Bloomin' owls...

[strange_complex]

...keeping me up all night!

Actually, they aren't really owls, but apparently some openings in the roofing of the flats where I live, which make hooting sounds exactly like owls when the wind blows through them. Which was most of last night. Still, it gives me a great opportunity to introduce my latest icon (man, I just love the way us permies get yet another new one every few months!).

This particular owl may be found outside Leeds' Civic Hall, where he and a feathery friend stand as proud emblems of the city - whose patron goddess must therefore logically be Minerva. Now that I actually live in Leeds, I felt the need for a 'Leeds - town' icon to supplement the 'Leeds - gown' aspect represented by my Parkinson building one. So that's his job. Meanwhile, in the background, is Shelley's rendering of the Homeric hymn to his mistress, the first few lines of which run thus:

I sing the glorious Power with azure eyes,
Athenian Pallas! tameless, chaste, and wise,
Tritogenia, town-preserving Maid,
Revered and mighty; from his awful head
Whom Jove brought forth, in warlike armour dressed,
Golden, all radiant! wonder strange possessed
The everlasting Gods that Shape to see,
Shaking a javelin keen, impetuously
Rush from the crest of Aegis-bearing Jove...

Hooting aside, I am having a very lovely weekend, which so far has included:

• Going shopping and buying a very lovely fifties-esque dark purple party frock for upcoming Christmas dos
• Getting the flat properly clean and tidy
• Painting my toe-nails
• Dying my hair (that one's happening right now)
• Doing some very fruitful and rewarding Alessandro Moreschi research
• Making lots of interesting notes (so far in English) for the Italian presentation I have to give on Tuesday
• Some cracking lie-ins

Later on, my_mundane_life will be coming to stay over en route to an interview she has here tomorrow, and we will be going out for dinner with hieroglyphe. And in the meantime, I'd better get this dye off my hair and start turning those notes into an actual presentation, that's actually in Italian...

Comments

Re: Pesky owls!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

This is a very good question! Or maybe they are having an argument about which branch is nicest to sit on?

OWL A: "Dude, this branch is ace! Come over here and check it out."
OWL B: "No wai! I am, like, totally chilled out on this branch."
OWL A: "That branch suXX0r!"
OWL B: "O RLY?"

etc....

Re: Pesky owls!

[smileygoth.livejournal.com]

Indeed!

Ooh, and on the subject of that Minerva lass/goddess, there is a building called Minerva House on East Parade in Leeds so I reckon she must live there.

Personally, if I was a God/Goddess I would have chosen somewhere nicer than the middle of Leeds city centre for my house.

Re: Pesky owls!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Still, at least that way she gets to be close to her owls. Also, since she is immortal, she was probably already living in that spot when Leeds was still a tiny little Anglo-Saxon village. So I guess she's been there longer than the city centre as we know it.

Re: Pesky owls!

[roobarb.livejournal.com]

or you get a teenage one that flies from branch to branch going "WOO HOO this is goo..ooh look at that one" flies to that one and goes "WOO HOO this is goo..ooh look at that one" flies to that one and goes "WOO HOO this is goo..ooh look at that one" flies to that one and goes "WOO HOO this is goo..ooh look at that one" flies to that one .... rinse and repeat all night

Yes I live opposite a park

he was fun when he was a baby, but now!!!