Bird Beaks

It's another cold damp froggy morning around here, getting colder by the day.  Froggy because it keeps the frogs from being seen when we went out looking for delicacies on the ranch.  Like I posted a couple days ago, this is what we saw when we used our flashlights, and it's what I see every morning when I let Cooper outside.  There's no way I'm taking ANY chances of running into a black and white EVER again.

 It's pretty neat to see the drops floating around and going UP instead of down.  The occasional frog legs and crawdads we caught didn't taste all that great.  Let's face it ... they tasted like mud, but it was fun to go looking for them on the canal banks in the dark.

It's early morning and Jonathan is awake.  Most parrots stay up all night long ... not to make noise, but to be quiet as a mouse and on careful watch to be sure they aren't eaten by any night critter.  He sleeps most of the day.

He also spends about three hours a day chewing ... on anything he can get his little beak on.  Towels are always used as the first level of defense to keep him warm.  That's because he's going to do this to the ceiling of his "house" in about a week.  Towels are cheaper.  It's then covered with a big blanket to help keep him warm, followed by a large quilt.  He also has his own personal heater attached to the cage.  

I buy chunks of wood for him to chew on, but if I don't get one in there fast enough, this is what he does to his perch.  They can do an amazing amount of damage.  The reason for all this chewing is to keep their beaks chipped off so they can eat.  Otherwise, it's a trip to the Vet for grinding.  They won't chew on harder ironwood perches very much, so their beaks grow too long.  I stick to the slightly softer woods.  

Their beaks are so tough they can bite your finger off, or at least do a LOT of damage and cause a LOT of blood.  Ask me how I know! One thing they don't chew on is their claws, which grow like crazy.  That means I have to hold him on one hand while trying to trim the toenies with the other.  I can't tell you how many times I've been bit.

I used to wrap him in a towel burrito style, but these guys are agile and very strong.  That beak gets me every time.  It's a complete wrestling match!!  Better to give him a cracker, then sneak up on his foot.  If I'm really lucky, I can get one or two a day.  Notice the white feathers?  It's that time of year when the fluffy belly feathers come out and float around the entire house.

Mr. Cooper isn't much different when it comes to clipping claws, but at least he's a little easier to hold down!!  Oh what we do for these kids!!

It's football day, though I don't get to watch the "good" games since they are not on ESPN any more.  At least not on my television setup unless I pay the big bucks.  I sat down with this lovely lunch, no where NEAR as delicious as that turkey dinner, because I wanted a big piece of pie for dessert.  

The turkey didn't get past Mr. Cooper.  If I'm eating ..... he's eating.  That's the rules!  I don't dare get something out of the fridge unless I hide in the back room, because there he is ... looking up, staring at me!

Football was not that exciting, so I did two things.  I stitched the binding on one of the National Park quilts (ready for hand stitching) and then finished up this one and figured the amount of backing I need.  In all my stash, there is nothing that will even come close to matching, so it now sits on the counter waiting for the next quilt store trip.

Here's a closeup of the fabric.  It's actually kind of pretty.  I think the idea of making them for the senior center is a good one.  I'll have to find a simple pattern that I can whip out in a couple of days.  It's going to be a very long winter if I don't find something to keep me busy upon my return from Quartzsite.

I have an event to attend tonight, but since I woke up sick to my stomach last night, I think I better pass.  Unfortunately, I've been around two sick people lately, and I think they may have shared their loveliness with me.  Only time will tell.

By the way, did anyone go crazy on Black Friday ... or Saturday ... or Sunday since now it seems Black Friday lasts a couple of weeks?  I tried to be extra good since I tipped the gardener and donated two Thanksgiving turkeys.  

I did however, purchase some embroidery thread so I could get back to THAT pastime.  Half off is always good in fabric and in thread.  

Now let's everyone hit the SCALES and see how much weight we gained!!!