Whether we like it or not, snow is supposed to descend on us … soon our neck of the woods will look like a snow globe. As you know, I’m no fan of snow, not even to set a festive mood by creating a white Christmas.
So, with that forecast for the white stuff in mind, I hurried out this morning to get some miles walked before the snow began to fly. Even though I’ve reached my goal, I still want to keep walking until year end.
I headed toward Emmons Boulevard where I stopped to admire some additional decorations since the last time I walked down that street on Thursday. As to Christmas outside décor, I like an understated touch … my favorites are the lighted, white wire reindeer and the icicle lights … subtle twinkles that light up the night.
I went to the railroad tracks and then headed back.
Along the way, I stopped on the footbridge, where at least forty ducks and geese were splashing happily in the ice-cold water. They didn’t stay with their kind, but instead drifted lazily in the water, nibbling at reeds at the water’s edge, dipping their head for a drink or preening themselves. Every so often, one rabble-rouser would decide to stir things up a bit verbally, but the others didn’t pay any attention and went on about their business.
I paused to watch them, just as I always do … that chance afforded me to catch an up-close glimpse of nature in the middle of the City is always a delight for me.
But today, as I stood on that footbridge, I was once again awash in sadness as I watched those feathered friends splashing and calling out to no one in particular.
They made me think of my little feathered friend Buddy, and, as I watched them, I felt tears leaking out of the corners of my eyes and dropping down into the murky waters of the Ecorse Creek.
You see … my Buddy has crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge.
You may recall just on Thanksgiving Day I wrote a post about the joy and companionship he has given me; I was grateful for that little beacon of light in my day. His very presence made me a kinder and softer person in this often-cruel world.
Sadly, that beacon of light has been extinguished and my sadness the past few days has been almost too much to bear.
Buddy rallied back after a respiratory infection and was seemingly 100% healthy once again.
Then, a few days later, suddenly he kept shutting his eyes and leaning his little mop top head against the cage bars, like he had no energy.
I began to worry.
The next morning when I got him up, he seemed to have lost the coordination that enabled him to hop or fly from perch to perch, and he kept tumbling onto the cage floor. This went on for most of the day, along with prolonged bouts of sleeping in the corner.
Friday morning he was worse, and could not move from the bottom of the cage … he looked at me, with bright eyes, and he seemed puzzled by his lack of mobility as he kept trying and trying to move around his cage with no success. Worried, perplexed, and sobbing uncontrollably over Buddy’s behavior, I asked my dear friend Marge if she could take us to the vet. The consensus was that he had suffered a stroke and we had him euthanized on Friday morning. I will pick up his ashes after the holidays are over.
There is an expression that good things come in small packages – this little bird captured my heart and had me wrapped around his foot. I am sad as I sit at my computer and no longer feel his presence as he sat on the butcher block, only a few feet from me. There is now an empty spot in the corner. Several times in the last few days I have forgotten myself while sitting here and called to him out of force of habit. I interacted with him constantly … but this time there is no peep as a response.
All God’s creatures, no matter how large or small fill our hearts with joy.
Rest in peace Buddy … you are missed.
I am including two of my favorite pictures of Buddy taken shortly after I got him in December 2010, as well as an excerpt from “Lend Me A Bird” … the words give me some comfort at this time.
“I will lend to you, a Bird”, God said, “and teach you all you have to do. And when I call him back to Heaven, you will know he loved you too.” ~ Anonymous
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Linda I am sure you are missed. You were a wonderful and caring companion to a brave little bird.
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I can only hope so Marge … you were there at the very beginning with Buddy, and also at the very end as well.
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Linda…………………..Buddy did know that you were very good to him and loved him……that’s all that really matters
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Yes, I think he knew as well Ann Marie. Birds are much smarter than many people give them credit for.
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Beautiful, and yet so sad.
You must miss Buddy.
Thinking of you.
x
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Thank you – I do miss Buddy very much. I have some pictures of him around the house, and, I was reading the post when I got the link to send to you and it made me teary, all these months later. No more pets now – the heartbreak is too great because since I have no family, and I work from home, he was a companion pet to me and I was devastated by the loss.
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Ahhh, that must be so hard for you, I’m so sorry.
Sending hugs your way.
x
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Thank you so much … the hugs are appreciated as he was a treasured little pet.
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You are very welcome x
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So beautiful bird. He irradiated kindness and life. I am sorry.
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Yes, he was Martha and he sat on the butcher block close to me so I was pretty in tune with him, as he was with me. I’d get up and leave the kitchen and go down the hall and if he wasn’t already singing, he strike up a song. He was a perfect companion pet.
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Those are beautiful memories you have, Linda. Pets who get so close to us seem to somehow get to know us.
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They sure do Martha.
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Cute little one
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Yes, he was cute and looked a little like a gloster canary but his mop top was not as round and “bowl shaped”. Sometimes he looked comical with his feathers parted in the middle. He looked like a sparrow, round body, like you said in your other comment. Not your regular-looking canary like Tweety Bird.
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What a poignant tribute to Buddy. I am sure you can imagine I misted up reading it. We were lucky to have had 2 such wonderful companions – Buddy for you and Benji for me – for the time we did.
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Thanks Laurie – I wasn’t sure I should send it right now to you – maybe too soon. When I was writing it, tears were streaming down my face, I took all the bird paraphernalia I had accumulated when I went to pick up his cremains. I told them I can’t go through that grief again. I had two identical cages so I could swap them and clean the other between vet visits (for a yearly physical and toe nail clippings in between). I had extras of each of his favorite toys as I was worried they would break from overuse (they never did). I had all kinds of extra items here in case we lost power in the Summer (battery-operated fans, paper fans) and in the Winter (battery-operated polar fleece scarves to layer between his covers, a Nasa blanket like you get after a marathon to keep from getting chilled). I worried constantly about him and prepared for the worst weather-wise, but a stroke was not something I would fathom.
Yes, they were wonderful companions. I have not made a bagel, nor used the toaster since … it was a ritual for us every day to make a bagel and he got his piece. I cleaned the toaster up, put it in a plastic bag and put the cloth appliance cover over it … maybe one day I’ll be ready. His presence was great in the kitchen – the butcher block was bare so I put the toaster oven in the place where his cage sat so it would not be a gaping hole like he left in my heart. More hugs to you.
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