Monday, January 12, 2009


Something Shiny

Years ago, my neighborhood was carved out of a forest. Nowadays its ancient oaks and leafy poplars provide a canopy over land that is paradise for wildlife of all sorts, and that includes the Crows. An almost sinister looking bird, the Crow is rarely spotted on his own, but usually descends upon the garden as a member of a loud and discordant flock. A rather gloomy congregation, they swoop and assemble in a winter-bare oak, filling the naked limbs like scores of blue black leaves, creating a haunted tree worthy of an Edward Gorey painting. Make a sudden movement at the window, and whoosh, these changeling leaves are blown upward, enmasse, into the blue sky like an angry storm cloud on its way to rain down on another garden a couple of streets away, leaving their momentary roost January bare once more.

Not long ago, I discovered that the Crows have more than a passing interest in my very own front garden. For down near the edge of the drive, there is a bed of green clover in which I keep a modest collection of glass blue stones. Like a tiny sea lapping the shores of Lilliput, this circle of glimmering blue glass is a delight to my eye each time I see it. And, apparently, the Crows share in that delight. You see, the Crow cannot spot anything shiny without wanting to possess it. He is, quite simply, the shopaholic of the avian world and my little glass ocean is completely irresistible to his sharply acquisitive eye. The daily walkers who stroll by my garden, those who no doubt once viewed my collection of blue with bemused curiosity, now find themselves participants in its care and maintenance. For the Crows steal the stones, and the walkers bring them back. I have been told that they are found all over the neighborhood, and the walkers seem to take a certain pleasure in finding one, pocketing it and returning it to its rightful place by the clover shoreline at the edge of my garden. I find this such a charming game played between bird and man. Both of them out in the fresh clean winter air, looking for something shiny.

Painting above by Arthur Rackham

45 comments:

  1. Terrific post! Indeed, who can resist something shiny. I love that people find the stones and bring them back, just for the crows to abscond with them once again!

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  2. How charming, Pamela! And what an unusual example of kind neighbourliness.

    (Maybe you could paint tiny 'encouragement' messages on the underside of the stones, for people to read when they find them!)

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  3. That's a great story..stone's finding there way back home...
    I was traveling by train a few days ago and the view from my window was beautiful. A white landscape. In the middle of a white snowy field was a big black spot..Crows!
    Don't know what they where doing..maybe a family gathering..Or they where passing on the secret of the Blue Stones !

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  4. What a wonderful story, pamela...if it wasn't for our two cats, I'd attempt it myself...

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  5. Oh my goodness. I can't believe the game that is played. I love the the folks being the stones back. This will make me smile all night and look at crows in a different light.

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  6. I love the reference to the 'shores of Lilliput!..Perfect...This was such a delight.

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  7. What a wonderful story..of course as crows are the smartest of birds they are too bored for their own good. In Ceylon, they used to bet on crows until it was discovered that they were trainable! What a sqwuak.

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  8. Weren't you surprised when you discovered this!

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  9. Oh Pamela I think this is my new favourite post! What a wonderful story!
    I love the idea of people finding your stones and taking them home to you. I love crows, in spite of their image of being nothing but a gang of 'boot-boys'. This whole little vignette, from the opening sentence, is like a gorgeous movie opening. It made me smile. Thank you! :-)

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  10. What a wonderful scenario for both corvid and man. It must be nice having such great neighbors.

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  11. I can always count on you to provide perspective when things are making me a bit blue. I can always come here and see what is really important and that there are wonders in the world that do not cost a dime. Thanks again for a wonderful post.

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  12. Crows are so mysterious. Did you rad Susan Black blog at 29 Black Street, btw? She has a post on crows as well and their significance.

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  13. Lovely post and a nice story. I like crows, they are very intelligent birds. I love to be in the woods at dusk when they are coming back to roost, it's a particularly evocative winter sight and sound.

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  14. I love how your neighbors bring your shinies back. Your description of the crows as changeling leaves was amazing. We have crows here in our date palms, and they drive me crazy -- I'll try and see them in a more romantic light as a result of your beautiful writing.
    xo Isa

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  15. How interesting!
    I'm so glad they find their way back!

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  16. Hello P & E,

    A lovely story. I'm afraid I always see crows in a negative light, usually looking for carrion on the roadside or haunting the farm fields where we live! Such large, powerful birds.

    Don't you think Raph has the most wonderful ideas? Though I don't envy you your task!!

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  17. Edward is really beautiful in that previous post Pamela.
    With reference to crows - we have rooks in their thousands and each year they come and pull the cones off our Scots pine trees, whilst they are still green. They carry them out into the fields and drop them, so that when we walk in the fields we find many cones - there is no explanation for why they do it.

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  18. oh my gosh! - could I love this story anymore?! - I don't think so! just too wonderful.

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  19. What a beautiful story, it makes me what to find a blue stone....I don't suppose your crows fly this far though do they (sad face).
    Hugs Lynn

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  20. What a delightful post Pamela! I love the sound of crows. Often it is the only sound in the vast silence of the Outback. The sound reminds me of rural Australia, a place I love.What an interesting neighbourhood you have.

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  21. You've given me new insight into Crows!! I love that you call them the 'shopaholics of the avian world'! You had me laughing. I've been noticing flocks of them too recently. They are always so sinister - like something out of Grimm's.
    Hello to Edward!
    Catherine

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  22. Came to your blog by way of Jellybean Angel. Your blog is so beautiful and inspiring. I think you may need to repeat the post from November 4th again next week!

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  23. Dear Pamela, I loved your crow story and 3 weeks worth of your previous entries. I look forward to a year of you and Edward, and send you very affectionate wishes for the New year.

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  24. what a lovely post, I like the playfulness of the crows and the interaction of people in your neighbourhood

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  25. Hello!
    You always choose the best pictures Pamela... and lace them round with the best of words!
    Wishing you both a very happy new year indeed :)
    Rima x

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  26. Oh my goodness, what a charming and fun game! I have one bird friend who has taken to pecking at my conservatory roof every morning. Maybe there is something shiny up there that he absolutely must have.

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  27. Lovely post. Who is that image by? It's amazing. Thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  28. Crows are like ornery children at times. Once, as we drive home from Cranberry Cottage, we approached the edge of the woods and heard a popping sound. We looked around thinking a child had thrown a stone at our car. I saw the crow behind us swoop down and pick the stone back up only to fly back up the tree to await his next victim.

    Is Apple the name of your other dog?

    Hugs ~
    Heidi

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  29. Hi Pamela,
    Thanks for visiting my blog. I love your prose, it is delicious and the images you choose for your blog are equally delightful. I shall enjoy visiting now I know about you and Edward!
    Thanks, Patricia

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  30. Oh, my, I hadn't realized you had posted on crows. I wondered what Mr. Sponge was talking about when he said there were so many posts on birds and even crows! I adore Edward Gorey's artwork, don't you?

    We've had birds on our brains. :)

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  31. Pamela, how strange. This is the second post I’ve read on crows. Windy Skies (in my sidebar) had a cool one about crows in India earlier this week. They are common but fascinating birds. I love your stone stealing crow. Who can resist something shiny? I bet a crow would fly off with this post if she could.

    Great wellies and Edward shot below. It was too cold for more than a 15 minute dog walk or rather dog ski today.

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  32. Pamela, I love Rackham and I love this post.. as I also have a love affair with Crows.. Almost human. aren't they..

    Sounds like a Lovely neighborhood you live in!!!

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  33. Your neighborhood sounds like a wonderful place to live. Thank you for sharing this story. Your writing is always so rich with description. I can imagine your glimmering stones and the curious crows perfectly!

    xo
    Brooke

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  34. A very beautiful post of hide n' seek! I like Raph's idea about the messages! What a blessing to know in the midst of the cloves a treasure will be found.

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  35. We have crows making a noise in the mornings.

    Have seen a film of crows flying high with snails in order to drop them onto concrete to eat them. They have brains.

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  36. What a magical tale of one of Nature's most misunderstood birds.
    PS ~ Love the Wellies and of course that handsome fellow beside them.
    Enjoy your weekend.
    xo Susan

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  37. This is a delightfully told story and could be a first rate children's book...hint hint. I can imagine the illustrations now.

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  38. Great story, Pamela. Crows can be so amusing.....unless they're dive bombing you for getting too close to their nest.

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  39. Love Rackham's pic of Crow with his Christmas stocking. Such joy. Crows are my fav bird as you know. :-) Have you read Crow Country by Mark Cocker- fascinating and not stuffy like some bird books- more of his emotional response to their goings on.

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  40. What a fantastic story!! I love the thought of walkers scouring the countryside looking for little blue stones!! What immense fun. Superb painting too.

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  41. I love this story, Pamela. I've always wanted to put a blue bottle tree in my "garden" (a most cultivated word for my wild natural habitat) like the ones one sees in the Caribbean. A touch of blue elevates any garden, I think.

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  42. I just found your blog - it is just wonderous! Thank you for sharing your life and dogs:) with us . .

    And I adore crows! My sister and I share a love of these clowns. One day she was walking to her car and heard a cackling above and a Campbell's soup can narrowly missed her head! We are always watching these birds and swapping crow stories . . .

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!