[F.F. Teague]

Hi,

I hope this is okay; I'd like people to get the full effect of the photograph, so I'm linking to here.

Best wishes,
Fliss

PS: I don't usually do this, but... the photo was published by Pittville Swans & Friends :'-)

[Sarah-Jane Crowson]

It's lovely! Pittville Park? I remember that when I used to work for the art dept at GlosCAT as a teenager way back when.

I have no training in photography so cannot bring anything technically useful to your image (sorry), but it works for me to evoke a sense of pastoral-in-urban (the blue railings and lampost juxtaposed with the wildish green) and the familial sense of the swans is also lovely.

Sarah-Jane

[John Isbell]

Hi Fliss,

I am very sorry to hear about the passing of Zelda. It sounds like she has left children behind, which is always nice.

Though it traces irreparable loss, I thought this datum was splendidly put and deserves to be in a novel: “George lost his first wife in 2008, when she swallowed some fishing line …”

I have some catching up to do and am thinking of about 3 a.m. this evening.

Regards,
John

[F.F. Teague]

Thanks, John; you're very kind. Yes, George and Zelda had seven cygnets this year (one died suddenly last month) and they've had a little family every year since Zelda was introduced to the lake.

I'm glad you like the bit about George's first wife. Yes, there's scope for writing a novel, perhaps a novella. Were you up until 3am? I hope you're able to catch up with sleep soon :-)

- - -
Yes, Sarah-Jane, this is Pittville Park. It's changed quite a lot over the last few years, mainly due to the addition of an enormous playpark and the council's attempts to tidy up. I preferred it wild, as that was better for the wildlife.

Thanks for enjoying the photo; I like the expression 'pastoral-in-urban'. As with my picture of Mr Patch, I used tuxpi.com to add a frame :-)


Best wishes,
Fliss

[Ann Drysdale]

Fliss, you should read a story called "The Old Man" by Daphne du Maurier.

[F.F. Teague]

Thank you, Ann; I shall do this asap :-)

[mignon ledgard]

Dear Fliss,

I tried, but did not succeed, to post the image of a Swan I painted in 2005. The title of the thread: Swan - saying goodnight to Zelda.

I'm smitten that Dad Swan assumes caring for the little ones.

Sigh,
~mignon

[mignon ledgard]

Dear Fliss,

I shrank the file to fit and it shows uploaded, but I don't know where it is--I am a testament to my ineptitude! If I see it again, I still have no idea how to place it here.

Sigh,
~mignon

[F.F. Teague]

Dear mignon,

Well, there's an attached image and the link leads to a beautiful portrait. I don't really know how to critique art, but I can say I love the vibrant colours and the shaping of the swan. The neck is particularly good and I like the elegant closed eye. Is that a dandelion clock on the left, or maybe a representation of the moon? Either way, it's an appealing little addition here.

I had another photo published by Pittville Swans & Friends (Facebook) yesterday, showing George and his children on the banks of Lower Lake, here :-) :>) (I just joined flickr)

Best wishes,
Fliss

[mignon ledgard]

Dear Fliss,

That's a gorgeous photo! Maybe my favorite of the swan photos.


~mignon

*I'm glad the image file came through.