It's a bird....It's a plane..... no.... just a bird....

Anyone who knew me when I was younger will know that I have a pet parrot. Paco is a beautiful green quaker that came to live with us when I was in high school. I'll never forget the drive home from the pet store. Paco tried to chew his way out of the paper bag he was in... and then let out a screech so loud that I thought I killed him. It is kinda funny... I don't remember him screeching in the pet store.... but.... boy does he love to screech first thing in the morning. The word "screech" does not really convey the punishing racket that he decides to inflict from time to time. Over the years Paco has learned to say all kinds of things. He can say in a sweet voice "hello baby I love you".... He calls dad to the telephone when it rings... calls and scolds dogs that have been dead for years.... calls my name....... and then says "wallace is gone"...... barks when he hears knocking.... sings several songs.... and will dance when the mood hits him. These are but a few of Paco's many talents............... he is still doing well, and still lives with my parents (sorry mom and dad).

I had to tell you all of that to explain this:
The other day I was walking around in a little market here in Spain when I heard the strangest and yet all too familiar sound......a blood curdling screech that seemed to echo off of the stone buildings. ... I wandered around looking... and then saw a flash of green fly into a palm tree. I ran over and found a pair of quakers nesting in the tree! What a surprise to see my little parrot in the wild! Now that I have seen them once I am noticing them all over the place! It is a little thing.... but it really made my day!