I am helium raven and this movie is mine
It was a perfect Spring Sunday in South Australia today.
In the spirit of rebirth and new beginnings, I thought it would be a graceful gesture to make peace with my avian adversaries. Some of you may remember that winter was awash with bellicose encounters with our fine feathered friends. Well, it has been a long and - for both sides - relatively fruitless campaign. Both birds and Free Men still occupy the same turf, neither cowed, neither beaten. I thought it was time to step up and be the bigger man (or bird) and to extend an olive branch.
Boy Z marched onto the field with a peace offering…
…which was gratefully received by the opposition.
Former combatants joined together in a veritable feast of love and peace.
Unfortunately, there are apparently a few dead enders left out there.*
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This track is one of my favorites from Patti Smith’s seminal “Horses” which can be purchased at 
or, even better, your local independent record store.
* Comments about my hair - or lack thereof - are unwelcome.
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Oh that last photo is too funny! And it probably doesn’t help that I think the only thing missing is poop a la Mel Brooks in ‘High Anxiety’.
OK, OK not THAT much poop.
23 Nov 2008 at 11:32 pm
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24 Nov 2008 at 12:48 am
Feast of love and peace? It warms my heart!
(Obama really did change everything!)
24 Nov 2008 at 1:12 am
The pics make you look like Ace Ventura, Pet Detective…
24 Nov 2008 at 3:00 am
Well, I was hoping you would be victorious in your battle or at least go down in a blaze of glory. But I am glad that both sides have reached a truce.
24 Nov 2008 at 3:54 am
Feed the birrrrrrrrrrds…..tuppence a bag….
24 Nov 2008 at 5:42 am
Arizaphale will accuse you of hitting the saturation button on those pictures!
Did you take Z into the State Library kids’ bit? I hear it’s great.
24 Nov 2008 at 6:45 am
Oh my god! That is hilarious. I am sitting at my desk at work and my collegues are wondering what the hell I’m laughing at! All I can say is at least you tried!
Looks like Spring is in the air in Adelaide. Can’t say the same for Syndey. On Saturday it snowed up in the mountains about 45min west of my house!
24 Nov 2008 at 7:41 am
No, no Headbang. Adelaide really IS that beautiful
I am impressed at Z’s lack of fear here. Those birds are pretty intimidating. The BA got freaked out by them in Trafalgar Square once, where they are downright pushy!
Sunday was a beautiful day wasn’t it?
24 Nov 2008 at 11:57 am
You do know that pigeons are the rats of the sky, right? Just be careful not to catch anything…
24 Nov 2008 at 2:20 pm
I am usually ridiculously kumbaya and love-all-creatures. I even stick up for bats and snakes and such. But pigeons? I cannot support pigeons. It’s not even the germs, it’s the feet! Just thinking about those scaly, scritchy little bird feet on my arms gives me the flaming heebs.
Off to go bathe in Purell, now!
(Though I must say Boy Z is beyond adorable in these pics.)
24 Nov 2008 at 4:17 pm
so can you post music again?
and I by “dead enders” do you mean “die hards”. Die hard with a beak. I couldnt think of anything clever. With a vinaceous wing?
24 Nov 2008 at 6:15 pm
Those photos are outstanding! There is no way I could get that close to a bunch of birds like that. No way.
24 Nov 2008 at 7:48 pm
You can’t trust a bird. Those beady little eyes.
25 Nov 2008 at 1:13 am
you look a bit like the old lady who lived in central park in
“home alone 2.” you’re prettier, though.
25 Nov 2008 at 2:58 am
In my defense… I am catching up on a few blogs from my Blackberry today, and the screen isn’t nearly as large as a computer monitor. As a result, images aren’t always easy to make out.
That being said, I swear that I thought Z was carrying a frozen, whole chicken. I laughed quite heartily at your evilness. Alas, my joy was short-lived when I realized that your peace offering was genuine.
25 Nov 2008 at 3:30 am
Boy, I wish it were springtime here. It’s cold and rainy right now, not that it matters because I’m glued to my desk at work and am not in sight of any windows.
If the birds are landing in your hands, I think that’s a sign of peace in our time. You know, like Churchill said … right before Hitler invaded Poland. Watch your step.
25 Nov 2008 at 5:25 am
I see you are starting with the little ones. Do you plan on working your way up to their larger, more aggressive Canadian cousins?
25 Nov 2008 at 7:53 am
Mongola - I didn’t check my head for gifts.
Alice - Yeah, that’s one of the reasons that I had generosity in my heart.
Nathan - I was going for Dr. Doolittle.
25 Nov 2008 at 8:59 am
Andrew - I’m a bit of a peacenik.
Agnes - Good song reference.
Headbang - No manipulation there, that’s what the sky looks like in Oz. Maybe it’s time for a trip back for you!
Erin - It’s spotty. Still rainy and cool, but we’ve had a couple of fine afternoons.
Ariza - He fears nothing. Nothing. This will become problematic at some point.
Heather - I know. I know.
Veloci - I don’t mind their feet, it was kind of cool to have them land on my hands. Not so much my head.
SSG - I’m just ignoring the whole music madness. I don’t know what you’re on about with die hard. The dead enders was a Bush-ism.
Angel - They’re incredibly tame, these city pigeons.
Gypsy - I know, they have no honor.
Muskrat - I’m kind of scared of you now.
Joe - The chicken thing would have been brilliant. Throwing down the gauntlet.
Courtney - I’m vigilant. Constantly.
NATUI - We’re working on the geese. Zach’s obsessed with feeding things right now - ducks, pigeons, Timmins - but the geese are a bit much.
25 Nov 2008 at 9:06 am