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Here and There…Now and Then |
Angie and Solomon
Sadly this is six days late for International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Anyway, Solomon paid a visit to Angie’s kindergarten class today. They are learning about pets and how to take care of them. If I was going to help, it was either Solomon or a fish. He did very well. He didn’t freak out and no one got bit, which is good. After all the kids were gone Angie posed with him on her shoulder, which I thought was pretty brave. They look good together. Avast, me hearties!
Solomon
Solomon is a red-lored Amazon parrot (Amazona autumnalis). They are native from eastern Mexico south to Ecuador but Solomon is a California bird. From there, he flew up to Alaska (and boy were his wings tired). That’s where we got him, at the tender age of about 10 months. In January he turned 27. He’s not the friendliest bird you’ll ever meet but he can be nice if he chooses to. He wasn’t really very happy with my flash going off, though, so he’s looking a bit nervous in this picture. Pretty colors, though.
Solomon with Angie’s Kindergarten Class
Today, our bird Solomon visited Angie’s kindergarten class for the second time (the first time was on Septermber 25, 2012). This year we got a little bolder and the children each got to pet him on the head. He’s a little shy and you have to approach him in just the right way or he screeches at you, but they were all very good, being quiet and moving slowly. We also took a class picture with all the children, Angie, and Solomon.
Solomon and Cathy
Cathy took Solomon to the vet today to get his nails and beak trimmed. If having your toenails worked on is a pedicure, what’s the word for having your beak trimmed? The Latin word rostrum is the beak of a bird (as well as the “beak,” or prow, of a ship), so perhaps “rostricure.” Anyway, that’s what he had done. When I got home he was sitting on top of his travel cage, which was on the floor of our family room. When Cathy went to put him back in his regular cage, I had them pose for a few pictures.
Brandon and Solomon
I happened to send a text last week to our good friend Kristine and it turns out she was going to be in town this week with her son, Brandon. So, we had them over for dinner this evening. I don’t suppose many of you will be at all surprised that I took some pictures, particularly of Brandon. We went out into the back yard and I got pictures of him jumping and doing hand stands, as well as some of him just sitting in the grass. Those turned out pretty well.
Before they left, however, Solomon wanted to come out and get into some pictures. I have a few of Solomon sitting on Kristine’s shoulder but he really wanted to have his picture taken with Brandon. Brandon, on the other hand, was a little less enthusiastic about it, but he reluctantly agreed. Here is one of the pictures that I got of them. I think it’s pretty good, don’t you?
Kimia and Solomon
We had our friend Kimia over this evening and she invited some people she knows (a few of whom we know, as well) to hear about her plans to go to South American. She was a missionary kid in Africa and she always expected that when the time came, that’s where she’d go. As it turned out (and is continuing to turn out), she’s going to Colombia, instead. It was nice to have a chance to catch up with her again and to meet some of her friends. While she was here ahead of the others, we got caught up on all our lives. She also was brave enough to hold Solomon and pose for a few pictures. He’s a Mexican bird, rather than Colombian, but at least he isn’t an African grey.
Solomon Edward Parrot
Better known simply as Solomon, our pet parrot turns 30 this month (more or less). We’ve had him since October, 1986, when he was something like nine months old so we consider his birthday sometime in January or that year. Hard to believe so many years have gone by. Solomon was born in California, lived with us in Alaska for about a year, then flew to Chicago to live with Cathy’s brother for a few years (and boy, where his wings tired). Sometime after our trip around the world in 1988, he came to live with us in Maryland and he’s been here ever since, first in our apartment in Gaithersburg, then in our first house and now in this house in Rockville. Happy birthday, you old bird, you.
Parrot Feather
Our parrot, Solomon, has had his picture posted here a number of times. He is a red-lored amazon (Amazona autumnalis autumnalis), born in captivity in southern California. His ancestors came from the tropical forests of eastern Mexico. This is a close up of one of his flight feathers (technically known as remiges, from the Latin for “oarsman”). You can see the tiny barbules which interlock with each other to hold the barbs together. This photo, which covers an area about 4.5 by 3 millimeters, shows the region where the red fades into a small amount of green before transitioning again to black.
Bobby and Solomon
On Thursday I posted a picture of Grace, on of Dorothy’s two friends who came home with her for the mid-term break. I think it only fair that I also post a picture of Bobby, the other friend. He really liked Solomon and wanted to hold him but Solomon is a bit timid. Nevertheless, with a little coaxing, we were able to get them together.
Yesterday, as planned, the three kids went to Richmond for the day so it was a regular work day for me. Today, we drove out to Rocklands Farm (http://www.rocklandsfarmmd.com/) and had a really nice morning visiting with Janis and Greg. The kids also really enjoyed the animals. Funny, as I write that I picture these three kids as kindergartner at a petting zoo, but of course they are all about 20. Actually, they acted a little more like kindergartners than 20 year olds, but it was fun.
We got home and they packed their car, leaving to head back to school at about 3:45 and getting there at about 1:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. We enjoyed seeing them but it was too brief a visit.
Solomon’s Eye
It’s been a while since I posted a photo of Solomon, our parrot. He is a red-lored Amazon (Amazona autumnalis autumnalis) and he turns 31 this month. So, in honor of his birthday, here’s a closeup of his eye. I really love the texture of the feathers around his eyes and on the front of his head. They are small and wonderfully colored. Most of them are a single color, being all red or yellow or green, but where they transition from one color to the next, some of them are a mix of colors. This is particularly true on top of his head, where the green and blue is mixed (although those don’t show up all that well in this image). In case you’re curious about the name common name of the species, the lore is the area between the eye and upper beak of birds. It’s red on this species.
Solomon
Solomon is our pet red-lored amazon parrot (Amazona autumnalis) and he just turned 33 years old last month. We don’t know specifically when he was hatched but he was about nine months old when we got him in October, 1986, so we figure January of that year is close enough. Since it’s now February, we know that’s past. He’s a pretty thing but fairly timid and is not really what you’d call a talker. He says a few things that you can almost understand but that’s about it. He also doesn’t chew on toys or anything else we put in his cage, so we don’t bother any more. He obviously eats but he’s not interested in chewing other things. He needs his beak and nails trimmed but otherwise, he’s in pretty good shape. You can see in this photo that he has new feathers coming in, which is always a good sign.
Solomon
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a photo of our prime pet, Solomon. Since I’ve just posted photos of Cathy and of myself, I thought I’d round out the collection. If Dorothy were home I’d post a photo of her, but she’s not (but will be soon, if all goes to plan). Solomon will be 34 years old in January. Although he was hatched in California, he spent most of his first two years in Juneau, Alaska. From there he flew (with some help) to Chicago, where he lived with Cathy’s brother. After our trip of 1988, he returned to us on the east coast and has been here ever since. He lived in the kitchen in our first house and then in the family room here until he moved to the breakfast room a couple years ago. It’s great unless you want to have a phone conversation in the kitchen, when he really gets animated and makes it pretty difficult.
Solomon at 34
We don’t actually know his precise birth (or hatch) date, but when we got him in October, 1986, we were told he was nine months old. So, we assume his birth date is January, 1986. That makes him 34 this month. Parrots live a good, long while and he wouldn’t be considered an old bird yet. Perhaps middle aged. He seems to be healthy enough. His beak and nails need trimming and he really doesn’t get as much exercise as would probably be good for him. Nevertheless, we’ve managed to keep him around for more than 33 years, so we must be doing something right. Solomon, despite the wisdom implied by his name, is not much of a sage. He says a few things and those a bit poorly. He can make a pretty good racket, when he wants to, however.