It's A Miserable Life

...if you're Eli.



And it's cold and rainy.





Comby seems to be doing okay.





Looks like it's time to bring out the winter accommodations.

A Cool Thing

I've been waiting patiently (mostly) for something to come in the mail and something did. This, however, was a complete surprise.

A dvojnice (pronounced dove-nee-cha with the emphasis on the second syllable) or shepherd's flute.

The dvojnice is a pastoral instrument common to many countries of the Balkans; a shepherd would play it while following his herd or performing for his friends.

Source: Dvojnice [Bosnia] (89.4.1589) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art



This one is from Yugoslavia.



It's been hard to find much information in English and the following may be referring to a different double shepherd's flute. There is also a long, single shepherd's flute.

From the New World Encyclopedia - Shepherds directed their flocks by their playing, since sheep remember and recognize a melody in time. A shepherd could “teach” his flock to start from the pen towards the pasture at one melody, and to return to the village in the evening at another.

That seems way more classy than shaking a vanilla wafer box.

The following are two completely different videos. Both worth watching if you are interested. I'm making a guess that the two songs are from different regions?





I could barely watch and listen to this video the first time through, but now I'm hooked. Like I absorbed it somehow. I am very excited to try to learn to play it...and I'm pretty sure there will have to be some sheep bells in my future as well ;-).

Thank you akpeacecat - you made my day!

A Pretty Thing

Sun spotlight.







A recent find by Saint Tim. The carefully crafted wooden box is as lovely as the bronze lamb attached to it.



Sun spotlight.

Sunday Stills - Coffee/Tea Cups

Since I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by picking a "favorite" mug, I'm picking a particular group of mugs I collect.

These Dunoon Mary Griese designs are among my favorites. You just can't beat a bunch of Cotswolds standing at a bus stop or some Border Cheviots trying to phone home ;-). I have no idea how old they are or how many would make up a complete set. Anyone?

For more Sunday Stills...

Indian Summer

The last day of Indian Summer. Let's take a walk out back in our shorts and t-shirts.



Our two hives out by the Frog Pond are just far enough away (put your hives within easy reach!) that I hadn't fed them as much sugar syrup as I wanted to this fall. It was a brutally hard summer and fall for the bees, so I decided to give the last few frames of honey I'd collected back.



I know I shouldn't like this non-native, invasive bush honeysuckle, but I do. Shhh ;-).



My poor little Frog Pond Desert.



We found just a few flowers still in bloom and we weren't the only ones who'd found them. Check out this bizarre bee with a spiky butt. Click to biggify.



One tiny goldenrod left.



A big leaf.



I'm guessing deer have been sleeping in here. I wanted to climb through the gap, but didn't want to ruin someone's hideout.



More wild bees - two different greenies.



I liked the curly leaves and the curly down.



The sheep out front. Note the main flock up on the hill and the youngins on the flat. Poor Hank gets stuck in the middle trying to keep an eye on everyone. You'll have to double click to see him.

I hope everyone found something to enjoy today.