A Suggly Chicken

My appreciation for birds is growing the longer I live with a parrot (my roommate's bird)
Here are a few snippets of his personality / quirks:

Signs of sleepiness: scent gets sweeter, his beak gets hot, the tucked up foot gets warm, and his balance and coordination are less reliable.
He also sleep talks into his feathers.

Thinks that my shirt is an excellent place to wipe his beak!
Is potty trained 98% of the time :)
An opportunist who likes to test taste everything!
Tries to sit on my hands when I'm typing :)

He loves shower time - and finds the hairdryer an especially beneficial preening tool!
Likes to be snuggled upside down like a baby - for limited amounts of time :)
Specializes in opening cupboards and climbing all household furniture.

Favorite food - anything I'm eating.
Favorite chemical solution - Windex, then mop water.
Prefers to be spoken to in Portuguese.

Flick, flick!
Puff!

I + S = M

Imagination + Simplicity = First Rate Memories

A forgotten field

The duty of a daffodil is to breathe out the scent of sunshine.

liquid perspective

Spring cleaning

God...
Cleanse me with sunshine.
please.

New Aspiration

A Brief History

Equestrian vaulting is one of the seven disciplines that are recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). The earliest roots of horse vaulting date back to the Pre-Romanic Ice Period in South Scandinavia in 1500 BC . Stone paintings give an impression what these people thought of "Artistic Riding". These pictures depict horses with persons standing on them. Also there was vaulting at Roman games, people where performing acrobatic and dance-like movements on the backs of cantering horses about 2000 years ago. Julius Cäsar mentioned the excellent riding skills of the Germans in his famos "De Bello Gallico". During the Middle Ages vaulting was part of the education of knights and noblemen.

Hypophosis

"I have a hypophosis." He stated solemnly.
I tried not burst out laughing in surprise.
He proceeded with patient dignity, "Do you know what a hypophosis is?"
"What is it?"
"A hypophisis is an idea that you figure out."
"So what is your hypothesis?"
"My hypophosis is that this is the speaker of this car - where the sound is coming out!"
He put his ear to little odd shaped piece and pressed the button to hear the siren.
"I was right!" He declared emphatically.

Piano Duet

My Daddy's fingers

strong and sure.

My amateur ones

mischevious.

Taking a position

of mock speed.

I jest with dare;

"On your mark -

Get set -

Go!"

Unfolding

I've never been afraid of a child.
And I wasn't afraid of him -
I was simply confused -
a four-year-old trying to beat me up?
I've seen anger. I've seen pain.
But he caught me off guard -
challenging my authority,
questioning my faith...
"But I can't see Him!"

"God, I'm unprepared,
inadequate, naive'...
What can be said to calm
such a boiling, churning heart?"

Consistent love, patient time,
frustrated prayers, gentle eyes...

As imperceptible as spring...
An unprompted "Thank you".
The absence of fighting,
his natural boyish voice.

He's actually sharing!
He's teaching a song!
No need for 'time out', no angry shouts.
Helpful with cleaning, reasoning well.
My heart grins with delight
at this miracle unfolding.
Then chatting over colored blocks,
He matter-of-factly states;
"I miss you guys all week."

Serenity and Snow