Owlish

    " ... he is subtext, something present but unseen."

    So says John Lewis-Stempel of the owl, subject of this charming little book of owlish facts, history, and observations.

    Did you know that there have been owls in Britain for a million years? That Florence Nightingale had a pet owl, Athena, now embalmed and in residence in her museum (where you can buy a finger puppet)? That the presence of owls is "a benediction on the land" for what it says about the health of the ecosystem? That the collective noun for owls - other than 'parliament' - is a 'stare'? There's more to the "sage in feathers" than meets the eye.

    The suitably strigine wool, by the way, is 'Owl' by Uschitita, found at Be Inspired Fibres.

Comments

[Toffeeapple]

The book is now on my Amazon list, thank you very much.

That yarn looks so gorgeous but I will not investigate further, I have books to read!

[CC]

Ohhhh, I need such a book! After reading "The Owl Service." -sigh- Which, unlike so many other readers, I was not taken with.

Hooray for some "nice" owls! :-)

[Cornflower]

So do I, but that doesn't stop me!

[Cornflower]

Funny that you should mention The Owl Service (for anyone who hasn't read it, there's a post on it here http://www.cornflowerbooks.co.uk/2010/12/when-owls-do-cry.html ) because John Lewis-Stempel talks in the book about the legend on which it is based.

[Fran]

In my postcard collection, which I dip into for a bookmark relevant to what I am reading I have two postcards from the Florence Nightingale museum. One, a pencil sketch of her holding her Athena, the other, a photo of the stuffed owl. So all I need now is a copy of the book. And more temptation with the yarn, as all things bird related call to me!

[Cornflower]

They seem to be calling to me, too, as in addition to the owl yarn I have a skein or two inspired by the kingfisher, and most recently blackbird's eggs!