tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91042768175338558322024-03-16T11:19:51.118-07:00Einstein the Talking Texan Parrot BlogI'm Einstein, a Congo African Grey Parrot. This blog is all about me and my life in Texas with my humans, Jeff and Marcia. I love to talk and I hope you enjoy my antics!!!Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-9755614795994858122020-12-05T16:53:00.004-08:002024-01-19T14:37:51.011-08:00Yes, I'm a Feather Picker<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhyO5N-Lr6NfFzS9aL8ehl8BqFqzcAuDD91oBSHuFHn0LlGK8FZOF9KVBJ6evNCO0KutVL1s8Wkp3YPxSfoDSGSGYetNjboCAq-cxL7LCS4vZtU3U0_kgIw6OdTq1Z5xFMrviyBtI8Z8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhyO5N-Lr6NfFzS9aL8ehl8BqFqzcAuDD91oBSHuFHn0LlGK8FZOF9KVBJ6evNCO0KutVL1s8Wkp3YPxSfoDSGSGYetNjboCAq-cxL7LCS4vZtU3U0_kgIw6OdTq1Z5xFMrviyBtI8Z8/" width="186" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This post is written to answer questions and concerns regarding Einstein's feather picking issue and is not intended to address or diagnose feather destructive behavior in other parrots. If your parrot is having feather issues, please consult with a certified avian veterinarian to first rule out any physical causes. </p><p>Thank you for your concern. Feather picking is not uncommon for African grey parrots and other parrots as well. The reasons they pick are not fully understood. It is an issue that has never been scientifically researched and at best has only been hypothesized. </p><p>Some of the hypothesized reasons cited as causes for feather picking are:</p><p>1. Disease - Let me assure you Einstein is not sick. He has regular annual visits to a certified avian veterinarian. A complete examination with complete blood work is performed each year. In April of 2023 we had a CT scan performed. The results were excelent. No indications of arteriosclerosis or arthritis. </p><p>2. Poor diet - Einstein has always been fed a wholesome, organic diet of fresh vegetables, cooked whole grain, and beans in addition to a pelleted avian diet.</p><p>3. Abuse or neglect - We've had Einstein since he was 3 months old and he has never been abused or neglected.</p><p>4. Boredom and/or stress - Einstein is kept entertained with new and fun toys. We never force him to do anything he doesn't want to do and have trained him using positive reinforcement methods. He is allowed a lot of time out of the cage when we are home. He is allowed to play with toys, talk, or just "hang out" with us. He gets fresh air and sunshine on his screened-in porch when the weather is good and has access to full-spectrum lighting. Also, we give him regular aloe water showers.</p><p>5. Habit - Our avian vet believes Einstein feather picking is a habit. Einstein has been doing this for a very long time. To my memory, it started in 1999 with picking the downy feathers only at night. For the first 10 years, it would be seasonal. He would only do it in the spring, sometimes in the winter. He would also change the location of picking on his body from year to year. There was a time when his back was completely bald under his grey feathers. Then he allowed those downy feathers to grow back and he would pick under one wing. He would allow those to grow back. Then the next year, he would choose another place. </p><p>Einstein doesn't pull feathers that have grown out. The feathers molt naturally and he allows them to grow part way. He pinches the base of the new feather, cutting off the blood supply to the growing feather. Then he plucks them out. With each successive molt, he has not allowed any new feathers to re-emerge on his neck, chest, and the spot on top of his left-wing. He is also picking his wing pits and his left hip. What you see on his belly is the result of the damaged feather follicles. Those feathers will not grow back. There are still many viable grey feather follicles, but not enough for his belly to be fully feathered again. </p><p>The various veterinarians Einstein has seen have had no explanations as his exams wouldn't reveal anything physical. One vet told us that he would probably quit on his own. Sadly that never happened for an extended period. </p><p>Things we have tried:</p><p>A humidifier to increase room humidity, increase showers, installed UV lighting, increased his sleep time, played rain sounds for him at night, provide a night light, moved his cage to a new location, covered his cage at night, uncovered his cage at night and offered chamomile tea.</p><p>We've also allowed him to sleep on his play perch in the bedroom with us from time to time. He's very happy sleeping on his play perch. Sometimes, I will wake during the night and hear him picking. I'll walk to the bathroom as this interrupts him. On my way back to bed I stop and talk to him. (The last thing anyone should do is give attention to a parrot that is picking because the attention you give is also a positive reinforcer.) His body language would tell me that he wanted scratches from me, so I'd bring him to bed to "cuddle" with me. (I am wide awake and there is no danger of me falling back to sleep at this point with him in bed with me.) He perches on my knee, while I sit up in bed. Then, after a while, I put him back on his perch to go back to sleep. I'd wake up the next morning only to find downy feathers and picked feathers. </p><p>We have tried 2 different Avian CBD oils. CannAvia and HempWell. Neither helped. My vet told me she had a cockatoo as a patient, whose owner gave large doses daily of CBD and it had no effect. The vet explained to me that there just aren’t known dosage requirements for parrots. Our thoughts about collars, cones, or sweaters are that they can cause too much stress. They should be used in extreme cases when the parrot is causing wounds. Drugs are also not recommended because it is a temporary fix, they begin again when taken off the drug.</p><p>We've been told, that parrots may get a release of endorphins when feather picking. Recently, we've learned that feather picking may be rooted in the early developmental stages of a young parrot. If they are not allowed to fledge properly or taken from the nest box too soon, particularly before their eyes have opened, they may be more prone to feather picking. Both of these theories have not been studied and verified. In 1997, when Einstein was hatched, his breeder did tell me she takes the babies from the nest box before their eyes open. This was standard practice at the time.</p><p>Thank you for taking the time to read this. We will never give up on this issue and hope that someday it will be resolved as more is learned about these amazing birds. Truth be told, they were never meant to live life in captivity and all we can do is love them, care for them, and protect them the best we can.</p><p>Marcia, Jeff, and Einstein (aka The Red-butt Chicken!)</p>Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-16760532101242928822017-06-14T17:08:00.000-07:002019-03-07T12:37:26.891-08:00Einstein Parrot's T-Shirts Benefitting Avian Rescue<div>
I’m a parrot that wants to make a difference for other parrots who are in parrot rescues and sanctuaries. I design and sell t-shirts and other gift items to benefit parrot rescue organizations.<br />
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In my stores below you can purchase shirts for men, women, and children. Many styles and colors to choose from. In addition, Redbubble and TeePublic have coffee mugs, phone covers and all kinds of nice gifts! They also ship internationally. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> Click to buy on <span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/einsteinparrot" target="_blank">Redbubble</a></span></span></b></div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-91024514870600312992016-11-19T16:43:00.001-08:002016-12-01T13:25:37.157-08:00Einstein Featured at the Cneai =<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>BALLADS OF THE BEASTS, VOICES OF THE ANIMAL WORLD IN AN EXHIBITION ON VINYL </b></span></div>
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<b>BY CLARA MEISTER</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 Rue du Bac, 78400 Chatou, France</span></div>
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Exhibit runs 11-05-2016 till 03–19-2017</div>
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I never thought the sounds of my Texan voice would grace the walls of a contemporary art museum in France! My voice, the animal sounds I make, are currently being featured in the Cneai= Museum near Paris France. A beautiful little museum by the Seine River. The exhibit is unique in that the walls are not covered with visual art as you might expect. Instead it is an exhibit of sound!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cKp8nLewKs/WDDwOviRuGI/AAAAAAAAS5M/5S-cpXAjUts60GgLsTgLDLukbqKQHx9YACK4B/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-19%2Bat%2B4.30.54%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU6WDeuftjM/WDRg_OcWlnI/AAAAAAAAS5s/UNoFFCjoHu8S_fYY-BF1_s8hPIvtI3JxACK4B/s1600/Museum.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Cneai Museum" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JU6WDeuftjM/WDRg_OcWlnI/AAAAAAAAS5s/UNoFFCjoHu8S_fYY-BF1_s8hPIvtI3JxACK4B/s320/Museum.jpg" title="Cneai Museum" width="320" /></a></div>
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Below is an explanation taken from the Cneai website.<br />
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With: Sarah Darwin, Einstein the Talking Texan Parrot, Cevdet Erek, Elise Florenty & Marcel Turkowsky, Krõõt Juurak and Alex Bailey, Louise Lawler, a recording of an Inuit song, Cia Rinne, Yann Sérandour and Samon Takahashi.<br />
The project of the German commissioner Clara Meister aims to introduce animal voice, a language we do not understand. The selected works are playing with human voices imitating animal sounds and animal voices. The human voice translates animal sounds to give them meaning and to express something beyond human language, which is facing its limits. With the voices of animals, we let go "outside" in the wild exhibit space.<br />
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This project is developed in an unusual format. It is not intended to take place exclusively in the CNEAI exhibition space, but in a sound space: it is a "registered exhibition" vinyl format. This follows the classical model of exhibition design: a floor plan defines an entry with a counter, followed by exhibition which showcases the works areas. The basic idea is to translate the format of the exhibition in a sound medium: an exhibition whose place is not space but time and the experience of listening.<br />
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The voice is invisible and yet it creates images. The voice is not a space object but yet need a space in which spread its acoustic vibrations. All these aspects are highlighted in the works for human and animal voices, whether they cry, laugh, sing or bark.<br />
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The project will be presented to CNEAI, National Center Edition Art Image Saturday, November 5, 2016 from 13:00. The LP is available for sale at: www.cneai.com/editions<br />
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<a href="http://www.cneai.com/evenement/workspace/documents/ballads_cover.pdf">http://www.cneai.com/evenement/workspace/documents/ballads_cover.pdf</a><br />
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What fun it would be to go to Paris to “hear” this exhibit! I worked with Clara Meister, the curator who contacted me and gathered my vocalizations to create this work of art. She was so nice to work with! She promised to send me a copy of the exhibit on vinyl. If you live in or near Paris, please go visit and tell me about it! I hope you enjoy it!</div>
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<b>Au revoir!</b></div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-55406992076233611092016-02-24T13:20:00.001-08:002016-12-01T13:26:36.139-08:00Good Morning Texas!On February 18, 2016 I was invited by <a href="http://bird-haven.org/" target="_blank">The Wings of Love Bird Haven</a> to appear with them on the morning TV show, Good Morning Texas! It was a wonderful and fun experience! The purpose of the segment was to tell folks about about The Haven and all the good parrot rescue work they do! The 5 minute segment can be viewed <a href="http://www.wfaa.com/mb/entertainment/television/programs/good-morning-texas/tropical-birds-rescued-by-the-wings-of-love-bird-haven/47175713" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Waiting in the Green Room at WFAA Studios in Dallas. Marcia with De and Lou and the birds from The Wings of Love. Hatch the Blue and Gold Macaw, Baby Girl the Umbrella Cockatoo, Max the Eclectus. Tessa the Myers Parrot was there too!<br />
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In the studio, I suffered from a case of “stage fright”, actually I was being polite, allowing the professionals do the talking. Max the Eclectus did most of the talking! He felt right at home with Carrie the host. It was indeed a Love Connection!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max ❤️ Carrie</td></tr>
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It often takes me time to get familiar with a new environment before I feel comfortable enough to talk. In the studio there were lots of big cameras, people moving quickly, loud sounds, bright lights! It was like a Big Party!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting set up in the studio</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting used to my new surroundings!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marcia comforted me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for my close up!</td></tr>
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Towards the end of the show, as I was perched for my close up. I said, "Talk to me" and several people ran over to put microphones up to me. They tried desperately to get me to talk. My shyness over took me again, it wasn't going to happen! <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8QN72W4pCXhNUFXTHVoeVpsLWs/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Watch these clips</a> from the show that didn't get included in the segment. Towards the end, you'll see the host commenting about it. (Sorry about the poor quality of the tape.) You'll also see the how much fun the hosts had with all the birds!<br />
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Being a flirt with Jane McGarry and Shannon Hart!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cydmEJZWNg/Vs4YOiK50wI/AAAAAAAASG0/Zvw5hGKOOfI/s1600/Larry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cydmEJZWNg/Vs4YOiK50wI/AAAAAAAASG0/Zvw5hGKOOfI/s320/Larry.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I liked Larry's head set!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C3XMzkYd468/Vs4Yp3r0nrI/AAAAAAAASHA/zvJWi8rLIO4/s1600/TheBirds.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C3XMzkYd468/Vs4Yp3r0nrI/AAAAAAAASHA/zvJWi8rLIO4/s320/TheBirds.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The STARS of the show! </b></h3>
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<b>Hatch</b> the Blue and Gold Macaw, <b>Carrie McClure</b> holding <b>Max</b> the Eclectus. <b>Lou</b> holding <b>Baby Girl</b> the Cockatoo, and <b>De</b> the director of <b>Wings of Love Bird Haven</b>.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9104276817533855832" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9104276817533855832" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-27048527048996105902015-10-28T14:49:00.000-07:002016-12-01T13:27:09.893-08:00I'm a Blessed Bird!<h2>
Blessing of the Animals!</h2>
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October 4th, 2015 was a very special day for me! I got to attend a Blessing of the Animals Service at an Episcopal Church! I had never been to church before so this was a new experience! Marcia and Jeff couldn't come because they had to go out of town to attend the wedding of my human cousin. </div>
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It was a beautiful afternoon with mild fall Texas weather, just perfect to go outside! I was taken to church by my good friends and bird sitters for the week end. They took really good care of me! If you'll notice, they even double secured my travel cage with strong zip ties! I'm very safe! I'm riding in style as we drove to church! They know how much I like care rides! Wheeeee!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0iIOZh9U1ls/VjEteHldP7I/AAAAAAAAPXs/77xpkNGRxzY/s1600/Ride%2Bto%2BChurch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0iIOZh9U1ls/VjEteHldP7I/AAAAAAAAPXs/77xpkNGRxzY/s320/Ride%2Bto%2BChurch2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When we arrived there were so many people with their furry companions! There were mostly dogs, a few cats, and even a hermit crab! Do you see me in the picture below! Yup! That's me in the cage!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4PQZ5uH2vKQ/VjEpSn0Y0zI/AAAAAAAAPW0/JriD5GIjkVc/s1600/BlessingAll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4PQZ5uH2vKQ/VjEpSn0Y0zI/AAAAAAAAPW0/JriD5GIjkVc/s640/BlessingAll.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There was only one other bird at the service. A cute little blue budgie. Here is a picture of him getting blessed too!</div>
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<b>Time for MY Blessing!</b></h3>
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Father Andrew, a very nice man, wore a white robe walked around to each of the animals and said a short prayer. I was pretty quiet the whole time. I did't say a word, but I did "beep" a lot!</div>
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I kept doing my imitation of the door security alarm over and over. It was my way of letting everyone know we were all safe! You can listen to the beep on this <a href="https://youtu.be/SOb5z3fWFm4?t=1647" target="_blank">video</a>.</div>
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It was a very fun outing! I enjoyed meeting so many nice people and making some furry friends!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oNMJxUNyKuM/VjEp4f-DKhI/AAAAAAAAPXc/YTwvmNLEaEA/s1600/Dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oNMJxUNyKuM/VjEp4f-DKhI/AAAAAAAAPXc/YTwvmNLEaEA/s640/Dogs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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St. Francis of Assisi lived in Italy in the 12th century. Everyone listened to St. Francis, including the animals. At times he found that no one listened to his preaching, however the birds always stayed and listened. Birds would fill the trees and completely surround him when he talked. They were intrigued by the power of his voice. They did not fly away! St. Francis is often illustrated as having a bird on his shoulder or holding a bird in his hand. Marcia has always displayed this picture of St. Francis next to my 3 month old chick picture on a shelf in our family room.<br />
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<br />Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-63266894515080451672015-01-09T15:45:00.000-08:002015-06-23T19:04:30.875-07:00Einstein's Sex Change!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I'm a Boy!</b></span></div>
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For 17 1/2 years, my humans "thought" I was a girl! They thought this because my very first veterinarian told them. He told them, my head shape was round, indicative to a female. Males are known to have more of a square shaped head. He said that my vent area also indicated I was a female. The fact that I am closely bonded to Jeff was another indication that I was a female. Marcia later read an <a href="http://www.africanqueenaviaries.com/sexinggreys.htm" target="_blank">article about feather coloration</a>. Since my tail feathers have a hint of grey and I have three bands of grey on the underside of my wings she was convinced I was female.</div>
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All these years it really didn't make a difference to my humans if I were a male or female, so they just never got me tested. I'm 17 going on 18! I've not laid an egg! That's a fact that might need to be explored! Don't you think? </div>
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Sexual maturity for an African Grey is about 6-7 years, although it can happen earlier, and I've heard of some producing their first egg in their 20's. So, my humans became concerned that the possibility of egg binding might be concerning enough to have me DNA sexed.</div>
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Worry no more! I'm a boy!</div>
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What should you take away from this story? Have your parrot DNA sexed! The earlier the better and don't rely on myths and unscientific observations.</div>
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I think this is very funny! :> It's going to take Marcia and Jeff years to wrap their heads around this revelation! I have a feeling they will continue to call me a "her" or a "she" around the house for a long time! </div>
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One thing is for sure... I'll always be a "GOOD GIRRRRRL!"</div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-52900701321724566072015-01-07T07:33:00.002-08:002015-01-07T07:33:34.676-08:00A New Year! A New Discovery!December 29th was a very pretty day in Texas. It was so pleasant that the humans packed me up for a road trip! I like to go for car rides! Weeeeee! It's always fun to go outside too!<br />
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We drove for an hour, then the car stopped. Marcia opened my car door, and Jeff carried me in the door. WAIT! NO! I don't like this place! Yup! It was a veterinarian's office! Totally unfamiliar to me, I've not been to this clinic. Marcia begins filling out the paperwork. I'm not sick! I'm perfectly fine! I want to go home!<br />
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Soon, a nice lady walks up wearing a white jacket and begins to talk to my humans and looks down at me in my carrier. Yikes! This lady in the white jacket is Dr. Osfosky! Dr. Osofsky is a Board Certified Avian Veterinarian and is the only Board Certified Avian Vet in the North Texas Area. I had never been to a bird vet with such credentials before! You see, a vet with the letters, "Dipl ABVP" means she made a choice to undergo a long and difficult process of additional studies and examination to become a specialist in avian care. It takes several additional years of study to receive this certification. OK, I'm impressed and I'm sure she is a swell doctor, but I still want to go home!<br />
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I get carried into a very small room and set my carrier on the table. There is still much talking going on. Lots of talking about a towel! I HATE the TOWEL! The doctor tells Jeff to hold me close to his chest, and she will quickly put a towel over me. Once in the towel she will hand him to a nice man named Alex. (Alex? I knew a parrot named Alex! This is NOT ALEX! Believe me, he had no feathers and he was not my friend!) All the while, I was growling that insidious growl I perform when I get upset with the kitchen rug. Once I was in Alex's hands, the towel disappeared! What? How nice! NO TOWEL! I soon stopped growling. I still didn't like the fact that Alex was holding me by the head and the feet, but I let the Dr. Osfosky examine me. I growled a few more times just to let them know I wasn't completely OK with the situation!<br />
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Before I knew it, the exam was over and they put me back on the table. I climbed to the top of my carrier where Marcia was quick to give me a nut. OK, All done, let's go home!<br />
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Little did I know that was the first part of the exam. They were letting me take a break. You see, they don't like to stress their patents out too much, so they do the exam in two parts!<br />
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OH! NOW, THEY WANT MY BLOOD! We do the whole procedure again, only this time Alex lays me down on the table on a soft towel. As the doctor draws the blood from my neck, Alex allows me to bite the towel. I appreciate that he felt I needed to take my aggression out on something! Honestly, it only took less than a minute and I was back on my feet, not hardly a feather ruffled and chomping on another nut! At last! All Done! Whew!<br />
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They will send this blood sample to a lab and have it examined. A complete blood count will be performed. They will also use the sample to check liver, kidney, and muscle enzymes; total protein and globulin levels; electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium) levels; blood sugar; calcium and phosphorus concentrations; and cholesterol.<br />
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This trip to the vet was hands down the best experience I ever had! I would go back in a minute! (Well... one minute, maybe a year from now!) Everyone there was just wonderful! In addition, I made a few new friends!<br />
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This is a picture of me saying goodbye to nice Dr. Osfosky. My foot is up, and I'm ready to go home! I know I look annoyed in this picture. I was a little, but the camera happened to take the picture when I was blinking.</div>
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Soon, I was home, I had a nice lunch and a little nap. A few days later the results of my blood test came back, and everything was normal except my triglycerides were just a tiny bit high. Thank Goodness I found that out! I was told that I need to cut back on my almond/nut eating. Very good advice for all of us! Marcia and Jeff included! :><br />
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I'm so glad my humans continued to search for an avian vet and discovered Dr. Osfosky. She and her staff really understand the needs of parrots and all that they require. I encourage all of you to discover an avian vet for your parrots. Even if you have to go on a road trip, it's important for your bird's health. There are some very good veterinarians who's practice include birds that are not avian certified, what is important is that you find one that you feel comfortable with and one that provides the best possible care and able to answer all your questions and concerns. Here is a <a href="http://www.avianeducationandresourcecenter.org/findvet.php" target="_blank">website</a> that will help you find one. Here is a <a href="http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-diet-and-health/bird-care/what-to-expect-from-your-avian-vet.aspx" target="_blank">website</a> that explains what you should expect when you visit an avian veterinarian, and what your avian vet expects from you.<br />
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If ever in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area and you need an Avian Veterinarian, I highly recommend the good people at <a href="http://carrolltonwestpet.com/" target="_blank">Carrollton West Pet Hospital</a>!</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: center;"><b>Oh! I nearly forgot! </b>I also requested a DNA blood test to determine my sex. FINALLY! I'll know if I'm a girl or a boy! (Actually, I already know... my poor humans do not! :> ) When I get the results I'll make the announcement! How Exciting!</span></div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-61586320495887117042014-12-24T15:03:00.003-08:002015-06-12T08:27:19.456-07:00Einstein's Parrot Cookies for Santa's Reindeeritemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Article"
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While preparing for Santa's visit this year, I decided to make a batch of these cookies for his Reindeer! They are very tasty and healthy too! I hope the Reindeer will like them, I know I will!<br />
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<b>Sweet Potato Almond Cookies </b><br />
(Use organic ingredients when possible)<br />
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Combine in a bowl and mix till smooth with an electric mixer.<br />
1 cup roasted sweet potato, cooled (you can also use canned pumpkin)<br />
1 mashed banana<br />
1 egg<br />
1/4 oil (I used a combination of Red Palm Oil and coconut oil)<br />
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In another bowl combine:<br />
2 cups of flour. (You can use all purpose flour, however, I used a mixture of Garbanzo bean flour, Spelt flour, Quinoa flour, and Kamut flour.)<br />
1 cup of “Add-ins”<br />
“Add-ins” can be anything you want to add. I used sunflower seed in the shell, millet, hemp seed, hemp hearts, chia seed, Quinoa flake, finely ground nuts, flax seed, sesame seed, shredded unsweetened coconut, ground pellets.<br />
1 tsp. cinnamon (or make them spicy and use cayenne!)<br />
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Add the sweet potato mixture to the dry ingredients with 3/4 cup of water. Mix well. Batter will be stiff. Scoop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet using a # 40 scoop (or about 2 Tablespoons). The cookies will not spread out, so you can place them close together on the cookie sheet. Top with a whole almond and push the almond down into the batter covering the almond partially.<br />
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Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Let cool. Store in refrigerator or freeze.<br />
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.<br />
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I got my inspiration for these cookies from a post I saw on a Facebook page called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheParrotsPantry/" target="_blank">The Parrot’s Pantry</a>. Lots of great ideas can be found there!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas! Merry Corn!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-22822753453303863992014-11-20T13:37:00.002-08:002015-01-02T16:27:12.201-08:00Einstein the Parrot Imitates Matthew McConaughey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px; text-align: start;">"Alright, Alright, Alrriiiggghht!</span><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px;">”</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">I caused quite a commotion this week with my </span></span>Matthew McConaughey impression! It all started on Thursday, November 13 when Marcia started receiving a bunch of emails from radio stations and TV networks. Everybody requesting permission to air my YouTube Video! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we watched the 2014 Academy Awards, Matthew McConaughey accepted his Best Actor Award for his performance in "Dallas Buyers Club." We were so proud and happy for our fellow Texan! In fact we were so happy that Jeff imitated his famous catchphrase <span style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: start;">"Alright, Alright, Alrriiiggghht!</span><span style="line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">” as Marcia and Jeff laughed out loud! I liked that they were happy and they kept repeating it over and over. The next day I started to say it just like they did. I've always knew how to say "Alright" as in this <a href="http://youtu.be/wMXS_y5q5GI" target="_blank">video</a>, but with a different inflection. However, with all the excitement and reinforcement, </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 25px; text-align: center;">it didn't take long for me to learn it the way Mr. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">McConaughey</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 25px; text-align: center;"> says it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This video laid dormant for about 8 months with little more than 30,000 views. Then BAM! All of a sudden it rose to over 500,000 in a just a few days! The next morning I was on all the national TV morning shows. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>FOX and Friends Saturday</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The week was topped off with a radio interview with Carol Off of The CBC Radio Show, "As It Happens". You can listen to it <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/features/2014/11/18/life-imitates-art-actor-matthew-mcconaughey-is-upstaged-by-a-parrot/" target="_blank">here</a>. (Click the "Listen" button under the picture of me perch on the red bowl.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">Mr. </span></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">McConaughey, I think you're "Pretty Cool!" I just want you to know I am very proud you received your Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! </span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: start;">"Alright, Alright, Alrriiiggghht!</span><span style="line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">”</span></span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">Update:</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">On New Years Day 2015, Good Morning America announced the winner of the 2014 Pop News Animal of the Year Award. The </span></span><span style="line-height: 25px;">competition was really stiff and very cute! Watch!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Continuation: The winner is announced in this clip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Awwww! It wasn't me, but Congratulations to the Winner!</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9104276817533855832" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9104276817533855832" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a></div>
<a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-68604790091644316082014-09-22T09:28:00.000-07:002014-09-22T10:02:58.774-07:00My Summer VacationAhhhh! The last day of Summer! Cool fall weather is finally making it to Texas! It's time I tell you all what I did this summer! My humans took 2 trips, one to Chicago and one to Southern California. The main reason for the trips was to attend weddings, but they also took a few additional days to get some sight seeing done.<br />
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They are often asked, what do you do with Einstein when you leave? I get to go on vacation too! I get packed up just like a kid going to camp! The cage gets loaded into the back of an SUV. My PVC play perch gets broken down and pilled into the other family car along with toys, food, and other things that I need. I perch in my travel cage while Marcia and Jeff drive the vehicles to the home of the bird sitter!<br />
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BIRD SITTERS ARE AWESOME!!! Anyone who allows me to invade their home for a weekend or a couple of weeks should get a medal of honor! My bird sitters are trained well in advance of my arrival. This includes many visits to their home, and even a few "overnighters" before my humans ever leave town. All their questions are answered and hours of instruction, and training is given. I am very grateful to all the bird sitters in my life both past, present, and future.<br />
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It is not easy to having a house guest like me. I'm messy, I talk a lot, and I need my SPACE.<br />
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and my STUFF!</div>
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I'm not allowed drawer time at my sitter’s house, and I try not to fly off my perch, but sometimes it happens! I also don't get many scratches or cuddles because it takes me a really long time to allow other humans to do that. That's OK, because I do get to perch on knees and that's just fine!</div>
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Now that I'm settled in, Marcia and Jeff can enjoy their vacation at last! I won't bore you with all their pictures and activities. Here are the activities they did that I thought were exciting!</div>
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The San Diego Zoo! </div>
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They where able to visit with the African Grey Parrot who lives there. It was fate that they got to see the parrot as there are many large aviaries. He could have been in any of them, and we are not easy to find! Just as Marcia was looking up into the trees, there he was! Chatting up a storm! They raced to the side of the aviary so they could get as close as they could, and here is a short video of the San Diego African Grey! He's a very pretty bird!</div>
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Another fun thing they did was the Rio 4D Experience. It’s a short movie filmed in 3D, but as you watch you feel the wind in your face, and fluttering near your feet. There is also a moment when you are poked in the back! This extra dimension this makes you feel as if you are a part of the movie! The movie is about Blu and Jewel (the last Macaws on earth) are captured and chased by an evil cockatoo named Nigel. Although Blu can’t fly, they work together to get free and help other birdies get free to. The movie is set in Rio de Janeiro, and it sends a strong message about preserving our rainforest and eliminating the parrot poaching that continues to be a problem around the world.</div>
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These 2 beautiful parrots were just outside the theater as you walked in to take your seat.</div>
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This Beautiful Toucan was just one of many beautiful birds Jeff photographed at the zoo.</div>
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<b>Beaches!</b></div>
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Marcia and Jeff went to many lovely beaches along the west coast. When they went to Pacific Beach, Marcia saw pretty parrot having a cocktail. She had to buy one to put in the backyard for me. I enjoy watching it spin as I perch in my screen porch. She bought it at a shop called <a href="http://www.swingsnthingspb.com/" target="_blank">Swings-n-Things</a>. A man by the name of Pig helped her to find the last one in stock. Thank You Pig!</div>
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Did I miss them? YES I DID! Did they miss me! YES THEY DID! </div>
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It's good for them to get away now and then. It's also good for me to get away and do something new and different too. I always know they will be back because they tell me, and I'm always happy to see them when they come home!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaY52beLWAmgO40dvWor706A6GcfpNWgqpciabxEHExDM6UQXTbp9QdxS-jZgAqEK1jVTDi3hUyaPXyG_Ub2NUjzxr5Tij0vN0vjVu1BwiZMZFQLzDF8beRT5xkVTjoss8dBOtRlz1Ig/s1600/FarmerEinstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaY52beLWAmgO40dvWor706A6GcfpNWgqpciabxEHExDM6UQXTbp9QdxS-jZgAqEK1jVTDi3hUyaPXyG_Ub2NUjzxr5Tij0vN0vjVu1BwiZMZFQLzDF8beRT5xkVTjoss8dBOtRlz1Ig/s1600/FarmerEinstein.jpg" height="320" width="274" /></a></div>
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I'm a Sorghum Farmer! Don't you just love this picture of me in a pair of overalls!<br />
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Actually, Marcia did most of the farming, but I'm enjoying the fruits of her labors! I enjoy nibbling on Sorghum as a treat in my cage. I don't eat much of it, it's just there for me to have a snack now and then.<br />
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Marcia used to purchase it on the internet from various parrot sites. It is sometimes called Mega Millet or Milo. My supply began to run low, and we could no longer find any! No one was selling it anymore! Marcia said, "We'll just have to grow our own!" Sorghum is a grain that grows very well in most areas of the world. Not only is sorghum the fifth most important cereal grown in the world, it also used as animal feed, to produce alcoholic beverages, made into sorghum syrup or molasses, and used as a biofuel. <br />
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It is also very nutritious! Sorghum is gluten free, with high levels of unsaturated fats, rich in protein, high in fiber, and contains minerals like phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. It also has more antioxidants than blueberries and pomegranates. I bet you didn't know Sorghum was so good! (Important Note: If you sprout for your birds, DO NOT sprout sorghum! It is safe when dry, but when sprouted it contains hydrogen cyanide.) </div>
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We decided to plant some in the herb garden in the back yard. We'll forgo the usual crop of basil this year to make room for the sorghum. This little patch of land was perfect because the soil was very good and organic. We've never used any chemicals or pesticides in this part of the garden.<br />
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Since I had eaten all the sorghum we had on hand, we didn't have any seed! We found some seed on eBay! Yes! eBay sells seed! Organic seed! No GMO's for me! It was very inexpensive and more seed than we needed for my small patch of land. </div>
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Let the planting begin! We planted in April. Soon, little sprouts began to emerge.<br />
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The plants grew and grew!</div>
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Little seed heads began to form!</div>
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This is the yummy part after it grows and matures.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XqjZEidR1eE/VBDPifwwSuI/AAAAAAAAO_4/gtZKVAGky3w/s1600/babysorgum.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XqjZEidR1eE/VBDPifwwSuI/AAAAAAAAO_4/gtZKVAGky3w/s1600/babysorgum.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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In about 4 months, it looks like this.</div>
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Then, the BUGS Invaded! Yuck!</div>
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They are called <a href="http://texasinsects.tamu.edu/aimg65.html" target="_blank">Leaffooted Bugs</a> and they are disgusting!</div>
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(The orange bug is an immature Leaffooted Bug.)</div>
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These bugs like to suck the sap out of the tender grain kernel as it grows. Marcia got rid of them by spraying them with solution made with hot peppers. It didn't kill them, but they fell off the plant when sprayed, then she stepped on them. She did this nearly every morning for 4 weeks. Soon the bugs were gone!</div>
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Finally it was harvest time! She cut the seed heads off and allowed them to dry inside my screen porch for about 4 weeks. Then, she washed them and let them dry. </div>
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Soon, I will be nibbling my Sorghum treat again!</div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-69811349960627310442014-07-07T08:19:00.003-07:002014-08-30T20:17:49.544-07:00My Nut PouchI love my "Nut Pouch"! It's made of leather with a few almonds or other goodies tucked inside. Any kind of nut will work, but almonds are my favorite. I love to chew on leather and I took to this little foraging toy immediately. After I get the original treat out, it can be refilled because I've made the hole a little bigger. As you can see, this one is very worn out and time for a replacement.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_OJgnT5pBY/U6S7nTdMIRI/AAAAAAAAO8A/3kTSt9U6Ryk/s1600/nutpouchOld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_OJgnT5pBY/U6S7nTdMIRI/AAAAAAAAO8A/3kTSt9U6Ryk/s1600/nutpouchOld.jpg" height="286" width="320" /></a></div>
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Marcia bought something similar from a bird toy company years ago. As you can see the holes are pretty big and we wondered how "bird safe" the rivets are. "We'll make one!" is what Marcia said! We'll call it a "Nut Pouch." Here is the original pouch she bought. You can buy one <a href="http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5648+22064&pcatid=22064&r=1488" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pIdVCSdgXG0/U6S597sC89I/AAAAAAAAO70/0SkzL5amZxo/s1600/OrigNutPouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pIdVCSdgXG0/U6S597sC89I/AAAAAAAAO70/0SkzL5amZxo/s1600/OrigNutPouch.jpg" height="195" width="200" /></a></div>
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Supplies for a Nut Pouch</h3>
We have a store nearby that sell all kinds of leather and leather working tools. Here is the <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/home.aspx" target="_blank">online store</a>. Marcia bought a <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/9157-86.aspx" target="_blank">vegetable tanned hide</a> of leather. When making bird toys it's very important to buy only "vegetable tanned" leather. (Tanning is the term used for the process of cleaning leather to make it soft and pliable.) Other leathers are tanned with chemicals and are harmful to parrots.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lUyFaLAZdQM/U6S70XxB6JI/AAAAAAAAO8U/vSElhm8pxgg/s1600/HideNutPouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lUyFaLAZdQM/U6S70XxB6JI/AAAAAAAAO8U/vSElhm8pxgg/s1600/HideNutPouch.jpg" height="164" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">This hide will make dozens of nut pouches!</span></td></tr>
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You'll also need 1/8" leather lacing from a <a href="http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/product.cgi?group=6633&product=11535" target="_blank">bird toy company</a>. The 1/8" size and the rounded edges of this lacing slides through the holes really nicely when lacing.<br />
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She also bought two leather <a href="http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/3777-167.aspx" target="_blank">punches</a>, 1/8" punch and a 1/4" punch. She purchased a rubber mallet from the hardware store.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KhCboGGBJk0/U6S70u0uOdI/AAAAAAAAO8Y/8BAVj-PEXIk/s1600/ToolsNutPouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KhCboGGBJk0/U6S70u0uOdI/AAAAAAAAO8Y/8BAVj-PEXIk/s1600/ToolsNutPouch.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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A hard, solid table is perfect to work on because you do some very hard pounding when you punch the leather. A piece of wood placed on the table surface will protect the your table top and will keep your punches from getting dull.<br />
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Make your pattern</h3>
You can get as creative as you want, but keep the design simple. You will be lacing around it and you don't want it to have too many curved edges. I have a long one for my cage that gets filled up and lasts a long time. I once made a Texas shaped Nut Pouch for Bibi the Bird when she came for a visit. That was the fanciest one ever made! Einstein's favorite is the triangle shape.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_Cfi-OU5V0/U6T4z_UYaeI/AAAAAAAAO8w/ENd4_Rjeio8/s1600/nutpouchshapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_Cfi-OU5V0/U6T4z_UYaeI/AAAAAAAAO8w/ENd4_Rjeio8/s1600/nutpouchshapes.jpg" height="303" width="320" /></a></div>
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Draw your shape on a piece of paper, then cut it out. I've provided a pattern for the square and triangle shaped nut pouch <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8QN72W4pCXhcmJBV0hUZ3lucUE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UHdH9Gd1PfA/U6S70eWBWDI/AAAAAAAAO8Q/h7OHSHzzDgY/s1600/PatternNutPouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UHdH9Gd1PfA/U6S70eWBWDI/AAAAAAAAO8Q/h7OHSHzzDgY/s1600/PatternNutPouch.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></div>
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Transfer your shape to the leather. I like one edge to be folded. (One less edge to punch and lace.)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o2WUB-D4wYY/U6S709SnnWI/AAAAAAAAO8k/xZ2C7fCD1Lw/s1600/TraceNutPouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o2WUB-D4wYY/U6S709SnnWI/AAAAAAAAO8k/xZ2C7fCD1Lw/s1600/TraceNutPouch.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Cut out the shape with a pair of scissors.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EeopaubFkgg/U6T5ou1h97I/AAAAAAAAO84/-minScZLJwE/s1600/nutpouchcutout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EeopaubFkgg/U6T5ou1h97I/AAAAAAAAO84/-minScZLJwE/s1600/nutpouchcutout.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Take the shape, and moisten it with water. Pat it dry with a clean cloth. You want the leather moist, not dripping wet. Leather is easier to punch and work with when it is moist.<br />
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Here's a video that shows you how to punch and lace the nut pouch.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3RGojSmmwDE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Punch the holes</h4>
Use the 1/8" punch for the lacing holes and the 1/4" punch for the nut holes.<br />
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Lacing</h4>
Moisten the leather lacing just like you did the shape. (If you don't finish, just let the leather dry out and then remoisten when you come back to the project to finish later.)<br />
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Place the nuts in the center, and fold the leather over. Start lacing the sides. Sometimes a needle nose pliers comes in handy to grab and pull the leather lace through the holes.<br />
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Make a knot at each end. Sometimes Marcia strings little bead on the ends to make it fancy!<br />
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Let it dry, then enjoy your NewNut Pouch!<br />
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-19869066814842397102014-06-27T08:28:00.001-07:002014-08-30T20:21:18.098-07:00Company on the Porch!Last summer the back porch was screened in so I would have a place to get fresh air and sunshine. You can read about it <a href="http://einsteinparrot.blogspot.com/2013/06/einsteins-sweet-16-birdhouse.html" target="_blank">here</a>. This summer, we have been busy decorating the porch!<br />
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While it is a nice place to perch, the humans need a place to perch too! There are a couple of white plastic chairs on the porch that we've had for years. They just needed a little something to make them more suitable for the space. I think these are a wonderful addition to my porch!<br />
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<b>LOOKS LIKE I HAVE COMPANY!</b></h2>
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Not only do the chairs look better, they are more comfortable too! As a bonus, they look like ME! Marcia was inspired to make chair covers from a picture she saw on the internet. That chair had been painted. Marcia's not handy with paint, but she can make almost anything out of fabric. She searched and searched for a suitable pattern and found one on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/74345004/slipcover-pattern-outdoor-resin-chair" target="_blank">Etsy</a>. </div>
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I was more than happy to be the model for the design on the chairs. She used machine appliqué to make the design out of various pieces of fabric.</div>
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I like the end result! I'm giving it a final inspection.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPINIoYC2s8/U6HW4ccdA4I/AAAAAAAAO5s/Q0s6noktTro/s1600/Inspection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPINIoYC2s8/U6HW4ccdA4I/AAAAAAAAO5s/Q0s6noktTro/s1600/Inspection.jpg" height="259" width="320" /></a></div>
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Marcia also thought it would be nice to have something on the wall too. She has a friend named Angie who makes beautiful jewelry out of pretty stones and wire. In fact, her business name is <a href="http://www.allthingsangie.com/" target="_blank">Weirdly Wired Jewelry</a>. Angie can be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/weirdlywiredjewelry?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> too! Marcia commissioned her make this copper wire design for me, and then Jeff mounted it on a piece of old wood. I just LOVE IT! Thank you Angie!</div>
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My play area is growing too!</h3>
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It takes me a little more time to get used to new things. I enjoy perching on my play perch, and I do have a boing and a swing that hangs from the ceiling.</div>
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As time goes on, I'll have more perches and toys hung. There is even talk of a shelf! Oh! That sounds like fun! I have been told not to get my hopes up for a drawer. <b>That will not happen!</b>Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-31868119101676718972014-06-16T14:57:00.001-07:002015-07-20T10:32:34.862-07:00Sprouting Sprouts!<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Einstein loves sprouts and there is always something sprouting in the kitchen! Sprouts are very nutritious and all birds seem to love them! Th</span>ere are many websites and tutorials on sprouting. In this post, I'll share how I sprout for Einstein. This is the process that works best for us.<br />
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I purchased an "<a href="http://sproutpeople.org/easy-sprout-sprouter/" target="_blank">Easy Sprouter</a>." (Actually I bought two of them, for reasons I'll explain later in the post.) It is a handy container that drains the sprouting seed and allows enough air to get to the sprouts without spoiling them. To sprout properly, seeds need the right amount of air circulation and moisture. Too much water and the seeds get soggy and don't sprout. Too little water and the seeds don't sprout. Not enough air circulation and the seeds spoil or get moldy. Too much air circulation and the seeds dry out and don't sprout. The Easy Sprouter takes the guess work out of that in an easy and convenient way.<br />
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The Easy Sprouter comes with six pieces. (I use 4 of the 6, I don't use the small seed sprouted or the dome lid.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom of the inner Container</td></tr>
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The seeds you select for sprouting should be as fresh as possible and organic. <br />
The sprout mix is called Avian FRESH Diet-Psittacine from <a href="https://www.chinaprairie.com/" target="_blank">China China Prairie Products</a>. This mix contains Hulled Sunflower Seed, Whole Yellow Corn, Whole Oat, Brown Rice, Hi Pro Wheat Berry, Whole Green Pea, Garbanzo, Mung Bean, Buckwheat, Millet, Fenugreek, Pumpkin Seed, Sesame Seed, Quinoa, Radish Seed, Mustard Seed, Red Clover Seed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">China Prairie Sprouts</td></tr>
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Place<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> about 1/8 to 1/4 cup of the mix into the inner container of the Easy Sprouter. Rinse the sprouts under running water. Put the inner container with the wet seeds inside the outer container and fill with enough water to cover the seeds about 2 inches. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Cover the Easy Sprouter with the solid lid. Let stand at room temperature for a 6-8 hour soak.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Uncover, drain, and rinse the sprouts under cool water and discard the soaking water. As you rinse the sprouts, shake and spin the seeds in the drainer part of the Easy Sprouter. Then place the drainer back inside the Sprouter container allowing it to rest on the upper ridge of the Easy Sprouter container. This enables the proper air circulation. Place the vented lid on top of the Sprouter and let it sit at room temperature for 16 -24 hours. Watch the video for a demonstration of how to rinse and spin the sprouts.</span><br />
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How long the sprouts take to sprout depends on the room temperature and moisture. I find that the sprouts take a little longer in the winter when the room temperature is a little cooler than in the summer. I also repeat the rinse and spin procedure again after the first 8 hours.<br />
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You may rinse the sprouts with Organic Apple Cider vinegar as added protection to prevent bacteria growth. To do this, put a tablespoon of organic Apple Cider vinegar in the final rinse water. I usually don't find this necessary, as I rinse the sprouts each time before feeding them. I also smell the sprouts to check for spoilage. Sprouts that smell "nutty" are fresh and healthy. Sprouts that have spoiled will smell sour and will be slimy or moldy. You'll be able to notice the smell of spoiled sprouts!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprout "tails" about 1/8" - 1/4" long</td></tr>
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After about 16 hours, little tails will appear on the seeds. The tails should be about an 1/8" to 1/4" long. This is when they are ready to feed and at their peak of nutritional value. I add about a tablespoon to Einstein's <a href="http://www.einsteinparrot.com/kitchen/recipes/breakfastmash/" target="_blank">breakfast mash</a> and/or her <a href="http://www.einsteinparrot.com/kitchen/recipes/veggiechop/" target="_blank">veggie chop</a>.<br />
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I don't allow the sprouts to sit out and continue to grow at room temperature. I snap the flat lid back on the container with the inner container holding the sprouts, and place it in the refrigerator. They will still grow a little bit, even under refrigeration.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o6v2vnFpDGc/U59gZVmfZGI/AAAAAAAAO4o/m6hQRgX6joY/s1600/sproutFridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o6v2vnFpDGc/U59gZVmfZGI/AAAAAAAAO4o/m6hQRgX6joY/s1600/sproutFridge.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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Each time I use the sprouts I repeat the rinse/spin again just to safeguard the possibility of any bacteria growth.<br />
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When I see I'm running low I'll start another batch in the second Easy Sprouter that I have on hand. That way I always have a continuous supply of fresh and healthy sprouts!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4cMviEfQGO0/U59iTMFmIsI/AAAAAAAAO40/szm0jaYrcCw/s1600/Beakfood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4cMviEfQGO0/U59iTMFmIsI/AAAAAAAAO40/szm0jaYrcCw/s1600/Beakfood.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I am not in any way affiliated with the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned in this post, nor have I received compensation from them.</span></i><br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D9104276817533855832%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-eo2u4V8Lb0o%2FU59ejtqBFTI%2FAAAAAAAAO4U%2FMCEHXBfFhVg%2Fs1600%2FSproutBottom.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=NJL43ecTgqzX&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 542px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D9104276817533855832%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-eo2u4V8Lb0o%2FU59ejtqBFTI%2FAAAAAAAAO4U%2FMCEHXBfFhVg%2Fs1600%2FSproutBottom.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=NJL43ecTgqzX&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 542px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-42310425578438673872014-06-13T14:05:00.001-07:002014-08-31T13:38:58.580-07:00It's been a long time....<div style="font-size: 16px;">
I apologize, it's been a year since my last post. Time does fly by these days! Several things occupied my time. Most of last year was spent rewriting and updating my <a href="http://www.einsteinparrot.com/"><span style="color: #042eee;">website</span></a>. It was overdue for an update, and I hope you like the new design!</div>
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<b>From This:</b></div>
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<b>To This:</b></div>
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You'll find all the same information that was on the old site, just more detailed. For example, when you click on the video tab, instead of having all my videos listed with links, I've written back stories and information that you might find useful and entertaining. Marcia often gets asked questions like, "How do you train Einstein?" Soon, I will be sharing more details about that! (And how I train her! Ha! :> ) Some things I write will be for fun, and some things will be informative, and you will still be able to find all my videos on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/einsteinparrot"><span style="color: #042eee;">YouTube</span></a>!</div>
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As many of you know, the back porch was screened in so I would have a place to get fresh air and sunshine. It has taken time for me to get used to my new area, and I really enjoy it on pretty days.</div>
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I have many ideas for new blog posts and I will continue to do videos. As you can see, I'm a very busy birdie these days! I better stop playing around and get to work!</div>
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Pecks! :></div>
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Einstein</div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-50850258453757542252013-06-15T10:52:00.002-07:002020-07-23T13:55:52.864-07:00Einstein's Sweet 16 BirdhouseThis is my back porch. It's small. 4 1/2 feet wide by 28 feet long. It gets morning sun and afternoon shade. The humans hardly ever use it because it's just too small. The view of the back fence is not much to look at either. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>and Narrow! </b></td></tr>
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One day Marcia mentioned to Jeff that she would love a screened in porch for ME! Someplace to hang out, get fresh air, and some sunshine. It would also be nice not have to worry about mosquitoes. Jeff said, "Well, let's screen our back porch in! WOW!!!!! What a perfect Sweet 16 Hatchday present!!!<br />
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<b>HAPPY HATCHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!!!</b></div>
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After a few months, Marcia finally found someone to build my "Bird House"! The men with lots of tools came and there was a lot of banging, hammering, and loud sawing going on in the backyard. I was not allowed to supervise this project. It was too dangerous, so I watched from inside.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1S1h0Z2anUA/UbiXUQixLDI/AAAAAAAAOCA/eUq3HfFaD1w/s1600/watching.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1S1h0Z2anUA/UbiXUQixLDI/AAAAAAAAOCA/eUq3HfFaD1w/s320/watching.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>If they only knew how badly I wanted to help!</b></td></tr>
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The building continued for a couple of days...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wall is going up!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PEEFXGK1tcU/UbibMxs2TnI/AAAAAAAAOCs/u6aDtzD6SWY/s1600/needpaint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PEEFXGK1tcU/UbibMxs2TnI/AAAAAAAAOCs/u6aDtzD6SWY/s1600/needpaint.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Needs Paint!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BQl3HM4kk3A/UbibM3fzBoI/AAAAAAAAOCo/sdrWQ-9DSkE/s1600/Inside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BQl3HM4kk3A/UbibM3fzBoI/AAAAAAAAOCo/sdrWQ-9DSkE/s1600/Inside.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Inside View. Big enough for me!</b></td></tr>
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After a few days I began to worry. Don't you think I need some furniture to go in this new house? Something to perch on? Come on! I mean REALLY! You expect me to stand on a concrete floor!</div>
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One day a BIG TRUCK arrived and delivered 2 BIG Boxes! Just LOOK at what was in those boxes!!!!! OH! MY GOSH!!!!!!</div>
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It's called a Java Tree Perch! It's really BIG! It's about 5 feet tall and 3 1/2 feet wide. It has a lot of nice horizontal branches that are just the right size for my feet to get a good grip. </div>
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Marcia ordered this from <a href="http://theplatinumparrot.com/" target="_blank">The Platinum Parrot</a>. Lisa is the owner and she went to the distributor's warehouse and "handpicked" this perch just for me!!!!! The toy you see hanging on it was a Hatchday gift from her! Thank you so much Lisa! I am a very Happy Birdie!!!!! </div>
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There are not a lot of toys on it right now. But there will be, I have plenty of time to decorate it the way I want!</div>
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The screens arrived and got installed. They are made of a heavy duty screen material called <a href="https://www.phifer.com/product/petscreen/" target="_blank">PetScreen</a>. It is very strong and will keep insects and animals out, but will allow the wonderful UV rays to come through. I won't be in my Bird House all of the time, just during nice weather and to get fresh air and sunshine, but I need to be safe. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screened windows 37" wide by 55" tall</td></tr>
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<b>UH! OH!</b></div>
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Do construction projects always go perfectly smoothly? Every thing was going along great.... THEN it happened!</div>
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<b>We have a problem with the door!</b> </div>
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Do you know the difference between a right-handed door and a left-handed door? Marcia didn't! She explained to the salesperson what she wanted and which way she wanted the door to open. The salesperson said we needed a righthand door. That's what she ordered. <b>WRONG!!!!!</b> We got the door, (which, by the way, was a special order) and it didn't open the way we wanted. The door was put back in the box and taken back to the store. The people at the store where very nice and allowed Marcia to return the door and order a new one. The only problem is that we have to wait 2 weeks for the <b>correct</b> left-handed door to be made and delivered. </div>
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In the meantime, there is this lovely piece of plywood attached to the opening. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QACzBpPjSAo/Ubi1W5Y1kvI/AAAAAAAAODc/KeUJ5whPpy0/s1600/tempdoor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QACzBpPjSAo/Ubi1W5Y1kvI/AAAAAAAAODc/KeUJ5whPpy0/s1600/tempdoor.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b> The Temporary Plywood "Door"</b></td></tr>
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Update: Today my door was installed! All done!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Door installed! Looks pretty good!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Watch the Video!</b></span><br />
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by Einstein Parrot</div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-15964833435784288692012-11-28T13:25:00.002-08:002014-08-31T13:39:49.894-07:00Einstein Reviews the Purina Garden Recipe Bird Diet<br />
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Purina has recently come out with a new line of parrot/bird food. They sent me a PetSmart gift card to pick up a bag of the Parrot and Large Conure Mix and asked me to write a review. </div>
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There are 4 different mixes in the line. </div>
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Canary and Finch</div>
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Cockatiel and Lovebird</div>
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Parakeet</div>
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Parrots and Large Conure</div>
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Marcia had a hard time finding it on the shelf. She had to look at a picture of the bag on her cell phone to identify the product on the shelf. The sales person couldn't find it either and didn't even know it was new. The 4 pound bag of food cost $18.39, including sales tax.</div>
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She brought it home and opened it up. Inside the bag was sunflower seeds, various pellets of different sizes, shapes, and colors and peanuts in the shell. She poured about a 1/2 cup into my bowl. I immediately began eating the seed and didn't stop. I ate every single seed, all the pretty little pellets were left in my bowl and I climb up on my perch to take a nap. </div>
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Getting me to eat a new pellet could take weeks, if not months. So, she was not surprised that I didn't eat them. I normally eat an organic pellet and the rest of my diet consist of fresh veggies, fruits, grains, and beans. You can find more info about my <a href="http://www.einsteinparrot.com/EinsteinRecipes.htm" target="_blank">diet here</a>. </div>
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Several things bothered Marcia in the list of ingredients. </div>
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1) The amount of seed. A small amount of seed in the diet is fine, but, this was just way too much and to convert a parrot to this diet from basically a whole food diet would be a step in the wrong direction.</div>
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2) The peanuts. Peanuts in the parrot diet is very controversial and lets just say, I am not a peanut fan and would much rather have an almond or a pecan.</div>
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3) These 3 ingredients:</div>
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Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product</div>
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Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract</div>
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Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product</div>
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From the research Marcia did, these ingredients are used in dog food. They are added to assist with digestion, they help simulate the natural bacterial and enzyme content in a dogs natural diet. Excuse me, I'm a parrot! I don't eat the same things that a dog would eat. Why would I need this in my diet?</div>
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4) Menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (source of vitamin K) - This ingredient is banned in human food. If humans can't eat it, I'm certainly not going to eat it! I get my Vitamin K from leafy greens like spinach, collards, and kale.</div>
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5) Color Added (FDC Yellow #5, Blue #1, Red 3#, Red #40, Yellow #6) - No thanks, I prefer NO artificial color.</div>
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Here is the list of ingredients in the mix:</div>
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Safflower, Red wheat, White millet, Red milo, Rolled corn, Oat groats, Black oil sunflower seeds, Black stripe sunflower seeds, Whole corn, Soybean meal, Shelled peanuts, Wheat middlings, Split green peas, Ground corn, Whole peanuts, Flax seed, Calcium carbonate, Dehydrated carrot, Chili peppers, Dehydrated banana chips, Buckwheat, Salt, Dicalcium phosphate, Coconut oil, Soybean oil, L-Lysine hydrochloride, Algae meal, Potato protein, Ground oats, Wheat flour, dl-Methionine, Fructose, Ground raisins, Wheat germ, Dried egg product, Ground coconut, Ground dried papaya, Ground dried apricot, Ground dried banana, Ground dried sweet potato, Ground dried pineapple, Ground dried apple, Ground dried spinach, Ground dried broccoli, Ground dried carrots, Ground dates, Cane molasses, Choline chloride, Vitamin E supplement, Ascorbic acid (source of Vitamin C), Isoleucine, L-Threonine, L-Tryptophan, Biotin, Yucca schidigera extract, Zinc oxide, Manganous oxide, Calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, Niacin, Copper sulfate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Riboflavin supplement, Magnesium oxide, Ferrous sulfate, Vitamin D3 supplement, Beta carotene, Active dried yeast, Brewers dried yeast, Rosemary extract, Mixed tocopherols (a form of Vitamin E), Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Menadione bisodium sulfite complex (source of Vitamin K), Calcium iodate, Menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (source of vitamin K),Thiamine mononitrate, Citric acid, Sodium selenite, Zinc sulfate, Cobalt carbonate, Cobalt sulfate. Color Added (FDC Yellow #5, Blue #1, Red 3#, Red #40, Yellow #6).</div>
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You can read more about the product on the Purina <a href="http://www.purinasmallanimal.com/Birds/PurinaGardenRecipeBirdDiet-Parrot/default.aspx" target="_blank">website</a>.</div>
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If your parrot is currently on an all seed diet, I highly recommend you convert to an organic pellet and supplement with a whole foods diet rather than a pelleted diet full of seed. </div>
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Rated: 2 Toes Down</div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Disclosure: I received a free gift card from Purina to try their new Purina® Garden Recipe® bird food and treats. All opinions given are my own.</span></i></div>
Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-43336581784307399152012-11-12T10:08:00.002-08:002014-08-31T13:40:03.897-07:00Bibi the Bird Visits EinsteinA very special visitor stopped by the nest for a little visit!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bibi the Bird!</span></b></div>
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I was so excited! Bibi is a friend who lives with humans Greg and Kelly in Illinois. That's a long way from Texas! I found Bibi on the internet a long time ago when I started watching her web cam. See for yourself! You can visit Bibi <a href="http://www.bibisteps.com/" target="_blank">Here</a>!<br />
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Not long ago Bibi and her humans decided it would be fun to take a Road Trip across the USA! They did a fundraiser on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1174569575/road-trip-with-bibi-the-african-grey-parrot?ref=card" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a>, bought an RV, loaded it up with a cage and perch and headed out for fun and adventure!<br />
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Bibi and I have a lot in common. We are both African Grey Parrots and we love to talk and entertain humans!!! Just like me, you can find Bibi on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bibi.the.Bird" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/WatchTheBird" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/AnimalSites?feature=watch" target="_blank">YouTube</a>!<br />
We had some Texas Bar-B-Q for lunch. We both had chicken! Yum! and we had lots of Berries too! Nutriberries!<br />
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We got along very well and had a lot to talk about. I'm on my white perch and Bibi is on her purple perch. Camera's were perched EVERYWHERE! Can you count how many cameras are in the room? <span style="font-size: x-small;">1</span>, 2, <b>3</b>, <b><span style="font-size: large;">4</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">!</span><br />
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We engaged in a lot of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_play" target="_blank">"Parallel Play"</a>! This is what human children do at the age of about 2-3 years old. We observed each other and was aware of what the other was doing, but didn't we didn't play with one another. We played independently! I played with my bell and Bibi ate and played with a toy. We were good Birds!<br />
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After lunch we relaxed and watched the the Life with Alex DVD. Alex was our hero and our inspiration. We miss Alex and this is a lovely movie about him. <a href="http://lifewithalexmovie.com/" target="_blank">Go here</a> for more information and to purchase the DVD.<br />
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I really enjoyed Bibi's visit and I hope she comes to visit again! Watch this video and see how much fun we had together!<br />
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BayqSfUU_04/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BayqSfUU_04?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BayqSfUU_04?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Safe Travels Bibi! "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!"<br />
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com2Cherri St, Winters, TX 79567, USA31.9685988 -99.901813125.1336048 -110.0092351 38.8035928 -89.7943911tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-61561384750055644562012-11-07T13:42:00.000-08:002019-10-26T13:24:24.237-07:00Show business? or Monkey Business?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recently I received an email from a reality TV show! They wanted to talk about me being on their show! A cooking competition reality show! OK! I'll bite! </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7obLSCSj7RA/UJV9eGKcW1I/AAAAAAAAMc4/yNfEdapKMRU/s1600/quinoabeard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7obLSCSj7RA/UJV9eGKcW1I/AAAAAAAAMc4/yNfEdapKMRU/s320/quinoabeard.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marcia gave them a call. She spoke with one of the producers of the show. They had watched my video on YouTube of Marcia and me in the kitchen making a salad and thought it was very good.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Za0n6Ouwhfk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marcia had never watched this reality cooking show, named MasterChef, but she had heard of it. They discussed the idea<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"> of a "home video" of us in the kitchen. Something to incorporate into the regular show. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They wanted Marcia to come to Dallas for an interview and talk some more!</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marcia loves food and loves to cook! AND they were interest in ME! What a perfect opportunity to talk about parrot nutrition, cooking for parrots, and parrot safety in the kitchen! (i.e. Teflon fumes, etc.) She was being invited to an open call audition with VIP status! WOW! Let's Goooo! Weeeeeeee!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marcia was required to bring a dish that best represented us. She prepared a Quinoa and Apple Salad with Curry Dressing. It's sweet, nutty, and a little spicy! Just like us! Perfect!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Quinoa and Apple Salad with Curry Dressing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Recipe adapted from </span><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/314107/quinoa-and-apple-salad-with-curry-dressi" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 cup white or red quinoa, cooked according to package. Let cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Add the following:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped (may substitute any favorite nut, or hulled pumpkin seed or sunflower seed).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 T. dried currants or raisins.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 small apple, sliced into 1/8" wedges.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup mint or arugula leaves, coarsely chopped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the dressing, combine:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 T. finely chopped shallot</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 tsp. curry powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 T. lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fresh ground pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whisk in 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Toss into Quinoa mixture and stir.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taste Tested and Approved!<br />
Served on a Wing Plate!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Off to Dallas! </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marcia arrived, salad packed and with an 11-page application in hand. She plated her dish along with about 40 other applicants all competing to get on the show. A couple of people walked around the room tasting the dishes and asking questions. The two people who talked with Marcia seemed to be more interested in ME, than Marcia's cooking. Then the interviewers made their decision. Marcia and only 4 other people were asked to stay and have a second interview! Everyone else in the room was sent home. WOW! YAY! Great Job Marcia!!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Second Interview</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marcia had to stand in front of 2 more interviewers and answer questions about food, and more questions about me were asked! Questions like, "What kind of food do you like to cook?" "Does Einstein always cook with you?" "Does Einstein learn words easily?" "What is your style of cooking?" "What does Einstein say?" "What does Einstein say about your cooking?" She was dismissed and was told to wait for a decision in the hallway. The interviewer entered and told Marcia to come back the next day for an "on camera" interview! At this point, Marcia became very curious and decided to play along. Yes! She will do the camera interview!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Lights! Camera!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The on-camera interview went well. Marcia was asked some food and cooking questions, and A Lot More questions about ME!!! They told her she did a great job and were interested in her doing the next assignment. They gave Marcia instructions to do the "home video".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BINGO! Great, she thought! Finally getting down to business! But then... were we? It seems this was just another part of the "casting" process. Others who came that day for camera interviews were given the same assignment. Marcia was excited but confused? Something didn't seem quite right. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This bothered her and she thought about it most of the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The next morning</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marcia and I decided to get on the internet and do some investigating. She found this show's website and discovered they had some of their episodes on YouTube. We began to watch. The first episode involved a lot of people preparing special dishes for a panel of judges. Based on how much the judges liked their food determined if they would move on to compete in the show that season.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we watched, it quickly became clear that there were some amazing people! Some of them cooked amazing dishes, some of them had amazingly inspirational stories, some of them had quirky and bazaar behaviors or "props".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mmmmmm, interesting we thought! Suddenly it all became very clear! They were interested in Marcia and me, but only as a gimmick! This is not what Marcia and I are about! It's bad enough that parrots are so misunderstood as companion animals. This doesn't represent who we ARE at ALL!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My mission statement</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"To entertain and bring joy, to foster the human-parrot bond, and to convey that parrots are deserving of immeasurable amounts of patience, nurturing, and companionship."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps the first part "to entertain and bring joy" is fitting, but at what expense? We decided that nothing of value would really come of this experience. We sent them a nice email thanking them for their time and gracefully took our bow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All in all, it was a fun and exciting experience, and one that reminded us of several life lessons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trust your gut and that little voice inside of you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To thy own self be true!</span></div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-86272059494430499632012-11-03T14:32:00.001-07:002014-08-31T13:40:40.266-07:00Bubba and the Sweet Pea<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bubba and the Sweet Pea is a children's book, written by </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Gladys Bourtros </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who lives in Australia. It is about her <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, named Bubba. Bubba was hatched with PBFD, (</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psittacine_beak_and_feather_disease" target="_blank">Psittacine beak and feather disease</a>). He was a beautiful little guy with a personality and a zest for life like you couldn't believe! In his 4 1/2 short years on this earth he took a wonderful journey and inspired his owner, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Gladys Bourtr</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">os </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">to write a book that will help so many.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WYLzD7qK86o/UJWHvT7I5EI/AAAAAAAAMdI/uDWtSwsaKos/s1600/bubbabook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WYLzD7qK86o/UJWHvT7I5EI/AAAAAAAAMdI/uDWtSwsaKos/s320/bubbabook.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Bubba, a beautiful and magnificent cockatoo, is the show’s star attraction! But something very strange is happening…Bubba is losing his feathers! With hope and courage, Bubba sets out on an unforgettable journey in search of Uriah the great Eagle, who has the power to grant any wish. All Bubba has to offer Uriah is a humble sweet pea.</i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Join Bubba on his amazing adventure in quest of his feathers, as he learns through his struggles and fears, what it means to be truly beautiful." </i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: right;">~From the <a href="http://gladysboutros.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Gladys </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">and Bubba battled this awful disease together. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">A disease that currently has no cure. Their story is not about PBFD, it is a story about inner beauty and the power it has. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">This book and its message can help children who are challenged with issues of self worth.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">With so much emphasis on outward appearance, our children are rarely taught the importance of self esteem and inner beauty! In addition, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to raise awareness and funds for further research of Beak and Feather Disease and hopefully a cure. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The book is illustrated beautifully by Andras Balogh. This book can be enjoyed by young and old alike, and the book makes a wonderful gift too! I just purchased a bunch to give as gifts to many of my young friends! You may order the book <a href="http://gladysboutros.com/store/" target="_blank">here</a>. Gladys can also be found on <a href="https://twitter.com/gladysboutros" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gladysboutros." target="_blank">Facebook</a>, send her a "Like",</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> and tell her Einstein sent you!</span></span></div>
<br />Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-196663362808656752012-10-09T14:42:00.001-07:002014-08-31T13:41:04.545-07:00A Review - Life with Alex, a memoir<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life with Alex is a 55 minute documentary about Alex, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"the parrot who changed how the world understands animal intelligence"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marcia, Jeff and I sat down together and watched the DVD other day. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2h5ty-OMXoY/UHSVVJpeeMI/AAAAAAAAMTQ/sWLI36JGb4M/s1600/WatchingAlex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2h5ty-OMXoY/UHSVVJpeeMI/AAAAAAAAMTQ/sWLI36JGb4M/s320/WatchingAlex.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arlene, the producer of the movie asked me to write a review and I was honored.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Have you ever wanted to spend a day with Alex? I sure did! Well, now it's possible, "Life with Alex, a memoir" will do just that! You will get to see how Alex starts his day, what he likes to eat, and interacting with Arlene and the students at the lab. My favorite part was a scene with Dr. Pepperberg and Griffin when Alex took on the role as teacher! You'll see Alex at play, as well as, at work. You will experience how he was the "BOSS" and he knew it too! He was a force to be reckoned with at times. The movie shows that Alex enjoyed his work and he enjoyed the people he worked with. You will witness the dedication and perseverance of Dr. Pepperberg and the joys of the victories they shared through the years as they gained acceptance in the scientific ranks. This movie is indeed a CELEBRATION of Alex's life!"</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After watching we all thought it would be a good idea to purchase another DVD and give it away!!! A raffle! All you need to do is go to my <a href="http://www.einsteinparrot.com/">website</a> and enter. We will have the raffle on December 1st, 2012. Just in time for the holidays! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you can't wait till then, just go to <a href="http://lifewithalexmovie.com/">LifeWithAlexMovie.com</a> and purchase one or two! These will make great holiday gifts for your parrot friends! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> movie will be donated to <a href="http://alexfoundation.org/">The Alex Foundation</a></span>Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-91629311219320188442012-08-14T12:07:00.000-07:002014-08-31T13:41:25.865-07:00Remembering an Old Friend<div style="text-align: left;">
Friends come and go out of your life. There is a poem I'm reminded of about friends.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Make new friends,</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>but keep the old.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>One is silver,</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>the other is gold.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Some friends </span><span style="background-color: white;">come into your life that you never really meet, but you immediately have a strong connection to them. That's the way if was with Alex, the African Grey. I never met Alex, but he had a solid influence in my life. He was a very smart parrot and although he is now <a href="http://einsteinparrot.blogspot.com/2007/09/alex-memorial.html" target="_blank">gone</a> from this earth, he still remains </span><b style="background-color: white;">Golden</b><span style="background-color: white;"> in my heart and in the hearts of others. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">September 7th 2012 will be the 5th Anniversary of his passing. To commemorate a DVD will be released.</span></div>
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<b>"Life with Alex: A Memoir" will be available for sale this fall at <a href="http://www.lifewithalexmovie.com/">www.LifeWithAlexMovie.com</a>.<br />A portion of the proceeds will be donated to <a href="http://alexfoundation.org/" target="_blank">The Alex Foundation</a>.</b></div>
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<b>If you are Facebook fan, please "Like" the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LifewithAlex" target="_blank">LifeWithAlex Page</a></b></div>
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-67699770211645184652012-06-02T13:50:00.001-07:002014-08-31T13:41:40.626-07:00It's Raining Tail Feathers!!!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thunderstorms don't scare me... until the other night! We've had a drought here in Texas and we've been with out thunder for a very long time. The other night we had a really LOUD clap of thunder and it literally scared the TAIL FEATHERS out of me!!! I was all comfy cozy in my cage with my cage cover on dreaming birdie dreams. Then WAMO! I thought I was a Goner! My instincts kicked in and I automatically released all but 3 of my tail feathers! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may not know this, but birds have a built in defense mechanism where we release our feathers when we feel threatened. Better for the predator to get a mouth full of feathers than get us! I lost 9 that night and molted 2 the previous week end. As a result the back of the bus has very few passengers! (If you know what I mean.) Oh, don't worry... the feathers will grow back! I am fine and acting perfectly normal. No other feathers are ruffled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/einsteintexanparrot" target="_blank">Facebook</a> friends have been so nice and supportive of me. Here are a few of the comments I have received:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Can I have your feathers? :) ♥</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Aw, you're cute with short hair. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Aww poor buttless birdy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Poor, poor E! Ask your humans for some knickers or coveralls!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They also asked some really good questions:</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you feather come back in does it itch or hurt. I guess what I'm trying to say is, is it uncomfortable?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good question! Last time this happened, I didn't like my tail stroked. Marcia pets me with a long stroke</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from head to tails with her hand cupped. When her hand got to the tail, I didn't like it and moved my tail</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">out of the way. My tail was sore. She will not be stroking my tail for a couple of months!</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does this affect your balance at all?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You would think it would affect my balance, but I still get around just as well as I did before. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can still fly-hop from my perch to the kitchen counter and to the table. I perch just fine, no problems!</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why is your cage so clean?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ha! My cage got cleaned the night before. This picture was taken first thing this morning. My morning bomb was done on my play perch. Also, if the humans are home I'm usually out of my cage, hence a neat and tidy cage, but BIG messes around the play perches!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has happened to me before. Once, in September 2010 I was in my cage sleeping and all was quiet. No thunderstorms that night. Can't tell you what scared me exactly, might have been a bad dream or it may of been a Gecko. They come into the house during the summer. They are tiny little guys and don't hurt anything but to eat an occasional spider they find here and there.</span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_House_Gecko">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_House_Gecko</a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning After: September 14, 2010 </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thinner, but still Pretty! September 2010</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Re-growth after 4 weeks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Re-growth after 6 1/2 weeks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, if you will excuse me... I have some feather making to do!</span></div>
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<br />Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-22208144409657431722011-11-27T19:51:00.000-08:002014-09-01T10:02:37.140-07:00The Drawer - Frequently Asked QuestionsMy drawer has become very popular these days. Ever since it made its appearance on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ78Xx-8vJ4" target="_blank">YouTube</a> in March of 2008 I've received a lot of questions and comments.<br />
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Marcia used to keep kitchen towels in it. When I decided this was my drawer she found a new place for the towels. Then came the toys. In the cabinet below she used to store boxes with Christmas dishes. I started chewing the boxes, so those dishes found a new place too. <br />
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A drawer in the kitchen might not be for every parrot. Some parrots would destroy a wooden drawer. For some reason I've never chewed hard wood. I prefer the softer woods and soft plastic. A lot of you ask the "poop" question. Well, I have never pooped on the drawer or in the drawer. I am always given "poop" breaks and taken off the drawer and put on my perch to take "care of business". <br />
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I would spend all day on the drawer if my humans would let me. But they don't. I am only allowed when they let me. The rest of the time I'm either in my cage or on a perch somewhere in the nest. I really enjoy talking on the drawer too. Visit my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/4zebird" target="_blank">YouTube movies</a> and take a look!<br />
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Many of you have asked, how do you keep the drawer open without it closing and squishing me! The answer is: Unigrass 6600 Drawer Slides. You can find them on the internet, hardware stores, even eBay! They are inexpensive too. They are installed on all the drawers in my nest.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_OBrM0kv-E/TtLo3JIFraI/AAAAAAAAMDM/zq5vGHHhJfE/s1600/drawer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_OBrM0kv-E/TtLo3JIFraI/AAAAAAAAMDM/zq5vGHHhJfE/s320/drawer1.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slide mounted on Drawer</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slide mounted in cabinet</td></tr>
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Here is a video showing how the slide works.<br />
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If you and your human decide that a kitchen drawer might be fun, please remember that safety and supervision must be kept in mind at all times. Please be aware of electrical cords and remove them from the area. Kitchens are not the safest places for parrots, so please be careful!Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9104276817533855832.post-23289903798293130222011-09-30T15:53:00.000-07:002014-08-31T13:49:40.131-07:00Einstein and the Great State Fair of Texas<div class="MsoNormal">
Today is Opening Day at the State Fair of Texas! If you’re planning to go, be sure and check out the Creative Arts Contests because a portrait of YOURS TRULY has won <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">FIRST PLACE</st1:address></st1:street>!!!</div>
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<st1:city w:st="on">Dallas</st1:city> has been home to the State Fair since 1886 and it is the largest state fair in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">United</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place> by annual attendance. People come from everywhere to just have a great time! I am so excited to be a part of this years fair, even if it is in a small way! </div>
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First, a little background information- Earlier in the year Jeff was talking to a friend at work and this friend mentioned his son is a talented young artist and is interested in drawing birds. He asked Jeff if he had any pictures of Einstein that his son could take a look at and possibly use to create a drawing. “We only have about a MILLION!!!”, Jeff said! Jeff took a few favorite pictures to work with him and one was chosen by Hunter, the young artist. Marcia knew nothing about this as Jeff wanted to surprise Marcia for her Birthday in June with the completed work. One day, Marcia had been working around the house when Hunter, his mom, and Jeff surprised Marcia with the completed masterpiece! WOW! What a surprise!</div>
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Marcia, Hunter, & Me<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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It was VERY GOOD! So good in fact, that Hunter’s art teacher thought it should be entered in the 2011 Texas State Fair!!! So off it went to be framed and judged as we waited and waited for a decision.</div>
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On September 4<sup>th</sup> we got the Good News!</div>
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Hunter’s drawing won <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">FIRST PLACE</st1:address></st1:street>!</div>
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Hunter, Thank You! for your Amazing Talent! </div>
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Jeff, Thank You! for giving Marcia one of the Best Birthday gifts EVER!!!!!!</div>
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Marcia and Jeff went to the State Fair to view the portrait on display, with the winning Blue Ribbon!<br />
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I'm so proud of Hunter and the good job he did! I learned to say "Blue Ribbon!"<br />
Watch the video!<br />
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Einstein Parrothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04095181319381542238noreply@blogger.com4