Saturday 27 June 2009

Two birds, one window, two endings..


A flurry of excitement this morning as a baby Bluetit found it's way into the bedroom through an open window and met Molly. She carried it downstairs and began that necessary 'Red in tooth and claw' gameplay they do..

I separated her from her intended entertainment and put it in the garden.
The Tit survived and Molly took to her bed.

A juvenile Blackbird was not so lucky. Deciding to fly through, rather than around the glass, it landed in my courgettes and expired.

Only the second bird to attempt to fly through the house, a Greenfinch tried it the other week and landed at my feet, stunned.

I guess if one of us was hurled into plate glass at speed, we probably wouldn't make it... The Greenfinch took a breather and went back to the feeders..







While the queen thrives, the king is dead..

An arrested developer, caught in a bramble bush of abuse and halted at the age of his father's last barb. A manchild who's preference was fun and games, him and Mcauley Kulkin reading comics under duvets and eating Oreos and giggling as adults. A father in his turn with no understanding of the language or the rules but not an abuser, no evidence of serial behaviour.
A great, great talent who carried the double burden of The King Of Pop and the Naughty Child In The Restaurant whilst his siblings looked the other way and took the cash.

I adored his work with Quincey Jones and Gordy Berry.. He was never a Motown Soul presence but he only just missed out on recording with Miles Davis and without him, there'd be no Prince....

I have grown up alongside him and watched with mounting horror.

Listen to 'Thriller' and marvel at the technical brilliance that he encouraged in others. Read this messy formulation from Montreal.. Too late to edit I think. A great piece.

Saturday 20 June 2009

Nesting still..

In light of the arch anti architect's recent scandalous scuppering of Richard Rogers latest building project, I am heartened by my decision to leave the paper house alone. I am dismayed by Charles' seeming untouchable status when his or his family's wishes come before those of the more creative, worldly and valid (IMHO).

Please watch the Guardian interview with Steve Bell accompanying the link.

Anyhoo..
The industry continues and the population are quietly getting on with collecting small insects from the cotoneaster and roses, thereby contributing to the garden's ecology.

By chance, I came across a fledgeling project in the garage roof. It had been started and abandoned, possibly last year. The process of providing a roof over the imoportant pupal chambers can be seen here..



Fit for purpose, social housing, cooperatively constructed and in balance with the environment. With the additional benefit of the sacrifice of the Princes at the end of the season and the abdication and hibernation of the Queen. No Christmas speech then. A new, architecturally enthusiastic prince in the spring..

Monday 15 June 2009

Nesting


A colony of wasps is setting up home under the eaves.. Reluctantly, I shall be asking the local council for advice. They are quiet and busy at the moment but I am uneasy about the proximity to my bedroom window..

Consulting the oracle, I see that there are thought to be no readily available natural predators.. Badgers seem immune to the stings and would happily tear into a nest. However, getting one up a ladder is a near impossibility.

Sunday 14 June 2009

Remember 'Roadworks' icons?

I remember accessing the interweb in the 80's and frequently coming up against roadworks graphics and 'Under construction' messages... Forgive the delay.. I am compiling info soon to be posted!