Well no wonder Europe is Gloomy

Soooo as you can probably tell by my Pen name, I like hummingbirds.  No, I should correct that, I LOVE hummingbirds.  They are so small, cute, and feisty little boogers.  Plus they come in a plethora of coloration and variations in size and attitude, and they drink SUGAR...well not exactly, but come on, a tiny little creature that defies physics, hovers like a helicopter to drink nectar from flowers and looks like a iridescent jewel, what's not to love?  (Well besides being dive bombed by a territorial nesting bird...that is somewhat less fun, but hey a bird has to guard his turf right?)

I have always loved watching and feeding these marvels of creation, so I was anxious to get our little feeder out and set up over here in Germany.  Well I was excited, until I tried to learn the German word for Hummingbird from some friends.  I showed them the feeder as well as the wind-spinner with the laser engraving of a hummingbird to explain what bird I was trying to learn about.  Both items were met with confused looks and the response.  "Do you mean the birds that go ratta-ratta-ratta on trees?" Indicating with their hands what one could only assume was a woodpecker impersonation.  Woodpeckers are also cool, but they are not hummingbirds.  After some more attempts to explain the object of my query, it was decided that they didn't know of the bird I was speaking of and I nonchalantly mentioned it was possible that they weren't native to the area, or possibly even Germany and that German may not have a word for hummingbird then.

  So that night I decided I was going to find out what if any Hummingbirds were native to Europe.  If you type in European Hummingbird into Google, you will learn fairly quickly what I did, I was correct in my assessment that there are no hummingbird species native to Germany.  I was appalled to learn that not only are they not native to Germany, there are no wild hummingbirds in all of Europe.  You know why?  Because...

There are absolutely no native hummingbird species found in the entire Eastern Hemisphere of our planet!!!

What!?!  Yep, it is a very sad and depressing thought that all of this half of the globe does not know the wonder and beauty that is the hummingbird, now I know why Hickory has never been able to find the word Hummingbird in the languages he has learned and therefor has always had to settle for calling me "sparrow" or "little bird" in those languages.  Boo.  (In unrelated news, why is this half the "Eastern Hemisphere" and the Americas are in the "Western Hemisphere"...it's a round object that spins, so doesn't that mean that at certain point in the 24hr cycle the East is West and the West is East?  Doesn't it depend on which side of the globe you are looking at as to which parts are a "hemisphere"?  Geographical demarcation laws elude me.  If anyone is more read up on who set the standard as it is and why, feel free to let me know in the comments, but as it is unlikely anyone really reads my ramblings, I will just sigh and say, poor poor Eastern Hemisphere, no wonder Europe is gloomy.  Not only is it cloudy, cold, and wet (not to mention dark during the winter), but they don't even have the benefit of the happy go lucky Hummingbird to come brighten their yard.   For them I shall include a video of one of my favorite avian friends.

If you are thinking, "Well no, but I'm sure they have other bright birds."  Let me tell you that at least here in Germany, after looking through the entire 518+ native and introduced/accidental bird varieties that can be found here...there are almost none with brilliant plumage or distinction.  Yes folks, the bird life here is as gray/brown as the surrounding mountainsides.  This doesn't mean it isn't beautiful, no the songs the birds here have are magnificent, even if their feathers are not much to look at.  So my hummingbird feeder is being taken down, and I may even just go ahead and mail it to my mom, since it will not see use here for many years, and if we end up living in Africa some day, it won't see any use there.  Although Hickory did find out they have Wikipedia article on Hummingbird Hawk Moths here...which at least LOOK like hummingbirds, even though they are really just big bugs.  :)

Hmmm...wonder how hard it is to get a hummingbird for a pet?...On second thought, nah, would need special licensing and fees I'm sure, and I wouldn't want to have a pet that any vet near here would have likely never seen let alone treated should anything go wrong.

For now I will be happy with our seed and suet feeders and the birds that occompany them, and hey there is at least one Hummingbyrd living in Germany, she's right here and isn't planning on leaving anytime soon.  Although I believe she does need to go and work on the dishes, as her nest is looking a bit too cluttered at the present time.  ~Hummingbyrd, saddened, but surviving

Attempting video in 3...2...1...

Hmm, let's see if I can master the art of video insertion.

If it works, let me know, for now just enjoy my ramblings.
~Hummingbyrd

Regarding Mammals

Tea = Mammal

I thought I should include a few stories that have occurred that are worthwhile to keep and point back to in the future and show our children that on occasion they have brought forth some rather unique perspectives and subjects.  So every once in awhile I will include posts like this one that cover older stories or things worthy of note and remembrance.  One such story happened on the first of March of this year, we were all gathered at the table for breakfast when the following conversation took place.

It all began with the older two observing Lumpy having her breakfast.

D: Mama, is Lumpy having Noms? (our family name for breastfeeding)

Me: Yep, she's having her breakfast while we have ours.

G:  Mama, that's silly, Lumpy isn't eating.

Me: Yes she is, see? <show Grins her jaw working> Can you hear that sound?  That is her swallowing.

G: <looking alarmed>  Is she biting you Mama?!

Me: No, no she's not biting me, she is drinking Mama milk, she's a baby, they don't eat real food like big kids and grown ups.  She doesn't have any teeth yet.

D: Yep, Lumpy just gets Noms.

<pause while Grins contemplates this>

G: But how did the milk get in there Mama?  Did you pour it from the refrigerator into your tummy? 

H: No Grins the milk in the refrigerator is cow's milk, it came from a cow.  And the milk mama drinks isn't really milk, it's smooshed up almonds.  Lumpy is getting people milk from Mama's nipples.

G: What's a nipple?

Me:  It's a part of your body Grins, the two pink circles way above your bellybutton, those are your nipples.

D: Can you give Lumpy noms too Papa?

H: No, only Mamas give noms.

G: When I grow up to be a Mama, I want to give noms.

H: Ummm, Grins you can't grow up to be a Mama, only girls are Mamas, boys grow up to be Papas.

D: But Papa, boys have nipples too right?

Me: Yes Dash, boys have nipples too.  

D: Why?  

Me: Because we're all mammals.  Meaning we all have mammary glands able to make milk.  Mammals are any animal that gives its babies milk and has hair, or fur. So all mammals have nipples, or teats as they are called if its on an animal that isn't human.  Like whales, elephants, ham-hams (aka dwarf hamsters) cats, and dogs.  They are all mammals.

H: Yep guys, they all give their babies milk just like Mama is giving Lumpy milk.

G:  But I'm not a manimal(sic), I can't give my babies milk.

H: Well technically Grins you could make milk if you really needed to, but only if you were a grown up and the Mama was not able to.  Usually boys don't make milk, but we're still MAMmals.  You got noms when you were a baby because you are a mammal.  Other kinds of animals like birds and reptiles don't get noms.

D:  But they have nipples right?  Like lizards have nipples, right?

G: So do CHICKENS!!!<giggle>

H:<shakes head> Nope.

Me: Lizards don't have nipples, chickens don't have nipples.

Lizard = No Nipples = Not a Mammal

Chicken = No Nipples = Not a Mammal

Ham-ham = Nipples = Mammal

G: Are Fairies mammals?

Me: Fairies aren't real, but if they were, I suppose they would likely be mammals. Dragons on the other hand would be reptiles and not mammals.

D: Yeah, but Unicorns have nipples right mama? They're mammals.

H: No, Unicorns are not real either, but yes they would most likely be mammals and have nipples like horses. (yes I know teats, but the differentiation was lost on them.)

D: Papa! Unicorns are too real.

H: No Dash, Unicorns are Mythological, that's a fancy grown-up word for pretend. They aren't real.

D: Are horses pretend too?

Me: No horses are real, you've seen a horse before, dragons, unicorns, fairies are all pretend. That's why you have never seen a real one.

D: Horses are mammals? They have nipples? Just like whales?

Me: Yes, horses are mammals. 

G: Mama, are rabbits real? 

H: Yes Grins, rabbits are real. 

G: Oh good, rabbits have nipples.

H: Yes they do, now eat your breakfast boys or you'll miss Kindergarten

Everyone resumes eating for about five minutes, then Grins looked up and very matter-of-factly informed us...

P: Mama...Spiderman has nipples, he's a mammal.

Yes, this conversation happened, and it will be one of many I'm sure we'll share with you in the future.  Yes folks, you heard it right here, chickens do not in fact have nipples, and guess what?  Ducks don't either, you're shocked, right?