Wednesday, September 14, 2016

sandhill cranes

This is copied from a double page photograph that heads an article titled "the Birds" published in Arizona Highways for October 2016. I have it right here beside me. The photograph and statement is by John Sherman, the portfolio of birds is edited by Jeff Kida.

The photographs also include a handsome mottled quail, makes you think of hunting and of dinner, an orange oriole, a trogon that looks like a colorful parakeet, and a Steller's jay that is not blue and looks to be hopping straight up, a full page photo of a double crested cormorant without any crests and opening its mouth like it's yawning, a green heron leaping from the water, a very cool full page photo of three baby great horned owls with their nest in a saguaro, a double page photo of a California condor with its beak tucked into its chest and that all you see due to the fog, a Harris hawk landing on a branch, and a calliope hummingbird that looks like it spit up spaghetti sauce splattered from its mouth all over its bib.

Inspire'n. I love those cranes and there's a million of them it looks like. Let's scratch out a picture.



A couple of houses ago I had the ugliest closet doors that you ever saw comprised of four plain panels. You pulled on the knobs and the panels folded following two tracks. I laid there in bed and wondered how I could turn them into something attractive and decided light quilts that snapped on would work. I decided the design will be cranes as Japanese paint them, but mine would be merely outlined in stitches. But I never got around to it before I moved. But I still love these cranes. Mine would have longer necks. Ridiculously long necks. 

6 comments:

ndspinelli said...

Sandhill Cranes were endangered when we moved to Wisconsin. Now they're like fucking pigeons or seagulls. Time to thin the flock. I hear they're good eatin'.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Ive never been, but, I hear the Monte Vista Crane Festival is really great.

john said...

Thanks Chip

nspnelli - are you sure you aren't thinking of Canada geese? They turned the whole state of Wisconsin into green shit.

If any Lem's commenters is ever interested in visiting Wilcox Playa to check out the Sandhill cranes, please give me a heads up. I'm only about an hour away and I'd like to meet you there.

ndspinelli said...

Geese are worse. I hate them as well. Cranes make the most God awful noise in mating season.

MamaM said...

I'm envisioning a set of stitched quilt panels that didn't make it to production and what's coming to mind is quite lovely. The ridiculously long necks add movement and grace.

AllenS said...

Not much meat on the legs of a sandhill crane. They probably don't taste any better than a bald eagle. Yuck!