![\"The](\"http:\/\/www.catdoodles.com\/dailydoodle\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/feeder_640.jpg\" "\\"The")
<\/p>\nAs birds go, it turns out that baby Woots mature really quickly\u2014which is lucky indeed, considering Mama Charlotte\u2019s lack of maternal impulses.<\/p>\n
Saturday found our household\u2019s newest member weaned, walking, talking and flying (well, a little). Enough, though, to float up to the catbird seat at the Birdseed\u00a0Caf\u00e9 in our back patio, under her own steam. \u00a0Once there, Baby Stella seemed right at home, sitting pretty and chatting with the regulars.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
While Charlotte took a snooze, Uncle Max and Aunt Flora Mouse kept a close watch on Baby Stella, just in case she needed a helping paw. And while their hovering didn\u2019t prove necessary, they were meanwhile treated to a welcome sighting of the Bluebird of Happiness, which flew in with an update on Dad up in Madison: Apparently, James had made such good progress following his hip replacement on Thursday night, that he had just been transferred from the hospital to a nice rehab facility that very morning, to continue his therapy there. (Great news, Dad\u2014Keep up the good work!)<\/p>\n
Between Stella’s progress and Dad’s, Saturday was a five-star news day all around.<\/p>\n
Speaking of stellar achievements, I\u2019ve been meaning to share this tidbit for a while, ever since late February, when I first heard about it. And since it fits in so nicely with today\u2019s bird and accomplishment themes, today seemed like the perfect day to do it.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a photo of my good pal (and famed artist), Wendy Wray, taken a bit earlier this year, in front of a display of some of her limited release\u00a0endangered species bird stamps<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cLimited release\u201d in this case means that you can only buy these online<\/a>, and can also only use these stamps on mail sent from the United Nations\u2019 post office<\/a> at UN Headquarters in NYC. \u2014Which is where Wendy is pictured below, on the day she stopped by there to do just that.<\/p>\n There is another nice little write-up on Wendy\u2019s stamps here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Congratulations, Wendy! To have been hired to create an illustration for a postage stamp is a very great honor, in my (or anyone\u2019s) book. But to have contributed\u00a0twelve <\/em>illustrations\u2014and for each one to be so exquisite (like all your work<\/a>)\u2014is even more fantastic!<\/p>\n I hope everyone’s Saturday was equally flush with good news as ours was here, and wish you all a happy and relaxing remainder of the weekend.<\/p>\n I have an illustration deadline to go finish up once I sign off, so I probably won\u2019t see you on here again until late, late Monday night\u2014or even Tuesday. So, until then, best wishes for the start of the work week, too. And special greetings and love to Dad up in Wisconsin: We miss you, big guy!<\/p>\n P.S. The peacock in today\u2019s doodle is for my sister Carol, with many thanks for performing the Max-and-Flora role up in Madison. (Not that Dad requires much hovering, Sis, but it\u2019s still awfully nice for all of us that you are there.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As birds go, it turns out that baby Woots mature really quickly\u2014which is lucky indeed, considering Mama Charlotte\u2019s lack of maternal impulses. Saturday found our household\u2019s newest member weaned, walking, talking and flying (well, a little). Enough, though, to float … Continue reading ![\"Wendy](\"http:\/\/www.catdoodles.com\/dailydoodle\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/wendy-birds-640.jpg\" "\\"Wendy")
<\/p>\n