Winter has arrived in Chicagoland!

Winter arrived in January this year.  After the past two years of record breaking cold and snow, we are quite relieved in Chicagoland to be experiencing a moderate winter this year.  I'm sorry for other parts of the country that have been experiencing some crazy storms and record snowfall but.....I'm also very relieved we have had as much of a break as we have had.

Ollie is dealing much better this year with his feather barbering.  Perhaps the weather extremes triggered some of the past barbering...perhaps not.  No one actually knows what actually causes feather destructive behaviour.  I just know that it usually starts around the time when hours of daylight and the landscape outside changes.  Our recent extended autumn was a nice surprise...especially when the grass stayed green and herbs continued growing all the way throughThanksgiving and into mid December.

Even my sudden return mid January after being gone for an entire week at the Craft & Hobby Industry trade show didn't seem to phase Ollie one bit.  He was down to bare skin in part at the height of autumn's rapid end but his grey fuzzies now cover him and I am seeing an increasing number of new green pin feathers pushing their way out.  He has totally settled back into our normal routine, watching me create art on my computers and doing crafty stuff in my studio room.  These are his happy places and he seems very content as winter continues its path.

Today we celebrated by making home made chicken soup with celery, carrots, basmati rice, mushrooms...and parsley from the garden.  The amazing part is I froze the parsley less than a month ago!

I may not bake or do gourmet type cooking with lots of spices and exotic techniques, but I can whip up a pretty good soup, stew or salad!  Since veggies are my favorite foods, they are always the basis of whatever I make.  Sans onion or garlic, of course, since I am allergic to the allium family!  I can tolerate small amounts only such as the exposure from seasoning on the precooked chickens after skin is removed but no chopped onions or garlic for me!

Actually onions and garlic are not good for parrots so what I cook is usually pretty safe for Ollie!  And tonight he thoroughly enjoyed home made chicken soup!   His beak tells the story....