Monday 31 December 2012

13 rooks

Christmas time has been hectic for me and most of my days have flown by with work, family and other projects. Sadly only a small amount of FPOA time, which means that I am a bit behind on my Melancholia Project and the Ecclesiarchy Echo Priest.

Today, on the last day of the year, I went walking in a local wood with my family. At some point we came to a gathering of 13 empty rooks nests in some tall trees. A very fitting number, which reminded me of a book I am reading at the moment, Wildwood - A Journey Through Trees by late Roger Deakin. He writes of rooks that they in the gaity of their hearts attempt to sing, but with no great success:

Most of the old bird-books attempt some version of 'rude harmony', 'sweet thunder' or 'musical discord', but I prefer to think of their utterances as conversation, or the roughest of folksong. Rooks speak in the strongest of country burrs. They are rasping, leathery, parched, raucous, hoarse, strangled, deep-throated, brawling, plaintive, never reticent and, like all good yokels, incomprehensible. No doubt you could play a dead rook like a bagpipe, all drone and no melody. (Deakin, 2007)

FPOA is partly inspired by Echospace drone and I like the idea of Deakins rook drone. Related as they are. 

I look forward to share with you in 2013 more of my miniature stuff and what is for me closely related to this; weather, music, landscapes, walks.

Take care and all the best for the coming evening. See you next year.