Featherweatherland

1
Featherweatherland

• Real Finches in a Magical Land

2
Sensei, We Went on a Picnic

• A Featherweatherland story as told by Belle (A
  Cordon Bleu finch)
• Sensei, you didnt see us but we did go on a
  picnic one early evening when we were bored.  We
  were the only ones home so we decided to have an
  adventure.  Our flight cage is pretty long, so,
  instead of flying from one end to the other, we
  lined up in a row and waddled from one end to the
  other.  It took us quite a while but we were
  whistling and waving our wings and having a great
  time.

3

• Alas, having never been on a picnic before, we
  had to go back again (we flew back) and gathered
  together stuff for a picnic  our favorite seeds,
  soft fleece from our nests, and water.  We hadnt
  thought to take anything with us, we silly
  birds.  Water was the hardest to carry as it kept
  falling through our feathers. 

4

• Kiley had a great idea!  He pecked through the
  entire food dish until he found the biggest
  seed.  Then, Pat, Mike, and Kiley hollowed it out
  by biting and spitting and biting and spitting. 
  It was disgusting to look at but it did make a
  wonderful water carrier after we rinsed it and
  filled it with water.

5

• Sensei, did you know a seed filled with water is
  very heavy?  Well, we got back to our line, with
  four finches pulling and pulling the big seed,
  but trouble still happened!  We were rocking the
  seed too much, I guess, because the seed became
  lighter and lighter and lighter and were bragging
  about how smart we are and then Henry started
  giggling. 

6

• Sillynillyteenieweenieseedybeaniebirds!  The
  water splashed out of the seed and you are
  pushing and towing an empty seed!  Hee Haa Haa
  Hee.  Henry was right!  Boy, Sensei, did we feel
  dumb!  We just thought we were in rhythm and
  working together great and had a system of
  tugging and pushing that made the seed seem
  almost weightless.

7

• The other birds laughed too and they did not want
  to come back with us to the water dish as they
  were almost at the picnic site.  Just when you
  think you are so smart and so clever and so
  strong and so much in harmony, you realize that
  one thing is missing  Paying Attention. 

8

• We never paid attention to any water spilling out
  although we knew we were awfully cool and
  comfortable for such a hard task.  No wonder, we
  were wet from water and not sweat! 

9

• We did not pay attention to the change in weight
  of the load we were handling as we were so sure
  it was our own genius and cooperation that made
  traveling easier and easier instead of harder and
  harder.

10

• So, back again we flew.  We decided to get
  another seed.  So, more biting and spitting and
  biting and spitting and rinsing and this time our
  seed was not as good as our first one.  This one
  had a small hole in it.  And Kiley filled the
  hole with bits of stuff. 

11

• This seed did not want to stay upright, either,
  after we filled it with water!  So we had to
  waddle beside it, two on each side, so it
  wouldnt topple.  By the time we reached the
  picnic site at the other end of the flight cage,
  all the birds were so thirsty from their fine
  lunch (they ate everything) that they also drank
  all the water.

12

• There we were  hot, tired, thirsty, and hungry. 
  We were so weary that we just plopped over and
  went to sleep.  You know what happened then,
  Sensei?  It was much later when we woke up and,
  when we did, we saw two small seeds filled with
  water and seeds for food and one of the birds had
  knitted booties for our tired and bruised feet
  and placed them on us.  They must have tippy-toed
  because they did not wake us up.

13

• When we got back to the other side by half flying
  and half waddling, everyone was smiling and
  waving and saying, Glad you are ok!  Sensei, we
  are going to have a fine story to tell our
  grandchildren.  Hint, hint.  You know we are
  still waiting for a Baishakunin!
• Namo Amida Butsu
• Belle