A Magpie’s Loss
I never got to see the event, I just got told about it.
There’s a single storey extension at the back of the house. It has a flat roof. On the flat roof there’s a bird bath kept full of water so that any number of bird species can drop by, have a drink and take a bath. It’s had tons of birds visit this seriously hot summer, from neat little bullfinches to giant ‘in your face’ seagulls and, my favourites, the sparrows – loads of sparrows.
What happened was that a magpie set on having a drink got his/her calculations all wrong making the approach, attempting to touchdown on the bird bath. In doing so he/she just before crash landing dropped the ‘thing’ he/she had in his/her beak; a ‘thing’ that glinted in the sunlight. It was found in the guttering next to the birdbath. I took a photograph – it was a tiny, soft alloy butterfly. How special is that? I just wished I’d seen it all happen.
The Evening Witch’s Shadow
The self-same day, the evening sun blazing through the window onto an original painting on the wall (background art by Dave Cooper, Artist of Dover) the mysterious witch’s shadow appeared again, only a smaller version than the shot I posted a few weeks back. I guess the sun is lower in the sky since then.
Whatever, her shadow put in another appearance. That was not all on the ‘shadow’ front. I took a couple more photos of mystery shadows; shadows that are hard to pin a name to;
Shadow in Incognito Mode
The Private Life of a Shadow
I’ve always been fascinated by shadows. Maybe that’s because I sometimes get called The Pan because I refuse to grow up. The Pan was into his shadows as well. I’ve even written songs about them. Here’s a couple of those songs. First ‘In Praise of Shadows’ from my ‘Dream Rescuer’ album, following that, ‘Just a Shadow on a Wall’, an older number of mine. Hope you like them;
My new EP, plus my albums are on sale at Bandcamp via the below;
Copyright © 2016/2018 Zoolon Audio. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited.
George Blamey-Steeden 
A lovely poignant post, Lord Zoolon.
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Thank you, your Ladyship
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Shadows are often more intriguing than the substance! Love the magpie story!
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Thanks, Cathy. You’re dead right. I just wish I could have got the photo as the butterfly left the magpies beak – how neat would that be!
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You never know when the extraordinary happens!
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Thanks Cathy
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The sun and moon make great images in shadows. Like you, I look for them and imagine.
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I always thought one of the best lyric lines I’ve ever written was from my song ‘In Praise of Shadows’. I read, ‘A restless work of art’ – that sums up shadows for me. Like you I agree they make you imagine things. Thank you for reading.
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; )
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Absolutely gorgeous!
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Thank you. ‘Absolutely gorgeous’ I’ll donate to the sparrows. They deserve a bit of luck. Thanks again ~ George
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Thank you.
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The magpie story is charming and also touching. And as for “Pan”…. carry on! The whole adulting thing is not all it is cracked up to be. Keep on being a kid!
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Thanks, Anne. I’ve got so far having never worn a suite and tie. I’m hoping that’s the way it will always be.
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Wonderful magpie story.
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Thank you.
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Oh, this hits me, because yesterday a bird crashed into our deck door and snapped its neck. We forget how brilliant these little feathered creatures are, yet so fragile, too.
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That’s a real shame. I often wonder what the birds/animals would do if they had the same hand skills humans have. If they did we’d be able to work out what level of consciousness they have. That’s the kind of stuff I think about all the time.
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This one hits the heart. Yesterday a bird flew into our deck door and snapped its neck. Such amazing creatures, fiercely intelligent and able, but fragile, too.
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GAH! sorry about the double comment. I thought the initial comment got deleted. Dumb virus makes my brain hazy…
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Really love that photography with the water, very inspiring, thank you.
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Thanks so much for this lovely, charming and at the same time disquieting collection. I long have treasured someone’s lost gilt butterfly I found along a sidewalk’s grassy forest almost hidden from view, enough so I bought some similar flutterbys for loved ones who like smallish costume jewelry and those intricate music-box jewelry boxes…we’ve a company of notions-sellers, Avon, which specializes in such wares – and a skin lotion – skin so soft (SOS) which works wonders as an insect repellent – if you can keep the “toughs” at the local biker bar at bay (by making smooching sounds and tongue-waggles) until a like-appreciator, also a grizzled woods-and-swamp walker sets his pals straight and we share some of his pitcher, both of us drinking from its chill “sweating” rim. You weave a wonderwork, my friend (almost left the “wonderwork” as originally typed – woderwork! Thanks for the multimedia.
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The witches’ shadows know no bounds. Often seen in photographs unbeknownst at taking’s time. Or are we blessed with third-sights…which is why I just buy new memory and deleteth not.
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You are constantly working that’s always inspiring me with your work ethic this digital artwork is amazing well I over stayed my welcome..I tell you the sorted tales later
Aka The Professional Cannon
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Love the imagery and the idea of someone never growing up. Childhood is a precious state where our minds are unfettered by society or individuals in society who would change us, and not in ways that we need or want in our lives. Childhood is a time when we are all sacred, and we need to cherish and feed that quality.
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Thanks Anne. I’m called The Pan a lot. Growing up doesn’t suit me somehow. I might have lost the sacred bit, but I’m trying. Thanks again ~ Zoolon aka George
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