The African Grey Parrot At Play

7 comments
November 13, 2009

The other day I was cleaning the kitchen.  I know, hard to believe.  I’ll never win any Good Housekeeping Awards.  Anyway, my pet parrot likes to play in the kitchen.  While I was loading the dishwasher, she worked her way up to the kitchen sink.

First she thought it might be fun to perch on some dirty dishes:

The African Grey Parrot In The Sink

That was fun looking around to see what she might chew on, but she likes to find the highest perch.  So she tried the liquid soap dispenser next.

The African Grey Parrot Sitting On A Soap Dispenser.

That was entertaining for a little while, but she wanted to find something higher.  See, the great thing about this little parrot is that she definitely has her own personality. She knows what she likes and what she doesn’t like, and also knows how to achieve things.  In the same way humans like to play sports, socialise, play partypoker and go shopping, this little parrot has her own personality and entertainment preferences. 

So the cold water handle worked only briefly, but ahhhh, the faucet. Now that looked promising!

The African Grey Parrot - picture of her sitting on cold water handle.

The only trouble was that it was a wee bit of a streeeeetch to reach up there!

Pet Parrot playing by sink.

But she streeeeeetchhhhhhed her leg and toes as far as she could, trying to reach the faucet so she could pull herself up.

The African Gray Parrot stretching to reach the faucet.

It was hard work, but she finally made it!

The African Gray Parrot sitting on top of faucet.

This little pet parrot is nothing, if not PERSISTENT.  She seemed quite proud of her accomplishment, and stayed on the faucet until I carried her back to her cage.

Life if never dull with an African Grey Parrot in the house!

6 Things About Me

8 comments
November 23, 2008

“Tag, I’m it!”

Yes, a blogging buddy from Laughing Orca Ranch decided to tag me for the ‘6 Things About Me”. Without further ado, here are my six things…

1. I have a 3-year old granddaughter with Cerebral Palsy, and every year I make special calendars to sell. The profits help with her expenses for therapy and special equipment and stuff.


Our little ballerina stars in this picture for February.

2. I grew up on a farm, during which time I declared I never wanted to be tied down like that when I grew up. Always worrying about taking care of the animals! Every summer spent in the hayfield and garden! But here I am, on the farm again, and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

3. I’ve always wanted a parrot. I mean, a bird that talks? How cool is that? A couple of years ago I got one as a rescue. The lady said the parrot was “molting”, but alas! When I saw it, I knew better. The pattern of bare neck and chest, plus no tail feathers, was indicative of plucking problems common with an African Grey. I paid the lady and took the parrot. She did allow her beautiful red tail feathers to grow back, but I don’t think she’ll ever get over the habit of plucking the feathers on her neck and upper chest.

4. I live with chronic pain, a thoracic neuralgia on the right side of my body, and fibromyalgia, and the accompanying fatigue, so sometimes… no, MOST times… I don’t accomplish near as much I want each day.

5. I’ve moved almost 30 times so far, and lived in 7 different states. And no, not because my spouse or I were in the military. I hope to stay right where I am now, figuring my next move will be 6 feet under and I won’t have to pack for that one, ha!

6. I’m an introvert that really likes people, but doesn’t do well out in crowds. Definitely not a party animal. Email and blogs and yes – gasp!  Snail mail! – work well for people contact in my case.

And there you have it, “6 Things About Me.”

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