Category Archives: Pearl

….is worth doing thoroughly. This is a cockatiel’s credo. Pearl is a credit to her species. Step One: Attack the waffle. Show it who is boss. Let nothing (even expensive Macintosh gear) stand in your way. Step Two: Be sure to be as messy as possible. If you don’t see crumbs everywhere (think floor, laptopContinueContinue reading “Anything Worth Doing”

There it is. It is called a “cockatiel”. This one’s name is Pearl. When I first met Pearl, I was still mourning the loss of my very first cockatiel, Jacob. Jacob died from a congenital kidney defect at age 3. The pet store didn’t check the babies for defects and we had no idea untilContinueContinue reading “The 8th Wonder of the World”

My mom is an excellent cook. Since Pearl and I both agree that Grape Nuts cereal is an excellent choice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I wouldn’t say I inherited that gene. But that doesn’t mean Pearl (or I) can’t appreciate fine home-cooked cuisine. Pearl also isn’t above volunteering to be the official “sampler”…especially whenContinueContinue reading “St. Francis…..of Houston?”

As a singer myself, I love the show “The Voice” as much as the next never-gonna-try-out undiscovered singing sensation. But I’m not the only one in my household who is aspiring in the vocalizing department. Cockatiels, like most larger birds, can experience fairly strong emotions – in fairly frequent fluctuations. It is not uncommon, forContinueContinue reading “The Voice”

I like cold weather as much as the next Houstonian (considering we get about 2.5 days of it each year). But the winged one is tropical. T.R.O.P.I.C.A.L. So when the cold temps hit, it’s all I can do to restrain myself from shrinking a chihuahua sweater and cutting out wing holes. Which is why weContinueContinue reading “Warm Bird, Cold Bird”

I do NOT like to get up. I don’t care if it is noon. Or 1pm. or 2. I have four soft pillows, two comforters (one down) and a fluffy fleece blanket my bff gave me for my birthday this past year. Why would anyone want to get up out of all that? Pearl, likeContinueContinue reading “What Gets Me Out of Bed in the Morning”

So this past weekend was Super Bowl Sunday. Not exactly a date I might typically mark in bold print in my annual calendar, but Mom called and mentioned there would be delectable edibles, and that Pearl was welcome to deliver her unique version of soprano commentary during the game, so game day partay it was.ContinueContinue reading “A Vision in (Superbowl) Grey”

My feathered gal has a wide range of moods. She has different screeches, calls, and chirps to let me know how she’s feeling, what she wants, what she doesn’t want, and how well I’m doing at interpreting her requests. If you can imagine a 2 year old going-on-10, you have a good idea of day-to-dayContinueContinue reading “The Mad (grey and white) Bluebird”

As a recovered anorexic and bulimic going on 10 years now, I continue follow with great interest the ongoing battle between good and evil. That is, between those that want to insist that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, and those who insist “beautiful” only comes in a size zero. This is why IContinueContinue reading “What a Small Grey Bird and a Mega Pop Star Have in Common”

I have had a birdie companion since I was 8 years old. Most of my birds have been picky eaters, as in “I want seed. ONLY seed.” Not Pearl. Pearl has a surprisingly varied diet. Sometimes I think her palate is more developed than mine (you’ll see why in a minute). She also prefers myContinueContinue reading “Haute Cuisine (with a side of feathers)”