Spread your wings

 We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill, 
As the day begs the night for mercy love.
The sun so bright it leaves no shadows, only scars,
carved into stone, on the face of earth.
The moon is up and over one tree hill
We see the sun go down in your eyes. ---U2, One tree hill


  With a heavy heart we once again say good bye to one of our beloved family members. Harold spread his wings and departed us this afternoon. It is our belief that Harold suffered a massive heart attack due to a blood clot. He passed away in a matter of minutes in Melanie's arms. We are still in shock. It happened so fast that I still have not had enough time to process it. 

 Harold was our first rescue and second feathered family member. He came to us in his early teens and had been passed around through several homes over his life before we adopted him. Harold had some serious health issues. We quickly discovered that he had broken his thigh at some point and had never received medical attention. The bones fused side by side. He had a permanent limp and another possible injury affected his ability to fly in a straight line. The first year we had Harold, he suffered a mild blood clot or stroke, that left him temporarily incapacitated and confused. With all these problems, he managed to carve out quite a place in our hearts and lives.

    Harold was a sweet soul. He loved his flock, and protected them fiercely. He liked nothing more than to cuddle. He mimicked the sound of breathing, snoring, teeth brushing, and a baby crying. He, more than any other bird in our flock, was completely in tune with all our emotions and actions. He would cry when the boys would cry, sing when we sang, join in with Melanie when she would reprimand the boys with a very sarcastic "Blah, blah, blah!", and then chase any offender of the peace around the house with wings spread and beak open.

 Harold loved the sun. He would find that perfect spot, spread his wings, throw his head back, and start flapping. We called this his "Sun Dance". It was his way to pay homage to the sun and all its warmth and glory. It was quite the spectacle. In this series of photos, he even picked up an offering in the form of a dandelion, less the flower of course, as I am sure he ate it it first.

 One of my fondest memories of Harold was his love of music, especially 'Happy Birthday'. He would try to sing along the best he could; "Happy...happy..Harold".

Harold with Aden 2003

 In the short 9 years we shared our lives with Harold, he had made several long road trips with us and was the best passenger. Always the gentleman, he would let you know when he needed to relieve himself, we would pull over, roll down the window, hold him out the window or set him on the mirror. He would take care of business and we would be on our way.

Apollo with Harold 2010

 Harold also visited classrooms with Melanie and he always put on a show.  He loved to entertain and loved the attention.....

We miss his voice, his spirit, and his sweet presence. Harold, you are so missed. God speed my friend.

Harold
1988 - January 11, 2011