Keiki
The pet store must of seen her as the novice bird owner she was and seized an
opportunity to get rid of some unwanted inventory, because in the backseat of her car were boxes of everything that she bought for this poor petrified creature.
They sold her everything but the kitchen sink!
Now she was the petrified creature! There was absolutely no question that I was going to be left with this little bird. Anyone going home with as many gidgets and gadgets that she had stuffed into two boxes that took up her entire back seat would clearly rethink the responsibility of taking on ownership of one tiny 30 grams of cuteness, because it was certainly going to be more complicated than she had even dreamed.
Normally, I would go through all the steps to try to find the rightful, and most certainly, devastated, owner that this little guy got away from. However, I made no attempt this time. It was very clear that this poor lost feathered friend had not been well cared for. I had brought him into the house and hung his cage on an old antique bird stand and that is where he remained. We named him, Keiki, meaning little one.
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
And boy do we have the rocks! As well as our own Pebbles and Bam Bam!
That was in the month of October. We made some great strides with Keiki through the winter. He got used to coming out of his cage and I could get him to sit on my shoulder for about ten seconds before he flew back to the comfort of his home. But Keiki could sing! He filled our bed and breakfast with the most beautiful songs from morning until the last light went off at night. It was a comforting sound that made our happy home even happier. Guests eating breakfast started to come into the kitchen to see who was serenading them over the stereo music and the clanking of dishes. He was finally loved and appreciated!
Spring came. When spring hits here at The Timbrook Guesthouse, it not only means outside work begins in abundance but also all of our parrots with the winter blues get to go outside to their flight cage and enjoy springtime like the rest of us. So on one wonderful mild day I set Keiki’s cage outside our back door, tucked in a corner, where he was sure to be safe but still able to breathe in all of springs fresh air.
I left for the day. I came home to a very sad Peter and Jodi. And an empty cage. Apparently, the wind picked up and Keiki wasn’t so safe in his corner. It became strong enough to tip his cage over and you can guess the rest. The door opened on impact and our dear little parakeet was free again. Needless to say, I knew I would not see him again. He was still so untrusting to a humans hand and would not even come to me yet who loved and cared for him like no other.
The house was noticeably quiet. No longer as happy as we mourned our loss and the beautiful songs Keiki used to sing. So we decided we needed a new Keiki. Off to the pet store we went being mindful of the fact that we were only going to come home with one bird minus the paraphernalia that they may be eager to sell.
Peter and I looked in to the cage of parakeets with their beautiful array of colors and I closed my eyes and reached for one. I had pulled out the most vibrant blue parakeet in the whole flock. Our new Keiki. My blueberry boy! I think I mentioned in earlier blogs about my passion for the BLUE berry. It was definitely meant to be!
Sunday night dinner arrived and all the kids came in for our weekly meal together. Peter and I had not told them about the mishap we had had knowing how upset it would make them as well. So when the gang arrived and went to Keiki’s cage to say a hello, they obviously questioned Keki’s new appearance. They wanted to know why Keiki was now blue. My only answer, “He ate a lot of blueberries!”
Our very first Keiki will always be missed and we only hope he made into another loving home. But if visiting us here at The Timbrook, you will get to enjoy our Blueberry Boy serenading you like his predecessor did for such a short period of time. A singing parakeet is a happy parakeet. And our Keiki loves to sing!
Thank you for reading another blog from the happenings of our home. We hope all your homes are filled with the songs of happiness.
Mahalo!
Peter, Jill and Keiki
