By Isabella and Annalisse, 12 year old caretakers of Greenberry. (with permission from mom) Greenberry was a sweet green budgie that lived with us from 2008 to 2012, with his partner Skyline. He was already older when we got him, so we don't know his particular age. However old he was, he had a great long life. On May 23, 2012, Greenberry died from complications of heart failure and pneumonia. He began to show signs of sickness, so we gently picked him up and tried to take him to the vet. We never got out the door, because he started to breathe hard and I realized he wasn't going to make it to the vet. So my sister and I sat down and softly petted him and tried to calm him down. He died peacefully in our hands, and was buried outside in the shady area where the wild birds are. He always had liked being outside, we sometimes would take him in his cage to get some fresh air and hear the birds. Skyline is very lonely without her buddy, and so are we. She misses him terribly. Greenberry was a very calm and sweet budgie, and he often would perch on our finger if we asked him to step up. He had the cutest personality, and he was very stunning with his bright yellow head and beautiful green body. Almost everyone who saw him remarked on his beautiful colors and very vibrant personality. He loved his mate, but sometimes we thought he loved his lettuce and his millet even better!! He was just so sweet, hardy, adorable, smart, and wonderful that people couldn't help to love him. To us, he was just a extremely lovable bird that made us laugh and smile many times during his long life. The house is so empty without him, and I miss calling him my little "greenberry muffin". Fly free sweet birdie, may our other bird Merry meet you in Heaven, and us too someday.....I, for one, can't wait to hear your cute little chirps and pet your soft feathers in Heaven! Some poems for Greenberry: All things bright and beautiful All creatures great and small All things wise and wonderful; The Lord God made them all. Each little flower that opens Each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings. He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well. ~Author Unknown~ G.R.E.E.N.B.E.R.R.Y. Poem By Isabella _________________________ Great little budgie Radiant Energetic Extra-lovable Noble Beautiful Elegant Really Cute Rare (he was really one in a million of budgies) You were my first birdy love! Cute & Unique Things about Greenberry: He made the most adorable poses. He often liked to be gently scratched near his cheek. He had a lot of nicknames. We usually called him "Greenberry Muffin" and sometimes "Little Green Surprise". Our funny uncle sometimes called him "Greenbeard"! Greenberry was in love with lettuce, but if you showed him purple cabbage he freaked out. When we buried poor Greenberry, we put in a little bit of lettuce & millet, his favorite foods, to make him happy. :,( He lived for a bit with our cousins the Becks, and they would often put him outside in his cage to watch the wild birds peck at the feeder. One day, while we were visiting, the cage was knocked over, and he got out! Luckily, my Aunt Carmen found him in their backyard tree and put him back in. Greenberry sure had a lot of adventures! Greenberry was a very friendly, wonderful bird and got along with most everyone, especially his mate, Skyline. When introduced him to our cockatiel, Pippin, who is much larger than him, Greenberry just let out a soft chirp of welcome and wasn't even fazed at Pippin's size. He wasn't scared of anything and loved to meet new people & birds. We'll miss our little socialite bird! Who named him Greenberry? Our little cousins the Becks (Greenberry's original owners) did, because he was green and plump! They also came up with the name of Skyline, for obvious reasons- she's as pretty and blue as the sky! I remember the first day I saw Greenberry. I think it was Summer 2008, and we arrived at my cousin's house. My cousins Savvy and Eddy pulled me to the counter, eager to show me something. Pattering on the plastic bottom of a empty Toll House cookie dough container, was a little green budgie, which they said they had caught from their backyard. He looked up at me and chirped. I fell in love with him at that second, and whenever we visited their house my sister, our cousins and I tried to teach him to talk. Even so, it was almost two years before he lived with us. When he did, I got to know him and tame him, and he was the best bird I have ever seen. From the very start, he had no inhibitions about people and was incredibly trusting. Most budgies can be quite moody, loud and often stubborn, but Greenberry was the opposite: calm, quiet, tolerant, sweet, and very tame in a short time. That's why everyone loved Greenberry! <3 <3 <3 Update: It's been more than a year since Greenberry passed away, but I find this poem very true: They say time heals all sorrow And helps to forget, But time has only proven, How much I miss you yet Time has not healed This ache in my heart And time has no meaning The time we're apart. Update: I am so sad to report that Skyline, Greenberry's beloved mate, died today Feb. 19th, 2013...... May she find Greenberry at the Rainbow Bridge! We miss the both of them so much!!!!