November 2011
Dear Elephants, Birds and Literate Humans,
My little cockatiel, Zeke, fell in love. My cousins were here, on vacation, from Israel, and Zeke fell in love with my cousin's husband. I have never seen Zeke become so attentive to anyone. He followed Barry all through the house. He landed on his head and shoulders constantly; ate only from his plate and would not leave him alone. Barry said, in his thick Israeli accent, "It is because he knows I am an animal lover," I generally do not allow anyone in my house who is not an animal lover, but Zeke went wild over him the entire time he was here. Emma and Aristophanes (with whom I am always cautious around strangers) liked him too and Tzipi as well, who is actually my cousin, but Zeke was unbelievable in his attention and affections. See their picture, together, in this issue.
Jackie and I went to the PAWS sanctuary in San Andreas, California for a "Meet the Elephants Weekend". We met 9 elephants and 39 tigers, all of which had been rescued from horrible living situations. We had gone there 1 1/2 years ago with our good friend (and club member) Judy Braun. It is a wonderful place for these animals where they can live out the rest of their lives in peace. They have very spacious enclosures where they can roam at will and are very well cared for. I had gone there to specifically see 2 male elephants who, years before as babies, were torn from their mothers and trained to perform in Ringling Brother's Circus with the usual beatings and cruelty. Then, when they were reaching adulthood, they were taken off the show and put in terribly small areas to live by themselves with no stimulation, no company and had virtually no life. Now, everything has changed for them and hopefully they will live a much happier and more comfortable existence. One of them, named Sabu, has problems with his legs which causees great pain and the person from the circus, who brought him, told the people at PAWS that they controlled his movement by denying him the pain medication he needed (huge doses of ibuprofen) when they did not want him to be able to walk too much. Something to think about before going to the circus again.
I sit here and watch Emma, my yellow nape, and Simon, my cat, chase each other on the floor as they play their own version of Hide and Seek, truly adorable. Aristophanes likes that cat too, but Simon tends to keep his distance because getting bitten by a macaw, who likes to control, hurts. Of course, I watch Simon very carefully when Zeke is out and flying around the house. Rosey, my other cat, never bothers anybody.
Presenting our guest speaker tonight, Leslie Wallace, makes me very happy because Lola, her greater sulphur crested cockatoo, belongs to one of my favorite bird species in the world. Australia had closed it's shores to the exportation of its avifauna, due to the usual wildlife rape by the pet industry, many years ago, so you rarely see them. They were the most common species of cockatoo seen in captivity when I was a child,. Her program, as usual, should be very interesting.
Next month is our 26th covered dish holiday party and penny social. It is so nice that we have been together for such a good long time and we are still happy and productive. Bring a great tasting main dish or dessert (or both) to share and the bird club will supply the drinks. Also, bring some good stuff for the penny social........not stuff you want to throw out or Matt will get stuck with it because he bids on everything.
Speaking of Matt, we send out sincere condolences at the loss of his mother last week. She was 90 years old.
We are presenting another bird education program at the Hebrew School of Temple Shalom in Monticello on November 17th. Anyone who would like to be included in this program should please get in touch with me or with Amy Kristt, who has asked us to do that program.
People, be well and happy and have a great month. Our friend, Dr. Lonnie Kasman, is going to Costa Rica and will be presenting a program on what he sees there in February 2012.
Love,
Richie and Fritha
My little cockatiel, Zeke, fell in love. My cousins were here, on vacation, from Israel, and Zeke fell in love with my cousin's husband. I have never seen Zeke become so attentive to anyone. He followed Barry all through the house. He landed on his head and shoulders constantly; ate only from his plate and would not leave him alone. Barry said, in his thick Israeli accent, "It is because he knows I am an animal lover," I generally do not allow anyone in my house who is not an animal lover, but Zeke went wild over him the entire time he was here. Emma and Aristophanes (with whom I am always cautious around strangers) liked him too and Tzipi as well, who is actually my cousin, but Zeke was unbelievable in his attention and affections. See their picture, together, in this issue.
Jackie and I went to the PAWS sanctuary in San Andreas, California for a "Meet the Elephants Weekend". We met 9 elephants and 39 tigers, all of which had been rescued from horrible living situations. We had gone there 1 1/2 years ago with our good friend (and club member) Judy Braun. It is a wonderful place for these animals where they can live out the rest of their lives in peace. They have very spacious enclosures where they can roam at will and are very well cared for. I had gone there to specifically see 2 male elephants who, years before as babies, were torn from their mothers and trained to perform in Ringling Brother's Circus with the usual beatings and cruelty. Then, when they were reaching adulthood, they were taken off the show and put in terribly small areas to live by themselves with no stimulation, no company and had virtually no life. Now, everything has changed for them and hopefully they will live a much happier and more comfortable existence. One of them, named Sabu, has problems with his legs which causees great pain and the person from the circus, who brought him, told the people at PAWS that they controlled his movement by denying him the pain medication he needed (huge doses of ibuprofen) when they did not want him to be able to walk too much. Something to think about before going to the circus again.
I sit here and watch Emma, my yellow nape, and Simon, my cat, chase each other on the floor as they play their own version of Hide and Seek, truly adorable. Aristophanes likes that cat too, but Simon tends to keep his distance because getting bitten by a macaw, who likes to control, hurts. Of course, I watch Simon very carefully when Zeke is out and flying around the house. Rosey, my other cat, never bothers anybody.
Presenting our guest speaker tonight, Leslie Wallace, makes me very happy because Lola, her greater sulphur crested cockatoo, belongs to one of my favorite bird species in the world. Australia had closed it's shores to the exportation of its avifauna, due to the usual wildlife rape by the pet industry, many years ago, so you rarely see them. They were the most common species of cockatoo seen in captivity when I was a child,. Her program, as usual, should be very interesting.
Next month is our 26th covered dish holiday party and penny social. It is so nice that we have been together for such a good long time and we are still happy and productive. Bring a great tasting main dish or dessert (or both) to share and the bird club will supply the drinks. Also, bring some good stuff for the penny social........not stuff you want to throw out or Matt will get stuck with it because he bids on everything.
Speaking of Matt, we send out sincere condolences at the loss of his mother last week. She was 90 years old.
We are presenting another bird education program at the Hebrew School of Temple Shalom in Monticello on November 17th. Anyone who would like to be included in this program should please get in touch with me or with Amy Kristt, who has asked us to do that program.
People, be well and happy and have a great month. Our friend, Dr. Lonnie Kasman, is going to Costa Rica and will be presenting a program on what he sees there in February 2012.
Love,
Richie and Fritha