Little LOVE comfy warm!)
Well! The day managed to become "civil" with hazy sun-light, and I managed to hoover the house... with "supervision". It was SUCH a sight to see: I got the Hoover into the room, started it up and my little Supervisor came down from his loft to his door perch to watch my every move. It still amazes me how, dogs and cats react to the sound by either running, terrified, from it or attacking it, but Yonah? Yonah just "hangs-out" watching. I remember seeing a video, on-line, of a parrot, I believe, that, when the woman started the Hoover, the parrot would head for the bath! It wouldn't bathe unless the Hoover was running! Somebody theorised that birds feel safer if there's "sound" around them and that when the house was quiet, there was an element of "awareness", that the parrot wouldn't bathe for fear of a predator. Imagine? Even parrots, raised by people, retain that sense of "potential danger" in silence. But, THIS Little Guy seems more "fascinated". So much so that there have been times when, when I need to get down on the floor to get under the stand/shelves for his house, he's come down and settled on my back! Honestly! WHAT a little character, this one. (I keep remembering: he's from the wild, the back yard, the wood-land, the mountains. HOW has he become so comfortable around things that, genetically, ought to frighten him? Instead, he's more curious about them... which only serves to frighten me all the more... should I not be "here for him"... ever. And should anybody EVER put him "back into his natural environment"... sure and certain destruction of him. But, I'm quite firm in my resolve to be "here", for and with him, until HIS little heart takes the last beat, his little lungs take their last breath. No matter what, no matter how... and I'll be here to provide him with proper shelter, food, water and companionship... No matter what, no matter how.)
And so, hoovering done, we managed to settle-down for our evening meals. Yonah had had his "nibble" at about 16.25 and I sat at 17.00, with the "news" on, to eat mine, and he came over to my shoulder as I sat, a little "nibble" on my ear, some stroking, "cuddling" and off he went, back to his house to wait...
After meals, I got to the water changes and then sat for a bit to "close my affairs" on the computer. I had a couple of "visits" and a "wing-snap" from the desk shelf. Distractions and diversions... ALL of which are so deeply appreciated and make my heart dance with JOY!
I tried to get away with a simply "stroke of the neck" but that wasn't getting it at all! My Little LOVE wanted "caresses", cupped hands, Luvin's! And so, of course, we went for those and that led to playing about for a while. So by the time I actually got to all the rest of my own affairs...
20.00... time to close the windows up for the night and put the "meditation music" on, dim the lights in the room.
Tonight, as I closed the curtains on the windows, my Little Guy hopped up to his "food shelf perch" to the back of his house (closest to me) and wanted kisses through the grate! Of course! SO MANY KISSES! AND, WHEN THE BLINDS AND CURTAINS WERE CLOSED... HE WENT OVER TO HIS LOFT WHERE BEANIE-BIRDIE HAS BEEN ALL DAY, AND GAVE BEANIE-BIRDIE LITTLE PECKS ON THE "BEAK", AS IF GIVING KISSES "SEEPIE-NIGH-NIGHT" !!! BY THE TIME I'D DONE WITH THE BACK-BOARD AND SUCH... YONAH WAS ON HIS NIGHT ROOST! (I'm probably risking things now, by typing this at 20.24... and he's "settled"... by the moment... but...)
Another day, gone by too quickly. But the weather forecast is for a "Winter Storm" coming in at 20.00 (no indications of it yet) that will continue through tomorrow and tomorrow night so, I'm rather counting on us being "confined to the house" for the while... and I can get to MORE of his "back Journal" that so needs work! And, of course, since tomorrow is Saturday anyway... no errands or anything tedious. Just the two of us, together.
20.59... (Nothing like being precise.) The Little Babe is still on his night roost and I'm done with my "day" now so... here we go! Let's see what happens when the roof-board goes on...
(21.13 Too much later than I'd planned, again... roof board on... KISSES.. and a hop to the food shelf until I said "You know it's time for seepie-nigh-night here."... the Little Guy hopped over to the loft to "check on" Beanie-Birdie and back onto the night roost. I made the futon, moved the computers out of the room... popped over o the bed-room to put my jammies on... let's see how the night goes... "To Be Continued"... indeed.
Saturday 23 March:
OK, then... last night was unexpected. At 21.13, the room was completely settled and the computers were removed. The roof board was installed on the Little Guy's house and we gave each-other "Good night" kisses... MANY KISSES too. You'd think we were off on some long holiday and wouldn't see one-another for months! And when kisses were exchanged... well... it was a HOP... over to the "food shelf" on the opposite side of his house. Oh well. I had to laugh, really. But then I whispered "OK. We have to get to seepie-nigh-night now." and no sooner had I uttered "the phrase" (seepie-nigh-night), the Little One hopped back across to his loft to give a few pecks to Beanie-Birdie and right away, a scuttle to the "night roost". I was, to be honest, a little amazed and a little relieved. (I'd hoped we could tuck-in before this but, hey! No troubles tonight. I suppose Yonah too, was a bit weary.
So, I quickly got me to the futon, the moon lights on and as I settled, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", so softly.
I answered with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" too and immediately came another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from over my head. I looked up to see the little silhouette on the perch. My Precious Little Guy was bobbing his head a bit, looking about. So I turned off the brighter of the moon lights, thinking that maybe that was the culprit and I whispered "OO! Romantic! Now we can better settle. Eh? I'm sorry. That light is right in front of you. This is better now." and I actually saw Yonah get really settled on the perch.
Right away: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from him. And from me, a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" too.
And then... the "final".... "woo-HOO", perch-coo, to which I answered "woo-HOO" and... that was all for the day. The room was silent. And thankfully, it was nice and warm and comfy too. I waited the usual few minutes, just to make sure that all was "settled and tucked-in" and it was probably about 21.45 when the last light was turned off and in the quiet darkness, I whispered "Now we can get a good seepie-nigh-night together. I'm right here and I'm not leaving. All the birdies can get some good sleep now and I'll be right here. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Sleep well, my little Heart-and-Soul."
No response... We were officially "tucked-in" for the night.
And this morning... about 7.00... a nice, crisp, clear "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... the morning "call to order".
So clear, and no "breaks", it REALLY was the perfect beginning (to my ear) to a new day! And when I answered with the same "pattern", our "morning chat" rolled along, back and forth, the "volley" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" until... suddenly... the "woo-HOO!"... "OK! Let's get rolling here! I see it's day-light out there. We've got a day ahead here." So, I got up, opened the door to his house, popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses and this morning... MANY gentle kisses! Somebirdie was quite well-rested and obviously just waiting to... well... wing-stretches, several of them, as a matter of fact. It looked as though he was getting ready for "take off"! (We have ignition... and away we go!)
I headed out to the kitchen, put the kettle on and prepared for the morning "water relay" and when I got back, in the dim light of the room (before the blinds and curtains were opened) I could see MORE wing-stretches, wonderful wing stretches! It was more like watching a professional fighter preparing for "battle". But it's always a beautiful sight to see, with those wings opening and closing, those little wings that I still, after 3-plus years, remember not moving for weeks after the "attack" in the yard. Today, they're just as wonderful as they could be. And this morning, somebirdie was making ready to put them to proper use... as soon as the opportunity presented.
And as I moved things about and got to the windows... curtains drawn back, blinds open, out-side, the world was covered in the white snow that had fallen whilst my little Heart-and-Soul and I slept. And there was more snow falling! The white reflected quite a bit of the "grey" light of morning, so the room wasn't quite so dark. And as soon as Yonah looked out, he hopped over to the loft, checked on Beanie-Birdie and came over to his corner, closest to me, and waited for MORE KISSES, right away! And WOW! THESE kisses were more "energetic"! (I suppose he was happy that the room was lighter, at last.)
I went, quickly, to the kitchen to put together some "breakfast" for the Yardies who were already gathering and then came back to get to morning water relay run. By the time I got back, my Little Guy was on the door perch, waiting. And during my running back and forth, we "chatted" this morning.
Poop-check report: 6 poops, "average" size, dark brown this morning, with only the slightest hint of green. "Perfectly healthy" according to "the experts". And only the slightest "halo" round two. A healthy night was had by all... as it were.
When this morning's "routine" was done, I brought my coffee and the lap-top into the room and started to settle at the desk but... SOMEbirdie wasn't having it! No sooner had I opened the lap-top when...
WOOSH... and there he was, on my left shoulder. BUT, apparently, I didn't give "proper recognition" of his presence SO... he toddled across my back to my RIGHT shoulder and "waited" there, still, until I turned my head, said "Well! Hello you! Sneaking up on me like that!" and gave him some kisses. OK. That's what was "required" and... off he went, over to the futon for a "morning woo-HOO-hoo-hoo" to Burdie-Birdie and then up to the wall shelves.
I was glad for the distraction though because this morning, I'd intended on changing the kitchen roll in his house. It was starting to look a little "abandoned", there was a bit of seeds scattered about and it had gotten wet with this morning's fresh water being poured into the pool so... We were off and running again...
And changing the kitchen roll is like "moving anything" in Yonah's house - PANIC!
He came RUSHING over to the house and up to his perch. Then down to my hand to peck at it as I tried to remove the front trays! From the looks of it, one would think I was there to "take the furniture"! And I turned the UV lamp on too (because of the clouds and snow out-side which were expected to last through the day) and THAT seemed to evoke even MORE "panic"! OR, a sudden burst of extra energy. As I tried to get to the trays, to get the kitchen roll off, with all the twigs and limbs and such, my hands were being attacked. It reminds me of accidentally stumbling too close to the nest of a red-winged black bird, and how they attack to defend their home and young! But with Yonah, it's almost comical in that he never pecks with terrible force. It's more like "If you don't stop this now...." or "WHAT do you think you're taking here?" BUT... in the end, I did manage to get everything changed, nice and clean, and other than the absence of seeds and bits of twigs (and a few dried poops... inevitable as they are), nothing was "changed". Everything got put back where it was... where it belonged. AND...
Fresh food in the dish on the food shelf which is ALSO such a "terrible experience"! Taking the food dish out and scooping the loose seeds from the shelf requires an even more determined defence! "HEY! YOU'RE TAKING MY FOOD! NO! YOU CAN'T TAKE MY FOOD!" But we managed to get through the ordeal, and no sooner had I replaced the dish, filled it with fresh mix, one would think the Little Guy hadn't eaten in WEEKS! (But it's ALWAYS a tonic to the soul to see him with such a great appetite. It's one of the GRAND JOYS of my life to see: as long as he's eating, he's OK.)
And this morning, a little extra: raspberries! Chopped so that my little Heart-and-Soul can just peck and nibble. Nicely washed and clean, in a little "cap" that I've been using ever since our first days together. But this morning... not much interest in them. Even though I let him see that I too, was having "BERRIES". Well... they're in with the food in case.
All done, the commotion ceased. I sat at the desk... and as the snow continued falling out-side the window, a "Classique" radio station playing ("Standards"... but from Québec... so in French), my Precious little Heart-and-Soul headed for his loft... with Beanie-Birdie... for a morning's "lounge".
Saturday morning... a "Wintry" Saturday morning... nice and calm... save the occasional passing of a plough.
This after-noon... some-how, the temperature in Yonah's room maintained a "sultry" 26°! Meanwhile, out-side the window, the snows continued falling. He lounged, in between visits to my shoulder as I "tried" to get things done at the desk. Ear-tugs, cheek-pecks, cuddles, snuggles... 'tws one of "those" days... AND I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT! Neither of us is ever "alone"... We ARE "the flock"... to be sure. And I've never been so humbled, BLESSED!
AND... he allowed me to take a 30-minute snooze today! I snoozed on the futon, he lounged on the loft, the snow fell... It was a "perfect" Saturday... snoozin' an' loungin'... together!
When I woke, I headed back to the desk to continue with the "catch-up work" I'm doing on his previous journal pages and he came over to the corner of the desk. I brought Bustelo-Birdie down from the desk shelf and we PLAYED with Bustelo-Birdie for quite the while (which explains why I never get things done... HEY! NOTHING is more important than my little Heart-and-Soul and if he wants to play... we PLAY!)
AND... when I DID manage to get back to typing... THE VISITS... the ear-tugs, cheek-pecks and SNUGGLES again today... A DAY OF AFFECTIONS that weren't just limited to the desk either...
There was a LOT of riding round the house on my shoulders again today, from kitchen to living-room, back to his room. He was as comfy as he could be. And when I did the washing-up after lunch, he was right there, on my shoulder, watching the "activity" in the basin and pecking on my cheek, tugging at my ear. And when I'd get up from the desk, pretty much for any reason, he was right there, on my shoulder... "Where ya goin?"
I actually had to tell him that I was just "stepping away" and that I wasn't "leaving", I'd be right back. Apparently, that's what he wanted to hear because with that, he'd head off to the shelves or some-where.
Honestly, the affections are ... humbling, and honour, a privilege, a BLESSING!
All day, I tried my best to get things accomplished, but all through the day, we had "LOVE ME" breaks! It was the PERFECT "snow day": the two of us, together, no place to go to, nothing pressing else-where that required time for either of us. And I really am NEVER so pre-occupied that there isn't any time for my PRECIOUS Little Love! I did manage, though I don't know how, to get considerable work done. It was truly like a "Winter day in the North Country", the kind of day that could be taken directly out of a romantic little novel. These are the days that writer's dream of.
Well then, so our day went along, playing, Luvins, typing, listening to the "international radio" and music. The snow just kept falling, softly, out-side the window. And thankfully, the room was comfy-warm and cozy...
I started evening meals a touch early, thinking I'd get a little more time after to "tidy-up" what I'd been working on through the day. And although "the days end later", well, as always, "time"... no matter what we might do to "preserve and reserve"... it just slipped right on by. But...
This evening, shortly after we had our evening meals... well, Yonah had his snack at 16.30 and I sat at the desk at 17.00 with the "news" on the old lap-top and Yonah "snuggled" on the key-board, I got to the water relay. The snows out-side had stopped by 18.00 and it was getting "dark" already, so I put the UV lamp off, dimmed the desk lamp and got busy... whilst being watched... in between pecks on the computer screen. He let's NOTHING go un-seen in his room!
I have to note: one of the most pleasant and surprising things today: Yonah's room managed to reach a most-comfortable 25,5°! (I try to keep his room at a temperature where he doesn't have to "fluff" to stay warm. Hey! There isn't much I can give him, compared to "Nature", but "comfort" is high on my list of priorities, and warmth on a Winter's day... well... I doubt he's ever had to fend against the cold, if our "age calculations" are correct, so... there's no need to start now... especially protected in his room.)
So we had our meals, with the "news", and the washing-up got done right away. And right after, I did the evening water relay and started settling the house and room for our "tuck-in" tonight. The Little Guy was all settled, comfy on the old lap-top key-board and I returned to the desk, with the other lap-top, to jot today's Journal entry... with the "news" still on the other lap-top.
Time passed and... oddly enough...
As I typed, Yonah headed up to his house, to have a little "nibble", as he'll do of an evening. Out-side, the sky had gone dark (when we weren't paying attention). The snows had stopped, the "world" was settling and still. BUT...At 20.00, I looked up at the clock and was about to get to closing the blinds and curtains (a bit late), and I noticed that the Little Guy was already in his house, on his night roost! I closed the windows, he came over to the corner on his food shelf to be closer and where we could get kisses... and then he went back to his perch!
I moved the old lap-top to the kitchen and settled the rest of the room for the two of us and "seepie-nigh-night". I was curious because Yonah's done this before: gives the impression that he's ready for "tuck-in" and when I get everything settled, there's a sudden "burst" and he's off and flying round the room! But I figured I'd give it a try and see where this would go. WELL!
By 20.48... not only was my Little One on his night roost, the room was settled, the futon was ready for me for the night. I went over to the "house", popped my head in to see if I'd get any "Good night" kisses and... I DID! Little "Good night" kisses! And when I asked "Are you ready for seepie-nigh-night?" I got MORE kisses and Yonah got him-self obviously comfy there, on his perch... his night roost! SO... as I told him what I was doing, I closed his door, dimmed the desk lamp to lowest and went to put my pyjamas on.
When I got back to the room, my Precious Little Love was completely settled and comfy! He really WAS tired tonight so... I turned the desk lamp off, the moon lights on...
By 20.58 we BOTH were "tucked-in"... Still later than the "Yardies" out there in the rest of the world but I was relieved... Maybe tonight, my LOVE will get a proper night's rest....
Sunday 24 March:
We DID it! Last night, by 21.00, the lights in the house were out, the house was settled, Yonah's room was settled and I was on the futon, beside my Little Heart-and-Soul! He WAS tired! Poor Little Guy.
But THE MOST AMAZING (to me) EVENT OF THE NIGHT...
I laid my head on the pillow, moon lights were on so light in the room was comfortably dim, and I could see the Precious little silhouette above me, on the night roost. I whispered a little "Good night and a restful seepie-nigh-night my Precious Little One". No response. So I whispered a little "perch-coo"... "woo-HOOoo" AND IMMEDIATELY, THE REPLY, "woo-HOOoo"! Soft and gentle. I was AMAZED! So I tried another "woo-HOOoo" And AGAIN, IMMEDIATE REPLY "woo-HOOoo".
I was THRILLED AND DELIGHTED... I tried one more time, "woo-HOOoo" and THIS TIME, the reply was a soft but obviously rather "firm"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
I answered with the same "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" but softer and...
"woo-HOOoo" from the perch above.
Figuring this was supposed to be "THE Good night", as softly as I could, I said "woo-HOOoo" and... that was that. Nothing followed. Yep, seems that WAS "THE Good night"... the room was silent...
We actually had an actual "dialogue"! HEY! I wonder: am I "learning mourning dove"? Is Yonah learning "people dove"? Which ever it was, it was, to me, ONE OF OUR MOST-FASCINATING MOMENTS!
So, I left the 2 moon lights on for a few minutes longer, then, as usual, turned one off and, a few minutes later, turned the other off, and in the darkness, I whispered the usual "Good night. I'm right here with you and I'm not going away."...
This morning came and I was up at 6.24. I quietly got up from the futon and went to the kitchen and with-out turning any lights on (they really weren't necessary since day-light was already well under way out there, in the cold) I started getting "breakfast" together for the Little Ones out there this morning. They'd be in need of nourishment this chilly morning and I wanted it to be there for them when they arrived. As I was "serving breakfast" to the Yardies out back, I'd left the inside door open and from behind me, from in the house, came this morning's "call" of a really clear "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! (Considering the temperature out there this morning, I shouldn't doubt it was more "HEY! Close the door, crazy! It's COLD!") Because I didn't jump right back to close the door, the calls came, several times, so I made quicker work of "serving" and when I got back in, door closed, I headed directly into Yonah's room to say "Good morning" and offer apologies for the "chill".
There he was, stretching his wings, looking GRAND! I hoped that I hadn't woken him before he was ready to get up, but, when I opened his door and popped in for "Good morning" kisses, I got a couple... though not as many as some other days. Maybe he was annoyed with me. Oops. But he was up and awake enough to turn away from me and scuttle across his perch to the loft to Beanie-Birdie who, again, last night, passed the hours there.
I opened his house, put up the door perch, removed the roof board and placed his roof-top platform... brought the containers to the kitchen for this morning's water relay and when I came back into the room and opened the curtains and blinds, he hopped up, over to the "Supervision corner", as it were to make certain I completed my "task"...
And when that was done, he hopped back over to the loft and I popped my head in to say "Good morning" again. When I said "Good morning to you too, Beanie-Birdie", Yonah went to him and "nibbled" on the "beak". He recognises "Beanie-Birdie"... SO OBVIOUSLY! "Burdie-Birdie", "Beanie-Birdie", "kisses", "seepie-nigh-night"... and here am I... all a-flutter because of "perch-coo's" last night! In this house, Yonah is OBVIOUSLY the more intelligent of the two of us! I am duly humbled.
Poops, this morning: 7 absolutely perfect in quantity and quality, shape, size, colour, contents. THANKFULLY! A Little Guy with energy, clear voice, perfect poops... and sun-shine in the forecast... WHAT a Sunday!
POOR LITTLE GUY! The sun POURING in through his windows... and the room is BRILLIANT, and the temperature finally up to 24° from this morning's chilly 21. He's been over to "visit" as I sit at the desk, and has taken a "visit" to the living-room for a few minutes. We've had snuggles and kisses and he was in his loft, all snug when, suddenly... a dark shadow crossed the window and then... CRASH! The snows are falling from the roof (good sign... it's warming out there). I looked up to see him sitting there, in his loft, head raised, eyes blinking (and because of where he's settled, his tail is up against the corner of his house... I'll never know how he finds that comfortable)! OO! BANG! But when I made light of it "OO! BANG! The snows are falling from the roof!" he calmed back down... Honestly, I'm in complete AWE. My voice... a "people voice" calms him. The TRUST! I'm really not worthy of this BLESSING.
It's 20.00... the sun has disappeared from the sky out-side the windows. The room is a cozy 25° after a SUN-DRENCHED day of merely 22° because the house now has a "heat-pump" and heat-pumps are worthless in the North. But we're thankful for the warmth as the night comes settling on us.
And my little Heart-and-Soul has headed "home" already, from his comfy-spot on the old lap-top where he'd been for the past 45 minutes as I sat at the desk. (I'm wondering if this is to be another "early-ish" tuck-in night?)
We had a WONDERFUL day together today, together. I got things done and we had a break for PLAYING with Burdie-Birdie... and I got a little
of the Little Guy "preening" Burdie-Birdie! What makes that so particularly "special" is how, when I'd first made Burdie-Birdie, he seemed to "attack" it, with such a vengeance! Or, that's how I interpreted his response to it. Me, the "not-very-intelligent" of the two of us, didn't see that he was already PLAYING with it! He SO ENJOYED IT! But because of my ignorance, I was afraid he resented it and took it away for the longest while. I'm not even sure when I brought it back out for him, but, to this day, that little bit of pillow-fill and a pillow-case seems to be his favourite little "friend"! Even to the fact that, in the morning, as soon as his house is opened, and the windows are attended, I MUST bring Burdie-Birdie out of the little nook in the book-shelf and put him on his pillow on the futon... and as soon as Yonah sees "him", he RUSHES over to him, gives him pecks on the little "beak" and coo's at him! And Burdie-Birdie is the last to "tuck-in" at the end of the day. So today, when I managed to sneak a video, I was THRILLED! It's so "affectionate"... that's his little "mate" right there. (Which is why I'm so torn between having another dove or not. How I only WISH I could KNOW, for certain, if a "real dove" would be accepted into the house-hold... How I SO WISH I could KNOW SO VERY MUCH about and of Yonah! Oh, the days and moments when I truly feel so "incompetent", "inferior", "insufficient".)
AND... I have ANOTHER video... A while back, I'd made a little "toy" to hang in Yonah's house so that he'd have something to "peck" at, in the hopes that it would help keep his beak from over-growing. (I STILL can't get my-self to trim his beak! The terror of clipping too close and causing him discomfort or pain... and BLEEDING! Every time his beak gets a bit too long, it breaks my heart. BUT... some-how, he manages to get it "trimmed-back". Earlier photos of him show him with a "hook". Our first (and last) visit to the veterinarian was a horror! She clipped his beak, then took him into another room under the guise of wanting to get a better look at him. When she brought the poor Little Guy back, he was HORRIFIC! So lethargic! I was TERRIFIED, thinking he was about to die on the trip back home! Feathers all over the place and BLOOD stains all over the towel that the ... "vet" ... I daren't use the terminology that comes to mind... held him in! And she told me, "matter-of-fact" that his beak was "fractured" and that she'd applied a "glue" to it! I still have the "written report" that was given me that day and it was actually written on there. She took NO responsibility, but I can say, with hand-to-heart, that his beak wasn't "fractured" when he was brought to her.
(And so, we have another reason why I SO DREAD the very notion of my little Heart-and-Soul being in anything but the VERY BEST of health at all times! I'll add: the other vet we'd made an appointment with, a "VCA" vet, simply dismissed us when we arrived late to the appointment because of construction on the hour's drive to them. "Oh. Sorry you couldn't make the appointment." and the "receptionist turned her back.)
ANYWAY, I didn't want to buy ANYTHING "Made In China" for my Little Guy and all the toys I found on-line were just that. SO? So... we live in the mountains, and there's wood-lands all over the area, and in those wood-lands, there are many native maple trees. So, one day, I went out in search of some "appropriate-sized" limbs which I clipped, brought back and allowed to dry. As with the "tree" in the living-room, they got several applications of "Permethrin" and again, were allowed to dry completely. They were then "boiled" and again, dried completely. I clipped the longer pieces down to length, drilled holes through the centre of each and strung them on a length of cotton string so they could "turn" about when hung. I hung the whole thing from a perch in Yonah's house and... though he was SO curious about it at first and DID peck at it, making it turn and swing, over time, it seemed he'd lost interest in it. BUT today, I caught him... pecking at it, making it turn and swing. He DOES still remember it and he DOES peck at it, and it's to help keep his beak trim so, when I saw him, I grabbed the camera! I'm SO glad he actually does use that simple little toy! (I'm supposing it helps with his beak because it doesn't get so long any more. Another "gut instinct".)
As I say, today, the sun POURED in through the windows and had it not been so cold out-side, I would have gladly brought my Little Guy out-side for a while. But we're still just barely above freezing and there's really no place where we could "set-up" his house in the yard, out of the wind. But Yonah, being "Yonah", took advantage of the sun and his "private beach" and he basked this after-noon as I sat at the desk having lunch. And when the basking was "enough"... he saw me eating and headed up to have his own lunch.
Now... ANOTHER REMARKABLE EVENT OF THE DAY...
This evening, at 16.00, as is our usual, I put my evening meal on the hob in the kitchen to warm and started to set the desk for a "sit-down". Yonah had been in the living-room for a while, on his tree, and i didn't disturb him. BUT... WHEN I GOT MY MEAL AND WAS COMING INTO HIS ROOM, I CALLED "I'm having supper now. Are you having supper too?" HE CAME FLYING THROUGH THE HOUSE, DIRECTLY TO HIS FOOD AND AS I SAT TO EAT, HE WAS EATING! HE RECOGNISES THE WORD "SUPPER" !!! I'VE SUSPECTED HE RECOGNISES "LUNCH" TOO... AND I'VE SEEN HE RECOGNISES "SEEPIE-NIGH-NIGHT" BUT HIS RESPONSE TO "SUPPER" WAS ASTOUNDING! I AM... AS ALWAYS... IN ABSOLUTE *** AWE *** !!!
Well, we had our "supper", I waited a while before running water-change relay but got it done by 19.00 and because there was still some day-light, I got to today's Journal... Shortly after, the sun was setting and I got up to close the blinds and curtains and install the back-board... and... no sooner had I done, my Little Guy was in his house and on his perch. Of course, it really didn't last long before there was "something he had to check"... on the wall shelves and so, off he went. Me? I just sat at the desk to try to get some of today's "events" jotted for today's Journal.
Well... by 20.00, he was back "at home", on his perch, and it looked like he was "done with the day". So I got up and started putting the room "in order". Mistake. I straightened the "futon mattress" a bit and of course, because there was some activity going on that required "supervision", my "Supervisor" was back on the wall shelves where he could keep a watchful eye on all the work.
Apparently, I was doing "well-enough" and off he went, back "home" for the evening.
When I'd done with the futon and gotten it settled for me for the night, I excused my-self to go put my "jammies" on and grab my pillow for the night and when I got back, my Little Guy was quite settled. Up went the roof-board, off went the desk lamp, on, the moon lights.
I leaned in for a "Good night" kiss but... nope. None tonight. Not sure why, but he turned his back to me and faced out the side of his house. I got a "kiss" in anyway and... at 21.12, we were "down for the night"....
Monday 25 March:
We had ANOTHER little "dialogue" tonight. He started this one with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and when I answered, he replied with the softest, "whispered"... "woo-HOOoo"... another "perch-coo"! So, "hearing it" as a "Good night", I replied with a "perch-coo", as softly as I possibly could. He answered with another "perch-coo", equally as soft. We had one more "exchange" and I waited, after he replied with his coo... no more. It was time for both of us to "tuck-in" for the night.
This is two nights in a row and I'm looking forward to tonight. If we got for THREE nights in a row, I'll be quite convinced that this isn't a mere "coincidence". It's beginning to look a lot like I'm LEARNING the appropriate "coo's"! If ONLY I could actually "understand" them. If only I could learn the differences in ALL of his coo's and their patterns. There are SO many "subtleties" in all of them.
In my readings, it's been claimed that mourning doves don't "recognise words" when they hear sounds. They hear "tones", "timbres", "volume", "patterns" in the sounds of other doves and other birds. They differentiate by "qualities" of sounds that they hear. I've heard many distinct differences in Yonah's coo's. The clarity, the volume, the "rapidity". For example, where many might hear a simple "woo-HOO", I've come to actually hear the subtle differences between a "firm", "solid", rather loud "woo-HOO!" and a "woo-HOO". The former seems to be some sort of actual "demand", as in the mornings when he's anxious for me to get up, open his door and get on with the day. The latter is a "call for attention for something", trying to get my attention. As he might call the attention of a potential mate to his location. The "perch-coo" is much softer and has a "melodious" quality to it and is only slightly drawn longer at the end: "woo-HOOoo". And at night, when we're tucked-in and the lights in the room are dim and he's ready to go to sleep, there's a noticeable "softness" to the over-all quality along with the drawn "ending"... an almost-whispered "woo-HOOoo" or "woo-HOOoooo".
These are my own observations and noticed because I genuinely CARE for and about this little bundle of feathered "Life". Surely, there are those who would argue. But I put here what I've found over 3-plus years and to me, it all seems incontrovertible.
But as I say, I'm looking forward to tonight, and other nights ahead.
Now, again, as always... HOW I WISH I COULD KNOW, WITH NO NEED OF "SPECULATION", THE REST OF HIS COOs! Not in a "Dr. Doolittle" sort of way, just to have an "understanding". And as I say, repeatedly, Yonah has come to "understand" (even if it's only the "sound") several actual "words"... I've come to still hear "woo-HOOs". Obviously HE'S the more intelligent of the two of us, and I'm not complaining. He IS the "eldest"... being of direct descendants of the dinosaurs and just the fact that birds survived that "Great Extinction" should tell us ALL we really need to know about birds...
So, we did "tuck-in" by 21.12, but we were "up" for a few more minutes. When our "Good nights" were exchanged, I waited a few more minutes before turning one of the moon lights off and when I did, I whispered "Now we can get to seepie-nigh-night. I'll leave the other light on for just a little while longer so you can see that I'm not leaving, I'm right here, with you. We'll go seepie-nigh-night together."
No comment... I was wondering if he hadn't already started getting to sleep.
About 5 minutes later, the last light went off... I whispered "OK my LOVE, we'll go seepie-nigh-night now. I'm right here. You'll be safe and warm and cozy. And you call me when you wake up. More sun-shine tomorrow for us."
Again, no comment... We went "seepie-nigh-night".
And this morning? 6.30... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo... hoo"! A good, healthy "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo....hoo" too!
"We" had chores round the rest of the house to get to this morning, so, after a bit of a "chat" (which thrills me anyway, knowing that my little "Prince" is in a mood to "chat" in the morning, meaning he's got the energy to do so), and in spite of the fact that I would have, very much, liked to "lounge" a while longer, we were up, I was in the kitchen putting the kettle on and being "called"... repeatedly! A morning of "little patience", this. So whilst the kettle came to the boil, I got things going with opening curtains and getting water-relay together. BUT... this morning, at least, I GOT "GOOD MORNING" KISSES! Not the "excited" kisses of some other days. This morning was more along the line of "Yes, yes. Kisses. OK. Let's do and get on with it." Honestly, the difference between "I'm so happy to see you!" and "I won't get out of here if I don't..." is so obvious. I'll never understand why, but truth is: we ALL have "those" mornings when we're delighted with affections and others when we'd simply just "get on with it". (I tend to wonder if, on the "get on with it", I didn't snore during the night and disturb a night's sleep. BUT... I figure, if the Little Guy was tired, the Little Guy would have "slept-in". There's nothing to disturb him in the morning... that I hear... and I hear even the slightest of sounds in this house.)
I worked, all morning, in the kitchen, and my "Supervisor" made several "flights" through, "checking on me" and "visiting". He didn't actually stay long, just enough time, I suppose, to verify that I was still in the house. (Makes me wonder what he does when I'm actually not in the house.
The BEST thing today, was the SUN-SHINE! I POURED in through his windows! But today, some-how, he didn't seem interested. When he was in his house, he stayed, pretty much, in his loft... with Beanie-Birdie, who stays there now. The two of them seem to "snuggle" together. (I'm back in one of those "Do I DARE bring in another dove?" phases... but, as always, the "no" out-weight the "yes.)
But as I worked and my "Supervisor" supervised, the sun shone, the snows we had, melted. "Spring" out-side our windows. Shame, really, that the temperatures went only just high enough to melt the snows but weren't really warm enough for an after-noon out in the yard. I'm looking forward to those again.
At noon, as we do, we both broke for lunch...obviously something my Little Genius understands and looks forward to. I needed to un-do the mayhem that I'd caused by re-arranging the kitchen, I hoped I could get it done quickly because, well, I was a most-miserable "companion" all day and it bothered me to my core! Anything I have to do round the house is, to me, a theft of time I could be with my BESTEST OF ALL BESTEST LITTLE COMPANIONS!
Sadly... it didn't quite work the way I wanted and by the time I was done and the house was back in order...
Supper... (another "understood" event in a day).
THIS EVENING, INSTEAD OF HAVING HIS "SNACK" AT 16.30 AS HE USUALLY DOES, MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL HAD HIS DINNER AS I SAT AT HIS DESK AT 17.00! SO, THIS EVENING, WE LITERALLY "DINED TOGETHER"! I just hope he didn't wait for me. But then, I'm really sure that, when he gets hungry, he eats, and i wouldn't have it any other way.
And tonight, the weather out-side was so comfortable that we had his window open, full-wide! Fresh air from the out-side! And no "chill" in the room! (Although, of course, there's the little "Sweeter Heater" going at all times - that was a magnificent investment - so, if there was even the slightest "chill", my Little Guy had a place that's always nice and warm and cozy for him to "escape" to.)
So... we ate our "supper" and I got the washing-up done and at 18.30... water-relay! I was hoping we'd get some time together before the night came on. But Yonah had other things that caught his attention... on the wall shelves, the desk shelf, his house. He was all over the place! (Full belly and fresh air... and though it isn't the entire universe - that he was born into - he has a room and a house to fly about. I WISH he had the universe. But, it's been 3 years in here... and though it's not even near anything that might be misunderstood as "perfect"... for either of us, when I think of people who simply put a bird in a cage, hang it from one of those miserable metal "stands" and the only time the Little One gets any attention is when they put food and water in that cell for them... I can't even think about it...)
Tonight, before we both got to "settling down... right after I'd closed the blinds and curtains against the night that had come out-side, I'd no sooner done when the Little Guy headed right for his roof-top platform, then came toddling to the front and, with that little "stance" he takes, looking almost "defiant"... he gave me the sternest "wing-snap"! He wanted... or almost "demanded"... attention! Well! To me, he's as irresistible as anything imaginable so... CUDDLES AND KISSES... He didn't want to come down, but we managed.
And as soon as all the "Luvins" were enough... he was OFF... to the desk shelf, to Bustelo-Birdie! I went over, leaned toward him for a kiss and gave a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and he hopped onto my shoulder! SO... we took a "stroll" round the house. I pointed-out what I'd been so busy doing all day, and as I pointed to cup-boards and such, he stretched his neck forward as if trying to get a good look. (It's said that when you point at something for a dog, the dog will look at your finger... Yonah, at least appeared, to look AT what I was pointing to. OK. Maybe it's just me, but I'm just noting what happened. We'll leave the rest to the "experts". I was impressed!) And so, we strolled to the living-room, went round the house and the Little Guy actually made him-self quite comfy there, on my shoulder. (The TRUST! He KNOWS I'd NEVER do anything to cause him ANY harm!)
The very moment we got back to his room, he took off and headed right to his house! THEN headed up to his wall shelves, snuggled-down with a STRING of "perch-coos".. I took the opportunity to get to the desk to jot some notes on today's "activities" for his Journal.
Well... after a while, the little "Aero-Guy" headed back to his house for a snack. I looked at the clock... 20.48! WAY past our "tuck-in" time! So... I got up, moved things out of his room for the night and, as I did, my little Heart-and-Soul hopped over to his perch... the "night roost". He was tired (I hoped).
I popped my head in for a kiss... nope... not tonight. But the room was set... "seepie-nigh-night" time....
Tuesday 26 March:
Well? Last night's actual "tuck-in" was at 21.03! AND, again, with moon lights on, my little Heart-and-Soul on his night roost, all things settled, and us too, I laid my head on the pillow where I could see the little silhouette above, the little head bobbing about. I've no idea what he was looking at, but he was "settled", I was settled, the house was still... I whispered a soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", I got an equally soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". Considering the recent nights, I tried for a "chat"... but not tonight. Not even a "perch-coo". So I didn't press the issue. I laid on the futon, watching that little silhouette for a moment or two more, and then put the one moon light out... Silence in the room. I started to doze off but there was one more moon light to be turned off so, I gave it a couple minutes more, turned the last light off. I whispered our usual "Good night. Get a good seepie-nigh-night" and of course, "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH."... and when there wasn't even a "hoo"... Monday closed... we were off to a night's rest.
About 6.30 this morning came the "morning call to order"... with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo... hoo". The final "hoo" was a "broken skip" again. Not a great way to start a day. It sets the mood for me for the rest of the day, worrying about the lungs of my Heart-and-Soul. And that worry, first thing on a morning, before my eyes and voice have even had the chance to wake.
Sure, all day, we have two actual "air purifiers" running in his room at "mid-set". And there are two "20-inch box fans" that run all through the day, pulling air through a "fibre-glass" filtre and fabric impregnated with activated charcoal. And the same fabric filtres the air drawn into the heating system where it's filtred again through a "MERV 13 HEPA" filtre in the furnace and then again, through the fabric when it comes out of the registres... still, there are "remnants" of last Summer's horrific "mould out-break", the odour of "mustiness" which means there's something some-where in the house and if it's in the air, my Little Guy is breathing it!
Looking into "all things avian", I've come to see that most of what's in that little bundle of feathers is "respiratory". And the lungs of birds are hyper-sensitive to ALL SORTS of "compounds". They're so susceptible to SO MANY illnesses and ailments! And now, this morning, THESE are the thoughts that rush through my head even before I raise my head from the pillow...
In my best "morning voice", I "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo'ed" back and waited to hear a response, and when that came... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... clearly, I was some-what relieved! I tried two more "exchanges", listening, focused, on EVERY aspect of the quality of what my Precious Little Guy was "saying". It improved with each time so... I was up!
HE was up too! And when I got his door open and "peeked in" for "Good morning" kisses... he was stretching his wings! Such a "regular" thing for a bird to do but when I see it, I find it SO beautiful! (Even when the mourning doves in the yard do it. It's really just a beautiful sight.) And I DID get kisses this morning! Quite a few too! Not as many as SOME mornings, but, enough to let me know that the Little Guy was rested and I was in "good graces".
So I got right to the affairs of an early morning... from putting the kettle on for me to getting his house together and ready for morning water relay! And, as is a morning, as soon as the curtains and blinds were opened... Yonah was up and about, hopping here and there and back and forth in his house, watching me and then heading out to Burdie-Birdie whom I'd brought out of his nook in between runnings.
Poop-check this morning was... well... 4 rather large, though not "egg-size", thankfully with 3 directly under the "night roost" and one, off to the side. I wonder about the odd one to the side, but the other 3, aside from being larger and about the same total as 3 regular, look perfectly "normal" in colour and content. But with his "energy" this morning, and KISSES (since I didn't get any last night), all seemed well for another day.
Out-side, the sky was grey. Not a heavy cloud cover, but not the clear sky we've had the past couple of days. Looks like the rain in the forecast is making its way to us... for tomorrow, at least.
So... waters done, house set, bird-songs playing... I got to the business of bringing the lap-top into the room and getting me settled at the desk because I had "Journalling" to catch-up on from yesterday and, of course, back journalling, along with the day's events.
This morning, as I sat at the desk and we listened to the radio, little Mr. House-keeping hopped about his house, here and there, and took a flight out to the living-room. And when I'd stepped out to check this morning's post and chat with the lettre-carrier, he called from the living-room. When I heard him I said "I have to go. I'm being paged." and the lettre-carrier said "I was wondering if that was him." I said "I've gotten to where I'd probably recognise his voice in a flock." and she said "You probably can."
So I came back in, brought my coffee, and we got to business... for the day.
As a morning does any more of late, this one just slipped right by and "suddenly" (indeed), it was "lunch time". Yonah was out in the living-room again, so I put lunch on the hob and went out to his tree.
"Are you coming in for lunch? It's time for a lunch. I'm making mine. Are you coming to join me?"
He hopped onto my shoulder and I headed back to his room to set the desk for lunch... and he went to his house and had his mid-day snack! We "lunched" together!
After, I went back to getting to his Journal-typing and... HE CAME FLYING OVER AND SETTLED ON MY SHOULDER AS I TYPED! Well... for a while...
When he was tired of being on my shoulder, he left... I didn't know where, but when I looked round the room, there he was... on the futon, by the pillow where I lay my head, all snuggled and nestled there, as comfy-cozy as he could be! He was "roosting" there, on the futon, right behind me! It was absolutely WONDERFUL to see him so calm and comfortable... and to think he was there, "watching" me as I typed.
I wanted something in the back-ground as I worked but not the radio nor the "news", so I looked, on-line, for something that crossed my mind...
Found it: All Creatures Great and Small ... the original series (that I'd watched some years ago on-line). SO... that's what I put on AND the Little Guy went over to the old lap-top to watch... snuggled-down on the key-board (covered, of course) and there he stayed as I typed for a while, facing the screen, as if he were watching it! (I shouldn't doubt he WAS watching... No birds, all farm, but... hey! Not "people"!)
One of the greatest things this after-noon... in spite of the cloud cover that had gotten heavier as the day went, we were able to have doors and windows open and the temperature in the room hovered at about 24°! SO comfy-cozy for BOTH of us... and AIR circulating about! AIR from out-side!
So, again... just as this morning rushed by us, so too, the after-noon turned to evening... 17.00... "Supper" time! Yonah was in the living-room again and I called him, several times. All I got was "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from the living-room. So I went out to get him...and, just as he did with lunch... I asked if he'd come in for "supper" ( a word I KNOW he KNOWS) and, sure enough... on my shoulder... When we got back to the room, he DID have his supper whilst I had mine!
Well... at 18.00 when washing-up was done, I came back into the room and so wanted just a "shut-eye" so I set an alarm for 15 minutes and... I was allowed to have a snooze! Yonah watched the "news" that was still playing on the old lap-top and at 18.30 I got to the evening waters and sat at the desk to get today's Journal typed. Yonah? Watched the "news" still on the lap-top, beside me.
20.00 and... the Little Guy is on the desk, preening (SO, SO, SO BEAUTIFUL!) and the room is 26°. Out-side, the world is dark. Time to get the place together for us for a "seepie-nigh-night" and wait for the "tick-tink-tick-tink" of rain on the metal roof just out-side the windows...
Yonah is already up having his "late snack"... (hint, hint?)
Wednesday 27 March:
Last night's "wrap-up"... We finally managed to get the room and house all settled for the night by 21.10, lights dimmed, I'd put on my jammies and the futon was all set for me to just get to. At the last minute, I put the roof-board on "the house", leaned in for "Good night" kisses. My Little Guy was on his perch, and I thought he was ready to settle on the "night roost" but... as I leaned in, it was another evening of him turning his back to me! WELL! OK. I've come to understand that there are nights... but tonight, I soon found out that little Herr Taube was NOT ready for any "tuck-in" yet.
I did manage to GIVE a couple of kisses, and got his house all settled... and I laid down on the futon... only the moon lights on so I could look up and see that little silhouette above me. Yonah was SO BUSY! Head bobbing about, and preening! That was something "new" to me: preening "before bed". Well, I watched for a minute or two and when he finally calmed, I turned off one moon light and watched. He PREENED a little longer and then... FINALLY... stillness, until...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". Softly, but, I was hoping it was a "OK. Good night now. Sleep well."
So I "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo'd" in reply. THAT brought a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from "above". Considering the "recent" night of "chatting" I gave it a try... "woo-HOOoo"... WOW, did that ever start a dialogue.
A soft "woo-HOOoo" from my Little Guy, one from me, another from him, another from me and then... two more "rounds" and when I gave the last "woo-HOOoo" it had to be about 30 minutes of "Good nights" and then... silence. I waited a couple more minutes and turned the last light off. Tuesday had come to a close... we'd deal with Wednesday when it arrived, but for the night... it was ours to rest in preparation....
This morning... I was up at 6.32 even before the morning "Call to order", and headed out to the kitchen to put the kettle on for my morning coffee and I wasn't out of the room for even a minute when, from behind me came a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and then, almost right away, a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". I imagine I was seen getting up and leaving the room and the "call" struck me as both "HEY! YOU! I'm still in here!" and "WHAT? You think you can just sneak out of here?" I had to laugh and through it, did my best to answer:
"Yeah. I'm right here. I'm putting the kettle on and I'll be right in with you-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"
Apparently, that earned a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" and that's just what I got!
So, kettle on, things in the kitchen set for morning coffee... I headed back into the room to find the little silhouette of a LOVE, standing there, looking with forward-stretched neck, at his door. I was being "waited-for". And as I opened the door to his house, in the very dim, early morning light, a wing stretch and as I leaned in for "Good morning" kisses, a scuttle to the loft and a hop across to the opposite perch. It was time to get the day rolling here!
So curtains open, blinds raised. Poop-check this morning: 5 in total, each just "slightly larger" than what I've come to think of as "average size" but still no-where near some of the ones I've seen that have been almost "egg-sized" (a mourning dove's egg, of course). Composition and colour were great, and only the slightest "halo" of green round 3 of them on the segment of white kitchen roll. Looked to be a perfectly healthy and peaceful night last night. Relief! I always look to see where they are in the morning. As long as they're under where I'd seen Yonah last before getting to "seepie-nigh-night" I know he had a restful night and nothing disturbed him. It's something that has ALWAYS concerned me. (I've often wondered what, if anything, he recalls of that morning he was attacked and if he remembers it, do mourning doves "dream" and if so, would he have "night-mares". There have been mornings when his poops are some-what "scattered"... which is all the more reason why I tend to sleep better at night... on his futon, in the room, beside him. On the few times he's tried to "fly away" at night, it seems he's always been reassured when I was in the room with him, and hearing my voice, he's calmed. It's another HONOUR, HUMBLING PRIVILEGE to me... He associates my voice with "safety" and "protection"... and I'll see to it that I'm here for him, no matter what, as long as his little heart beats.)
Well, this morning, as soon as we got the room and house together and settled and waters changed, radio on, I had to run an errand and wanted it done straight away so that we could have the day together. I was out for about an hour and when I got back, I decided that the rest of the "chores" round the house could wait. I had things I could well accomplish in the house today and better to have the time with my little Hear-and-Soul and apparently that was a "most excellent" decision because...
EVERY TIME I SAT AT THE DESK... whether to check on something there, type something, look through papers... I had a "Little Birdie On My Shoulder"! AND, WE TOOK SEVERAL TRIPS OUT OF THE ROOM, TO THE KITCHEN, ROUND THE LIVING-ROOM TOGETHER! Today was a "Together" sort of day. And yes, I did manage to get some "chores" done round the place because my "Supervisor" was with me almost every step of the way. (I'm always AMAZED at how Yonah gets him-self "situated" on my shoulder and actually seems to enjoy the travelling about the place. I often wonder what he thinks as the rooms change as we travel and he doesn't have to fly. And it's really fascinating to see how he LOOKS at each room as they change, almost as if he's thinking "Now how did THAT happen? I recognise the space but HOW did I get here?" Still... there he is, on my shoulder as round-and-round we went.)
Lunch break came entirely too quickly. Seems to me that it's always too close to the close of the day. Even though we have a good 8 hours after "noon", those 8 hours pass so quickly! Broken with our "dinner hour" and then... even though the sun sets a bit later each night, I want to make sure this Little Guy gets the rest he needs so, 20.00 seems, to me, to be "late"... Any time after the Yardies have gone to roost... If we could, Yonah and I, we'd both be "tucked-in" when the Yardies tuck-in. (Probably healthier all round. But then, of recently, it's the Little Guy who seems to want to "stay up later" so... I do my best.)
Through the rest of the after-noon, the "busy" round the house continued... and for most of it, the Little Guy took to his loft (I'd like to think, to rest... in lieu of the time he doesn't seem to get at night... tucking-in as late as he does.)
And... at 17.00 we "got together", "meeting at the desk", as it were, for evening meals. I brought the old lap-top in, set it at the desk, the "news" on, and Yonah had his "nibbles" and came over to join me... him on the lap-top key-board and me, beside.
Waters were changed at 19.30 and WHILST I ran back and forth, pouring the fresh water through the pool and "plumbing" (fountain), my PRECIOUS LITTLE GUY flew up to his food and had a snack, ignoring all the activity going on around him! It still amazes me, how much he's become so accustomed to our "routines" that, for the most part, they don't even attract his attention any more! And even as I re-settled, at the desk, to get today's Journal entry in, he just kept right on eating! Hey! If nothing else, he's got a great appetite and THAT, in and of itself, is SUCH a comfort to me! Especially after such an active and "affectionate" day!
The sun was completely disappearing from the world out-side, and though the temperature out there was dropping, it maintained a "sultry" 25° in his room! We're not supposed to drop lower than 4° out there tonight which is, considering the season and time of year, is quite warm. So... And we didn't get all the rain that was threatened during the day today, so... looks like a nice night of rest ahead.
19.46... I was at the desk, typing away, and happened to look up to see where the Little Love was and... AT THIS HOUR OF THE EVENING, DARKNESS OUT-SIDE THE WINDOWS, THE WINDOW OPEN FOR AIR CIRCULATION BEFORE WE CLOSE THE DAY TEMPERATURE IN THE ROOM AT 26° AND...
HE WAS IN THE POOL !!! IT'S FRESH WATER ! IT'S GOT TO BE COLD ! BUT HE WAS JUST AS CALM AS COULD BE, HAVING A LEISURELY SOAK ! AND A SPLASH ! HE WAS IN THERE UNTIL 19.53! AND WHEN HE'D HAD ENOUGH, A HOP OUT, A QUICK SHAKE OF THE FEATHERS, HE HEADED UP TO HIS ROOF-TOP! I'm thankful he has a heater in his house for the night. Keep him warm and tonight, dry. And SO delighted that he's able to "lounge" in the pool at night... or... take a nice bath before going to sleep. Of ALL things! Safe and no need to even ponder "predators". He can do what he wants when he wants and there's nothing to harm him. (I can give him that much... in the little that I can provide... though I wish there was so much more I could do... SO much MORE.)
By 20.00 I manged to get to the windows, to close blinds and curtains, the Little Guy was up on his roof-top and WANTED TO PLAY MORE! CHASING MY HAND AS I TRIED TO GET THE BACK-BOARD INSTALLED! He must have felt so refreshed after a charming little soak in the pool. (Double-flush-through in the morning, tomorrow to make absolutely certain the water is "drinkable". I live by the motto: If I wouldn't drink it, it doesn't belong in his house.)
But, by 20.20 he was on the door perch, beside me, as I tried to get some notes on the day onto his Journal... It's the "wind-down" at day's end... and it was "day's end". So, it was time for me to get "things" out of his room and get the futon together...
Accounts of the night to be posted on tomorrow's entry, for now... I was tired and we both needed our rest.
Thursday 28 March:
So last night... we finally managed to get the room settled, and my little Heart-and-Soul "tucked-in" for the night (though he went along with it rather reluctantly... I honestly don't know HOW he manages to get so much energy so late in the day... especially when I consider that the birds in the wild have been roosted for hours already) by 20.55! The lights were dimmed... I even had the moon lights on and was getting ready to get to the futon my-self but OH! We had to have a "chat" again tonight.
These nights remind me SO much of young kids who will be all tucked-in for the night, blankets up round the neck, snug and comfy and, as the mother steps out of the room, the chatter and giggling begins. THIS Little Guy... gets all "tucked-in" nice and cozy on his perch, under the warmth of his heater, the lights are dim, the house falls silent and suddenly... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
And I don't suppose I'm any the better because, well, I answer, and that prompts more "commentary" and back-and-forth we go. I don't think we got to put all the lights out much before 21.15 last night! There were "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's" and then the "customary" "woo-HOOoo's" for a few. GOODNESS! SO much to say at close of day! And then...
This morning... 6.50! (late, considering recent mornings) A hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! Perfectly clear and healthy! Certainly "well-rested". But at the "length"! And when I saw the time, I wondered if Yonah hadn't been up and awake already for some time, and was waiting for ME to wake up and get moving. (I wouldn't doubt it. I wonder what he was thinking, if he was awake, whilst there, waiting. But it's good to know that he has no trouble knowing that, when he's ready to get rolling, all he need do is "call". BRILLIANT LITTLE GUY!)
SO! There we had it... TIME TO GO! And so, I was up, I ran out to the kitchen to put the kettle on and set-up for morning water changes (twice, today... because of last night's "bath", and I had to get it done quickly because usually, with the first fresh water, there's a rush for a morning drink and I wanted the first drink to be clean. I know the water isn't "soiled" or anything, unless there's a poop in it... and sometimes there is, especially after a bath) which is when I noticed the time.
Back into the room to "open house"... oh yes, indeed, the "waiting" was made obvious.... no "delightful Good morning kisses" this morning. I got a couple of "pecks" and there was a scuttle to the loft and a hop across to the other perch from where I'm "supervised" when I open the curtains and blinds. I supposed it was a way of saying "You're late and we can't have any more of this. So let's get to it. Shall we?"
So, I made quick work of the chores at hand, and opened the windows to the grey, dreary morning out-side today. What made the morning all the more "heavy"... I had an appointment that I had to keep (because I'd already postponed it) and was looking at a 3-hours away! And this morning, for some reason, along with the usual anxieties of leaving my Heart-and-Soul in the house alone... no me running around or running in and out of the room, nobody to respond to his "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo's" I just had an oppressive sense of "trepidation". The appointment isn't all that far away, and 3 hours is about what an actual "shopping" takes me (and I haven't done one of those in many months now), it was just one of "those" days. I didn't have to leave until 12.30... I'd have to break out lunch hour! But I'd be back in plenty of time to sit to evening meals together. Still... I just really didn't want to leave! If I've learned only one thing (and I've come to learn SO MUCH MORE than only "one thing" from my little Professor, its that "Companionship" is SO VERY IMPORTANT to a mourning dove. They're not what some might think of as "needy" but there's a VERY noticeable difference between the days when we're together often and those when we're not. And now that Yonah and I have come to where we can actually carry "conversations"... well... the thought of him being alone, and there's no response when he "calls"... but... today was a must, and too, today would be MUCH quicker than the last time I left (on the 5th... for the surgery... EIGHT HOURS AWAY then). So... I after all of our morning routine was completed, I did my best to get me prepared and made sure to keep "chats" going and as much time in his room with him as possible.
This morning poops caused me "concern" too. 6 of them, still slightly larger that "regular", "halos" on 2 of them, not large, but there they were. It's the "size" that concerns me. I wonder... is it something in the mixture now? Has one of them changed with-out notice? More of one sort of seed than had been? With the way things are changing these days, with costs being so ridiculously high, and a general absence of moral consideration, I question. Everything appears to be the same. But something just seems "different". (I hope it's not the house water! With all the rains we've had over the past year, I wonder about the ground water too... since we're on a well... and wells are known to "go bad". No notices to that effect, but... I'll have NOTHING to threaten my Little Guy's health!) But, over-all, the poops were "good" in composition and colour so...
I DID put the UV light on this morning though. No sun-shine, but at least there would be the light he needs. And, as always, he had full run of the house, so, there were places to go, to change the scenery and get flight exercise... and again... it was only 3 hours... We'd both be fine. (So I kept telling me.)
WELL! Sure enough... I'd left the house at almost 12.30 on the mark and... walked back in at 15.25 AND, when I made it into his room, there was my little Heart-and-Soul... snuggled with his Beanie-Birdie... on the loft! And as soon as he saw me at the door to his room, he came HOPPING down to his door perch... SO HAPPY! THE FLOCK WAS RE-UNITED! Poor Little Guy! But, it was SO obvious that my JOY of being back was HIS JOY, having me back! We had time that had been taken from us, to make-up for! I was relieved to have made my errand and to have made it back in the time I'd figured, but above all else, I was delighted to be back with the ONE LOVE in ALL of Creation! We played, in his house, on the futon, with Burdie-Birdie... but no sooner had we re-settled in "our lives"... evening meal time... so I got to that so we could sit together and have something to eat. (I always wonder if he eats when I'm away. I hope he does. I imagine he does. But, it seems he goes for his food when I'm away for a while and return. It's more that worries me when I'm away and why I don't stay away any longer than is absolutely necessary. Truth is though: whether it's simply me, "projecting" my own disquiet or not, I truly dislike not being with Yonah. Even if we're simply in the same room, or in the house when I'm "occupied" in another room, I'm more "at peace" ... when we're together. I know he's safe and there's somebody to respond when he "calls". After all, he's a little "flocker", as it were, and being "solo" just isn't "him". Even out in the world out there, he'd always have the opportunity to find another dove if he wanted company. In this old house, well, it's only the two of us so... "we" are the "flock" and I don't EVER want to know that he's feeling "alone".)
So we had our evening meal together, with the day's "news" on the old lap-top and we both had good meals... together.
It was quite a bit "late" (compared to recent times) when I finally got to the evening water relay... 19.40! Though, recently, we're getting to all of our "evening routine" a bit later, as the day-light fades later with the season.
I don't know if it was just normal end-of-day fatigue or the re-assurance that we were back together, but by 20.20, my Precious Little Guy was in his house, on his "night roost"! So, seeing him settling-in, the blinds and curtains were closed, the night-boards were all "installed", I was just as glad to get both of us settled for a night's rest. We were together... the rest of the world didn't matter.
By 20.49, I had the desk lamp on... set at its dimmest... I set the futon for me, attended my "evening ablutions" and... by 21.00 (quite late, I thought)... the moon lights were on, my LOVE was on his night roost, I was on mine (the futon)...
How the rest of the night goes... is for tomorrow... right now, all is well with the world... here... with us... and that's all that matters... Thursday is done. WE MADE IT THROUGH!
Friday 29 March:
Oh... last night... We managed to get the house and room settled and lights dimmed by 21.00 and though it was still quite a while after night-fall, I was thinking we'd get "tuck-ed in" earlier than of recently but...
Oh yes, with-in minutes, the moon lights were on, my Little Prince was all tucked-in, I laid down on the futon and could see that he wasn't ready for sleep. On his "night roost" he was looking all round, taking breaks to preen, then more looking. I gave a soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", hoping for a very little "chat" and maybe the coo would calm...
A soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" back.
OK... a little "chit-chat-woo-hoo"? Nope. It was a full "conversation" for about 10 minutes. No "woo-HOOoo" like before. The Little Guy just really didn't want to go "seepie-nigh-night". (I had to "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" through smiles, I have to admit. Say what will be said, but this Little One knows how he feels, what he wants and knows how to express it. Sadly, his "Companion" - me - isn't bright enough to actually understand what he's trying to tell me. But I'm trying to learn.)
So... another "try and see", I changed the chat to "woo-HOOoo", the "perch-coo", soft and quiet. It worked! The conversation changed to "perch-coos" for 3 "exchanges" and some-how, I managed to get the last one in. And... silence. The Little Guy even got "snuggled" on his perch and with-in moments... one moon light off, and then the next...
I'm just BLESSED, really. No matter the hour, no matter what else, I'm BLESSED, HONOURED and PRIVILEGED. What a GLORIOUS close to ANY day!
And then, this morning, I was just waking, laying on the futon, pondering getting up, seemingly before the Little Guy when...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo".
The coo was strong and clear, but that little "pause", again... I'm starting to be "seriously concerned" about this. (I say "concerned" only because I prefer to keep this Journal as "civil" as possible. But there are problems with the air in this old house and I'm thankful that we rent here, with-out a lease, so leaving all this behind is easy. Finding suitable, proper premises is the difficult task these days. It's just that I would prefer not simply "jumping ship" for a temporary place only to have to move house again. Moving Yonah is going to be difficult. Not only the "moving" itself, the travelling and such, but he'll have to adjust to a completely new environment, new doors, walls, windows... new "flight patterns" round the new house. He adjusted to this place after a while, but in the beginning, there were "catastrophes", collisions, walls, ceilings, windows. Leaving here will be all new to him... and then, if we move simply for the sake of leaving here, and have to relocate again... for me, it's one thing... for my Little Guy, though the change of surroundings might be better, considering how often he could do that "out there" in the "world", this old place is the "home" he's come to know. He's comfortable flying and toddling about. I don't know how he'll perceive "new". I've been told, numerous times "As long as he knows you're there, he'll be fine." Complimentary and comforting but not consoling. I don't want this little LIFE to have ANY stress! He deserves serenity, comfort, assurance. Well... it's going to be a "challenge" but, as long as we're together, I'll face it head-on and we'll get through what-ever "Fate" has in store for us. So long as Yonah is safe, that's all that matters to me.)
SO... I got right up and over to "the house" to see my Little LOVE there, stretching wings and preparing to "attack" a new day! And we "woo-HOO'ed" back and forth. And as I popped my head in... "Good morning" kisses... there were plenty of those this morning! And from opening the blinds and curtains through the water relay... there was "supervision". GRAND ENERGY this morning! As soon as I stepped out to the kitchen to put the kettle on and prepare for our regular "morning routine"... flutter-flutter-whistle-whistle of wings! The Little Guy was UP AND OUT! Across the room and back to the house to his roof-top!
(Morning poop-check for the records" : 6 slightly larger than "regular", one "halo"... but over-all... perfect content ! And all directly under the night roost. HEALTHY!)
The morning was so busy for me. I wanted to get EVERY-THING possible done today so we have the week-end together. I had cooking to get done, and I wanted to get the rest of the house cleaned and settled too so... to be honest, I was a terrible "Companion". Although, of course, I DID take breaks to make sure I was in "the room" to "check-in" and as I worked, we had some conversations too! (I wanted to make certain that Yonah knew that, although he couldn't see me, I was right here with him... none of yesterday's "away".)
At noon, I made sure to take our mid-day break together for lunch.
What made it "easier" was the SUN! We had PLENTY of that through the day! And it was good to be able to open the doors and windows... especially whilst "cleaning". Dust and such, blowing OUT of the house... fresh air circulating. Sad that it's still too chilly to go out to the yard yet. But... our days are coming... yes they are.
AND... as I worked, there were about THREE "flights"... out and about and around the house... through the kitchen, to the living-room. (I'd swear that some if not all of them were "surveillance" and "reconnaissance": checking on me, to make sure I was in the house AND to make sure I was "busy" taking care of things that needed taking care of.)
By 17.00... it was all done, accomplished! The house was in good order and settled... and WE got to settle together, for our evening meals! And after I got the washing-up done, we had some time to "cuddle and play" for a bit before getting on with the evening water relay (at 19.00).
WELL! Little "surprise" this evening: I'd pulled the containers for the water from the shelf under the house (Yonah's house) and gone to the kitchen to rinse and fill, as I do, but when I got back to the room... HE WAS GONE! Well, he was in the room, but I had no idea "where"! Seems he'd found a nice little spot on that very shelf, and made him-self quite "comfy"! He does like that shelf, from time-to-time, but this was the first time he went there when the water containers weren't there - he likes to "hide" behind them and "woo-HOO!", as if playing "hide'n'seek". And "normally" that happens during the day. I wondered what moved him to go "hide" at this hour. When I'd put the water containers down on the desk I looked down there and asked "WHAT are you doing down THERE? What are you hiding from? I'm going to change the waters now, y'know..." and as soon as I'd asked, he hopped to the front of the shelf and was UP and OUT and over to the wall shelves (better vantage spot... to "supervise") and then, to the old lap-top key-board on the desk. And me? Well... I got to my "assigned tasks" of the evening whilst my Little LOVE settled on the warmth of the key-board beside the screen... that he pecked at, all but ignoring me.
At about 19.54 he headed up to his house, and gave a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to the reflection in the little "corner mirror" there. (I always wonder what he "says" to that little mirror there because he always seems to make a particular point of going to that one, and always gives the one "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and then... he's off on his way. Then too, I always wonder what he makes of the reflections of him-self in all the mirrors. I've seen where chickens have been known to recognise themselves in mirrors... I wonder about doves. There really is SO LITTLE documented about doves... save, of course, the "people-raised, store-bought, trade" doves...and even then, there's precious little available... and to be honest, most of what I've seen, I don't really trust, which is why I make a point of putting Yonah's "Daily Journal" on-line. This isn't just "speculation, opinion, conjecture"... I do my best to simply record actual events - and some opinion. Maybe one day... there'll be more. For now... I just sit and wonder and marvel... filled with AWE!)
At 20.17 tonight, I made the "rounds" in the house, turning fans and lights off, checking the heating.... WITH COMPANY! ON MY SHOULDER! It's ALWAYS A MARVEL, watching Yonah's little head bobbing about, taking-in the "changing scenery" as we go from room-to-room. And he seems to watch, with some interest, at every-thing I do! And I always wonder what he makes of it all. "People... the things they do!" But he was just so comfy there, and seemed to enjoy it all until we got to the living-room and I put the light out there and the room got "dark"... at that point, he headed off, back to this room, where there was light. And seeing him navigate his way "back home" has its "fascination" for me because, he's SO familiar with the "lay of the land" here now. He KNOWS where "home" is, where the "food" is, and HIS room is his comfort. Again, it goes back to moving out of and away from here and the concern I have with him adjusting to the changes. But, I've no doubt at all that it won't take him long to "re-map" his routes, no matter where we go. He's SO BRILLIANT! The world should only know just HOW BRILLIANT this Little Guy truly is. (But that's what this Journal is all about... teaching the rest of the world. I don't know what I can do to bring all of this to those who, I can't help but think of it, find it "sport" to "hunt" them... needlessly. I can only hope that SOME of all of this "recording" will get to a proper eye and others will learn.)
When I'd done with it all, I went into his room... he was on his perch, seemingly getting settled... for the night(?). It was already 21.00! So I asked:
"Are you tired yet? Are we ready for seepie-nigh-night?"
He actually answered: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". So I said "Me too. I'll put on my jammies and we'll tuck-in for the night. OK? I'll be right back."
A little "woo-HOOoo" (perch-coo?) and a flutter of wings... Looked like it was time...
And so... with lights dimmed, the house and room all settled for the both of us for the night, I did just that and when I came back, ready to get to the futon, sad that I was a lousy "Companion" all day, but relieved that the day was done, all was accomplished, and that we'd made another week together, it was time to head for the futon.
More to follow... tomorrow. Today is "closed".
Saturday 30 March:
It wasn't for the "customary" 30 minutes last night, but it was the most "beautiful" to-date:
At about 21.20 (still much later than I'd thought we could tuck-in), the house was settled, the room was settled, the moon lights were on, Yonah's house was all settled for the night and he seemed a bit "not ready yet", shuffling a bit, side-to-side. So I "started"... with a soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
He answered with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" which I repeated and then he changed the conversation to "perch-coo's"... "woo-HOOoo".
I thought he was ready to settle for the night, and thinking that was his "Good night", I answered with a "woo-HOOoo"... Ah, but no... I can't even remember how many "volleys" we went through last night, but the "Good nights" kept going and going. It was as if we were telling each-other "Good night", and neither wanted to let the other get the last one in! But it was all so soft, so "whispered", so BEAUTIFUL! I let him have "the last 'Good night'" and, one at a time, the moon lights went off... and we both, apparently, drifted off to sleep...
This morning, I woke from another "odd" dream in which Yonah and I had moved into what seemed, and old, abandoned building that had no glass in any of the windows. And for some reason, that night, I'd not closed the door to his house and when I woke, he was GONE! In the dream, I laid on the floor just out-side his room and thought that if I coo'ed, he'd come back. And so... in the dream, I kept coo'ing.... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and a a few "perch-coo's". Suddenly, a mourning dove came to roost on the sill of the opening in the wall of his room where a window should have been. I couldn't tell whether it was male or female but wondered if it wasn't Yonah. The poor Little One looked a little "dishevelled", as if it had had a "rough night" the night before. I was heart-broken and SO hoping that my little Heart-and-Soul had heard me, recognised my voice and come "home". But before I could know for certain, I woke.
I could see that the morning had come, out-side our windows, so I got right up, not wanting to fall back to sleep and risking getting back into a disturbing dream, and headed to the kitchen to put the kettle on... No sooner had I gotten there when, in the stillness of the morning... at 6.22 on the kitchen clock...
a clear "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" !!!!
OH, but this morning, that was the most-welcomed sound imaginable! My HEART-AND-SOUL was here, up, awake, and sounding FANTASTIC! And when I called back with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" it started a little dialogue, room-to-room.
So, kettle on, I rushed back to find my Little One there, on his perch, and when I opened the door to his house and popped my head in, as I do every morning, for "Good morning" kisses... SUCH WING-STRETCHES! BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL, GLORIOUS WING-STRETCHES! (Maybe it was because of the dream, but it moved my heart so much to see this Little Guy, there, safe, sound and healthy.)
"Good morning" kisses exchanged, my kettle on, I went right for the morning routine... roof-board off and... AND... AS I STARTED TO MOVE HIS HOUSE, YONAH CAME FLYING OUT AND ONTO MY ARM! AND HE STAYED THERE AS I TOOK THE BACK-BOARD DOWN, AND OPENED THE BLINDS AND CURTAINS ON HIS WINDOWS! When windows were opened to the early morning light, he headed back to his house and watched as I got things together for the morning "water relay". When I headed to the kitchen to make coffee and fill the water containers he headed back "home" where, as I did the running back-and-forth, he "supervised", as he does of a morning when the mood strikes.
And poops this morning: SEVEN! 5 of the "slightly larger" and 2 "regular" sized. ONE with a bit of a "halo" of green, but the rest were perfect in content and colour! YAY! HAPPY HEALTHY DAY!
Well then! Our morning had officially "come to order" and I had a LOAD of typing to get to today. So, I grabbed coffee and started to settle at the desk and no sooner had I done when.... flutter-flutter... there he was, on my shoulder, tugging at my ear! 'twas already a morning of "LUVINS"! And I couldn't have been more please and delighted! ("It was just a dream".... I kept repeating as I "cuddled" and kissed the little bundle of feathers that insisted on pecking my cheek.)
And so, the sun rose and made its way in through the windows, and I finally got "busy" with "busy-ness" of the day. The radio played quietly and when I noticed that "things in the room" were quite "still", I looked up to see my little Heart-and-Soul BASKING! THAT ALWAYS puts my soul at ease, to see him enjoying the light and the warmth coming in through the window-panes.
OH! If only the temperatures out-side were even close to the warmth of the room, we could have gone out to the yard! (I'm SO hoping to find a nice place where we'll have an actual "yard" where we can both pass the Summer hours together, out with the "Yardies" in the "wild". Although, I have to say, there haven't been many mourning doves, locally, since last Summer. Rather unusual. I wonder where they've all gone. Even the neighbours have noticed the absence. For most of the Winter... what we had of it this year... it seemed, for the most part, that Yonah was the only one here. I DO wonder...)
So, the morning rolled along and to be honest, I spent more time playing with the Little Guy than attending to anything else. (NO COMPLAINTS! It was WONDERFUL!) And before I was even starting to think about such things... noon and lunch-break time! So....
We had lunch together today and the sun-shine POURED in through the windows! 28° in the room, despite the chill out-side those glass panes!
After we'd done, I sat for a few moments, at the desk, one foot out from under and I felt little "taps" on the toe. Yonah was pecking at my slipper. BUT, I moved my foot, slightly, and he raised his wings and gave a firm SNAP! I guess he wasn't expecting any motion! And when I looked down, he looked up at me and it looked like he was thinking "DID YOU SEE THAT? DID YOU SEE THAT?" I HAD to reach down and lift him up for some kisses! (He snuggled against my chin, as he does. He knows I'm here to keep him safe.)
The "news" was still on the old lap-top when I went to the kitchen to put "lunch dishes" in the basin and when I came back into the room, he was up, on his favourite place... on the key-board. All snug and cozy. (Which is why I got the "extra lap-top"... primarily to keep up with his Journal so that I don't have to disturb him when he "takes" the other one. He enjoys resting on that key-board, so now he can and I can do what-ever else need be done on the other one. Hey! If my little Heart-and-Soul enjoys something, I do my best to see to it that he gets what-ever it is.)
This after-noon, I managed to sneak a 30-minute snooze (I was "allowed") BUT... right after, there was PLAY TIME with Burdie-Birdie! It was almost "insisted" because, I tried to get back to the desk but OH NO! Up to the shoulder and a peck on the ear and a pull on the kippa! So? So we played with Burdie-Birdie on the futon until... WOOSH! Off to the roof-top! How could I resist though? I can't. I really can't. Sometimes I feel so terrible about not putting aside enough time for my little Heart-and-Soul. But then, there are the days when I feel terrible because HE just doesn't seem to want to be "bothered" with me. OH... but if I could only KNOW what he's thinking... Anyway... what a sun-drenched day! (If only the temperature out there would be warm enough, we'd be out in the yard!)
This after-noon... I found a few "videos" of some "soft rock" and "folk" from the 70's and played them as I typed... and... THE LITTLE GUY TOOK TO THE OLD LAP-TOP AS IT PLAYED THE MUSIC... AND HE "ROOSTED" THERE, BESIDE THE SCREEN (WHICH HE TAPPED, FROM TIME-TO-TIME, AS HE DOES). "James Taylor" and "Jim Croce" sang and he actually seemed to enjoy the tunes! Looks like I have another "play-list" to get together for him!
I got some more of his "Journal" work done as he enjoyed his little place right beside me (inspiration to keep at the task-at-hand, I have to say). And, at 17.00, as we do, we broke for evening meals together and catch-up with the day's "news"... and right away, I got the washing-up done... Saturday! And a day together!
AND even though I tried to get much typing and such done, WE PLAYED SO MUCH TOGETHER DURING THE DAY... ESPECIALLY WITH BURDIE-BIRDIE! It was a perfect Saturday for BOTH of us! Then again, EVERY day that we have together is perfect but, the PLAY makes it all the better! (I have to remember, again, the day I'd "made' Burdie-Birdie... how, when I'd done and put the little "pillow" on the futon, it looked SO MUCH like Yonah HATED it! How he pecked, strongly, at the "face". I mistakenly took that as a "fight"... and today? Well... after all the chasing after it and being chased by it... and the "preening pecks" about the "head"... just a reminder of how much I DON'T know about this little LIFE here... and how much I probably will NEVER learn... being the "human" in the house. But all said, I'm glad he has this little "dove" now... and it's a joy to see him enjoying the play.)
As the day wound-down, by 20.44, it was SO LATE because I'd lost track of the time passing, as I tried to get today's notes and events typed... I looked up... and the Little Guy was up on his roof-top! So I got up and went over to close the blinds and curtains for the night ahead... and as I did, he headed directly to his perch...
I felt guilty, keeping him up so late, so I just kept right along, settling the room for the night. When I stepped out to go to the bed-room to fetch my pillow, he called "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... I took that as "Where are you going and what are you doing now? It's seepie-nigh-night time!" So, I brought the pillow back, set the futon for me, dimmed the lights, turned the old lap-top music off... brought it out to the kitchen, hastily went about my evening ablutions and in moments... was back.
Turned the desk lamp off, the moon lights on... it was "seepie-nigh-night" time... and Saturday was "closed, thank you"... (to be continued tomorrow morning...)
Sunday 31 March:
We made it... at 21.00, almost on the mark, the house was settled, the room was settled, the moon lights were on, I laid my head on the pillow and my Precious Little Heart-and-Soul was all snuggled-down on his night roost above my head. And as I whispered, "You have a good seepie-nigh-night now." the little silhouette straightened-up and whispered "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"... OK. So I answered with an equally soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". It was the beginning of the "nigh-night chat". We coo'ed back and fort a while until he decided to change it to a "woo-HOOoo". Those went on for a good 3-5 minutes, each one softer than the one before.
It seemed, some-how, that the moon light that's on the wall shelves, was a bit of an "annoyance". From the "night roost", it's some-what "in front" of Yonah, where the other one, on the desk shelf, is "behind" him. So, I thought that that one light might be an "annoyance" to him. I turned it off and it did make a difference. The coo's became even softer.
I am SO enjoying our little "chats" before putting the lights out now. There's really nothing more comforting than that little "voice", and thinking that I might even be having an actual conversation with him is, well, indescribable. (Now, if only I could actually KNOW what's being said. But I know that that will, forever, be his secret, his "superiority" over me, and all the rest of my "species". Still, it truly is a great comfort to hear, and a most-humbling honour to be able to "communicate". (I wondered, last night: do I have an "accent" to him? Like a "foreigner" learning a new language? Oh, the thoughts that come to mind at the end of a day.)
And so... this morning, I was "waking up" on the futon after a night's sleep, and looking around the silent room, saw that the morning light was just beginning to make its way through the blinds. I laid there, comfy, on the futon, for a moment, pondering today's chores and such when, out of the silence came:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"...
"Morning song"! And perfectly clear and strong! The Little Guy was calling the day "to order" with a "song" this morning! Not a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" but a longer coo... which I've come to learn is closer to coo'ing more out of "happiness" than making a statement or a call for attention! And that it was so clear, no "skips" was all the inspiration I needed to get right up and at the morning!
And when I got to my little Love's house to open the door, there he was, wing-stretching, making ready for the new day! And MORE "singing"! ("Oh what a beautiful mo-o-o-rning!")
I "popped my head in" for "Good morning" kisses and got a few. Not a great many, this morning, but certain better than the "scuttles-away" I'll some-times get of a morning. Apparently, there was little time for kisses this morning... we had "things to do"... I got right on the "morning routine", headed out to the kitchen to put the kettle on and prepare for "water relay"... the clock in the kitchen read 6.20.
When we got the curtains and blinds open, the sky out-side the windows was over-cast this morning. (The forecast is for some sun-shine but not much, ahead of a day or two of snow to come.) The morning light wasn't really much more than when the blinds were still shut BUT... the morning's "singing" continued!
Even as I busied in the kitchen, my Little One and I sang back and forth through the house!
Daily poop-check? 5 of what's come to be "normal"... slightly larger than previous months, but still, not what I think of as "egg-size". And the slightest "halo" round each. But all directly under the "night roost"! A calm night... SO THANKFULLY!
'twas a "playful" morning, this. No sooner had I settled at the desk to get on with today's "tasks", we HAD to take a break when my Little One came rushing over to the desk, beside the lap-top and we took a break... Wing-snaps and pecks! And a little game of "chase", back to the house, to the perch, and another wing-snap!
Clear morning coo's, good poops and energy! And then, "retired" back to the loft as I put our music on, the bird-songs and... what-ever today has in store for us.
Well, another day is coming to a close (I can't believe it's already 15.30!) and all day, I DID manage to get to Yonah's Journal, with the monthly regular up-dates... much, I imagine, to his "chagrin" because he's wanted to PLAY most of the day! Really! MOST of his day's gone by "air-borne"! Flying from house to desk, desk to living-room, back home, then... of course, to my shoulder for tugs on the ear. Some "lounging" moments in the loft. But, for the most part... he's been FULL of energy!
We got more sun-shine than expected for the day, and the temperature, with the window open a bit, as it always is, of recent times, the temperature in the room hovered at... almost 28°! Almost incredible! But, the Little Guy's been luvin' it! (And he's luvin' it... I am too!)
We had lunch together at noon (and he's having another bite to eat as I type, and I got back to the "tasks" of this Sunday, at the desk. Whilst having lunch, we had the "news" on and yes, Herr Taube took his place on the key-board to peck at the screen.
Though I didn't take much "time off" from the typing, I have good reason to believe that for BOTH of us, time together, means so much. As long as my little Heart-and-Soul knows he's not alone (and I know that he's safe and healthy) it's all we need in this old world (save, good food, fresh water, a bit of exercise and a good night's rest). But, yes, we were together all through the day... a wonderful Sunday. (And having the sun-shine did help to make it all the better, especially considering the snows that are expected later during the week (on day of which may very well postpone an errand that was scheduled for Thursday, and of course, I MUCH prefer to "snuggle" with my Little Guy in the snows than anything else in this old world).
And, must to add, "James Taylor" on the "music" this after-noon and I DO say, Yonah seems to enjoy it quite a bit: He sings with old "JT" on some of the songs. (I DO have a "play-list" to make for him, perhaps a mix of "James Taylor" and "Jim Croce" and bird-songs. "Variety"... the "spice of life".)
And so, here we are... lunch and even evening meals are done already! "Time" is no friend when Friends are together... it passes entirely too quickly! And so, Sunday has passed. It's 19.00 already, time for the evening water relay. And my little Heart-and-Soul is preening... on the old lap-top. There's nothing "playing" on it because I've been bouncing back-and-forth, using it this after-noon to work with the VIDEOS on this page!
(I'm still working on November and December of 2022 and need to get to ALL of 2023, but at the same time, I'm trying to keep the web-site up, and if nothing else on the site, this Journal. And so-doing, I'm trying to get photos and videos back on so it's been a "fruitful" day... I have to say.)
We DID take time to play. AND THIS EVENING, I HAD COMPANY AS I GOT ME EVENING MEAL TOGETHER IN THE KITCHEN! OH YES... MY LITTLE GUY WAS RIGHT THERE, ON MY SHOULDER, WATCHING! KEEPING ME IN THE VERY BEST OF COMPANY! (I'm ALWAYS fascinated when he rides along with me. The TRUST is SO HUMBLING!)
And now, as I say, as we listen to our "iPod Music" (no more "TV" today), water relay, and from the looks of things out-side the window, soon to close the blinds and curtains already! (Seems I just opened them 10 minutes ago.) Thankfully though, the day managed to give us more sun-shine than clouds, and with the music, the warmth... and "Companionship"... WHAT GLORIOUS DAY IT WAS!
Evening water relay done... 20.00! We're running on a new schedule these days, it seems. "Summer" is coming and our "tuck-ins" are following the days now.
And my Precious Little Guy was busy at the screen on the old lap-top whilst I started the running and the moment he realised what I was doing, he headed "home"... "night snack"! And now, to my amazement, he's on his perch! Although I have to say, that really doesn't mean much in the way of being ready to "settle"... Not, probably, until 21.00. But at least his house is ready for him and the blinds and curtains are drawn closed for the night so... we shall see... we shall, indeed...
By 20.48, I was at the desk, "closing the day", as it were, and my Little Guy was on the futon behind me....
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"...
I was being told: "Excuse me? have you checked the clock recently? I believe I advised you earlier when I'd gone to my night roost, when I said 'woo-HOOoo'; you know, that 'perch-coo'?"
When he saw that I'd seen him there, he headed back up to his door perch, paused, and then flew back up to his night roost. Obviously, I WAS being told: it's time to settle this place down and time for us to get to seepie-nigh-night here. SO... that was that!
I'm going to have to watch the time more closely here, from now on and "adjust things accordingly". 21.00 is as I was thinking, a bit "too late" for tuck-in. No problem, to be sure. My Little One needs his rest and I'm here to see to it that he gets all he needs.
By 20.55 we were all tucked-in for the night and I was back in the room, a few kisses, moon lights on, house settled, and off to the futon.
The moment I laid my head on the pillow... a soft "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from above. I whispered "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" back and was "told" "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
Wondering how long we'd "chat" tonight, I politely and quietly answered: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and there we had it... "woo-HOOoo"... from above. "Good night". And when I whispered, as softly as I could "woo-HOOoo"... silence followed.
My little Heart-and-Soul was tired...Sunday was closed. March was closed...
New week, new month tomorrow, but for now... "seepie-nigh-night" time.
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