View from the Perch

When I was growing up, I had 2 pet birds. Ricky was a chatty, green parakeet that would give you "sugar" (Southern parakeet) when asked. Then I had Skipper, a yellow canary that could sing the leaves from the trees. I loved those birds. Quite naturally, when my own daughter asked for a birdie, Baby came to live with us. Baby was a baby blue parakeet...quite handsome! After Baby went to the Rainbow Bridge, I decided that there was something definitely wrong with caging the spirit of a bird. They were meant to be free. So, now, when I'm at the pet store, I pass the beautiful finches, canaries, parakeets, and parrots. But, instead of bringing one home in a cage, I sigh. Today, I paid a visit to Martha Stewart's blog to see her Halloween pics. While I was snooping around, I clicked on her post about moving her canaries to their new "room." Look at these bird cages. Aren't they fabulous? The white one is the "former" home, and the brown one is the new abode. The limbs are from Martha's own fruit trees. I wonder, if their wishes be known, what the canaries would choose...the spacious cages with wonderful fruits and seeds and safety...or freedom..sweet freedom??? I sure don't have a definitive answer. They sing, so, maybe, their voices are in gratitude for their wonderful, carefree life. I'd like to think so.