This Rescue Changed My Life – Blertsie Sparrow
AT WORK by Tanyaeyssen75One small
bird. One powerful lesson.
Blertsie
Sparrow came into our lives on a regular morning drive to work ❤ a baby bird,
barely feathered, rescued in traffic by my husband. That day changed
everything.
At a time
when we were struggling 👀 with no job, a new babybird, and mouths to feed ❤ we
found strength, compassion, and hope in the tiniest of creatures. This blog is
part of a weekly series where I share our real-life rescue stories, including a
sneak peek of my son’s book, Blood in the Snow, updated every
Monday.
💚 Scroll down for:
- 🕊️ Blertsie’s Story
- Chapter 3 Blood in the Snow - Written By: Fritz Swanepoel My Son.
- 📖 Bible Verses that Comforted Us
- 📚 Amazon-Inspired Book Recommendations for Animal Lovers
- ▶️ Blertsie’s Baby Bird Care Video on YouTube
- ▶️ Blertsie’s Baby Bird Care Video on YouTube
🕊️ A Bird Named Blertsie – A
Rescue that Rescued Us
Sometimes,
life hands us small miracles with tiny wings.
One
morning, while driving to work in Cape Town, my husband suddenly stopped the
car in heavy traffic. Without a word, he got out, walked over to something on
the road, and returned with a baby bird ❤ barely feathered, fragile, and cold.
That little sparrow would come to be known as Blertsie, and he changed
our lives in the most unexpected ways.
At the
time, life was far from easy. My husband was unemployed, anxiously waiting for
a company to call him back. We had now a babybird at home, two dogs, two cats, and not
much else to spare. I was working for Pet Food City in Brackenfell,
supplying animal food all over the Western Cape. Amid the chaos and worry, this
little bird landed in our lives 👀 helpless and in need.
We made
him a warm bed in a shoebox with a heat bag. My husband soaked dog pellets to
feed him until I could bring home some hand-rearing Macaw food, generously
given to me by a rep from Avi Products after I explained the situation. At this
point, Blertsie had only been with us for two days.
When I
got home that evening, he looked worse. One eye was completely blind, and the
skin over his crop was swollen and skew 👀 we suspected he had been kicked out of his
nest for being too weak. I feared the worst. I told my husband to let him go
peacefully, that we had done our best. But he refused.
He prayed
over that tiny creature, feeding him drip by drip throughout the night, keeping
him warm, and believing when I had lost hope.
The next
morning, we heard soft chirping from the shoebox. Blertsie made it through
the night.
That
moment changed everything.
From then on, Blertsie became part of our lives. He recovered slowly, growing stronger every day. He even managed to escape the cats once and found refuge hiding under my husband’s boxer shorts on the floor 🕊 such a clever little soul! He went everywhere with me, even to work during the holidays. We raised him like a child. I kept him in a modified hamster cage filled with soft toilet paper, and as he grew, we created new little habitats with different branches and textures for him to explore.
He never learned to fly straight 🕊 likely due to his blind eye 🕊 and so he stayed with us, safe and loved.
But
Blertsie didn’t just grow stronger. My husband changed too. Through this
little bird, I saw his strength, his refusal to give up even when life was
hard. Not long after, he got a job ❤ a good one with excellent benefits. This
little sparrow reminded us both of what faith, love, and sheer determination
can do.
What Blertsie Taught Us
Blertsie showed us that every life matters, no matter how small or broken. Through patience and love, we can heal 🕊 not just others, but ourselves too. He reminded us to never give up, no matter how hard things get.
Since then, we’ve rescued many animals together. Over the years, I found Bee Happy Paws, Claws & More Facebook Market Place, where I create beautiful, custom pieces using recycled materials 🕊 turning old into new with a touch of color and care. More recently, we launched Bee Happy Paws, Claws & More, an initiative to advocate for the voiceless, offering help where we can, even if it's just a phone call to the right person.
We don’t
have much, but we have love. And that’s always enough to start with.
I'll be
sharing more of our rescue stories soon, one by one ❤ because every soul
we’ve helped deserves a chapter of their own. I'll also be uploading photos
and videos of Blertsie on YouTube, to share his journey with those who need a
little hope, and a reminder that miracles sometimes come wrapped in feathers.
.....And that little sparrow, though he never learned to fly straight, taught us all about faith, love, and never giving up.
Today, Blertsie is still with us. Safe. Loved. And a symbol of second chances.
❄️ Blood in the Snow – Chapter 3: Where Am I?
By Fritz Swanepoel
Featured on Mom & Son Creative Chronicles
As a mom, there’s a unique magic in watching your child pour emotion, imagination, and curiosity into their own world of words. This week, I’m beyond proud to share Chapter 3 of my son Fritz's thrilling story, Blood in the Snow, a tale that continues to grow with each turn of the page.
In this chapter, our young narrator awakens with a foggy memory, only to find himself amidst eerie stillness, family faces that don’t quite feel right, and the chilling reappearance of someone he thought was lost—Brandon.
"My gaze drifted toward the bonnet, where a boy emerged, walking toward me with a smile. 'Good morning. Did you sleep well?' His familiar face sent a jolt through me – Brandon."
This is more than just a suspenseful moment; it’s a glimpse into the emotional landscape of a young mind trying to make sense of trauma, reality, and maybe even the supernatural.
With each paragraph, Fritz is weaving something gripping—his characters feel haunted, his setting feels frozen in time, and that final line, "Whatever was happening, I felt like it was just beginning," tells us there’s far more to uncover.
......❄️ Blood in the Snow – Chapter 3: Where Am I?
My eyes slowly opened, and my vision began to adjust. After what felt like an eternity, I sat up, taking in my surroundings. The bonnet of the dusty car was open, and the wind no longer howled outside. A cold ice pack rested on my forehead; I removed it and placed it beside me. Holding my head, I assessed my situation, – sitting on the old, cold leather seats.
As I stood up, my brother rushed toward me, embracing me tightly. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. My mom smiled warmly at the sight of us hugging, but there was something off about her expression.
My gaze drifted toward the bonnet, where a boy emerged, walking toward me with a smile. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" His familiar face sent a jolt through me – Brandon.
"Brandon," I stuttered, stepping back and losing my footing. I fell over a rock, my eyes wide with confusion. "How are you? How are you?" I quivered in the snow, my eyes darting around for answers.
My dad grasped my shoulder as I hyperventilated. "Hey, sweetie, what's wrong?" I focused on him, feeling disoriented. "Sorry, Dad, my head still hurts." He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, sweetie, we're almost done. You can take a nap soon."
I sighed, getting back into the car, trying to gather my thoughts. As I glanced at the forest, I saw him again – Brandon, smiling, waiting, and waving. Whatever was happening, I felt like it was just beginning.
Thank you for being part of our journey. 💚
🎨 From Storytelling to Sketching: A Creative Corner
Like his mom (that’s me!), Fritz doesn’t just write—he draws, sketches, and visualizes scenes before writing them. If you’re raising a young storyteller-artist too, here are some Amazon finds we love:
✍️ Stationery & Art Tools Fritz Swears By:
📚 Reader’s Corner – Books We Love This Week
Whether you're into mystery, coming-of-age, or something dark and magical, here are some thrilling reads to go along with Blood in the Snow:
“Coraline” by Neil Gaiman – A chilling tale of parallel worlds and unsettling truths.
“The Night Gardener” by Jonathan Auxier – Gothic suspense for brave young readers.
“Small Spaces” by Katherine Arden – Creepy, clever, and impossible to put down.
“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” by Alvin Schwartz – Classic spooky tales with haunting illustrations.
“The Darkdeep” by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs – Kids face their fears when the impossible becomes real.
💬 Let’s Chat:
What did you think of Chapter 3? Have you or your child written something spooky lately? Drop a comment or send us a message—Fritz loves hearing from fellow young authors and readers!
✨ Don’t forget to subscribe for more updates as Blood in the Snow unfolds.
Blertsie is still with us. Safe. Loved. And a symbol of second chances.
“Look at
the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet
your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
– Matthew 6:26
“The
righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the
wicked are cruel.”
– Proverbs 12:10
“Let
everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
– Psalm 150:6
These verses carried us through the tough nights and gave us peace knowing every life ❤ even the smallest 🕊️ sparrow is precious in God’s eyes.
📚 Books for the Heart: Animal
Rescue, Faith & Family
- “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox
and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy
A beautiful illustrated journey of kindness, courage, and friendship. - “Saving Simon: How a Rescue
Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion” by Jon Katz
A real story about redemption, healing, and the soul of animals. - The action Bible Ultimate Coloring For Kidz
Keeping those small minds busy - “Birds of a Feather” by
Lorin Lindner
A psychologist’s healing work with rescued parrots and veterans. - “All Creatures Great and
Small” by James Herriot
Heartwarming veterinary tales from the English countryside.
▶️ Watch Blertsie’s Story on
YouTube
I shared a Baby Bird Care video featuring Blertsie on YouTube. It's not professionally made, but it holds so many special memories.
🐾 About Us – Bee Happy Paws, Claws
& More
We are advocates
for the voiceless, rescuing and helping animals with whatever resources we
have — even if it's just making a phone call to connect someone to the right
rescue. We also, create beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces from recycled
materials.
💬 If you love animal rescue, kindness, and stories
that restore faith — subscribe to our blog or leave a comment. Your support
keeps us going.
Support my Art Journey, see Amazon Art Supplies -
Thank you for being here. May something beautiful find you.
With love,
*Tanya Eyssen*
Bee Happy Paws Claws and More 🐾
📧 \beehappypawsclawsmore@yahoo.com
📱 \074 433 6699
Aawww sys pragtig en soo happy
ReplyDeleteBaie happy 😀
ReplyDelete