I vaguely remember why I began this blog. I was going to go to the Cincinnati Zoo to work as a “Guest Keeper” and I was writing about working at a zoo for my book in progress called you-know-what. (Yes, it’s called Parrot Nation.)

I was going to be gone for three weeks and I thought it would be a good idea to post photos and write about my time there. While I couldn’t accurately express the way I smelled, people did get the idea when I posted photos of stuff; like my work boots here:

Little by little, people began to catch on to “PN” and more people began to be aware of my ramblings about life with birds, life on the road, my total adoration of good food, and writing. They started reading about my recipe for “Chop:”

(Baignoire avec de la nourriture pour les perroquets)

They began reading my monthly rant “Memo to Parker and Pepper” in Bird Talk Magazine. In short, things began to pick up around here.  I began this blog not quite two years ago and it has since taken on a life of its own.

I am by no means an expert on blogging. (Is there such a thing? I suppose there is, these days there are experts on everything…) I just try to write about what in God’s name is going on in the world around me in a fun and interesting manner. The best and most interesting blogs I’ve found have been the honest ones, the ones that actually give you a peek into someone else’s world. My world happens to contain a lot of parrot poop on the floor and carrot bits on the walls. But readers understand this because they have their own worlds full of carrot-bit laden walls.  I think they visit because they can relate to my poopy floors and my occasional outbursts of “Parker! Get the flyin’ hell off of that chair!…Good bird!” But they are all very good birds when I make Chop:

The most common comment I’ve gotten on some of my posts have been in the vein of, “How did you know?” People who have birds can relate to my daily dilemmas and challenges. That’s easy to understand because we face the same ones every day. They have become my pep squad and my confidants. I feel better because I have come to realize I’m not the only one who has birds that climb on the furniture, wander around their home like they were taking a walk in the park, toss stuff onto the floor like they were throwing plates in a Greek Restaurant, (Opa!) and methodically chip at the woodwork.

Somehow, when you know you aren’t alone, it makes it better. Naturally, this knowledge doesn’t clean the poop off the floor, and you still have that woodwork that looks like a goat has been at it, but it just seems easier to take, don’t you think? I also sometimes feel as though I’m just sitting around the pool with you guys talking about stuff, even though you are all over the world, actually. This is a photo of my friends, Barbara and Nan. We were sitting down at the pool when it began raining. We stayed there. In the pouring rain. It was fun!

This is what it looked like in the street after this rainstorm:

I’ve been looking at what I’ve posted and some of the avenues I’ve been down.  I’ve branched out from where I began in 2008, and learned from the experience. Along the way, I’ve gotten so many suggestions, comments and emails on the content and I so appreciate your input. I just want to thank you all for helping me find some direction. I’ll try and work on the content to make sure it’s something that we can all find interesting. Or fun. Or really inane but very entertaining.

Recipes for your birds seem to be a hot item, so I will try to include more of them. And pictures. Don’t we all love pictures! Here’s a photo for you. These are some parrot toys I was washing:

Isn’t it an exciting life I lead? Thanks for stopping by…


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