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Good morning, and Happy Sunday!

Does anyone else equate Sundays with pancake-eating?

Because I don’t like to be bothered cooking elaborate breakfasts in the morning, I often cook my pancakes up ahead of time. (I’ll usually make multiple batches and freeze the extras.) This morning, when I came in from running, here’s what was all ready for me:

workit

Banana Pancakes for One 

Despite the “for one” in the title, I did not consume these pancakes completely by myself. The following adorable little helper snatched a bite:

woody

Meet Woody, the Meyer’s Parrot.

I’m bird-sitting for the weekend, and I’ve had so much fun with this gal. (Woody’s actually a girl.) She’ll sit on my finger, say “pretty bird,” and she even eats my food! Besides a small bite of pancake, I’ve also fed her a pepper from last night’s stir fry, some raw carrot, and even oatmeal! Woody likes all the foods I like—grains, nuts, vegetables, fruits… everything but chocolate. (So sad, chocolate is bad for birds!)

Not everyone’s a fan…

Who’s not thrilled with out houseguest? Henry.

He’s 1/2 Jack Russell, which is supposed to be a bird dog. But Henry’s other half is made up of cat. Fraidy cat, to be exact! The little guy has spent the entire weekend hiding in the closet. (Before we rescued Henry, he was abused as a puppy, so many things still scare him.)

woody 2

Hermit crabs, hamsters, fish…

Have you ever owned a pet other than a dog?

In my lifetime, I’ve shared a home with all of the above, as well as rabbits, a lizard, and a Quaker Parrot. (By the way, Quaker Parrots are the best pets ever!!)

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Published on April 17, 2011

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96 Comments

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  1. Freya says

    Arh! Birds creep me out :/ I think Henry is doing the right thing, embracing his inner scaredy cat-ness!
    I’ve owned: dogs, horses, cats, guniea pigs, goats, fish, rats, hamsters (x 7), rabbits…I think that’s it….

  2. Anne says

    What fun to have such a cute houseguest. When I was little, I owned white mice. They were so cute and fun. But when they started eating their babies, that was it for me! More recently we owned a pair of white doves that my son used in magic routines. When he went off to college, the doves found a home with an “aviary lady” who is still treating them very well.

  3. Elle says

    Wow! Woody is gorgeous. In my life I have been blessed with dogs, cats, turtles, chamelions, guineau pigs, hamsters and fish. Never a bird, though.

    Saturday is pancake day in our house. We had some to fuel yesterday’s run. With lots of fresh strawberries sliced on top.

  4. Lauren says

    Aww what a pretty bird!!! I used to have a parakeet in high school, birds can be so sweet! I also used to have lots of fish, but they all died on me… 🙁

  5. Cait @ Beyond Bananas says

    Ahh yes, I’ve had hamsters, hermit crabs, goldfish, guinea pigs.. none every lasted as long as my pups though!
    When our hamster died when my brother and I were younger, my parents didn’t want us to be sad.. so they quickly ran to the pet store and bought Harry the Second. The original Harry was so nice and sweet.. but this new guy… he was nasty..bit all the time.. definitely not the Harry my brother and I knew. Our parents had to tell us the truth…

  6. Shannon says

    I actually own two budgies in addition to my puppy–Blue and Roxy. We’ve always been a bird family. It was actually interesting watching Bailey get used to the birds flying around. She kind of thinks they’re toys so we have to be careful.

  7. Jenny says

    I don’t usually equate Sundays with pancake-eating, but lately I have – simply because of all the awesome pancake recipes on blogs like yours! I made your Oatmeal Cookie Crepe Cakes… I completely botched the first one, ending up with a delicious blob from a failed flipping attempt. XD They were delicious though!

    I’ve owned loooads of pets aside from a dog. I’ve had budgies (that one’s not unusual though), turtles, snapping turtles, two parrots, cockatiels, a cockatoo, an iguana, a bearded dragon, a chameleon, and a monitor lizard. My mom and I love animals! 🙂

  8. Carrie (Moves 'N Munchies) says

    aHAHAH a parrot must be SO much fun!! does he make weird noises?? i remember my friends parrot would not shut up all night — but he was too cute!

    where did sundays and pancakes originate?! i see it ALL over blogworld.. yet iv never heard of it! no complaints though……

  9. Melanie says

    I’ve had: dogs, cats, guinea pigs, birds, fish, an iguana, a chameleon, a bearded dragon, and a garter snake.

    And I made your red velvet pancakes yesterday (sans food coloring) topped with ricemellow. OMG yum!

  10. Gen says

    Those pancakes look fabulous!!!
    I’ve had a dog (my parents bought him when they got married…so he was almost 8 when I was born!), two cats (one that I loved and one that I don’t), and a couple of fish!

  11. hippierunner says

    Haha, I couldn’t wait and had pancakes last night for dinner! Woody is so adorable, really makes me miss all my parrots back home. We’ve had a ton of pet birds, once there was even a school field trip to my house to visit all the parrots we had lol.

  12. Lisa says

    i had no idea you could freeze already made pancakes! what a good idea. and since I like bananas, im sure ill like banana pancakes…. 😉

  13. Stefanie says

    She is a pretty bird. My past animals include hamsters, gerbils, mice, and rats. I now have 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, 2 cats, and a goldfish. I wish I could add a horse and goat to the list but that is not practicle right now.

    Yummy looking pancakes. 🙂

  14. Stephanie says

    I have two cats, Pablo and Mitsy, and in the past I’ve had two gerbils, Stuart and Charlie, and a bunny. I called my bunny “Bunny” in the summer (sooo creative, right? 😉 ) and “Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows” in the winter because she was brown with a white tummy, so to my seven-year-old self she looked like hot chocolate and marshmallows.

  15. Heidi @ Food Doodles says

    Great pancake picture 😀 Woody is so cute! My dad had a bird once when I was growing up. It was more annoying than anything though, all it did was squawk 🙁 I can’t remember what it was. He was cute too though 😀 When I was little, till I was 8 we had goats and chickens though 😀 Goat babies are so much fun! Hehe. Actually just last year we had a goat for a short while. My son liked him so much that he still talks about him and he’s been gone for at least 9 months.

  16. Lilly says

    Growing up we had many many dogs ( I am pretty sure 6 at a times was our max), cats, snakes, hamsters, rats, fish, a tarantula, a frog, and a bunny. Lets just say despite being an only child, it was never boring at my house. 😀

  17. katie says

    omg what a cute bird!!!

    We used to have a cockatoo when I was growing up! He talked so much! His name was Luigi! Oh we had all kinds of fun with him!!!!

  18. McKella says

    I’ve had dozens of cats, but one of the coolest pets I ever had
    Was a rat named Griffy. He snuggled, danced, loved to get tickled and even
    Played fetch when he was in the mood! Best rat ever.

  19. Erika @ Health and Happiness in LA says

    Ooh Woody looks cool.

    When my dad lived on a farm we had sooo many different animals — horses, goats, a goose, chickens (just as pets!), rats, a miniature horse, a hedgehog (so cool), rabbits, and even a POSSUM! We found him gravely injured and my step-mom nursed him back to health and then would carry him around in her dog carrier like she did with her Chihuahua.

  20. Brandi says

    Poor Henry! Better to be afraid though then be vicious with a bird at least. It’s sad that he used to be abused and things still scare him. My aunt has a dog that is still somewhat that way because tile floor still freaks her(the dog of course) out.

    I’ve has a few slew of animals come threw my house including a cockatiel(his name was Fin we had to get rid of him because he was to messy and got really loud), lizards(so many lizards I lost count. One was named Escape(prouned Es-Cap-Ay) because she would escape I found her skin while cleaning my room once I freaked out…., and Godzilla, I forgot the rest. We’ve had cats that my brother brought home that our cat didn’t like. Then a dog named Dioge who was a pit bull.

  21. Katie says

    This my first comment, but I love your blog!!! Woody is super cute, and the pancakes look delicious! My family has had Budgies, turtles, fish, and of course the occasional Sea Monkies….if they count as pets. 🙂 Currently I have a Hedgehog named Twitch, she is very friendly and cute. I also have a dog named Autumn, but she has to live at home with my family until I graduate from Vet school.

  22. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says

    Awww, Woody is so pretty!! I once inherited guinea pigs, and I’ve had various pet fish over the years, plus bunnies. Oh, and when I was little we had a pond with ducks and geese. My parents also had a chicken coop when I was a baby. 🙂 I love animals! My dream is to have a farm with Noah’s Arc, LOL. 😀

  23. Camille says

    What a cutie! Pretty bird, indeed. 🙂
    I always grew up with dogs, but after bringing my little fuzz kitten in to my life, I am a full blown cat person. She is just the best thing ever.

  24. Felicia ( a taste of health with balance) says

    what a cutie! hmm i have 2 dogs, 2 cats, 3 goats, ~40 chickens, 4 ducks, 5 guinea hens, and lots of beehives! its a big party over here 🙂

  25. Änne says

    what a cute bird 🙂 when I was a small kid, I always brought home all kinds of bugs and frogs and everything that looked interesting, my mum even refused to check my pockets before washing my clothes…but when I look back: what else could I have become than a biologist 😉

  26. Dalai Lina says

    I’m having horrible flashbacks to bird sitting my friend’s feathered monster for 6 months. That this was psychotic and I am scarred for life. You are a good woman.

  27. Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free says

    Awwww 🙂 So cute!!!! The only other pet I’ve had was a beta fish…..I was like five, and I wasn’t really excited about it because I couldn’t cuddle it 😛

  28. Holly @ The Runny Egg says

    Woody is so pretty! Poor Henry 🙁

    When I was a kid, we had a turtle, a frog, gerbils, birds, 2 cats and plenty of fish. Never all at once though.

  29. Moni'sMeals says

    how funny! I am not a bird person myself. 🙂 I bet you had a very entertaining time!

    Lovin all the recipes. 🙂

  30. steph - vegfortworth says

    Aww, Woody is so cute!

    We had two parakeets and four fish when I was growing up (as well as four cats and five dogs). I definitely prefer cats for pets. I have two cats now–they just turned 4 on Friday (tax day babies!).

  31. Emma (Sweet Tooth Runner) says

    I DO PANCAKE SUNDAY TOO!!! And I’m sure you know by now how much I *heart* your banana pancakes for one! They’re soooo good!! 🙂

    Aww poor Henry!! Woody is cute though, but I don’t think Buddy would like him either! I wouldn’t much though if he tried to take my pancakes! 😛

  32. Kate says

    My grandmother has a bird who is the meanest thing on the planet. All he does is bite people and squawk all day. Or maybe I just don’t like birds.

    I used to have a hamster but it died. It was quite amusing though since he’d escape out of his cage and sometimes I’d find him scurring around the kitchen or in my bed 🙂 My cousin lets her hamster eat with her at mealtimes and puts him on the table. It is kinda gross.

  33. emma says

    I used to have a little blue budgie called Fred 🙂 He was so cute! When Phil and I get a house with a garden then I hope to get a lil pup. 🙂

  34. Albizia says

    I’ve never had a parrot but I’ve had almost any other pet you can imagine (small enough to live in a flat) – cats, hamsters, fish,a tortoise, a hedgehog, a rescued pigeon for a little while, snails… Probably my mum wasn’t the happiest person in the world because most of them were brought from the street 🙂 .

  35. Jess says

    ah, if only i had the patience for birds. i’ve had hamsters, but that’s about it. lately i’ve been eating just pancakes for breakfast lol. maybe i’ll have something different tomorrow.

  36. Heather @ kissmybroccoli says

    You know me girlie…I’m all about Pancake Sundays! The ones I made this morning about knocked my socks off and actually have me craving them again for dinner!

    My cat Tiger is such a “fraidy cat”! He was a stray as well, but I don’t know anything about his history. I just assume he must’ve been through some rough stuff since he’s been with me for over 5 years and STILL gets scared if I make a sudden movement. Poor darlin!

    When I was younger, my sister and I went through a hamster phase. Man those things have short lifespans! Lol! And a couple of years ago, I owned a ferret. He was the cutest thing (when he wanted to be) but I just didn’t have the time to devote to him so I found him another “mommy” complete with a ferret brother and sister! I do miss him sometimes though…especially when Jenn (peasandcrayons.com) posts pics of her little cuties!

  37. amylee says

    I had a pet goose! I was home from college for the summer and the poor thing had been abandoned by its mother in the barn. She imprinted on me instead. When she was little I’d bring her in the house to sit on my lap when I watched Rosie (yeah it was a long time ago). Otherwise we’d sit outside. She was never able to fly, but she’d try her hardest to fly after my car when I drove away. Shunned by the other geese she always felt more at home with humans and followed my dad around outside after I moved out. I used to sing her ABBA songs and named her Fernando before I knew she was a girl 🙂 I truly learned then that all animals are lovable and deserving of our respect and kindness. She was a good teacher.

  38. Mihika says

    I used to have FOUR parrots, all tame 🙂 Unfortunately, I had only adopted them for a while; it was heartbreaking having to give them away. They are absolutely wonderful to have: intelligent, curious, inquisitive and so funny! One used to fly out of his cage every morning, come to my bed, crawl under the sheets and try to wake me up by talking very loudly, so I could get him breakfast! He also loved to sit on my shoulder while I brushed my teeth; he found the foam fascinating. He would lick the maple syrup from my plate after I ate pancakes. Oh, I miss those days! Now I need to adopt a dog, this time for keeps!

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Awww now you’re making me miss MY parrot too :(. We adopted him, and he was formerly abused/neglected, so he didn’t have long to live with us… but those years were amazing. As I said in my post, parrots are the best pets EVER! I guess you’d agree! 🙂

      • Mihika says

        They certainly are! Though dogs are a very, very, very close second 🙂
        The thing with parrots is that they aren’t always nice to everyone; you have to earn their trust and respect. My parrot was extraordinarily gentle with my little sister, but he had no problems pecking my father for attention! Ha! I think that’s what makes the friendship of a parrot so special. Although he probably liked me the best because I fed him and cleaned up his poop 😉

  39. bitt of raw says

    Yes! I wen through a rodent rescue phase where I had some rescued mice and rats. I’ve also rescued chicks and rabbits, but just short term. Mice are pretty cute and rats can be too.

  40. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says

    Cats, hamsters, fish, dogs, bunnies = what Ive owned

    The bird is so pretty but I confess I am semi phobic of birds. Too many being pooped on incidents from seagulls on vacation when I was growing up and so birds and me…well….nice to look at but I don’t want one as a pet. lol

  41. Kat @ Cupcake Kat says

    Aww she’s so cute! I once had some finches, a hamster, and several fish. Now I just have a cat.
    I equate weekends with pancakes. I usually have pancakes on either Saturday or Sunday. Pancakes make the best breakfast

  42. Rosalind says

    Hey! Reading your entries has really inspired me to want to live more of a vegan lifestyle. Whenever I start to eat that way for a week or two, I feel so much better and more awake. However, my family is very against veganism and feel that I can’t live healthily without meat, and because I am thin they think I will loose too much weight, even though I tell them I can still reach an appropriate number of calories. I was wondering if you had any trouble with your family or knew how I could talk to them about wanting to try this?

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Aww thanks for the sweet comment, Rosalind! And good luck on your veggie journey! I think the BEST thing you can do is be sure to research very well… that way, you can answer any questions/concerns they might have. I love the book, “The Vegetarian Way,” and it has an entire chapter devoted to dealing with family members. After being a well-informed veggie, the other best thing you can do? Prove by EXAMPLE that you can be a healhy vegan… by showing them :).

  43. Tessa @ Amazing Asset says

    We actually never had a dog in my house! Our cat Midnight is the main man of the house :p and we have also had parakeets, hamsters and turtles

  44. GingerandRice says

    AHHH! That bird is so adorable!
    I love pancakes, but I almost never have time to make them with school in session. As soon as summer hits, I will be baking away!

  45. kim says

    I have a few turtles – they are not really pets as they have just happened along to our dam and set up home there, but they live on the property with me and I catch up with them most days so if not pets they are certainly coinhabitants.
    One of the things that they love doing most is sunbathing their heads – whenever the sun is out (particularly in the morning), they poke their heads up out of the water and soak up some rays – they look very cute!

  46. Gracie says

    Is it weird that birds kind of freak me out….? HAHA! I’ve actually had almost every pet *except* for a bird – cats, a dog, hamsters, mice, frogs, lizards, fish, rabbits…..not all at once, but clearly we were a pet family 😛

  47. Jojo says

    I had a quaker parrot! He was my best buddy, and passed away last year ): He would say “Gimme a kiss” and make kissing noises. Quaker parrots are so cute 😀

  48. Brigid of Vegging out in T-Town says

    Woody’s lovely, but I’m with Henry — birds are scary!

    In my lifetime, I’ve had the following pets: dogs, cats, fish, a cockatiel (briefly), gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, a hedgehog, a hermit crab, a lizard, a frog, and a short-tailed opossum. I believe that’s everything. My grandmother who lived next door also had chickens, turkeys, ducks, quail, doves, and a room full of other loud, obnoxious birds.

  49. Jamie aka "Sometimes Healthy" Girl says

    Such a good idea to freeze the pancakes. I wish I could take pics like yours! I mean, I can barely get the syrup to stay on the plate, much less get a pic of it drizzling down. Amaaazing.

    I had a couple of goldfish, but my real fave pet was of course a dog..Little Ripper: The cutest beagle mix you’ve ever seen. I had to leave him behind back in chi-town. I miss him!

  50. Meghan @ StruggleMuffins says

    My pancakes never look as pretty as yours. Le sigh.

    🙂

    I really can’t get beyond dogs; I love love love them and can’t imagine having any other pet. I had a cat for a year and it didn’t so much work out…

  51. Gaby says

    I never thought I’d be a pancake person, honestly I’m still not ,I prefer waffles, but waffles take too long. So I’ve actually started doing a weekend pancake thing too and am really loving it! I do take the time to make them but it’s really not much more than my usual breakfasts and I love the toppings 🙂
    That bird is so cute! Birds are a ton of work though, I no longer live with all my animals but I still consider all the animals at my family’s house my pets. We have a big giant dog, 4 cats, and a cockatiel, Einstein. We used to have another but she flew away. We’ve also had a lot of fish, a box turtle who wandered off in the backyard a few years ago, and water turtles that grew too big for our tank and were set free.

  52. MC says

    Pretty parrot! (And pretty pancakes!) I’ve actually never had a pet. Been thinking about adopting a kitty though. Hmm…

  53. Tatum says

    I’ve had birds ( currently now ), dogs, frogs ( I loved them, may they rest in peace. They were soooo cute!), lizards that I caught, For awhile, I was thinking about a tarantula or scorpion. But the ultimate for me would be a horse. I will always want one! I have stacks of books on care for horses! But anyways… I always make your pancakes and they are delicous! They never last though. We end up making a second batch every time.

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