Today is known as The 7th Day of Christmas! (It's also the last day of 2016!)

Today may be the last day of 2016, but it's also the seventh day of Christmas! And, if you are familiar  with the song known as The Twelve Days Of Christmas, dear reader, then you probably recall that on the seventh day of Christmas, someone's true love gave to them these gifts: seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four birds a calling (or a colling or a coaling), as well as the gifts of three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

As I mentioned in a recent posting here on Blogger, John R. Henderson, has studied the meaning behind the lyrics to the twelve days song, and has posted his findings on a web-page which he has titled the 12 Birds of Christmas. Here's what Henderson points out re the bird (swan) type associated with the giving of seven swans a swimming on this seventh day of Christmas:

"A message to celebrate the beauty of the unknown. Swans are birds of elegance and mystery. Seven represents mystery and elegance, largely in part to the movement of the seven planets (only seven were known until 1846). Planets moved unlike all the other stars and had their own intricate patterns – nothing was more elegant and mysterious. Oddly, although the swans are swimming they represent Air, which as an element includes the sky and the heavens."

At this time, I only recall seeing swans in a park not too far from where I grew up, however I haven't seen a swan in recent times. Be that as it may, Mr. Henderson's ideas have truly given me something to keep in mind the next time I happen to see a swan a swimming. Meanwhile, swans for the seventh day of Christmas, will have to be represented by the swan-themed ornament featured in the image atop today's entry.

Attention! The American coot is NOT a duck! (Friday's Fact)

The other day Wednesday (11-14-2018), the "cat and mouse" Mandarin duck who has been making headlines in NYC, returned to the pond near 59th Street in Central Park.

In the image atop this entry, he can be swimming with a Wood duck as a pair of "birding" Mallards gaze at them.

Sunday's Sequel to Friday's Post

MY GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

Hope NYC peeps are enjoying this snowfall!

It has come before I’ve had a chance to winterize my garden (which I’ll be doing next Wednesday) and it has come on the date that Winter’s Eve (the tree lighting at Dante Park) is scheduled to take place. I feel sorry for the Chinese dancers who are scheduled to perform there.

Be that as it may, garden winterizing is a topic which is covered in the second volume of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

By the way, with the Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanza seasons approaching, please consider giving these books to those near and dear to you!

THE WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

Last Thursday's Walk in The Park

SHOP FOR MY MANDARIN DUCK RELATED ITEMS ON FAA

This past Thursday (12-20), I had an early afternoon appointment with my GP re a recent medical complication; but beforehand, in the late morning I took a walk with MLT in Central Park, to show her the now famous (at least in NYC) Mandarin duck who can be seen in the image above, swimming in The Pond near Fifth Avenue.

Mandarin duck T Shirts = 50% off! Today only! (Tuesday's Truths WK 103)

For my 103rd segment of Tuesday's Truths, I'm informing you that I received a notification (via email) late last night that Fine Art America (FAA) is offering a promotion that is only good for today, November 20th, 2018.

Here's the deal; Up until midnight EST, FAA is allowing me to offer my images of the now famous Mandarin duck (in Central Park) when rendered on their T shirts for folks to buy at a 50% discount!

The image atop this entry is an example of how the T shirts looks, but for a clearer image, details re fabric used, background color choices, Mandarin image choices, sizes; and pricing, please click here to view all within my collection on FAA.

These T shirts make perfect gifts to satisfy bird lovers — especially ones who have experienced Mandarin mania. They are also a great gift idea for the upcoming holidays of Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanza!

I will be featuring a few details re the Mandarin duck in my upcoming talk on the Monday after Thanksgiving, 11-26-2018 (which is six days from now) at NYSEC (The New York Society for Ethical Culture). Click here for details.

Snow Day

Hope NYC peeps are enjoying this snowfall!

It has come before I’ve had a chance to winterize my garden (which I’ll be doing next Wednesday) and it has come on the date that Winter’s Eve (the tree lighting at Dante Park) is scheduled to take place. I feel sorry for the Chinese dancers who are scheduled to perform there.

Monday's Memo: DECK THE WALLS!

We are in the season (or will be soon ) of a number of holidays (including Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanza) where gift giving is involved. Photographs that I have taken of the Mandarin duck who has been spending his time in Central Park as well as my kaleidoscopic images when printed on surfaces for wall art make the perfect gift.

Fine Art America (FAA) has the capacity of producing my pictures on an array of surfaces which are perfect for hanging on one's wall. These surfaces include acrylic, canvas, metal, poster-paper, standard-print paper (which is available framed or unframed) as well as wood.

My Mandarin duck collection consists of sixteen different photographs and there are twelve separate images within my kaleidoscopic collection is made; each one comes in an array of sizes to best suit one's wall space.

Today is the perfect time to pick up a few pieces for those near and dear to you because FAA is offering them at a 25% discount up until midnight (EST) tonight, December 3, 2018.

A few samples can be seen in the collage atop this entry, and for more selections as well as pricing info; please visit my FAA pages. Here's the link: https://bit.ly/2PZzVnO

Birds & their Reflections

VIEWS THIS + MY OTHER MANDARIN DUCK IMAGES ON FAA

The Mandarin duck (seen in the image above) returned to Central Park yesterday! And when I saw him in a manner that SEEMED to indicate he saw his reflection, it got me curious about the matter.

BIG deal, but SHORT notice...

I've JUST received an email from Fine Art America reminding me that the tote bags they produce are being sold at a 25% discount!

The Octave (or The Eighth Day) Of Christmas AND The Start of a NEW YEAR!

It's the first day of a new year! I'm wondering, dear reader, how did you ring in 2017? As for me, I spent mine doing my usual routine of seeing an annual display of fireworks (sponsored by The Midnight Run) in near by Central Park. This event is something I've blogged about since 2010 (at the end of my first full year on Blogger)!

The photographs atop this entry feature some of the images that I took of last night's fireworks display; and as you can see, they certainly lit up the trees and the sky! I can't help wondering what this does to any birds that might've been sleeping in those tree-tops!

In any event, today is also the last day of Chanukah as well as the last day of Kwanzaa. Moreover, it's The Octave of Christmas or the eighth day of Christmas; the day when someone's true love gave to them the following gifts: eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four birds a calling (or a colling or a coaling), as well as the gifts of three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

As I mentioned in a recent posting here on Blogger, John R. Henderson, has studied the meaning behind the lyrics to the twelve days song, and has posted his findings on a web-page which he has titled the 12 Birds of Christmas. Here's what Henderson points out re a bird type associated with the giving of eight maids a milking on this eighth day of Christmas:

"Here be eight Magpies. Magpies are black birds with milky white patches. Magpies are birds full of power and are portents used in fortune-telling. Eight has many different meanings symbolically, but one very important one is a new beginning. Different numbers of magpies can mean different things, "five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never told," but eight magpies remind us to put the old behind us as we start afresh. It seems significant but must be only a coincidence that by some reckoning that New Year's Day is the Eighth Day of Christmas."

At this time, I don't recall ever seeing a magpie, although I certainly have heard a lot of interesting facts re this bird type.  Be that as it may, Mr. Henderson's ideas have truly given me something to keep in mind if I ever happen to see a magpie.

Meanwhile, the gift of eight maids a milking on this eighth day of Christmas, will have to be represented by the ornament featured in the image directly below.

I got it at More & More Antiques, an (an exquisite shop located on Manhattan's UWS), that is now selling my fauna-flora-insect-themed postcards.