Unnatural History
Apr. 28th, 2019 10:39 pmThe commies once destroyed an entire *SEA*! For all that I sometimes regret it, I have indeed lived through an age of wonders.
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A broken egg that I found in the grass today. Unlike the last egg in the grass, this was no accident. You can plainly see where somebody stabbed their beak into it to kill it, then carried it out into the middle of the lawn to drop it. Note that it's plain white (few bird's eggs are), and that whoever stole it didn't eat it - the yolk is still inside. That narrows down the possibilities.
I'm pretty sure it's either a Cardinal's egg, or a Cowbird's. If it's a Cardinal's, then a Cowbird did it. They're obligatory parasites, laying their eggs in other birds' nests. Often they'll dispose of one host egg, so that an extra egg doesn't suddenly appear. That fools the host a surprising amount of the time.
The other possibility is a Cowbird. Their eggs are normally pale tan with spots, but pure white ones aren't rare, especially early in the season. If it's a Cowbird, then Robins probably found it in their nest and disposed of it. Robins are very hard to fool that way.
It was lying in sight of this strange-looking nest which Robins have built on my foyer window ledge, and which I have dubbed "the Volcano". My working hypothesis is that the hen built it that way on the theory that predators seldom look for delicious baby Robins inside a volcano. I hope it works for her.
She's got four eggs in there as of today, and ought to start brooding soon.
The other possibility is that I have a Cardinal's nest in the nearby shrubbery, which I rather suspect might also be true. I need to search and see if I can't find it, and whether it has a Cowbird's egg in it. At any event, my interest is piqued. I checked a few hours later, and the egg was gone, probably eaten.
*****
A broken egg that I found in the grass today. Unlike the last egg in the grass, this was no accident. You can plainly see where somebody stabbed their beak into it to kill it, then carried it out into the middle of the lawn to drop it. Note that it's plain white (few bird's eggs are), and that whoever stole it didn't eat it - the yolk is still inside. That narrows down the possibilities.
I'm pretty sure it's either a Cardinal's egg, or a Cowbird's. If it's a Cardinal's, then a Cowbird did it. They're obligatory parasites, laying their eggs in other birds' nests. Often they'll dispose of one host egg, so that an extra egg doesn't suddenly appear. That fools the host a surprising amount of the time.
The other possibility is a Cowbird. Their eggs are normally pale tan with spots, but pure white ones aren't rare, especially early in the season. If it's a Cowbird, then Robins probably found it in their nest and disposed of it. Robins are very hard to fool that way.
It was lying in sight of this strange-looking nest which Robins have built on my foyer window ledge, and which I have dubbed "the Volcano". My working hypothesis is that the hen built it that way on the theory that predators seldom look for delicious baby Robins inside a volcano. I hope it works for her.
She's got four eggs in there as of today, and ought to start brooding soon.
The other possibility is that I have a Cardinal's nest in the nearby shrubbery, which I rather suspect might also be true. I need to search and see if I can't find it, and whether it has a Cowbird's egg in it. At any event, my interest is piqued. I checked a few hours later, and the egg was gone, probably eaten.
Woodpecker Romance!
Apr. 25th, 2019 12:57 pm
The Downy Woodpecker who's been eating at the cake feeder all winter seems to have attracted a smokin' hot Woodpecker Babe! So far the interest is more on her side than his (he chases her away if she gets too close while he's eating) but I'm sure that will change quickly.
Let Them Eat Cake!
Apr. 13th, 2019 10:57 pmThis afternoon at the cake feeder:
A male starling (you can tell by the corners of the beak - boys are blue, girls are pink - seriously) attacks the cake feeder. I think he's pretty young, firstly because he's still got a lot of brown in his plumage (mature males have a beautiful 'oil on water' sheen to them), but also because he's clearly not had a lot of experience perching on a feeder as he eats. He was flapping and making the feeder bang around the entire time, until he finally managed to get some cake.
A pair of House Sparrows out for diner. Instead of eating through the openings in the feeder, they both stuck their entire bodies down inside to get at the cake.
A White Breasted Nuthatch strikes a dramatic pose. No nuts will go unhatched while he's on the job! For whatever reason, these guys like to perch upside down a lot. You can see the big talon on the rearward-facing toe that lets him dig in and get a secure grip.
A male starling (you can tell by the corners of the beak - boys are blue, girls are pink - seriously) attacks the cake feeder. I think he's pretty young, firstly because he's still got a lot of brown in his plumage (mature males have a beautiful 'oil on water' sheen to them), but also because he's clearly not had a lot of experience perching on a feeder as he eats. He was flapping and making the feeder bang around the entire time, until he finally managed to get some cake.
A pair of House Sparrows out for diner. Instead of eating through the openings in the feeder, they both stuck their entire bodies down inside to get at the cake.
A White Breasted Nuthatch strikes a dramatic pose. No nuts will go unhatched while he's on the job! For whatever reason, these guys like to perch upside down a lot. You can see the big talon on the rearward-facing toe that lets him dig in and get a secure grip.
Hens and Chicks
Apr. 10th, 2019 11:00 pmFrom last August:
Hens and Chicks are these weird little cacti that my mom grows. They open up kind of like artichokes, with layer upon layer receding into a centre that you expect to be revealed, but which really isn't there at all. They get their name because the adult plants (the hens) reproduce by sending out runners which take root and produce tiny offspring (the chicks).
Hens and Chicks are these weird little cacti that my mom grows. They open up kind of like artichokes, with layer upon layer receding into a centre that you expect to be revealed, but which really isn't there at all. They get their name because the adult plants (the hens) reproduce by sending out runners which take root and produce tiny offspring (the chicks).
Cake Pecker!
Apr. 9th, 2019 10:34 pmFrom earlier today.
A male Red Bellied Woodpecker eats at my cake feeder, just outside the kitchen window (I was making dinner when he showed up). If you look closely, you can see his tiny needle-like tongue poking out as he cleans little bits of beef suet off the end of his beak. This is how he'd do with the tiny bits of smashed insect that would be on his beak tip after he'd drilled them out from the bark of a tree.
The cock stops by to eat every so often, but I have yet to see a hen.
A male Red Bellied Woodpecker eats at my cake feeder, just outside the kitchen window (I was making dinner when he showed up). If you look closely, you can see his tiny needle-like tongue poking out as he cleans little bits of beef suet off the end of his beak. This is how he'd do with the tiny bits of smashed insect that would be on his beak tip after he'd drilled them out from the bark of a tree.
The cock stops by to eat every so often, but I have yet to see a hen.
Foreigners (the distasteful sort)
Apr. 8th, 2019 11:49 am
I'm prolly going to Hell for laughing at this, but this is one of my all-time favourite pictures of the Beloved Leader. He seems to be literally rubbing his hands in glee. Soon, he will have enough synthetic lubricant to conquer the United States, and free us from the twin oppressions of capitalism and imperialism!
Meanwhile, the slave-labour dude on the left hasn't slept for the past 48 hours, terrified that the Tubby Tyrant will notice that half the bolts on that sealing flange have been stolen and sold for food, or that the maintenance guys carelessly got a splotch of blue paint on the output tube of the Glorious North Korean People's Lubricant-Making Machine.
*****
We've finally taken the common-sense step of declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as terrorists. IMHO, we'd have done better to have declared the Iranian government and all of its representatives as terrorists, and opened the festivities by raiding the UN and hauling Iran's guys off to Guantanamo, but this is a start.
*****
The Darktator has evidently declared that electrical power will be shut off at unannounced intervals for "maintenance", to prevent "blackouts".
So back on the 12th of March, I took a walk around mom's property to deal with fallen sticks and limbs (to the brushpile with them!), and to generally check for damage, as there'd been serious winds the previous few days. Sticks everywhere, of course, and debris (I recovered one of her basement window covers from way out in the neighbor's corn field), but I also found the wreckage of the woodpeckers' home from the big maple:
Sad, but much better to have it happen in the early spring than later on when it's full of babies.
I also found, of all things, a starling's egg:
There's dried mucous on the surface, and it rained the night before, so I'm guessing it was laid that morning. It was only about 25 feet from the cake feeder too, so couldn't have laid out too long without one of the woodpeckers finding and eating it. Starlings, in particular, are known to sometimes lay an egg on the ground if the nest isn't ready, and I'm guessing that's what happened here. I'm wondering if the high winds interfered with completing the nest, so it wasn't ready when expected.
I wonder too what the hen's emotions were at having to abandon her egg that way? I know that domestic chickens suffer real stress if they have to lay an egg in the "wrong" place. Sad event all around, although a fascinating thing to find. It massed only 6.0g. The baby would have weighed less than that, even, since that includes the shell. And in only about two weeks after hatching, it would have grown into a young bird, able to fly. That continues to amaze me.
Given that she was starting to lay on the 12th, I think it's reasonable to expect babies by middle of next week, at the latest. I haven't a clue where her nest is, though.
Sad, but much better to have it happen in the early spring than later on when it's full of babies.
I also found, of all things, a starling's egg:
There's dried mucous on the surface, and it rained the night before, so I'm guessing it was laid that morning. It was only about 25 feet from the cake feeder too, so couldn't have laid out too long without one of the woodpeckers finding and eating it. Starlings, in particular, are known to sometimes lay an egg on the ground if the nest isn't ready, and I'm guessing that's what happened here. I'm wondering if the high winds interfered with completing the nest, so it wasn't ready when expected.
I wonder too what the hen's emotions were at having to abandon her egg that way? I know that domestic chickens suffer real stress if they have to lay an egg in the "wrong" place. Sad event all around, although a fascinating thing to find. It massed only 6.0g. The baby would have weighed less than that, even, since that includes the shell. And in only about two weeks after hatching, it would have grown into a young bird, able to fly. That continues to amaze me.
Given that she was starting to lay on the 12th, I think it's reasonable to expect babies by middle of next week, at the latest. I haven't a clue where her nest is, though.
Don't eat glitter, FDA warns. Whatever would we do without Big Brother to watch over us?
*****
In my fantasies, the birds' interactions at the feeder are rather like Narnia, or the Rose Garden in Spindizzy - everyone's relaxed, because even if you *do* eat all the food, the human will put out more. Birds don't see it that way, of course. Cavity-nesting birds such as Woodpeckers and Sparrows tend toward large clutches. Normally one or two babies, sometimes more, die over the two-three weeks from hatching to leaving the nest. The smallest and weakest ones either get outcompeted for food and starve to death, or they get caught beneath their sibs and trampled to death. Just the fact of surviving to adulthood means that a bird won some life and death struggles as a chick. These are tough little dinosaurs - nothing cuddly about them.
Sparrows especially seem to have this image, I think because of the Bible, as being very meek, humble birds. RL, Sparrows defer to no-one who's not at least twice their size, and sometimes not even then. I've seen them chase away cats. Here a Sparrow hen squabbles with a Downy Woodpecker over who gets to sit on top of the bird cake.
The Downy Woodpecker, a fairly aggressive bird itself, settles for eating off the bottom. Why the top is more desirable than the bottom (except for Nuthatches, of course) is a mystery to me, but the dominant birds eat from the top.
*****
In my fantasies, the birds' interactions at the feeder are rather like Narnia, or the Rose Garden in Spindizzy - everyone's relaxed, because even if you *do* eat all the food, the human will put out more. Birds don't see it that way, of course. Cavity-nesting birds such as Woodpeckers and Sparrows tend toward large clutches. Normally one or two babies, sometimes more, die over the two-three weeks from hatching to leaving the nest. The smallest and weakest ones either get outcompeted for food and starve to death, or they get caught beneath their sibs and trampled to death. Just the fact of surviving to adulthood means that a bird won some life and death struggles as a chick. These are tough little dinosaurs - nothing cuddly about them.
Sparrows especially seem to have this image, I think because of the Bible, as being very meek, humble birds. RL, Sparrows defer to no-one who's not at least twice their size, and sometimes not even then. I've seen them chase away cats. Here a Sparrow hen squabbles with a Downy Woodpecker over who gets to sit on top of the bird cake.
The Downy Woodpecker, a fairly aggressive bird itself, settles for eating off the bottom. Why the top is more desirable than the bottom (except for Nuthatches, of course) is a mystery to me, but the dominant birds eat from the top.
More Birds
Dec. 13th, 2018 07:29 amYesterday morning, just after the sun lit the brushpile out back, I saw a whole bunch of Juncos effervescing around the brushpile to the trees on either side of it and back again. I'm guessing that's where they spent the night, which pleases me, since that's why I made it.
The other morning early too, I saw some cute Sparrow faces peering at me from the nest boxes I left up, so those are being used for shelters too, as I'd hoped. Hopefully, they'll have a head start on nesting come spring.
*****
Red Bellied Woodpecker returns to the cake feeder. The light's not so harsh here (morning, so you get reflected light off the house while the bird's backlit by the sun), and you can see details better. The pinkish vent patch shows clearly.
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Another pair of Nuthatches. These guys are the White Breasted variety, so not quite so humourously ball-shaped as the other day's Red Breasted ones. For whatever reason, these guys just like to perch upside down, and especially when they eat.
The other morning early too, I saw some cute Sparrow faces peering at me from the nest boxes I left up, so those are being used for shelters too, as I'd hoped. Hopefully, they'll have a head start on nesting come spring.
*****
Red Bellied Woodpecker returns to the cake feeder. The light's not so harsh here (morning, so you get reflected light off the house while the bird's backlit by the sun), and you can see details better. The pinkish vent patch shows clearly.
*****
Another pair of Nuthatches. These guys are the White Breasted variety, so not quite so humourously ball-shaped as the other day's Red Breasted ones. For whatever reason, these guys just like to perch upside down, and especially when they eat.
Woodpecker-viewing Day!
Dec. 12th, 2018 03:35 amWe had two Woodpeckers at the cake feeder today!
Downy Woodpecker, or Hairy Woodpecker. I have trouble telling them apart.
*****
For whatever reason, Audubon named this the Red-Bellied Woodpecker. If you look really hard, you can see a tiny patch of rufous blush around the vent, and that's about it. I'm told that now and again, you can find one with a reddish belly, so presumably that was his type specimen. That, or he was fixated on the naughty bits that day.
When I was little, we didn't have these - they were a southern bird, and had been on the decline. They've been slowly spreading north since the middle of the last century, though, and becoming much more common.
*****
Alexandra enjoys watching the birds too!
Downy Woodpecker, or Hairy Woodpecker. I have trouble telling them apart.
*****
For whatever reason, Audubon named this the Red-Bellied Woodpecker. If you look really hard, you can see a tiny patch of rufous blush around the vent, and that's about it. I'm told that now and again, you can find one with a reddish belly, so presumably that was his type specimen. That, or he was fixated on the naughty bits that day.
When I was little, we didn't have these - they were a southern bird, and had been on the decline. They've been slowly spreading north since the middle of the last century, though, and becoming much more common.
*****
Alexandra enjoys watching the birds too!
Baby Bird Time!
Sep. 5th, 2018 02:51 am
A dead Robin fledgling, from the family that nested in the maple tree out back. I'm just about certain he crashed and broke his neck on his first flight out of the nest. That's really sad to see, after his parents put so much love and work into rising him, but it's gonna happen. These guys put their nest at least 50 feet off the ground, which may have had a bearing on events. You just never see Robins nesting that high. I'm pretty sure he died in a crash, since he hasn't been eaten by anything but insects. If a Raccoon or a Hawk got him, there'd be bones and feathers everywhere, just like he'd exploded. If you look closely, you can see the bony ring (sclerotic ring) of the eye still mostly in place, which you just don't see on a dead bird if birds or mammals have been eating at him.
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The Robins in the tree by the driveway (a different family) that I climbed up to see on Aug 14th. I apologize for the quality of the picture, but I was lucky to get even that. There are actually three babies in the nest - you can just barely see the top of the beak and eye orbit for the closest one. The other two watched me climb up, curious and not the least bit afraid, then begged for food as soon as I had my hand and camera above them. I shot this more or less blind. The third one, probably the wisest of the bunch, hunkered down and tried to hide. Immediately after I took this, the Mombird started in with the alarm call, and they all went down in the nest and tried to look invisible. That brown stuff on their beaks is just dirt. Their parents feed them largely on earthworms, so you get that. It's actually beneficial for them, as it starts them out with sand and little bits of grit for their gizzards before they even leave the nest.*****
In the little tree (yew?) by the front door, the doves are raising what are almost certain to be the last baby birds of summer. Doves can only feed two babies at a time, so they start early, and end late, getting in four or five, sometimes even six, broods per summer.
*****
Here's DoveDad on Aug 22nd. One egg, perhaps even both, may already be hatched. I was very wary about getting too close and frightening him, since if he was sitting unhatched eggs, he might abandon them. He's giving me the "Oh shit! Does he see me?" look here.*****
A week later, on Aug 30th. Both babies seem to be growing and healthy. The parents have put a lot of work into the babies at this point, and are unlikely to abandon them if I poke around the nest. The real danger here is frightening the babies, in which case they might fledge early, which juvenile birds will sometimes do if a predator finds the nest. These guys are just a few days too young for that to be an issue. I avoided showing much interest in their tree after this, just in case.*****
The evening of Sept 4th. I missed the older chick fledging, but here's the younger one, still in the nest. I was pretty sure he'd leave either tonight or tomorrow morning.*****
15 minutes later. He's technically left the nest at this point, but is still sitting on the branch beside it. I feel fortunate to see this, as one usually doesn't. Half an hour later he'd flown away, probably into the shrubbery along the front of the house, which seems a very popular spot for young birds to shelter for a few days as they learn to fly.
Bird Time!
Apr. 30th, 2017 10:16 pmMore from the Bird Jungle, from when I visited back in February. I didn't like these much at first, being too aware of what I saw vs. what I managed to capture. As time goes on, and memory fades, I like them better. Very pedestrian poses, without any action, but they're acceptable to me now. I'm that way with a lot of art and photography.
An Ibis of some sort, I'm sure, but don't know exactly what. He's by no means a pretty bird, but is elegant in his own way, with a great deal of presence.
More of the Balinese Mynah.
A Nicobar Pigeon. Most pigeons are iridescent to some extent, but this guy's pretty much the champ. Long, waterproof feathers too. He's prepared for the daily downpour.
An Ibis of some sort, I'm sure, but don't know exactly what. He's by no means a pretty bird, but is elegant in his own way, with a great deal of presence.
More of the Balinese Mynah.
A Nicobar Pigeon. Most pigeons are iridescent to some extent, but this guy's pretty much the champ. Long, waterproof feathers too. He's prepared for the daily downpour.
Meanwhile, at the Zoo
Apr. 30th, 2017 07:28 pmSpent 90 minutes or so at the zoo today. That's what I love about having a season pass, is that I can make a brief visit and not feel like I'm wasting my money, especially now that it's $10 to park, and $12 for admission. Zoo pass covers that all, plus lets me bring a friend along if I'm in the mood. I normally avoid the place on weekend days with good weather, simply because of the crowds, but it really wasn't that bad today.
One of the alligators was sunning himself right by the glass window, watching the people who were watching him. That pink on his back looks like they painted a pink stripe on him at some point, and it's wearing off. I have no idea why. They all look pretty much alike to me, but I'd have to think their keeper could tell them apart without a stripe.
The swans fascinate me. Sometimes I'll come, and just spend an hour watching them. Today they were in a very laid back mood, and didn't terrorize the ducks or anything. They can be mean, aggressive birds when the mood strikes them. The vegetation is just exuberant right now, remarkably so for April. It looks more like late May.
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A Balinese Mynah, in the Temple of Birds. The zoo's Bird Jungle is designed in such a way that you're standing on the porch of a (Buddhist?) temple looking out into the jungle.
One of the alligators was sunning himself right by the glass window, watching the people who were watching him. That pink on his back looks like they painted a pink stripe on him at some point, and it's wearing off. I have no idea why. They all look pretty much alike to me, but I'd have to think their keeper could tell them apart without a stripe.
The swans fascinate me. Sometimes I'll come, and just spend an hour watching them. Today they were in a very laid back mood, and didn't terrorize the ducks or anything. They can be mean, aggressive birds when the mood strikes them. The vegetation is just exuberant right now, remarkably so for April. It looks more like late May.
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A Balinese Mynah, in the Temple of Birds. The zoo's Bird Jungle is designed in such a way that you're standing on the porch of a (Buddhist?) temple looking out into the jungle.
Swans in the Stars
Mar. 20th, 2017 12:41 amI've taken up printing with linoleum blocks again. I did my initial ones as greeting cards (because I had an old pack of blank ones), but I'm going to switch to making regular prints, I think. It could have turned out better, but then again I've not really done anything creative in years - since Findra died, basically. It feels good to make something again, and carving the linoleum is just fun to start with.
Birds, and Salt
Mar. 17th, 2017 11:10 pmLate winter, I think, is the best time for visiting the indoor exhibits at the zoo. If you go on a weekday, in inclement weather, you sometimes have the place effectively to yourself. The Columbus Zoo has also a lovely tropical bird jungle, where it's humid and in the upper 70s no matter what it's like outside. I love to come here in the winter, and spend the afternoon with just me and the birds.
Lorikeets in love.
Handsome, sleek bird.
Preen, preen, preen...
I love the crest! It gives them a very archosaurean look.
*****
So, I needed salt. They had the 26 ounce box of granulated, iodized salt for 98 cents. They had the three and a half ounce bottle of pinkish-gold rock salt imported from Tibet for five dollars. I can be so shallow sometimes, but I'm not the least bit sorry!
Lorikeets in love.
Handsome, sleek bird.
Preen, preen, preen...
I love the crest! It gives them a very archosaurean look.
*****
So, I needed salt. They had the 26 ounce box of granulated, iodized salt for 98 cents. They had the three and a half ounce bottle of pinkish-gold rock salt imported from Tibet for five dollars. I can be so shallow sometimes, but I'm not the least bit sorry!
Birds, and Salt
Mar. 17th, 2017 11:05 pmLate winter, I think, is the best time for visiting the indoor exhibits at the zoo. If you go on a weekday, in inclement weather, you sometimes have the place effectively to yourself. The Columbus Zoo has also a lovely tropical bird jungle, where it's humid and in the upper 70s no matter what it's like outside. I love to come here in the winter, and spend the afternoon with just me and the birds.
Lorikeets in love.
Handsome, sleek bird.
Preen, preen, preen...
I love the crest! It gives them a very archosaurean look.
*****
So, I needed salt. They had the 26 ounce box of granulated, iodized salt for 98 cents. They had the three and a half ounce bottle of pinkish-gold rock salt imported from Tibet for five dollars. I can be so shallow sometimes, but I'm not the least bit sorry!
Lorikeets in love.
Handsome, sleek bird.
Preen, preen, preen...
I love the crest! It gives them a very archosaurean look.
*****
So, I needed salt. They had the 26 ounce box of granulated, iodized salt for 98 cents. They had the three and a half ounce bottle of pinkish-gold rock salt imported from Tibet for five dollars. I can be so shallow sometimes, but I'm not the least bit sorry!
Dancing Hares
Mar. 16th, 2017 11:35 pmLast week, I went to see the "Dancing Hares". The sculpture belongs to this company who own a nearby golf course, but they installed it in a city park, so everyone is welcome to come and enjoy it. It sits on a raised mound, with a walkway that spirals up to the top, making three revolutions as it does so. There's a very ceremonial feel to it as you make your way up to see the Hares.
The piece itself is just infectiously delightful. It would be hard to be unhappy in the presence of the Hares. It is, as![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mondhasen points out, the work of Sophie Ryder. I wasn't aware of her prior to this, but feel fortunate to have something like this nearby.
I'm really pleased as well that it was installed on a conical mound. Ohio is just covered in those things, believed mostly to be tumuli of long-forgotten Adena chieftains. The Hares acquire a certain mythic resonance by the manner of installation.
The statues have this wonderful variety of found objects embedded in them, literally thousands of different things. The bronze has these shiny highlights where people have run their hands over it - you just can't avoid going up to them and touching them.
The piece itself is just infectiously delightful. It would be hard to be unhappy in the presence of the Hares. It is, as
mondhasen points out, the work of Sophie Ryder. I wasn't aware of her prior to this, but feel fortunate to have something like this nearby.I'm really pleased as well that it was installed on a conical mound. Ohio is just covered in those things, believed mostly to be tumuli of long-forgotten Adena chieftains. The Hares acquire a certain mythic resonance by the manner of installation.
The statues have this wonderful variety of found objects embedded in them, literally thousands of different things. The bronze has these shiny highlights where people have run their hands over it - you just can't avoid going up to them and touching them.
In Which I Take Another Whack...
Mar. 16th, 2017 11:09 pmOkay, posted my last entry (now hidden) just prior to leaving for a few days. I didn't realize that the pictures wouldn't be available to everyone. Sorry about that, if you didn't see them. We shall try again.
Last week, I went to see the "Dancing Hares". The sculpture belongs to this company who own a nearby golf course, but they installed it in a city park, so everyone is welcome to come and enjoy it. It sits on a raised mound, with a walkway that spirals up to the top, making three revolutions as it does so. There's a very ceremonial feel to it as you make your way up to see the Hares.
Click to Embiggen
The piece itself is just infectiously delightful. It would be hard to be unhappy in the presence of the Hares. It is, as![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mondhasen points out, the work of Sophie Ryder. I wasn't aware of her prior to this, but feel fortunate to have something like this nearby.
I'm really pleased as well that it was installed on a conical mound. Ohio is just covered in those things, believed mostly to be tumuli of long-forgotten Adena chieftains. The Hares acquire a certain mythic resonance by the manner of installation.
Click to Embiggen
Click to Embiggen
The statues have this wonderful variety of found objects embedded in them, literally thousands of different things. The bronze has these shiny highlights where people have run their hands over it - you just can't avoid going up to them and touching them.
Last week, I went to see the "Dancing Hares". The sculpture belongs to this company who own a nearby golf course, but they installed it in a city park, so everyone is welcome to come and enjoy it. It sits on a raised mound, with a walkway that spirals up to the top, making three revolutions as it does so. There's a very ceremonial feel to it as you make your way up to see the Hares.
Click to Embiggen
The piece itself is just infectiously delightful. It would be hard to be unhappy in the presence of the Hares. It is, as
mondhasen points out, the work of Sophie Ryder. I wasn't aware of her prior to this, but feel fortunate to have something like this nearby. I'm really pleased as well that it was installed on a conical mound. Ohio is just covered in those things, believed mostly to be tumuli of long-forgotten Adena chieftains. The Hares acquire a certain mythic resonance by the manner of installation.
Click to Embiggen
Click to Embiggen
The statues have this wonderful variety of found objects embedded in them, literally thousands of different things. The bronze has these shiny highlights where people have run their hands over it - you just can't avoid going up to them and touching them.
