Friday, April 5, 2013

Dammit, I Can Hear Them Whispering But I Have No Clue What They Are Saying

Beware all ye who are about to enter here.......Lo is ready to rant.

The world is full of selfish, self-obsessed, self-absorbed, self-indulgent idiots and I am fed up with each and every stinkin'  one of them.  They desperately need fixing and I have decided there is only one way to fix them.  If I were running things I would decree that two surgical procedures be performed on all of them...first a lobotomy and then sterilization.  There might  be 5 people whom I would spare.....I shall not name them here......but everyone else would get fixed, by gum.  The only ones who might escape this fate are those who can run faster than me, and since that includes everyone including the lame and the halt I guess the world is safe from my merciless "repair" project.  All I can say is, "faugh,  I have had a rotten day."

Were it not for God's Gift to the Universe, the Awesome Finches, I would surely put rocks in my pockets and jump in the the pool.......the deep end this time.  I figured out why it didn't work the last time I tried that.   How stupid can you get?  I guess you really have to mean it to jump in the deep end.....

Anyway, after today imploded, exploded  and self-destructed I hauled myself out of the debris a tattered wreck and spent what was left with my nose pressed to the bird cage observing the most charming, delightful creatures on the planet.   Except that, apparently even in the bird world there are selfish, greedy  bullies who insist on grabbing all of the nesting material for themselves even though their nest basket overflows with the stuff and there is hardly enough room inside for Frank and Doris not to mention the four eggs I counted this morning...yes......I lied.....I have reversed myself and decided to let them breed one brood so I can observe the fascinating process.  Frank, of the lovely voice and bullying propensities spent the afternoon depriving his smaller, weaker compatriot, Mickey, of every shred of straw that I had gathered and offered. After watching heartbroken  as he snatched the last shred from Mickey's gorgeous red beak and stuffed it vigorously into his own digs there was nothing left but for me to intervene.  I am just a meddlesome fool and that is the truth of it.    I spent the rest of the day selecting the choicest bits and offering them directly to Mickey's eager but inept beak.  It sometimes took 5 minutes for him to get the hang of it and get a good grip, but then what joy and fulfillment to see him drag it through the bars, up to the nest basket and in through the entrance, inch by inch till it was all safely indoors while Frank watched stomping back and forth on his perch in helpless frustration.  I have discovered that it is the male who is responsible for building the nest.  the women just sit around scratching their feathered fannies and watching their husbands toil away.  I guess they figure having to lay all the eggs is job enough for them.  Seems only fair, I guess.  I have read that both the male and female sit on the eggs and feed the babies if and when they hatch.

Frank and Doris are definitely the dominant pair, but the two smaller birds seem to accept that and cope pretty well.  They are all eating like foodaholics, enjoying their swimming pool  and flapping, flying, chirping and muttering sweetly to each other  all through the day except when they coyly enter their respective abodes and discuss the state of the economy, the freshness of the Swiss Chard, perhaps baby names and whatever it is they are saying to each other in that amazing, strange bird whispering and chortling that issues forth from the nest baskets when the pairs are inside.

Oh,  Gawd........I have  become as insufferable  about my feathered children as people are about their sticky faced offspring and grandchildren.  I beg your forgiveness......but you might as well get used to it.   The obsessing and the apologies that is. 

Pictures will be forthcoming as soon as I can figure out how to shoot inside the cage. 

And, incidentally.....so far there has been not a lick of the Cat/Bird problem......tenks gott.

Now, off to bed....this has been an exhausting day with a few bright spots for which I am hugely grateful.









14 comments:

  1. I had two mice in college, which quickly turned into a lot of mice.

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  2. Hi Lo
    I couldn't have said it better regarding the human race, I also have had my fill of them to the point where I would rather stay indoors doing what I enjoy than go out and have to mingle with them.
    I don't have the joy of birds but my 5 cats give me all the love and pleasure I need, oh, mustn't forget Mr.T. lol
    You must get that camera going I would love to see the nest pans and the babies when they emerge.
    Briony
    xxxx

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  3. When I was a child we had a female parakeet and she started showing signs of wanting to nest and so we borrowed a neighbor's male parakeet and my grandfather made them a nesting box and soon an egg appeared! And they sat. And they sat. And they sat.
    And one morning, they dined on their egg. I will never forget the mild horror of seeing their eggy beaks.
    Oh my. My first true lesson from the birds and the bees.

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  4. Just came across your blog mentioning the finches. I raised Zebra Finch for a while. Bought 2 and ended up with about 42. They are 'very prolific'. I hung my cage from the ceiling to keep the cats away... but we never really had a problem. They are fascinating little birds.

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  5. I'd forgotten the boys are the nest builders. Waiting to hear the rest of your adventures.

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  6. Common Lo, the human race isn't all that bad, but in the mean time I'm glad I can still out run you!

    I love the "Liberal Lo" helping the down trodden Finch. You are indeed a gem! but you are messing with evalution. JK, keep up the good work and keep posting on your birds..pics...please, pics.

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  7. Lo, do you think that Frank and Doris might like some privacy? Maybe more space would benefit them all?

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  8. Well, dear lady ~ I'm already
    'fixed', and people have been questioning my mental status for years, so hopefully I'm one of the 5!!

    Love reading about your bird adventures...get that camera cracking!!!

    Hugs ~~~

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  9. what a hoot you are Lo.... of course a lot of the human race are awful, but I am glad we can outrun you for the moment... although that might exclude me as I cannot run with metal knees! What fun to see the birds make babies, hope it all turns out fun for you too.. its cold and windy ,but the sunshine was super today so I am feeling more positive in the sun... hugs from across the pond.. janzi

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  10. I feel impelled to explain that when I propose to "fix" all of the selfish slobs in the world I am not using the word "fix" like you would when referring to neutering or spaying (even tho I do mention sterilization later on. I use the word fix as in repairing something that is broken or not working properly.

    There.....glad to clarify that point.

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  11. That "fix" had me worried too Lo.....:)

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  12. It has not taken long but I am fully engrossed in your bird adventures. I would have helped Mickey with his nest too.

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  13. The smaller, younger finch pair might continue to be inept parents (and even failures) for a while, but with your patient help and the example of their older neighbors, maybe they'll get the hang of it. That seems to be how it goes in nature, more or less. Glad you're only going to repair all humans, and not put The Big Fix on them!

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  14. :) I hope your little ones grow up and are strong.

    Your birdie project fascinates me!

    p.s., Thanks for stopping by at my place - it meant a lot to me.

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