'Spugs'

Aw Fiona what a little sweetie. You have done a great pastel sketch of Spugs, does she like it? 😄

I don´t know whats better, the picture or the story, both is great, both is a gift.

Carole, sweetie and Spugs don't belong in the same sentence...lol She thinks it makes her bottom look too big!

Holger don't let the innocent look fool you. I can parcel her up for you......

We had a Harvey....I brought him up but then he got his feathers and the call of the wild. Spugs is lovely.

Wow, Fiona, what a beauty, bird and story. Love it!

Wonderful Fiona. And you have got the head beautifully.

What a lovely story Fiona and a lovely sketch of little Spugs :)

Fantastic name Fiona - how did you arrive at that? Lovely pastel. I've known quite a few very small and "lethal" people. I think the size gives them attitude. However, I hasten to add that I am only just a winkie bit over 5 ft.!

Sylvia, I always release any orphan's I get but Spugs can only fly about 2 foot in the air, doesn't fly in a straight line and when she's descending she goes round in circles. There's nothing wrong with her wings, I think when she fell from the roof she damaged something internally...inner ear perhaps, don't know. Thank you. Mia, don't you go feeling sorry for her, it's me that needs the sympathy, she is a tyke. Thank you John that is a true compliment coming from the bird man himself.

Hello Spugs, nice to meet you and please tell Fiona she's made a lovely job of your portrait.

Louise the stories I could tell you......well, you wouldn't believe me. Here's one, I will explain that SHE has this very annoying little peep, ( whistle) it starts low in volume but if I ignore her it gets louder and more insistant. As I am sat writing this reply she is 'peeping' at me because it's nearly 5 O'clock and she wants to go on her sheepskin...don't ask....her sheepskin is where she takes her bath in the evening. She can't fly up there so muggins puts her up there. You've heard the saying 'rod for your own back'. The peeping will start again around about 8pm because SHE would like the lamps turned on, thank you very much, half hour later it's the curtains SHE wants closing and at 9.30pm I've got to take myself off to bed!! So don't go thinking SHE'S cute!!!! LOL I could go on!!! Do you know that the oldest sparrow in captivity lived until it was 23? Not sure which one of us will go first.

what a dear little bird what a lovely story nicely drawn too Fiona

Adele I've always lived in the country and when I was a lass we called sparrows 'spuggies' not sure if it was just the locality of the village I lived in that had this name for them. Oh she's got attitude alright. Thank you for your comment. Val! Don't you start...lol Thank you.

So enjoyed the Spugie stories, keep us informed I'm enthralled 😆😆

He'slovely Fiona!!

Lol Carole, I could write a book with silly stories based on all the birds I've reared, some made it some didn't but each one has left it's mark with a memory. I don't know what it is with me and birds...we have a long history; my mother said I would come home with baby moorhens cradles in the skirt of my frock, you know, the lovely lemon coloured cotton sun frock, now with moorhen poo all over it. I might do a series of pictures and stories of all the feathered orphan's!! Oh NO I hear you shout!!lol

Thank you very much David, Linda for your lovely comments.

How honoured you are Fiona, when little creatures give you their trust. Beautiful little spuggy.

Sweet little devil! btw, is that an intended advertising of Toshiba? :))

. Well, she's a lucky little Spugs having found someone to care for her so well and your story has made me smile. I once met a lady who had a tortoise who she felt would outlive her. For peace of mind she included him in her will to make sure he'd be looked after properly if he did. Now there's an idea for you Fiona...LOL !!

It is an honour Marjorie, I love her to bits really but for goodness sake don't tell her! Sometimes in the winter when it's an awful day and the wood stove is simmering away and you get that sort of heavy eyelids syndrome. I lay on the rug for a quick forty winks and she will come over and snuggle in close, put her head under her wing and join me for a snooze. Thanks Marjorie. Ha ha Ivan, I didn't think of that!!lol Thank you for your comment.

That's a brilliant idea Louise....I hereby bequeath one sparrow who goes by the name of Spugs to Louise Naimian!!! I'll get my lawyer on to it right away.....lol

Lovely picture Fiona, and lovely story to go with it. Reminds me of my late father, he had regular visits from a blue tit that would eat from his hand and peck on the window if there was a cat in the garden! I will have to try some more pastel work, I've been a bit lazy of late!

LOL Fiona, I knew that you would! Seriously though, you've rather made my day with your delightful descriptions of life with Spugs !

That's a lovely story Keith, they can be quite clever our little feathered friends. Yes you should get your pastels out again, I haven't seen anything on the gallery from you for a while.....perhaps you could do a bluetit. Thank you.

It's a great pastel Fiona. I am trying hard with pastel but not having much success so I know it isn't the easiest. Your story and relationship with Spugs is magnificent. It's the best story I've heard for years. I remembered some years ago I had a little book entitled 'Sold for a farthing' (1953) which is a heartwarming story about a lady who adopted a baby sparrow which had fallen out of its nest - much like your own story. I think I sold it on eBay. I see there are some for sale still. Thanks for sharing Spugs with us. We call them Spuggies here too.

Glad it gave you a giggle Louise.....but it's a life of slavery for me!!lol I've just had to share my Turkish delight with you know who, she knows what day it is....it's the weekend and Friday is Turkish delight night!!lol

Michael my pastels are rubbish, take heart darling your practice will pay off, I like the way you use pastel for your portraits, and thank you for your lovely words. I will take a look for the book, it's the kind of thing I would like to read. I wasn't sure whether spuggies was a local name thank you for clarifying that.

It just gets better..Spugs has a Friday 'Turkish Delight Night'. What a life she's having !!!

Just having a quick catch-up on the gallery and saw your Spuggs! What a lovely story and great pastel sketch too!

I have laughed my socks off Fi - what a character!

Cute....brill...

Spugs is so clever I think she deserves her own blog! Friday is Turkish delight night, now I have heard it all 🤗🤗

Touching story behind a lovely piece Fiona. Love that she surfs the internet.

A great sketch and a lovely story Fiona. We had a Robin who dominated us for 3 years. Never completely domesticated, but very tame and always in the house when the doors were open. Cost me a fortune in mealworms! Alas he's gone now. I must do a picture of him.

Lovely work and lovely words.....do you want a lodger? Happy to supply the Turkish Delight whilst you show me how to use pastels...

Louise! What about the life I'm having????? Here's another tale for you; when we discovered she wasn't flying very well, we trotted off to the pet shop to buy a Budgie, thought he could show her how it's done. Well, that didn't work, she just looked at him gone out when he flew about the place. But the funny thing is, he started to talk, guess what the first sentence he uttered was, "shut it Spugs". He (Shortie) loves her with a passion, SHE, hates him with a vengeance!lol

Thank you very much Christine, Adele, Peter, Henry, Carole......it doesn't stop at Turkish delight, she has this uncanny sense, she knows when you're cutting bread on the bread board, she can hear you unwrap a Tunnocks caramel a 100 yards away and she doesn't shut up until you give her a piece of whatever you're eating. Although she will draw the line at some things. She loves her piece of carrot everyday! Peter, it doesn't take then long to train you does it? Spugs is partial to a mealworm, I have to peel it for her first though...lol. Sylvia....would you like a lodger? She doesn't take up very much room, I like your bribe though.....ref pastel, I'm winging it myself but if you're in my area any time, you would be welcome to join me winging it! lol

This is the best read I've had in ages..you could write an illustrated book about life with Spugs. I didn't realise that sparrows could be kept as you're doing if they can't fly. I'm a bit of a bird lover myself and have had several budgies (which I love) throughout my life. Quite hard work sometimes as they need company and in your case, even turkish delights. Does Spugs have her own luxury cage? I'm happy to adopt her should the worst happen..! Perhaps I should mention your drawing as this is a painters web site..and will use that well used phrase..lovely work (it is!) You've got that tilt of her head and inquisitive look sparrows have.

What delightful stories you tell about Spugs Fiona, you should write a book complete with your illustrations :)

Hi Louise, Spugs can move just as quick on her little stick legs as she would probably be able to fly. She's is on her second, very elaborate domed cage....only the finest will do of course.....it has two 'drawbridges' front and back which are always open. She and Shortie come and go as they please. In the day time I take the bottom part off the cage and place it on her very own Persian rug in front of the patio windows. She pleases herself for the day, she doesn't generally come off the rug because she doesn't like the bare floorboards. If she makes her way to me she sort of hop, skips and jumps over the boards until she gets onto my foot. Spugs has more mirrors, toys and 'stuff' you can shake a stick at...her favourite is a sheet of toilet tissue that she shread's, then proceeds to stuff it anywhere that's a potential nest site. I'll add at this point, that I hoover daily! lol Thank you for the offer of adoption, when can I move in!!!

Hi Val, thank you, it's all true! Wait until I do a sketch of my Starlings....with dialogue.

So lovely, Fiona! Her character shines through in your sketch. Love it!

Thank you Chandra, it's that naughty twinkle in her eye I think...lol

Been having a look through your gallery again and admiring your versatility. These stories of Spuggs have really made me smile tonight! Is she still with you?

Hi Diane, yes Spuggs is still with me, she is ten this year! Are you interested in adopting her? Lol 😂

Wow, that's amazing Fiona...what a relationship! x

Lol...yes I should get a medal!