Saturday, November 03, 2007

Woodpecker!


There was a woodpecker on the birdfeeders hanging in the garden this morning. Hazel could hardly get the words out as she gazed transfixed out of the window whilst typing something- "It's a a a thingy!" I didnt even know they ate peanuts? Must be a shortage of weevils to peck for- or whatever insects they eat. We see them and mostly hear them in the woods when out walking but never dangling from the garden shed! I tried to take a photo but alas they all turned out blurry in my haste and no tele-photo lens. hazel took some too but she's not uplaoded them yet. Hope she had better luck. I shot out the bathroom window too but they were even worse - atmostpheric glimpses of leaves and twigs.

This is another of Archie's collages from the lovely "Architecture" book he is making for school.
Yesterday I wandered into town for a walk and got a few things including two videos- Clerks and Come back Jimmy Dean by Robert Altman. Hazel borrowed an interesting DVD from a fellow tutor called "Tin Tin Et Moi" by a Danish director about his meeting and taped interview in the 70's with Herge- Tin Tin's inventor/illustrator. The whole film has been constructed around the audio tape with animations, illustrations, photos and interviews with people close to Herge a bit like the film about Ray Johnson.

The Timberwise chap came and looked at the damp patch and said it probably was something to do with the gate post outside that was leeching rain water in- along with poor pointing. He promised to get the skirting board and behind it replaced if we did the poiting and gate post. Not sure if we get our money back for the survey though as it seems to be only partly their fault under the terms of the guarentee. Fingers crossed. We might try and do the jobs ourselves as pointing seems easy enough if rather tedious.

11 comments:

Jonathan said...

I was working at a house in Belmont a week or two ago... heard a woodpecker and looked around for him.
He was pecking at the siding of the house!!! Wasn't his first try, as there were several significant holes nearby where he was working.
There was also a hole in a screen that I'd recently replaced... a chipmunk seems to REALLY want something from the client.
It's a fairly rural area... I'll stick to my more urban setting, thank you...

Wastedpapiers said...

Sounds like a scene from a Woody Woodpecker cartoon Jonathan! Oh ha ha ho ho!

Wastedpapiers said...

HAzel said. Hello Jon....luckily the wood pecker was pecking a the peanuts and not the shed....
beautiful plummage....
How is out syl? love to you both.

Roger Stevens said...

Yes, how are you all?

Saw a woodpecker in France once.

Interesting, eh?

Saw the film Stardust the other evening. I really liked it. But as we were leaving the cinema Jilly said - Well, that was a load of rubbish.

Hammm - we didn't agree on that film.

There were no woodpeckers in it.

Wastedpapiers said...

Do you remeber that Billy Cotton Band song?

"I put my finger in a woodpecker's hole
The woodpecker said "Bless My Soul!"
"Take it out! Take it out! Remove it!"

Chorus-

A woodpecker would peck wood
A woodpecker would peck wood
How much wood would a woodpecker peck
If a woodpecker would peck wood

etc.

Alan Breeze sings it in a suitably fruity voice.

How are you Roger? Off to France again. Watched the Culture Show with interest last night to see Graham Dixon- Thing going on about his day trip to Lille and a crusty old art gallery full of old masters we should all visit. I should cocoa!

dale said...

Ny dad sang this song alot and i loved it and always wanted to share it with my kids I hhad planned to tape him singing it but never got to now he passed seven days ago and all these things I wish i had done and said are hitting me like a tornado. the other thing is a silly poem that he would say to my son Lewie.

THE WOODPECKER SONG:??
what kind of wood would a woodpecker peck if a woodpecker would peck wood?
He’d peck…
Soft wood, hard wood, ____wood, _____wood, _____wood, ______wood, hickory beech _______. _________._________.______________, _________, _________ peck a little hole

IN…..
Oak trees, fir trees, ______trees, _____trees, ____trees, ______trees, telephone poles, barnyard fences, table tops and benches, _____, ______, (that kind of wood pecker) would peck a little hole.

AND

(i think this is the way it goes)
gooey lewie, was a worm , ____ kind of worm was he, he wormed his way upon a track and _____, ____ (and bascically got run over)Lewie Gooey looking for the worms please help if you know. thanks! Dale

Wastedpapiers said...

I don't remember the gooey worm song but I have the Woodpecker Song somewhere and will uplaod it to my audio blog if I get a chance.

Anonymous said...

In response to Dale -

The Woody Woodpecker song is from an old 78 rpm record and book set. My grandparents bought it for my father when he was young. Unfortunately the records and book were lent to a relative and have gone missing. BUT... I know the lyrics and have a recording of it on MP3

What kind of wood would a woodpecker peck
if a woodpecker would peck wooooood?
He'd peck:
hardwood, softwood, redwood, dogwood,
cottonwood, plywood, hickory, beech,
rosewood, teakwood, sandlewood and candlewood
walnut hazelnut apple and peach

in
oaktrees, elmtrees, firtrees, pinetrees
peartrees, shoetrees, telephone poles,
barn doors, benches, tabletops and fences
a woodpecker would peck a peck of little holes!

Neil said...

Ooey-Gooey was a worm,
a mighty worm was he.
He sat upon a railroad track,
a train he did not see...
ooey-gooey.

an apple sat on a railroad track, feeling blue and cross.
'Round the bend came number ten -
TOOT TOOT...applesauce

a peanut sat on a railroad track,
his heart was all a-flutter.
down the line came number nine -
TOOT TOOT...peanut butter

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks for that Anon and Neil - I feel my life is so much richer for knowing the words to those songs!

Mike said...

Dale: He'd peck hard wood, soft wood, redwood, dog wood, cotton wood, plywood, hickory and beach, rose wood, teak wood, sandel wood, and candel wood, Walnut, hazelnut, apple and peach. Heddd peck, oak trees, elm trees, fir trees pine trees, pear trees, shoe trees, telephone poles barn doors, benches, table tops and fences a woodpecker would peck a peck of little holes.