Reviews from

My Baby Starling

This is a glimpse into a bond I never expected to find.

8 total reviews 
Comment from karenina
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Love that you named her "Allie"--kind of a play on " allergies" which seem to have disappeared with alk that bonding and love!

Prefect final line!


Karenina

 Comment Written 27-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 21-Jan-2024
    I hadn't thought of that, you make a great point. I still believe in miracles, and life is better shared with a companion that can out talk and me! Thanks for you kind review. Lisa
reply by karenina on 21-Jan-2024
    Smile...
Comment from tempeste
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Ciao mystery poet, you now have 4 votes.

Such a sweet story, well done , so glad you made the right choice and
saved the tiny tyke.

Animals have a way to win our hearts.

So in the end did you get an allergic reaction?

You forgot to mention his/hers name?





 Comment Written 25-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2023
    Hello, Thank you for your kind words! This means a lot, not just for me, but "Allie" too.
    I have not, knock on wood, had any allergic reactions. I'm diagnosed at Mayo Clinic with ILD with a bird allergy. I attribute it to her taking multiple baths a day, starlings are very clean (but they can poo many times, daily!). Allie is half potty trained. She knows over thirty words, all of our names and is a constant muse. I love her and she changed my life.
reply by tempeste on 26-Dec-2023
    Ciao!

    Pets make our lives brighter!

    Allie is very pretty , love her checkered coat.

    I was a dog lover first then I saved a newborn kitten in the trash ( it was squealing)

    I took it home and by the next day the white of my eyes were deep red .. it looked like I had vampire eyes. I went to the pharmacist and she told me I was allergic to cat fur.

    Obviously, cat and dog fur are different.

    I persisted and after a week I had recovered.

    I fed the tiny tyke every three hours and I kept her and named her Spitefire

    The first of many strays, never had an issue with cat fur since .

    I hope to read more about Allie in the future

    Ciao!
reply by the author on 26-Dec-2023
    I love your story! Thank you for taking in your kitten. I can tell you have a soulful heart. I love the name, 'Spitefire."God bless you for your kindness to your fur babies.
    Yes, I will be sharing more about Allie in the future.

    I
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
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The more I learn about birds, the more I realise how clever these creatures are. Whoever disparagingly used the phrase 'bird brain' should think again. A very heart-warming story in well expressed prose. Well done and good luck! Debbie

 Comment Written 24-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2023
    Thank you for your kind words! Allie is very smart. She knows the Taco Bell wrappers and can dive into her taco before I set it down. She loves the lettuce and veggies and shell. I would say she has the intelligence of a five-year-old. She understands words and reacts when I say them, to the phrase. Like, "Do you want a worm?" She'll fly over and say, "C'mon, please." All on video. One day, I'll release our first years together.
Comment from Daylily
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What an extra-special story to share with FanStory members. I really like the sweet picture, as well. The concluding two lines are very well-written and hold a wonderful message.

 Comment Written 24-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2023
    Thank you for your kind words. Allie the starling is the storyteller. I really mean that she is the teacher. Female starlings get their songs from their moms, even human ones, evidently. I sing her a song every night putting her to bed. She won't go to bed until I sing it either. She's a little sweetie.
Comment from Rachelle Allen
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I love the "moral." It appeals deeply to the teacher in me!

I have to ask, though: what effect has it had upon your allergies? (I guess there's trade-offs: love versus sneezing.)

Quite delightful entry. Good luck at the polls.

 Comment Written 24-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2023
    I'm happy that you enjoyed meeting my "teacher."
    Thank you for giving students your knowledge, talent, and time to your students.

    Please, use Allie's life for lessons in your own teaching. It would be selfish for me not to share her gifts. I hope to have our first book out next summer. I'll probably call it, "Allie, Our First Year," or something like that. I'll post some of the videos too, in time.

    My issue with birds doesn't present as a runny nose, sore throat, sneezing??there are no warnings for me. When I've had attacks, I simply can't get a breath. It's that sudden and without a hint or warning.

    Allie is much different than my parrots I had. She has very little down, when she sheds a feather she's snatched it up and eaten it before it falls. She loves her baths, and has almost figured out how to turn the faucet on. She taps on it pushing the handle up.

    I spent four years on oxygen from black mold exposure and from what the doctors said was my ILD.
    When Covid hit our family, I doubted I'd survive and barely did. It was my deep breathing I had to learn that saved me.

    I pray a lot. I know in my heart Allie is here to help others. We're both trying to figure out what were supposed to do to make that happen.
Comment from Julie Helms
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Beautiful story. Maybe I will have more grace towards the starlings that nest all through my barn, business, and outbuildings creating such a mess. I will think back to your story! Very merry Christmas to you!

 Comment Written 23-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2023
    Merry Christmas to you! Thanks for liking Allie's story. I know the birds can create a mess. I have Allie paper trained, with few accidents, she is free roam. She has her nesting areas around the house that she's picked and is best friends with my dog, cat, and rabbit. Outdoors? Barn and Outbuildings? That would be a challenge. I promise you, all of those birds can be trained to talk. If they can understand our language, in time, maybe they could understand where to poo.
Comment from Navada
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How adorable! Sometimes the most unexpected encounters in life turn into some of the most meaningful. Thanks for the share and good luck for the contest!

 Comment Written 23-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2023
    Thank you for your time to share your kind words. Allie, all alone, running into traffic was scary to see. I didn't have room to share, that when I caught her, I tried to set her free but she couldn't fly. She landed at the door where my brother and I once worked together. It was very symbolic to me. They were tearing up the alley the next day, so I felt, even against the odds, I had to at least try and save her at whatever cost it was to me, I could get to a hospital, she couldn't go anywhere without help.
Comment from Austin Yu
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She truly chose you, and I'm so happy for you! Your compassion for a bird you could've chosen to simply abandon shines through this short story. Merry Christmas!

 Comment Written 23-Dec-2023

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2023
    Thank you for saying this. She has truly changed me, in every way. She has filled my days with stories and antics. She flies to the phone when people call and says, "Give me a kiss!" Merry Christmas to you too. God Bless.