Every February, the stores fill up with hearts.
Heart mugs.
Heart cookies.
Heart-shaped toys.
Somewhere out there, I’m sure there’s a heart-shaped parrot perch.
And listen… it’s cute.
We’re not anti-heart.
But at Marden’s Ark, love looks a little different.
Dishes, the REAL neverending story
It usually looks like:
- a workday that begins when your feet first hit the ground; coffee comes later, if there’s time
- a giant bowl of diced vegetables and five pans of artisan grain casseroles
- a sink full of dirty dishes that must be done before sleep
- a tote full of toys that were loved a little too roughly and need gentle repairs
- a freezer full of grains, nuts, fruit, and baked treats
- three loads of laundry that all smell faintly like bird and have stains in shades of green and white
- and me muttering “who did THIS?!” while scrubbing something off the wall that no Valentine’s card has ever mentioned
Romantic, right?
✨ swoon✨
Because here’s the thing no one puts on a greeting card:
Love isn’t a noun.
It’s a verb.
It’s not something you say.
It’s something you do.
It’s:
- showing up when you’re tired
- learning their body language
- adjusting the diet because their feathers look dull
- sitting quietly with the bitey one until they decide you’re safe
- choosing patience for the 400th scream of the day
It’s paying attention.
It’s sacrifice.
It’s choosing them over convenience.
Sometimes it’s even choosing them over your favorite molding.
(RIP, French doors. You were beautiful.)
People think rescue is big dramatic moments — heroic saves, happy endings, slow-motion music.
But honestly?
Most of it is just… consistency.
The same bowls.
The same routines.
The same gentle voices.
Day after day after day.
Because to a parrot — a prey animal with a long memory and a sensitive heart — safety is love.
Predictability is love.
Good food is love.
Clean water is love.
Understanding them instead of trying to control them?
That’s love too.
So no, we don’t usually celebrate Valentine’s Day with fancy toys or themed treats.
We celebrate by doing what we always do.
We show up.
And if you support us — whether you donate, share posts, or send kind messages — you’re doing it too.
You’re not just saying you care.
You’re proving it.
And honestly?
That’s the kind of love that lasts longer than chocolate anyway.
(Although if someone invents bird-safe chocolate, call me immediately.)
Happy Valentine’s Day
from everybirdy at Marden’s Ark — feathered, loud, messy, and very loved. 💜