From the 1924/1955 Weekend Book (yes, again...well it is/was the weekend...)
THE FIELDS AND THE BEASTS THEREOF
The House Sparrow [Do any of you London-dwellers even remember these???], Philip Sparrow, Spug or Roo-Doo. Length, 53/4 inches.
...Wherever man goes, the sparrow follows - but there is no disguising the fact that he makes use of us in the most impudent manner and gives nothing in return. He takes over our houses, eats our food, disturbs our sleep with his noisy quarrelling...but he refuses to make friends and remains aloof and suspicious. The sparrow is always bustling about, hopping perkily or in fussy flight, but a good deal of his activity appears to be entirely aimless. This is evident even in the ardour of courtship, when several males will hop jauntily round a female indulging in every form of noisy display and then, apparently losing interest, will all suddenly fly off together...
Robin, Redbreast or Ruddock. Length, 53/4 inches.
There are certain birds which show a preference for the society of man...It is his original departure from the timidity characteristic of the race of small birds which endears him to us and invites us to woo him - especially with the irresistible bait of the meal-worm...[Indeed, my when my mother used to turn the flower beds with the trowel, he used to sit right next to her hand and dart in - taking his time too - whenever he spotted a goodie - and she would have to wait for him to hop up again to watch for the next dig.]...The song follows no set pattern, being at once ringing, exultant and full of timbre, but at the same time a kind of musing recitative with a sad and beautiful undersong.
Blackbird, Ousel or Amsel. Length, 10 inches.
The blackbird possesses an emotional quality quite different from that of the robin, being full of fears, suspicions and nervous reactions...When the blackbird begins to sing in February his low fluting is unrivalled for its pure and mellow tone, and is delivered with a leisureliness which draws out the full value of each note.
...The thrush's song seems to represent unreflecting joy and the blackbird's the fulfilment of experience...[I'm surprised the authors didn't wax more lyrical about the blackbird's song.]
Cuckoo, or Gowk. Length, 13 inches.
This famed and enigmatic bird looks on the wing something like a disconsolate hawk...[Have you ever seen a disconsolate hawk???]...Poetic associations have invested the male cuckoo with a symbolic romance as the messenger of spring, on account of the soft flute-like major third of his call...
A Tit-bit (pun intended) - Another name for the Blue-Tit is the 'Titty Todger'. I am not kidding. (You Brit readers may know what body parts they are).
THE FIELDS AND THE BEASTS THEREOF
Bird Song at Morning
The House Sparrow [Do any of you London-dwellers even remember these???], Philip Sparrow, Spug or Roo-Doo. Length, 53/4 inches.
...Wherever man goes, the sparrow follows - but there is no disguising the fact that he makes use of us in the most impudent manner and gives nothing in return. He takes over our houses, eats our food, disturbs our sleep with his noisy quarrelling...but he refuses to make friends and remains aloof and suspicious. The sparrow is always bustling about, hopping perkily or in fussy flight, but a good deal of his activity appears to be entirely aimless. This is evident even in the ardour of courtship, when several males will hop jauntily round a female indulging in every form of noisy display and then, apparently losing interest, will all suddenly fly off together...
Robin, Redbreast or Ruddock. Length, 53/4 inches.
There are certain birds which show a preference for the society of man...It is his original departure from the timidity characteristic of the race of small birds which endears him to us and invites us to woo him - especially with the irresistible bait of the meal-worm...[Indeed, my when my mother used to turn the flower beds with the trowel, he used to sit right next to her hand and dart in - taking his time too - whenever he spotted a goodie - and she would have to wait for him to hop up again to watch for the next dig.]...The song follows no set pattern, being at once ringing, exultant and full of timbre, but at the same time a kind of musing recitative with a sad and beautiful undersong.
Blackbird, Ousel or Amsel. Length, 10 inches.
The blackbird possesses an emotional quality quite different from that of the robin, being full of fears, suspicions and nervous reactions...When the blackbird begins to sing in February his low fluting is unrivalled for its pure and mellow tone, and is delivered with a leisureliness which draws out the full value of each note.
...The thrush's song seems to represent unreflecting joy and the blackbird's the fulfilment of experience...[I'm surprised the authors didn't wax more lyrical about the blackbird's song.]
Cuckoo, or Gowk. Length, 13 inches.
This famed and enigmatic bird looks on the wing something like a disconsolate hawk...[Have you ever seen a disconsolate hawk???]...Poetic associations have invested the male cuckoo with a symbolic romance as the messenger of spring, on account of the soft flute-like major third of his call...
A Tit-bit (pun intended) - Another name for the Blue-Tit is the 'Titty Todger'. I am not kidding. (You Brit readers may know what body parts they are).
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I was going to do a little blurb on the Cadillac logo and how it's based on the family crest of a minor French nobleman. Why? Because I was tidying up and found my Caddy key rings. Well, Dad gets the car, I get the keyring. Yay. I never use them - too shiny for my taste.
Just in case you're interested:
A History of Motor Car Emblems
Anyone like the Cadillac XLR Roadster? This colour on some cars just makes my mouth water.
8 comments:
yuck car! Something in nurburgring blue would be so much nicer...
Anon - knew you wouldn't like.
Ooh, you're getting the HS2K again?
Did u dye ur hair yet?
Jia Li - yes, on Saturday. Will tell you about it later.
I've been unfaithful to the S2000. I had a brief fling with a bmw 325Ci on Saturday, but I felt quite soiled when I got home. Very nice car, but not the one for me...
Aha, deja vu.
Sorry, that car is trapped in an 80s time warp.:p
can i get more info?
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