Author Archive: Helen

Well, another cockatiel is loose in the trees of Fort Doberdale. I heard him first thing yesterday evening when I got home from work. I stuck my finger out and whistled, but he was having too much fun singing in the tree to come down. This morning, I heard him again, and saw that he moved over one tree, and was still singing away. The blue jay nearby was having issues with him and trying to peck him out of that tree, but he stood his ground. I think the jay has a nest in the tree the tiel previously laid claim to. I hear a lot of peeping baby birds up there.

I just pulled a cage that a friend gave me to catch a cocatiel last year off a table and stuck it on a chair in front of a plant I’m trying to protect from the Fort Doberdale peesers. You know the table it came from? It now has a nifty new trinket named Sam on it.

Well, this morning, I put the cage back on another table, and aimed its opening right at the tree the tiel was now in. Being I had just recently fed the Fort Doberdale doves the food donated to catch last year’s tiel, I now have to find some new bird food to put in that cage, which has been basically inhabited by lizards all these months.

Oh well. I don’t have any luck with catching these cockatiels, and maybe if I do catch him I’ll have no place to send him? Huh? Where will he go? Huh? I think birds belong flying in the sky anyway. My concern with pet birds, though, is they aren’t savvy as to surviving in the wilds. Geesh. And boy, is he noisy! People think the local parrots are loud. Uh uh. This tiel just sings and sings and it’s just nonstop loud bird singing times around here. Yes, it is.

Birds

Newspaper Route to the SPCA Wildlife Care Center in Fort Lauderdale

Every Friday, I collect newspapers in the highrise I work in. I pick up the papers from seven floors, pack them up, roll them down to the back of my truck, and during my lunch break, I take them to our local Wildlife Center. I’ve been doing this for nearly seven years. Hmmm…seven is lucky, isn’t it?

Last Friday, I found the welcome wagon, for the first time, strolling across the driveway entrance. I didn’t catch his name, but he is a handsome iguana, indeed!

These folks at the SPCA Wildlife Care Center are unrelenting in helping wildlife and small animal pets such as gerbils, birds, rabbits, reptiles anything not dog or cat. Here we have an employee hauling a bird cage from the bird building to the hospital building. I’ve brought many injured doves and pigeons to the Wildlife Center over the years.

This is what the entrance looks like from the slender parking lot inside, and just to the left behind that gate is where I drop off the boxes and bundles of newspapers I put together every Friday. It’s a collaborative effort. If not for the folks in the building saving the papers, I wouldn’t have them to take to the center. And thank goodness for the Wildlife Center, who helps the locals with injured wildlife, and just like the reason Dobermann rescue is in “business,” there are people who get small pets and decide they no longer want them. The Wildlife Center takes them in to rehome, too. Click to visit their website: SPCA Wildlife Care Center

Life

Gardening at Fort Doberdale

I saw this lovely succulent masterpiece at a local Home Depot over the weekend, and tried to resist, but could not. First, I tried to resist getting a sales person to tell me how much it cost because there was no price on it. She said it was $14.99. I had in mind it was five dollars more. Even so, it took some convincing in my own mind to put out that money on a trinket. OK, a beautiful living trinket, but it wasn’t something we needed during these inflationary times. I tried to resist putting it in the cart, but could not. Being it was the only one, I figured I would push it around while I shopped for what we did need and eventually I would lose interest in the trinket. That did not work. Three people made comments on how cute and adorable it was, and by the way, where abouts did you find it? “I’ve got the last one, it’s in my cart and going home with me.” I did not lose interest, and now I know why dogs covet one ball, even though there are similar ones in a toy box.

The trinket’s name is Sam. Sam does brighten up the yard, though. I am sure to look at him a lot, and pray I can take good care of Sam the Succulent. Those succulents that are planted with glued stone are not my forte. But! Sam’s worth a one-of-a-kind try!

Here are some lovely bloomers in my garden. The Hibiscus and Frangipanni.

And here is a sweet potato plant, chamomile and corn stalk, and more corn with some squash.

Finally, the neighbors around me have some really nice mango trees. I have 2 or 3 in pots. I haven’t planted them yet due to I am not sure I can do the maintenance on them. <sigh> There is a lot of work to the great outdoors.

My Buddha Dog watches over the place when the rest of us are snoozing or otherwise making a living.

Isn’t he adorable?

Trees and Plants

Jingle Bell Tire Ball

We got a new toy over the weekend. Many Fort Doberdalians like to play with balls, and this one looked sturdy. The big bell securely inside provides noise, and as a secondary feature, repels unwanted spiritual intruders. The texture is appealing, and there is no noxious smell. Yes, I sniffed it a good one. I gave up $5 and tax to the cashier, and brought it back to Fort Doberdale for the real test. Would anyone play with it?

Scroll over the pictures for captions. Click to see pictures bigger.

Taylor took the plunge and was the first to hold the new ball in the beak. It takes an Aussie to get things moving along. Shortly thereafter, big Luigi got into the action, and took ahold of the new toy.

Soon we were playing catch and games with the new ball. Luigi was gaga over the ball, and Lilian continued to eye ball the situation from behind the scenes.

Taylor says she prefers the yeller Cuz Ball, thank you very much. Regis does, too. Actually, Regis will grab any toy I’m throwing. Hence the reason I have a pair of fang marks on my arm. He opened his jaw and lunged to grab the ball as I was throwing it. Even the elderly can be rascally.

Amen!

Doberkids, Toys

Dakota (Token) – Rescue

Adopted!

DAKOTA

Dakota is 5 years old, house trained and crate trained, and has been around cats and birds. He is a sweet boy who desperately needs a loving home or even a foster home. He loves to carry his stuffed toys around.

Dakota lost his family in an unamicable separation. His Dobie brother passed away at home in a suspicious manner while Dakota was luckily spending the day at the vet’s office. He is at a boarding facility now, but needs either a good foster home or supportive forever home quickly. He’s been through a lot, and it’s his time he is in a secure and loving environment.

Please fill out and send your application to dobermannrescue@earthlink.net for Dakota.

Rescues