feather

feather
I was having a conversation with D this morning about feathers.

I love birds, and without feathers a bird could not fly (some can't fly even with feathers, of course). Somehow, though, I don't like feathers in the house. I'm not superstitious about them, but feathers should be out of doors, on a wing, flying free. In the house they make me think of death. I'll make an exception for peacock feathers, since I know the peacock moults his tail feathers every summer. Most birds moult, I think, but when we find feathers in the garden, it's usually because a buzzard or a sparrow hawk has been nearby. 

Soon after this conversation I was walking in the garden and saw this feather floating on the water. 

The light has been noticeably brighter today.  A whole month after winter solstice, we have 54 minutes of extra daylight every day :-)