I have caught a better shot of Mr. Indigo, not to be confused with Mr. Indigo Jones of Shakespeare’s time, methinks. This is Mr. Bunting, Passerina cyanea.
He seems to be object of Mr. Chirping Sparrow Spizella passerina‘s envy.
Hmmm… about which would Catullus have written, I wonder?
Also, we have had a visit from Mr. Brown-Headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, who doesn’t seem to give a damn about anything but eating.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
Loading ...
A Daily Prayer for Priests
Nota bene: I do not answer these numbers or this Skype address. You won't get me "live". I check for messages regularly.
WDTPRS
020 8133 4535
651-447-6265
on POLL on a BURNING QUESTION REVISITED: The Plural of “Gin & Tonic” – Daily Rome (not) Shot – 507 – bonus video: “In German, the drink is called a “Gin Tonic”, written like that, with the obvious plural “(ich nehme zwei) Gin…”
on WDTPRS: Mass Prayers “Pro seipso sacerdote – For the priest himself” (1962MR): “For your anniversary, for your vocation, for your “yes” to his call, thank you Father Z. Your devotion to your…”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “That is a really outstanding photo, of you and Pope JP II. Thank you for being a priest and being…”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “Congratulations, Father. Btw, the last 2 videos are private (in case it’s possible to make them public).”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “Congratulations, Father! I was commissioned in the US Navy 31 years ago on 17 May 1991, and while there are…”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “Congratulations on having made it so far and thank you.”
on POLL on a BURNING QUESTION REVISITED: The Plural of “Gin & Tonic” – Daily Rome (not) Shot – 507 – bonus video: “Thanks for sharing the video of Floriani, Fr. Z. Nice to see Giorgio and his schola getting well-deserved attention.”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “Ad multos annos, Father! May God bless you and keep you. Thank you for your service to Our Lord and…”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “This anniversary is something for all of us to celebrate! Thanks for making it so easy, by way of those…”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “Fr. Z: First, Happy Anniversary! Second, you reminded me that on June 30 my Priest-in-Charge will celebrate his tenth anniversary…”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “May God’s goodness and kindness be with you, and may he bless you on this most special of days and…”
on 26 May 1991: 31st anniversary of ordination: “Ad multos annos, Father Z I’m sure, like myself, there are some of us out here that don’t comment much…”
PLEASE subscribe via PayPal if it is useful.
That way I have steady income I can plan on, and you wind up regularly on my list of benefactors for whom I pray and for whom I periodically say Holy Mass.
In view of the rapidly changing challenges I now face, I would like to add more $10/month subscribers. Will you please help?
For a one time donation...
My "challenge coin" for my 25th anniversary of ordination in 2016.
Want one? I do exchanges with military and LEOs, etc.
Loading ...If you travel internationally, this is a super useful gizmo for your mobile internet data. I use one. If you get one through my link, I get data rewards.
Loading ...
They find you a pro-life agent in your area who commits to giving a portion of the fee to a pro-life group!
Help Monks in Wyoming (coffee – UPDATED LINK) and Norcia (beer) and the wonderful "Soap Sisters" of Summit, NJ!
Please follow me on Twitter!
Visits tracked by Statcounter
since Sat., 25 Nov. 2006:
Coat tailing on the accuracy in things Shakespearean – or at least of that age, the famous architect of the period was of course, Inigo Jones, not indigo as in the colour. [Yes, I know…. joke.]
Coat-tailing on the accuracy in things Shakespearean – or at least of that age, the famous architect of the period was of course, Inigo Jones, not indigo as in the colour.
Could … not … resist … any … longer.
“My name is Indigo Montoya. You stole my birdseed, prepare to die!”
Perhaps Catullus 2, Fr. Z?
Passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,
cui primum digitum dare appetenti
et acris solet incitare morsus,
cum desiderio meo nitenti
carum nescio quid lubet iocari
et solaciolum sui doloris,
credo ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:
tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem
et tristis animi levare curas!
Little bird, my girlfriend loves you
and loves to play with you, to hold you
in her bosom, to dangle her finger
for you to nip at. When she,
the radiant girl of my longing,
delights in sweet silly games with you,
I think she is seeking comfort for her sorrows,
to soothe her troubled heart.
If only my sad soul could find such relief
by playing with you!
-Translation from Wikipedia
Perhaps Catullus 2, Fr. Z?
Passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,
cui primum digitum dare appetenti
et acris solet incitare morsus,
cum desiderio meo nitenti
carum nescio quid lubet iocari
et solaciolum sui doloris,
credo ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:
tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem
et tristis animi levare curas!
Little bird, my girlfriend loves you
and loves to play with you, to hold you
in her bosom, to dangle her finger
for you to nip at. When she,
the radiant girl of my longing,
delights in sweet silly games with you,
I think she is seeking comfort for her sorrows,
to soothe her troubled heart.
If only my sad soul could find such relief
by playing with you!
-Translation from Wikipedia
You bring us news of supernatural (liturgical) beauty as well as natural (wildlife) beauty.
thank you, fr. zuhlsdorf.
The pictures have been fascinating. I’ve never actually seen an indigo bunting before, only heard of them. I’m sure they’re more stunning in person.
oh, Fr., these pictures of birds are just wonderful, thank you so much!
As for Catullus, it would have to be the brown one (or a near relation): we don’t get blue ones in Europe. But I seem to remember being told at University that the sparrow was a code for something else……… ahem. But then perhaps in the early 80s people just had minds like that.
I have heard cowbirds are bad news…something along the line of planting their eggs in other birds’ nests. As for Catullus, I would be happy to learn that he was writing of either one…
Great photos! Mr. Chirping Sparrow is actually Mr. Chipping Sparrow…….maybe it was just a typo.
David Alexander:
“I’m sure they’re more stunning in person.”
I’m sure in person they are truly stunning. But not as stunning as nightingales, which, as told by Joannes Jonston in his De Avibus Libri VI: “Caesares juvenes habuere luscinias Graeco atque Latino sermone dociles.” (Young princes used to keep nightingales that could be taught Greek and Latin.) He also goes on to mention that: “three nightingales kept in Ratisbonne in 1546 would repeat in the silence of the night everything they heard said during the day from visitors, in German, so clearly that everything could be understood by those who heard them. (Fuere tres Ratisbonae, anno MDXLVI quae, intra noctis silentium, quicquid interdiu ab hospitibus colloquentibus inaudierant, Germanico sermone, ita promere solebant, ut ab audientibus optime intelligerentur.)
Since catholics don’t want to learn Latin, perhaps Fr. Zuhlsdorf can try teaching the chickadees a few words. Imagine strolling through the wood in New England and a birdie flies by chirping: salve viator, quo vadis? Or better yet: “Qui timetis Dominum, laudate eum” or something like that.
mastigia: Very interesting! Though I don’t like the “j” in “iuvenes”. Perhaps it is the era of the edition.
And I think chikadees eat well, and I can whistle nearly exactly like them, so much so that when I do they fly close and perch. My guests at the Sabine Farm can attest to this.
I don’t think they can learn Latin.
Great pictures Father! Yes, the Cowbirds are unfazed by any other visitors and if you get a few of them at once, they can ‘take over’ the feeder. Similar to the Redwinged Blackbirds who herald their arrival with a piercing whistle – as much as to say: “I’m here. Clear out!”