It's For the Birds -- And I Like That!

As I was entering independent adulthood, I had a few things on my mind. For me, it was a clear sign I was grown up because I had my own telephone number (this was over 30 years ago, so no cell phone), a briefcase,  business cards and my very own apartment. There were a couple of animal related goals still to fulfill but I knew there'd be no dogs in my current situation.

My residence was a second story, one bedroom apartment. I'd been traveling cross country in my little red Chevy Chevette in August with no air-conditioning. My dad was adamant that air-conditioning was a frill I didn't need.  I still claim he was wrong.  I traveled with my two goldfish in a protected bowl, and my cockatiel, Francis as my co-pilot. I was so happy to have finally arrived at my home.

It was safe and clean and it was all mine. When I arrived at my abode, the first thing I saw was the gold flecked wallpaper at the entryway.  It looked like something my great aunt Lillian would have adored.  I didn't.  I was okay until I walked into the tiny kitchen to see very old turquoise appliances. I slid to the floor and just cried.  But I was a grown-up so I stood up and set out to make it a wonderful place for me.

One of the things I felt I needed to do, in order to make my place feel more homey, was to have a bird feeder.  For some reason, I was sure that feeding the birds from my own bird feeder, would give me a sense of adulthood, permanence and hominess.  But remember, I'm on the second floor. So I set out to find a feeder that could attach to my window.  In no time, I'd found just the thing -- a feeder that hung on my window by suction cups. I became quite adept at popping out the window's screen and adding the appropriate food for the birds frequenting my area.  Every once in a while, my coordination failed and I dropped the screen to the ground two floors below. 

If  I've remembered correctly, I've moved at least 10 times since that little apartment. One of the first things I do at my new home, is put out my birdfeeders in hopes of welcoming new feathered friends. I am not sure why this is so important for me. My parents didn't feed the birds while I was growing up. But like sending out Christmas cards, having a wreath on the door and a welcome mat on the ground--it's just something you do when you are an adult and have a home.