'I'm always looking for the Hows and the Whys and the Whats,' said Muskrat, 'That is why I speak as I do. You've heard of Muskrat's Much-in-Little, of course?'
'No,' said the child. 'What is it?'
- The Mouse and his Child. Russell Hoban.

Go here to find out more.

Saturday 14 June 2008

Going Back 2






In the park the aviary is still there.
  
The park was, to an under-three year-old, a huge exciting place where you could get lost.  
It's where I first fed ducks and swans with bread with Nanna (and of course received my first swan-bite, as you do).  
It was where I sat on the stone lion and paddled in the toddler pool and picnicked on the grass.  
One time I went back, they'd had vandals and removed all the birds, but it was nice to see them back this time.

So, some things do stay the same.

This time, Jane and I took Dad out for lunch and we sat in front of the cages and nattered over our sandwiches.  
Very nice.





2 comments:

  1. ...Yes, but where is this aviary and are those wonderful birds all native NZ species? I sometims think of NZ as the land of birds in spite of all the killing that happened. Wonder whart it was like before the Maori arrived. Eden I guess.

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  2. This park and aviary are symbolic of all childhood parks, YP. I purposely didn't give their location, it wasn't to drive you mad. Hastings, in Hawkes Bay, as it turns out.
    And re. the actual birds, nope, none of them are New Zealand native birds. Because so many of them are threatened, or worse, on the brink of extinction, they tend not to be in small municipal aviaries like this, but in sanctuaries where they can be protected and bred. Most of these are Australian birds.

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