Day 4001: Books & Starlings

"Separation": painted papers collage

 

 

 

 

Want music?

Click here: Redbone, Come & Get your Love.

2GN2S ... 

 Books

“I've read so many books, but I've forgotten most of them. But then what is the purpose of reading?” This was the question that a pupil once asked his Master. The Master did not answer at that moment. After a few days, however, while he and the young pupil were sitting near a river, he said he was thirsty and asked the boy to get him some water using an old dirty sieve that was there on the ground. The pupil started, as he knew it was a request without any logic. However, he could not contradict his Master and, taking the sieve, he began to perform this absurd task. Every time he dipped the sieve into the river to draw water to take to his Master, he could not take even one step towards him that not even a drop remained in the sieve. He tried and tried dozens of times but, as much as he tried to run faster from the shore to his Master, the water continued to pass through all the holes in the sieve and was lost along the way. Exhausted, he sat next to the Master and said: "I can't get water with that sieve. Forgive me Master, it is impossible and I have failed in my task" “No – replied the old man smiling – you have not failed. Look at the sieve, it's like new now. The water, filtering through its holes, has cleaned it up" "When you read books - continued the old Master - you are like the sieve and they are like the water of the river" "It doesn't matter if you can't keep in your memory all the water they make flow in you, since the books anyway, with their ideas, emotions, feelings, knowledge, the truth that you will find between the pages, they will cleanse your mind and spirit, and make you a better and renewed person. That is the purpose of reading." Happy reading to all... 

(from Anna Rita Montinaro, ... thank you!)

 

I couldn't wait to share this. Have you ever seen a starling murmuration? If not, now you can. Click here. A lot of factual information is known about about the starling—its size and voice, where it lives, how it breeds and migrates—but what remains a mystery is how it flies in murmurations, or flocks, without colliding. This short film by Jan van IJken was shot in the Netherlands, and it captures the birds gathering at dusk, just about to start their "performance." Listen well and you'll be able to hear how this beautiful phenomenon got its name.

 

 

A 4 minute video, animated Pip, here.

 

 Just Because ...

 

Jabiru Stork

Friday's Smiles ...

 

   

                     Thanks for coming by today ...