Magical Monday - Jumping over the Eiffel Tower

MM: week 15
Jumping over the Eiffel Tower

Those two pigeons didn't seem very impressed, huddled underneath those thundering hooves. But I was.

Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical or unexpected.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

City birds

We went to the Square des Batignolles last weekend. This park in the 17th arrondissement, is designed in the informal 'English garden style' with small ponds, streams and curved path ways meandering  (sort of) along the length of the park. There are some vast plane trees which are apparently about a hundred and forty years old. Some of them even come placed in a vase. Thus.

Swimming in the interconnected ponds are an array of rather unusual ducks. Of course there are your standard Mallard Ducks.

And then more fancy types like this Wood Duck.

I'm in no way an ornithologist, but you can't help but be impressed by the colours on this duck. This duck looks more like it's been carved out of wood and should be resting on your mantel piece.

Here is a plainer duck, but unusual none the less.

I have other park-bird shots. A Canada goose I saw in Oxford Christchurch meadows.

A swan and some red sticks.


A family of swans in the Bois de Boulogne.

Some odd looking bald baby coots. Their heads start out red. Who knew?

A very cheeky sparrow.

My personal favourite, spotted in Square des Batignolles. Big Foot.

And finally a magnificent dove I saw in the Chateau at Chantilly.

Magical Monday - Lamppost Lovers

MM: week 14
Lamppost lovers



Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical or unexpected.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

The last of the falling leaves

That time of year thou mayst in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

...

Extract from sonnet 73 by by William Shakespeare (1609)

As I walked up Rue Caulaincourt on Sunday I marvelled at the pavement which was strewn with fallen leaves. These small green leaves have been clinging on much longer than most, but now it's time to let go. The last of the leaves are falling. Winter is coming. Sigh.

Red leaves in the Montmartre Cemetery.




Red leaves and a cat.

Orange leaves in Oxford.



Yellow leaves.

Yellow leaves and a crow.


Yellow leaves and some spikes.


A beautiful tree in Parc Monceau.


A carefully swept pile of yellow leaves in our street.

This morning when I passed this tree I noticed that somebody has been playing with those carefully swept up leaves. The work of a Parisian road sweeper is never done.