By 
(Stefan the Heron)
It was good that the camera had decent zoom otherwise Stefan the Belgian Heron – who I thought was just an OK, plastic garden ornament until he flew away in style – would have missed the cut for this post. I did try to get to chat with Stefan from a distance but it wasn’t happening and I never carry a megaphone, so I moved on.
Later the same day I got told by an English speaking Walloon – handy, given that the only word I know in Walloon is ‘zeezult’ i.e. sea salt – that in the Belgian city of Mons 60% of the population live in one bedroom flats and no matter what floor level they live on, even in the tallest block of flats, they all have their own garden. Flats with gardens. That’s a major construction triumph; the stuff of Sci-Fi even. Seriously, I couldn’t get my head around that. So surreal – gardens in the air. Odd. The thing is, surely only the garden for the top flat would get any sun – and rain, hail and snow, plus getting to have the occasional BBQ for that matter. All the other gardens on the levels down to ground level would just be lumps of shadowy concrete. I’m guessing artificial grass sells well in Mons.
Anyway, here’s a couple more photos I took in Belgium.
(The Day the Sky Fell into the Pond)
(The Great Wall of Belgium – not to be confused with the one in China)
Now for a quick mention of my new book, ‘The Words & Thoughts of a Dyslexic Musician’. I’ve got this neat page at Amazon.com – I never knew it existed and only discovered it mucking around online. It even brings up my blog and a few pics. It’s called Zoolon’s Amazon Central page. Neat.
The book is available in paperback and Kindle versions through Amazon just about anywhere. Just type in Zoolon and you’ll find me. Here’s the UK link;
THE WORDS & THOUGHTS OF A DYSLEXIC MUSICIAN
Also, I’ve had a major update of Zoolon’s Home page. It’s not 100% complete yet, I still have some stuff to do, but it’s getting there.
Lastly, a song ‘All Winter Long’ from my ‘Rainbows End’ album. I hope you enjoy;
Copyright ©2017 Zoolon Audio. All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited.
Wow! Congratulations!
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Thank you. It was fun to write a book – a thing I hadn’t planned to do. It just seemed like a good idea and if I can make a few people laugh then it’s done its job.
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Great photos George. Belgium has changed like everywhere else it seems. I look forward to snapping up your paperback and reading about this dyslexic musician 😊. Thank you also for the great music.
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Thank you. I must have liked Belgium as it’s stayed in my head. So different to France which is odd considering they are next door neighbours. I hate to be a dyslexic Walloon though. So many long, long words.
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Lol! I found Belgium more like Germany thsn France ehen I visited there.
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The fonts they use for road signs are all German and they eat German type food plus their art is more German than French. The odd thing is that mostly they seem to talk in French. You’re right though, it is more like Germany. I don’t drink alcohol but even the labels on the bottles of beer look German. Odd, thinking about it.
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It was a short drive to Brussels from my home in the Rhineland area of Germany, yep…so much like Germany. 🙂
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CONGRATS George on a great post AND even better your book. Looking forward to this
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Thanks, Shey. It’s a random type book of things. Fun to write and funny in parts – I hope at any rate.
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I am sure it will be wonderful x
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Congrats on the book! Beautiful photos. I wish I could stand as still as a heron. They amaze me 😊
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Thank you. If you could stand that still you could be a garden ornament like what I thought the heron was!
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That’s so funny! I saw one the other day, and had he not been in the middle of a pond, I would have thought the same!!
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Doc JGC, wonderful photo of Stefan, and so is, ‘The Day the Sky Fell into the Pond’. What an amazing reflection, maybe that’s the way to Neverland, through the surface of the water. Every flat with a garden, I like that. Congratulations and much success with your book. ~ PM
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Thanks, PM. What a brilliant idea. Still water, like a mirror you can go through – and not drown – into Neverland. That’s a better idea than J M Barrie had with the Pan. Impressed ~ Doc JGC
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You’re welcome, Doc JGC. It feels like a Maxfield Parrish moment. ~ PM
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Thanks PM. I just checked Maxfield out then realized I been pointed in that direction before. You’re right, it does feel like a Maxfield Parrish moment, although I’m glad that’s not my name. I’d never spell it write. ~ Doc JGC.
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Great track Zools, hey the harmonic sounds at the start remind me of Pink Floyd Echoes, great tone mate!
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Thanks, Sam. Nice one ~ Zoolon aka George
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CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING YOUR BOOK OUT! Nice tune here 😀
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Thank you.
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I like seeing Belgium through your eyes. Congratulation on your book. I enjoy your unique set of talents.
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Thank you. I did actually like Belgium in an odd way. It’s not a place of great creativity but still has a good feel to it. Thanks again, ~ George
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Your lighting was PERFECT those days, especially with that pond shot. Love the title–is there a song trailing that pond, too? 🙂 I hope so. Herons are becoming more common here in Wisconsin–their populations were on the decline for a while, but now I see them often just outside of town. I actually got a picture of one heron watching another heron flying into a farmfield, but the resolution sucks. I might share it anyway. 🙂 And again, congrats on the book! There’s always someone out there who needs to read your words and feel the kindred experience. My love to your family! xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Herons are amazing birds. As a kid on holiday in Southern Ireland I can still see at a riverside’s heron after heron, each owning their own tree. With time I got to know that’s unusual because of the way they normally protect their territory, except in Ireland where there were so many fish in the river they had nothing to fight about except Ms. Heron come Springtime. Odd, how things stay in your mind.
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Indeed. I still remember riding a pontoon boat in Horicon through the marshes, watching the herons near their nests, the frogs in chorus. There’s a magic in their grace and serenity.
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How exciting! Congrats on the book and capturing the heron yard/pond ornament before it flew away!!
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Thank you. That’s kind of you. I often wonder what a heron thinks. Can’t all be ‘where’s the fish’.
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Hearty congrats on your book. If you do a blog hop, let me know. I’ll join!
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Thank you, Jacqui. I have to admit that I don’t know what a blog hop is? A bit embarrassing.
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Oh my! Congrats on your new book 🙂 Cheering you on, my multi-talented friend.
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Thank you, Christy. It was worth a go I thought and was surprised this morning to spot a decent review on Amazon UK – no bribes; I don’t know who it was who posted it, they never gave their name.
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Excellent and enjoyable post!
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Thank you, Eugenia
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😉
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