Dear Pet Lovers:
Time is coming close now for the deadline for the pet song-writing contest. I'd love to have some more entries, and to encourage that, I'm going to share the great song my sister, Joan Phelps, wrote about her parrots. This is the type of entry I am looking for, so write on!

Following the song, are the details of the contest.... I look forward to reading your entry!

She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain
----
Bird-eez hid-ing every-where in my kitch-en,
This isn't the lifestyle I envisioned.

One is in the oat bran,
And another is dancing on a frying pan,
Bird-eez take over human people's plans.

---
Once I lived alone in a big ol' house,
The only animal I saw was a tiny grey mouse.

Now I have a parrot,
My friends know just where I'm at,
Cleaning cages and chasing bird-ee brats.

--
Oh Koby was the first bird at my place,
Now my house is such a disgrace.

He shreds the morning papers,
And devises other capers,
So much fun, I couldn't stop at one.

--
Simon was the next one to come along,
Couldn't say a word or keep a beat.

Had brown button-eyes,
Tried to bite me, is that a surprise?

Sings himself to sleep,
Isn't that neat?

--
Rudy arrived one year ago this spring,
Had only three long feathers on two wings.

Now her body is furry,
And she's always in a hurry,

To shower and play . . .
Her two favorite things.

--
Don't know how much more of this I can take,
Do know having bird-eez wasn't an error.

Parrots do amaze,
And add fun to my days,

Hope they stay with me
For ever and ever.

(By Joan E. Phelps, guardian of Koby (TAG), Simon (Eclectus), Rudy (CAG))

This is your chance to share a song for or about your pet! It must be to the tune of one of the following (please note in your email which melody fits your lyrics):

"She'll be comin' around the mountain when she comes..."
"How much is that doggy in the window?"
"America the Beautiful"
"Auld Lang Syne"
"Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree"

The prize the prize the prize!
A box of pet-related goodies: 1 signed copy of Open Your Heart with Pets: Mastering Life through Love of Animals; a box of edible doggie treats; 1 copy of They Called Me Beautiful: A Dog's Search for Love and the Family that Rescued Him; and 1 original Artist Trading Card with a drawing of a dog by Janice.

Here are the rules:
Write a the lyrics for a song for or about your pet.
I should be able to sing it to the melody mentioned above (though thank God I won't, where anyone can hear me).
Deadline is April 30th, 2008.
Email the lyrics to OYH.PETS@gmail.com

The winner will be notified and asked to provide a mailing address. There will be only one winner chosen.

This contest is offered by Janice Phelps Williams, an earnest author of pet-related books and articles, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, as I am a "reader blogger" not being at a level 10, "staff blogger."

Void where prohibited by law of man or beast.