I was awakened again this morning by the chattering magpies outside our window. I initially thought the magpies were villains, raiding the nest of another bird, but I've come to suspect they may be victims themselves. I think there's a cat stalking those birds, because when I've gone out to disrupt the noise, I've heard an animal jump down and run off. This morning, just as I got outside, there was a skirmish and the magpie chattering stopped -- and now there's just ominous silence.
I hate this feeling. It wouldn't bother me if it were natural creatures meeting a natural death, but a stalking house cat is not nature. I don't think a fox is the culprit because a fox couldn't climb a tree to endanger a bird nest.
Olga seems to be under the weather. She didn't really want to eat last night, which for her is never a good sign, and this morning she's mostly sleeping. She doesn't have any outward signs of illness so let's hope it's a transient thing.
Did you hear that Astrud Gilberto died? She's the Brazilian singer whose breathy voice gave "The Girl from Ipanema" its musical allure. I've been a fan of that particular brand of '60s Bossa Nova for many years and I have several of Gilberto's albums, as well as those of her collaborators like Stan Getz and Antonio Carlos Jobim. She was an interesting talent -- her voice was light and somewhat tentative and not pitch-perfect, all factors that would seem to rule out a professional music career. But somehow, for her, it worked.
My interest in Gilberto was part of my long-standing infatuation with Brazil, or at least a mythical version of Brazil. I think I've mentioned that I had Brazilian pen pals in high school and college -- three girls, Teresa, Frima and Flavia -- and I was interested in bright, colorful graphics and artwork that had a sort of Tropicalia sensibility. When I was a senior in high school I remember going to see the risible "Blame it on Rio" in the cinema, just for the scenery of the city. (I later came to love "Black Orpheus," which is much better both cinematically and visually, as well as the Amy Irving film "Bossa Nova," where the main character lives in a breezy apartment overlooking one of Rio's beaches, perhaps Ipanema itself.)
I've still never been to Brazil. It's probably nothing like I've long imagined it. Anyway, thanks to Astrud Gilberto for helping provide a soundtrack to my South American dreams.
(Photos: A sculpture near the London Eye, and valerian outside one of our neighbor's houses.)
28 comments:
It's sad for us when notable people of our youth die.
That sculpture is stunning...much more impressive than the Eye..it makes you think and wonder
Magpies always chatter loudly in the mornings to establish their territory.
It does sound like a cat if you heard a jump down.
I hope Olga comes good quickly.
I've always thought Brazil would be interesting, mainly for extremely diverse racial and cultural mix. But there is so much obvious poverty there too.
"Jubilee Oracle"? I don't think that a sculptor should follow the urge to spell out or defend their work on the plinth. Yorkshire sculptors Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth never did that. There was no need for apology or explanation. By the way, can you dance the bossa nova? Also by the way, we often see magpies in our garden and many times I have heard their chattering alarm calls as they react to the presence of cats.
P.S. I hope Olga's more her usual self by the end of today.
I have never heard of Astrud Gilberto, although I have heard that Girl from Ipanema song. Fingres crossed Olga is okay.
Bloody cats. I am a cat person but I am a responsible cat person and my cats are not allowed out to kill wildlife (although if I could train them to kill specific introduced species I would).
I hope Olga has come good. Older pets are always a worry.
Interesting sculpture but I prefer the valerian.
I've read numerous articles and studies on how much death and destruction cats mete out, especially on the local bird population. It always made me second guess things when I wake up somewhere with a cat sitting nearby looking at me.
You probably do have a cat BUT foxes can indeed climb trees. They can leap into them and climb branch to branch.
I surely hope that Olga is all right.
I hate the idea that the cat may have gotten the birds. I know cats are animals and that's instinct, but it's still quite sad.
I hope all is okay for that nest and the magpies. Cats have been so destructive to the bird population.
I also hope that Olga is feeling better.
my father-in-law loved Brazil. he had married a Brazilian woman here in the US and divorced before I met Marc. I forget why they got divorced. Just after I got pregnant the first time he decided to move to Brazil. Marc has two younger brothers and the youngest still had a year to go in high school and he refused to go with his dad and moved in with a friend. Danny, my FIL, lived there for a number of years but couldn't ever make a go at any kind of income producing endeavor and eventually came back and remarried Marrisa. Marc's next younger brother played trombone and moved to Brazil for several years having gotten a position with the orchestra. Eventually he came back too and went to dental school. Marrisa eventually went back to Brazil when she was sick with a terminal disease. she had a son there and wanted to spend time with him before she died. Danny stayed here. And now you know way more than you want to about my husband's family ties to Brazil.
Cat likes to watch the birds but she's not always stalking them though she has killed two, a little warbler and a juvenile chickadee, in the year we've had her. she prefers to stay indoors these days.
Sounds like it is a bit dangerous to visit Brazil right now. Too bad as I was going to suggest that you and Dave should book a trip. ;(
Hope Olga feels better soon.
I like that sculpture. I did hear about Gilberto and they played The Girl from Ipanema on the radio and it's been swimming around in my head ever since. Such a lovely voice.
I am sorry to hear that Olga is under the weather. I hope she feels better soon. Too bad dogs couldn't talk and let us know exactly why they weren't feeling well.
Black Orpheus was such a revelation of a movie to this young European student. I need to look up Gilberto now, if only as a tribute.
Maybe the birds are fine. Clearly it's a dangerous world out there.
I hope Olga is feeling better soon and thanks (sorta) for the ear worm.
Playing Catch Up Today There Brother Reed - Hows Our Girl Doing Now - And Yes, Heard About The Passing Of Astrud - Sending Positive Vines Your Way
Cheers
Brazilians love to party. They are great fun people.
The Girl from Ipanema has that hazy (languid?) vacation feel to it; I love it too, even though she didn't have the most beautiful voice. I hope that Olga perks back up!
We have two cats that roam the neighborhood, I'm looking forward to they day they cross the rainbow bridge. We've had to basically pave the side yard with bricks and pavers to keep them from using the area as their litter box. It's annoying. I think they're too old and fat to successfully kill anything. We don't let dogs run free, why do we let cats do that?
I really loved "The Girl from Ipanema."
Here's hoping Olga's condition is temporary.
I heard an obituary of her on the radio today and was surprised to learn that she was NOT a singer when she was tapped to record "The Girl From Ipanema".
Astrud moved to the United States. Huh. I never knew this. Hope Olga is doing better.
Huh again. She lived in Philadelphia.
I loved Astrud Gilberto’s style and bossa nova in general, and I don’t have a single album. Time to change that. I’m a cat lover, as you know, but I hate when cats are allowed by their owners to roam the neighborhood. Not safe for the cats. Not safe for wildlife. I like that public art, but I’m not big on artists or anyone else explaining it to me. Some artists get too high minded in their descriptions. Some curators do the same and also read things into works that the artists never intended. Let me experience it for for myself however I choose. So.
GZ: It's interesting, but I agree with YP below -- it would be better without the explanatory pediment.
Rachel: It's possible what I'm hearing is just loud chattering and not fighting or predating at all, but it seemed there was an animal involved.
Andrew: Yeah, that's part of why I'm interested, too. It's such an interesting melting pot!
YP: I agree. I don't know why the artist felt the need to explain the work that way.
River: When you hear her sing, you'll probably realize that you've heard her music more than you know.
Caro: I always kept my cats indoors, but I know some people think that's a kind of cruelty. The cats didn't seem to mind!
Ed: Cats can be devastating to wild birds. I always kept mine inside partly for that reason.
Ms Moon: Really?! Well, they do seem agile enough to do that, it's true.
Bob: I know. I worry way too much about the wild critters in our garden. I need to realize they're out of my control!
Robin: Olga does seem to be better, thank goodness!
Ellen: What a family saga! And you never visited Brazil yourself? I might have seized the opportunity if I had family there. (Of course, I'm not sure how well you get along with Marc's family!)
Ellen D: It's always somewhat dangerous in Brazil, though I think like anywhere it's just a matter of being careful when you're out and about. I don't think the political strife would endanger someone visiting as a tourist.
Michael: I know! It's so hard to have to guess what's going on!
Boud: It was phenomenal for its time, especially with that great Vince Guaraldi soundtrack!
Kelly: It IS a dangerous world, and they know what they're doing. There's certainly no shortage of magpies.
Padre: She's better! She's had a couple of treats and enjoyed them. I'll tell her one is from you. :)
Rachel: Yes! The inventors of the caipirinha!
Margaret: It is a very languid song -- that's the perfect description.
Allison: When the rainbow bridge can't come fast enough! LOL
Colette: Me too! And her other big songs, like "Desafinado" and "Corcovado."
Jim: I think it was. She eats weird stuff and then gets a stomach ache. I think it's no more than that.
Catalyst: Well, apparently there's a myth that she was a housewife, but she'd been helping her husband and his colleagues with music so it's not like she didn't know her way around a recording studio. It's no accident she was there that day to step in and record that vocal!
Debby: Philadelphia? Really? I had no idea. I wonder if that's where her son lives?
Mitchell: I agree about the art. I've never seen a description so prominently displayed on a pediment. And I agree about cats and their safety. I am mystified by people who allow their cats to roam around London, and then put up posters when they inevitably go missing.
I've always loved that song and her style. NPR had a nice piece on her yesterday and how the recording came to be. It's hard to believe that was her age -- so many people feel forever young to me.
Glad to get the backstory on Olga and know today she is improved.
Post a Comment