She Kept A Parrot
A Journal For Charlie
Koko
Koko is the latest resident at the Legend House
She is an African Pygmy Hedgehog
They’re about five inches long
She hid in her hut after we brought her home
When I notice her running on Che’s old wheel
In the late hours of the first night
I knew she would be okay in her new home
She is Charlie’s birthday present
He will be eleven years old on April 29, 2014
We had been discussing what he wanted for his birthday
He couldn’t think of anything
We laughed about that
Since I had just bought a concrete hedgehog planter
I thought of a hedgehog
So, we went in search of Koko
As luck would have it, we found her
She rolled up in a tight ball of quills at first
That’s what Hedgies do when they are frightened
Or if you roll them onto their backs
The quills are sharp and produce a stinging prick
If you happen to touch them when they are upright
She is learning Charlie’s scent
And becoming really comfortable with him
Charlie learned his animal whispering
From his mom who is every animal’s friend
(With the exception of The Green Chicken, you know)
Koko is very curious and playful
She likes toys and is surprisingly strong
She eats dried meal worms and crickets
In addition to her regular dry food diet
She requires fruits and veggies too
Hedgies are nocturnal animals
So they sleep a lot during the daylight hours
KokoΒ is settling down for a nap
In Charlie’s shirt
Soon enough, both Charlie and Koko
Were tired of being photographed
And went back to doing their thing
Charlie with one hand sheltering Miss Koko, of course.
π
Ah, my Birthday Boy…
60 Comments on “Koko”
Comments
She Kept A Parrot 
A handsome pair.
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Thanks, Mike!
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Beautiful story and pictures, my friend – and also very good to see Charlie too – the person that your blog is dedicated to, I think. I hope you’re well and contented, George. I’ve been to see a sick relation, for whose will I am the executor, and so things have been a little busy of late. Take good care of yourself, my dear. Adrian
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It’s always sort of sad to visit a relative at the end of his life. But, you’re there and that’s what counts. Executing a will is a heavy responsibility, particularly if there are survivors to whom you must be accountable. My immediate family is very small so that isn’t a problem. My husband’s mother, and he were the only surviving members of the family, so their wills were pretty much fixed without contention. We knew that Dean was dying for 18 months, so our lawyer handled all of the details for me. I just had to show up and sign the filings and stuff. Kelli is an only child so mine will be fairly simple for her. It’s kind of you to agree to do that. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, and that I thought to post Charlie’s photo. He was just eleven recently, but he’s such an adult kind of kid. I do enjoy him and his projects… Like Miss Koko. She’s grown a lot since these photos of her. I’m doing well. I just can’t comment or like posts on lots of blogs. Don’t know what the problem there is. π¦ Thanks for stopping by, Adrian.
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Charming! The portrait of Charlie is quite beautiful – the focus on his eyes – not too sharp, no too soft – wow, it’s just mesmerizing.
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What a delightful story! And what a face has little Koko π Simply wonderful!
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Thanks, Lynette. Little Koko is something else! Only Charlie pets her or holds her. She doesn’t stick up her quills when he pets her. Chuckle… She’s really not my kind of “warm and fuzzy”! I like her little face too, though. π
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Thanks for sharing Charlie’s birthday present with us. You are a fantastic grandmother! The photos are just the best. Good luck with Koko! All ok here as the temperature climbs. I haven’t been posting anything lately but maybe I’ll come up with something soon. Take care!
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Hi, Jo Nell! I is almost ninety degrees here today. Can you believe that! I was about to complain about the heat, but when I look at the green canopy that appeared around my porch, I guess I’m glad for the warm weather. I’m glad you like the photos. The little thing moves so fast that she’s a bit hard for me to get a shot of her! Charlie is so grown up now. Where did the years go! I enjoy watching him develop interests in such things. Walk down the beach and snap something for us! π Thanks for stopping by!
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Thanks for sharing Charlie’s birthday present with us. You are a fantastic grandmother! The photos are just the best. Good luck with Koko!
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so CUTE!!!! do you have to walk them???
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Walking a hedgie… I dunno’, it might be hell to get the leash on her. Ha-ha! She runs on her wheel forever at night. She really is pretty cute. Thanks, Gail.
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lol
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Happy birthday, dear Charlie. I think he is brave. I would be so frightened of Koko!
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Me, too, Celestine! I’m not wild about picking up little balls of stickers. Chuckle. She will stop doing that when she gets comfortable enough. Come to find out, she’s an adult! That’s going to make it harder to befriend her. I’ll pass along your birthday wishes. Thanks for stopping by! π
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Welcome to sweet Koko! Happy Birthday to sweet Charlie! A precious pair. π
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Thanks, Lemony. I’ll tell Charlie. π
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What a wonderful present for a 11 year old… will surely develop a total love of nature… Love your photos as per usual…
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Well! Bless you, Rob! I hope you are feeling ever so much better now. Koko is a cute little thing. But, she’s prickly if she doesn’t know you. I pretty much avoid picking her up… Charlie doesn’t seem to have much trouble handling her though. I’m coming over right this minute to visit! Thanks, Rob! π
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An 11-year old w/o a miles-long birthday wish list? What a remarkable boy! What a sweet gift and great memory for his 11th year. Koko is cute as can be.
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Ha-ha! Charlie can rarely think of things he wants. I guess I provide whatever he develops an interest in all along so that a “special” gift is hard to come by. One Christmas he told folks that Granny didn’t give him anything for Christmas. I thought that was hilarious. He chose a lot of stuff, I ordered it, he opened it when it came. So, he had few packages from me under the tree. When I ask him what he wants now, he says, “lots of packages!” He really does not care what is in them. He enjoys opening them more than what’s inside. His mom was the same way. I’ve never given him a live present, but I thought of the hedgehog. They are very easy to keep. And, I think they are a good introduction to caring for a wild animal who cannot be domesticated completely. That requires a totally different mindset as well as a great deal of patience. We work with parrots, hedgehogs, chinchillas on their terms. And, I want him to come to respect and appreciate them. To know the joy of having developed a relationship with a wild animal. Thanks, Linda. I appreciate your visits! I really do! π
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Charlie is a lucky boy to have a granny like you who accepts him as he is and offers him wonderful opportunities to explore life as it is. You have a marvelous blog, George, and I always enjoy visiting.
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Thank you, Linda. That means a lot to me.
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How I’ve enjoyed watching Charlie evolve into almost man-hood. I can’t believe how much he’s grown, and so handsome. Now about this hedgehog! You’re giving all the other grannies out there a run for their moneyβ¦hard to compete with that! π π And KoKo! An adorable creature and the nameβ¦perfect. I wish I could see her!
I must have accidentally unfollowed you. Sorry! I think I do it accidentally on my iPhoneβ¦.I lose people!
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Charlie has grown several inches since I started blogging. He’s five feet, five inches tall now! The tallest kid in his class and about as tall as the tallest kid in the school (the school goes through 8th grade). He’s a sweetheart little boy. I enjoy watching Charlie enjoy the animals and everything else he does, of course. Koko is cute. She’s not a furry little creature like we always have, but she’s interesting. Like a cat. She purrs and hisses! I can’t hear her because I’m very hard of hearing, but Charlie hears her purr. She stopped hissing. That must be a good sign… The animals are fun for me too, Elisa. People always ask if they aren’t a lot of trouble. I never thought about it. They live here so I feed and water and pet and take care of them. Charlie takes care of his. Since I am the quintessential hermit, I have the luxury of spending my days however I like. And Charlie and the animals are very high on that list… Thanks, Elisa. I’ll tell Charlie what you said. π
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Happy Birthday wishes go out to Charlie. And, to George, you get my vote for best Grand Ma on the planet … for real. I hope Charlie realizes that! Don’t be offended George when I tell you that I AM NOT going to show this post to Joanna … she’s always wanted a Hedgehog but, between the goats, horses, hogs, sheep, geese, ducks, chickens, dogs, cats, AND ME … I’ve put my foot down. What a mean fellow I am. D
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Ha-ha! A good wife listens. Dean swore mighty oaths when I brought Rita home, but I paid no attention. She lived on her huge Java tree behind his sofa and often climbed down to nip him. Chuckle… He never admitted that he liked her, but he always shared his snacks with her. Hedgehogs are absolutely no trouble. One could live happily in a large plastic storage container. Feed him and handle him a bit every day, and he’s perfectly happy. Joanna could want just about anything that would be far more trouble than a Hedgie. The cats won’t dare to try to eat him, either! Since I can’t provide farm animals for Charlie, I have to find smaller critters. I enjoy watching Charlie learn about animals and how to care for them. Thanks, Farmer! π
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This is a most precious offering, George! Thank you. Both are just adorable and your grandson looks to me to be a gentle boy who will take good care of his hedgie! xx
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I’m happy that you enjoyed it, Adelaide. Charlie really is a gentle giant of a boy. I chose a hedgehog because the handling and care require a commitment and understanding of wild creatures that is more advanced than with other furry creatures. Koko will let him know when he makes a mistake! I think it is important for children to learn to respect and accommodate the needs of the wild creatures that we keep as domestic pets. Animals are not toys. That is critical to our understanding of them. We can enjoy them on a different level than we enjoy dogs and cats. He has surprised me in the way he has been able to handle Miss Prickly Koko. I don’t like to handle her myself! The quills give you a rather painful sting! Chuckle. With her, it’s definitely a give and take situation! Thanks, Adelaide. I love seeing that mischievous, smiling Gravatar. It makes me smile, too! π
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She is too cute π
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HI, Colline. Hedgies are cute little creatures. And interesting too. When they aren’t being prickly! π Charlie is going to enjoy taking care of her, I think. Thanks for stopping by to visit us! π
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That little Koko is darling!!! I can’t wait to see her. Our precious Charlie is looking sooo grown up!!!
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HI, Linda. Koko is a funny little thing, sure enough. Charlie is as tall as Kelli, I think, now. I hope you and AH will come down soon! π
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Such a lovely post, George. Koko is adorable and has such a pretty face. Happy birthday to your handsome grandson. π
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Thank you, Sylvia. Koko is a funny little creature and, of course, I adore that Charlie Boy! I’ll pass along your birthday wishes. Thanks for stopping by to visit us! π
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a beautiful story George π Koko is gorgeous, a lovely friend for Charlie!
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Awww, Koko is very sweet and Charlie is beautiful. Happy Birthday, Charlie! All the best people have birthdays in late April/May π
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Thank you, Narelle. I will pass your birthday wishes along to Charlie and Miss Koko! Charlie is a sweetheart and Miss Koko is getting less “prickly” every day. Chuckle. π
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Beautiful photos George and what a fantastic birthday present, Charlie is a lucky (and obviously very caring) boy. Hedgehogs are such amazing little creatures, I love the way they curl up in a ball.
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Thanks, Sam. Charlie is a sweetheart boy. Hedgehogs are funny little creatures. They are very much like cats. And they are more active and interesting than you’d think to look at them. Charlie likes Koko, and I think he’ll enjoy taking care of her. π I hope Maxi is doing well!
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I think that hedgehogs look very interesting indeed π
Maxi is doing well, at the moment we’re trying to remove the pain patch, an adhesive patch that administers pain relief. It is stuck on her side and trying to take it off is like ripping a bandaid of a hairy person, she soon gives us a wide berth if we even look like going near it π
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Ha-ha! I don’t blame her! Bless her old heart. She’s had her share of pain lately. You might try soaking it off in warm water. She’s go for a warm bath, maybe, if she can trust you not to LOOK at that patch! I love it. π
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Happy birthday to Charlie. Looks like him and Koko are going to be firm friends.
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Thank you, Richard. Yes, I think Charlie is going to enjoy having Koko around. Hedgehogs are funny little creatures. They’re like cats. They purr and hiss too! I didn’t realize that they play like cats. They also “self-anoint” which is an euphemism for regurgitating on their quills when they really like something. Food or a toy or anything. I could live without that expression of delight, but… Chuckle. Thanks for stopping by. I am still trying to figure out what I want to say about your last post. It is one of those posts that I think about long after I’ve read it. You amaze me, Richard. And delight me with your world view. π
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Hello George, it has been ages since we chatted last. What a delight to see this post. I love hedgehogs, and bought a hedgie hand puppet yesterday! Lol. Koko is so pretty, and I wish her a Charlie a wonderful life together! x
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Hi, Charlene! I was just thinking about you the other day and wondering if you still maintain the blog. I don’t get notices anymore. I hope all is well in your part of the planet. I’m still chugging along here. Thanks for the birthday wishes. I’ll pass them along to Koko and Charlie. I think he is going to enjoy the little hedgie. I do so appreciate your visit! π
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Oh dear George, I miss notices too!! I’m great! Our new baby girl is at 36 weeks gestation, so arriving sooooooon! Guess this Granny is super excited, aching arms, heart already filled with love!!!!
Love hearing from you too x
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Hi George! I’ve been thinking a lot about you. Charlie has grown up sooooo much. Wow, he is a very handsome, intelligent young man. How precious that u have the time to teach him the important things in life. He’s very fortunate to have u as his granny!!!!
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Hi, Glenda! I’m glad to hear from you! Charlie is five feet, five inches tall now. And he’s a sweet boy. We have to get together soon to catch up! Thanks for stopping by. Maybe I’ll drive up to Cuero one day! π
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what a precious gift it is to teach him empathy for another living creature
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Hi, billgncs! Thanks for stopping by. I think children learn from their families about such things. Empathy, respect and consideration for animals is one of those basic tenets of a civilized person and the kind of thing that is expected of you in this family, at least. We love animals around here. π
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that’s the way it should be!
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Happy Birthday Charlie. Kokomo is one lovely, cute birthday present.
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Thanks, Rose! Koko is a cute little thing, really. I think she will be lots of fun for Charlie! I will pass along the birthday wishes! π
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What a cool animal! Your son is cute, too. π
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Hi, Brenda! Thank you. Hedgehogs are cute. Charlie is my grandson, and the joy of my old age, of course! π Thanks for stopping by to visit us!
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Grandson!! I missed that. π
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Yep, I’m old, you know! Chuckle. I’ll be 72 in May! π
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What a cute addition to la familia. π
Happy almost bday to Charlie & wishes to him for many…more!
{Hugs}
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Thanks, RoSy! I’ll tell Charlie. I think surely Koko is the last of the additions to la familia! π
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