Picasso

A small, tropical bird lost and on his own in Pennsylvania flapped into Wendy's attention inside her barn feed room on Fall's first truly chilly (44°) morning this past Friday. She stopped her cleaning, and looked for something to capture this flash of colored feathers thinking he must belong to someone. Deciding she needed a sheet to throw over him to avoid injuring him, she started running to the house, the bird flew out, too, and landed in the tree just outside the barn. While she ran, he flew to the house kitchen window screen and clung to the screen. She ran up the back porch stairs, and the bird flew over and landed on her head. As she carefully walked to the door and entered the house he climbed down onto her shoulder.

And that's where a friend, whom I'd been lunching with, and I found them after the SOS text/call. While Wendy had been sitting at her kitchen table with the bird clinging to her shoulder, she'd been researching and calling to see if there were any lost birds posted somewhere. No lost bird messages. She'd locked Karma, the house pussycat, in the bathroom then began to find out what to do with a very stressed, exhausted ball of ruffled feathers. She was starving having had no breakfast and began eating a banana when the bird fluttered to her hand and started eating the banana, too. She reported to us that he'd drunk water and she was prepared to run get some birdseed if I could stay. My friend snapped this picture of him after he transferred to my shoulder...

He kept falling asleep,

Wendy took off to get the birdseed and soon returned to add another small bowl of seed next to the water bowl while I continued my perch, warm body service to him. Wendy finished up her barn chores and the bird continued his trips down my arm to eat or drink at the bowls falling asleep sometimes while doing so, and returning to my should for more napping. A couple of hours later when Aidan returned from his school day the bird had perked up considerably...

His feathers are a little more in order after he did some grooming.

Aidan became a third shoulder perch while Wendy and I went to the Petsmart in Quakertown for a suitable cage, cuttle bone and better feed. He'd wiggled right out of a makeshift dog crate cage she'd rigged, flying right back to her shoulder.

On the trip back from Q'town, Wendy named him Picasso.

The bird rescue people Wendy talked with estimated by his condition that he'd been lost about four days. By yesterday afternoon, he is now part of Wendy and family's life.

Picasso.
Wendy's been pealing grapes which he loves to eat.

How did this little bird know to find The Person who would undoubtedly take care--really good care--of him the rest of his days.

How did Friday morning's promise of an ordinary, cooler Fall day become a day about an affectionate, people-oriented little bird?

Be ready. Life has more adventures than we are able to imagine.

______

It's been such a pleasure getting in a walk or two each week at the farm for quite awhile now. It sure broke up the chores of sorting through much paperwork left from the summer's efforts to settle in. I am surprised at the amount of paper stuff relating to health and medical activity that now occupies what long ago was a single file folder. Well, consolidating that and a couple dozen other files, culling and weeding, has been taking place. Kinda dull, but then, there are the walks and bird happenings to break it up.

Here's a chicken and Aidan picture...

Miss Florence came to greet us after a walk.

Sometimes, we've taken the dogs along with us. Aidan takes Frezz and Sebastian, and I take Fancy. We two old ladies bring up the rear.

Fancy is pretty arthritic but adores the walk.

Aidan has begun giving cello lessons, and has one student; an adult learner, at that. Way to go, Aidan!!!

We heard from New York, too...

Keoni's study corner in his shared apartment.

And, his view one day out a practice room window.

Another day, John sent the view out his sig.com worksite window...

My new Singer!
Here's a little work station I set up to finish some baby gowns I was sewing for MCC Industries, a Mennonite establishment that transforms what we throw away into useful supplies for their missions.

The instruction book for my old 57-year-old machine...

...that finally stopped because its drive belt fell into shreds.

Well, it's time to get back to the activities of this Monday. I'll see you again in a few days.

Frezz. Sent from Aidan.