birdhouse

Friday night Hurricane Harvey originally made landfall. Here it is Wednesday morning, a second landfall & more rain forecast in a few days. Dams have failed & the flooding will be an ongoing issue for quite a while yet. There aren't even words for this. People are sheltering in place through all of this. So, the numbers really aren't going to begin to get real for days more yet. And the numbers are already staggering. So whenever the emergency organizations can get an accurate assessment, I'm guessing they're going to be unprecedented. Lot's of people automatically give to the Red Cross for things like this. If that's your choice, please consider donating thru the *Google *site *to *effect *their *donation *matching*. You can make your effort go even further. Lots of people don't like the Red Cross for a variety of reasons. Fair enough. I've rounded up some legit websites. There are plenty of alternatives. These are just a few to consider for both short & long term support. ANIMALS NEED HELP TOO The vid of the man who was evacuating w/a B&G on his shoulder. The horses standing flank deep in water. The little herd of cows slopping around, looking sad & confused. They break my heart because they're nothing compared w/what is actually going on or what will come. People do need our help. But please remember, so do they. You could start w/Greywing's sanctuary (just a suggestion"). At the bottom of the page, there's a payPal link for donations. http://www.gulfcoastexoticbirdsanctuary.com/ https://spca.org/give https://redrover.org/program/redrover-responders http://www.americanhumane.org/ http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/animal_rescue/relief.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ ' http://code3associates.org/ Macaw & Cockatoo Rescue of NM Anna 505-994-0505 http://www.greenpeople.org/listing/Macaw-Cockatoo-Rescue-62574.cfm https://bestfriends.org/ http://www.floridadisaster.org/petplan.htm https://www.ready.gov/animals https://www.cdc.gov/features/petsanddisasters/index.html https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/disaster-preparedness http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/groups-dedicated-to-saving-animals-in-disaster-situations/ Google will match your Red Cross donation up to $1mil. So your donation could be twice as effective if you wanted to go the traditional route. https://www.google.org/harvey-relief/ JJ Watt's Houston Flood Relief Fund https://www.youcaring.com/victimsofhurricaneharvey-915053 Five presidents united to send one message. ONE AMERICA APPEAL https://www.oneamericaappeal.org/ Team Rubicon https://teamrubiconusa.org/ Salvation Army https://give.salvationarmyusa.org...tion=form1 Houston Food Bank http://www.houstonfoodbank.org/ Galveston County Food Bank http://www.galvestoncountyfoodbank.org Food Bank of Corpus Christi http://www.foodbankcc.com The Blood & Tissue Center Foundation https://bloodntissuefoundation.org/give Texas Diaper Bank http://www.texasdiaperbank.org Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies http://www.portlight.org/home.html Habitat for Humanity Texas http://habitattexas.org/give/'>http://habitattexas.org/give/ Southern Baptist Disaster Relief https://missionaries.namb.net/projects/full/disaster-relief Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group http://www.coastalbendcan.org/CBDRG Coalition for the Homeless https://www.homelesshouston.org/take-action/donate/ Habitat for Humanity Texas http://habitattexas.org/give/

So we seem to be back ...and fully functional ...hopefully. Little worried there for a minute. lol

I don't think it's remotely possible to understand what the full package means whenever people sign up. Day after day, year after year, still barely scratches the surface. Honestly, a decade is like nothing in the scheme of things. People throw the phrase "forever home" around... spit on the ground These guys are the truest definition of a lifetime commitment; just short of our immediate family. So yes, by my standards, parrots are people too.

OH Sign me up!! No matter if I don't have a fid in the flock. Even just to watch. So beautiful!! Glad you shared. ")

On top of everything, Phenix was pretty sick for the first couple of yrs. Then we slogged thru a few years of trial & error that finally went pretty well, all in all. Then, the internet happened. Everything combined, it was like Phenix discovered the Fountain of Youth. Every outward indication & all vet exams suggest he feels like a punk4$$ teenager. No signs of ever slowing down or growing up. Me however, not so much. After maybe 20 yrs or so, some of his shenanigans got a little old. Now, we're like an old married couple. Hasn't stop me loving him. But some days he's damned lucky I like him. ")

:confused: hhhmmm Let's see. 30 yrs & counting (plus his other life time). :eek: Too much? Too soon? Maybe I just need to be patient w/the poor dear. R O F L !!!!!!!!:p:p:p:p:p

I'm really glad that our Texas posse all seem to be from the Dallas/Ft Worth area. My heart & best wishes go out to all those people in Harvey's wake!

Phenix is not the moderate type. He got all the apples he demanded right up until his poop suggested otherwise. Now, he's on rations & he's not exactly happy about it.

^^^ Yes, absolutely. Just chill for a change. Your body will thank you for it later.

I'm usually the benevolent dictator. Tough as nails exterior w/a gooey marshmallow center. Fortunately, I've been at it longer than they have. Not always in control, exactly. Just pretty good at winging it. Still Phenix really makes me work for it. He couldn't usually care less about being charming. But boy is he ever aces at being manipulative. And on those rare days when he's being both it's like Christmas morning! Kura, on the other hand. She waddles over w/that sweet quiet voice, lays her beak against mine & she can get pretty much anything she asks for plus whatever else happens to be handy at the moment. Thing is, she isn't usually there asking for anything more than a "hug". I may have mentioned how she's my easy girl. ") EDIT- my stupid internet cut out before I finished this.

I'm afraid I'll jinx it. But it's currently "on" again.

") Freda - I like that. Another reason to get her little tail to vet visit. I honestly think most of the information that comes w/a rescue is wrong. So in self defense, I started treating them all like I found them on the side of the road somewhere. Sympathy about the dog in heat. That's just a whole type of insanity on it's own & they can't help it. Good luck w/that!

And I hate to have to say it's doing again. :-[

Just to be clear; because she's laughing or red faced? Totally different messages, right?

Thanks, guys! Judy, I think the Great Rescue Organizer had Kura find me because I needed a break just then. She is the quintessential anti-TAG. Where one loves to instigate & orchestra the other just wants to watch the world go by. Mellow where Phenix is demanding. Cuddly where he's anything but. "New toy? Oh boy!" Black & white vs red all over, in a manner of speaking. Sterling, her feathers aren't like a downy chick's, or anything. They're deconstructed normal feathers for want of a better way to put it. She does have black down feathers under the breast & body plumage that's softer. Couple of things about those eyes. Especially for yellow eyes which sometimes strike me as a little alien in some species, I think of Kura's as soulful. Partly because her's are most often smiling. Also, Solomon Island Eclectus have a ring of blue around theirs which kind of adds to the overall effect. BUT, they're anything but beautiful when she gets angry. She gets scary crazy-eyes when she's mad. I could not believe the change the first time I saw it!! I'd read that female Ekkies could be absolute she-devils. But to see my sweet girl turn on the Crazy blew my mind a little. All because I gave her a whiffle ball that she didn't like, btw! So I finally got some real pics w/a real camera. I must have taken 50 shots (thank goodness for digital!). These were the closest I got.

See Penny. We northern girls just need to learn to talk Texan. Doesn't it sound so much better when she says it? lol

No. Maybe on second thought it might actually be more like strap in & prepare for a wild ride.

Gotten my to PMs & answered them. Posted the new thread w/Kura's beautiful little beak all over it. Life is good here too!! :-]

August/September is Kura's "sweet spot". After she's fully grown out from a winter of hormonal plucking & before she starts again in the fall. I celebrate the one even while I dread the other. Just got a few shots w/my tablet, out where she's most beautiful. Out in the full sunlight those colors just pop. Even my good camera never has been able to do her justice. The red goes from the bright primary color of her head down to the darkest blood through her wings. The blue goes from a blackish navy through her chest to neon on her shoulders. I've always been a little biased, of course. But when she's in full feather, I think she's an absolute stunner by any standard. So I thought I'd share my beautiful girl, before she morphs back into her raggedy winter self.

Strap in & enjoy the ride?

Just went to post some lovely pics of my lovely Kura & I can't. Keeps telling me I'm trying to upload invalid files (*.jpg & *.jpeg)

There have been members here who were ferociously against bribing a fid. Personally, I think love is lovely. But they're smarter than me & they out number me. I am not proud. I'll take it however I can get it. So much so that I've even taught my sweet little chickadees how it's done, apparently. Phenix has re-discovered his love of apples. Been ordering them all day long for weeks now. So naturally he figured he'd make a little suggestion just now when he heard me in the kitchen. Phenix said in a most hopeful tone, "Appoo?? I'll be a good booyyy...!" w/all the lure & enticement 'she said to him', "I'll make it worth your while..." (if you catch my drift). Good thing I was where he couldn't see my reaction. Probably just as well that we're out of apples too!

Nope. My account's still broken, too.

I can't get to my mail or profile. I can't go advanced to edit a post. But I can edit it from the original edit box, which is strange because I can't usually.

It's good to hear from you & that all is basically well. Give or take few "hiccups". Phenix still seems to pride himself on charming no one. Although he does in spite of himself sometimes. I worry what would happen to him if something happens to me. It would break my heart if he had cause to revert after 30 yrs. So I envy you your nephews.