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Crows At The Locks

(12 posts)
  • Started 1 year ago by Nora Charles
  • Latest reply from gracie
  1. Nora Charles

    Nora Charles

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    Whoa...that time of year - the locks are slightly haunted-esque these days - a murder of crows...caw, caw, caw...

    Posted 1 year ago #
  2. iPlod

    iPlod

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    Maybe because the locks are salmonesque.
    On the other hand, this is a helluva year for mushrooms if them crows are desperate enough for sustenance they don't mind winding up looking like Ballard Hipsters.

    Posted 1 year ago #
  3. Upside Down

    Upside Down

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    A peep of chickens
    A herd of cranes
    A dole of doves
    A badling of ducks
    A charm of goldfinches
    A gaggle of geese
    A flight of goshawks
    A rasp of guinea fowl
    A cast of hawks
    A siege of herons
    An exaltation of larks
    A tidings of magpies
    A sord of mallards
    A watch of nightingales
    A parliament of owls
    A covey of partridges
    A muster of peacocks
    A nide of pheasants
    A kit of pigeons
    A bevy of quail
    An unkindness of ravens
    A building of rooks
    A host of sparrows
    A murmuration of starlings
    A flight of swallows
    A game of swans
    A dule of turtledoves
    A fall of woodcocks
    A herd of wrens

    http://images.piccsy.com/cache/images/have-you-seen-this-bird-because-they-are-everywhere-152521-360-480.jpg

    Posted 1 year ago #
  4. Nora Charles

    Nora Charles

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    I once had a friend who had all those collective nouns on a tee shirt. I loved that shirt. Wonder where I could get one made...???

    Posted 1 year ago #
  5. Silver

    Silver

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    According to Wikipedia, we are talking about "terms of venery." Here's the entry

    I also found this while Googleing around:

    "James Lipton, in his seminal book An Exaltation of Larks (Penguin Books, 1993), uses the phrase "terms of venery" (or, with tongue in cheek, "venereal terms") to refer to words like "gaggle"; they originated in upper-class hunting terminology in medieval England. Lipton provides over a thousand terms of venery, including a couple of hundred that date back five hundred years as well as hundreds more invented in modern times."

    You can get a used copy of Lipton's book for as little as $2.98 plus shipping through Amazon.

    Posted 1 year ago #
  6. Silver

    Silver

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    About that T-Shirt, Nora- if you can find one, hang onto it. It's probably a collectible! There was a lawsuit filed by Lipton over the shirt and posters that resulted in the following:

    "...the district court enjoined the defendants from use of any terms that, together or separately, are substantially similar to those found in Lipton's book and awarded Lipton costs, attorneys' fees, and enhanced statutory damages in the amount of $100,000."

    I had no idea! It's a jungle out there!

    Posted 1 year ago #
  7. Silver

    Silver

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  8. dsomers

    dsomers

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    Silver,

    So if Lipton prevailed in his lawsuit as you indicate, that would mean that I can take a bunch of common phrases and terms, print them in a published book, and then sue anyone who uses them together or separately?

    Wow! What a deal. We could effectively make the bulk of the english language illegal. I may look at publishing a book of words like a, and, is, of etc and see what the language looks and sounds like from there. Then I can expand my havoc wreaking publications as the whim strikes me!! Weeeeeeeeee! We'll all be speaking French or Croatian by the time I am done. Then I will publish their words, and on and on until all the words in the world are illegal! DSomers' plan for world domination!!!!!!

    Posted 1 year ago #
  9. LY

    LY

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  10. Silver

    Silver

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    It's cute! I won't tattle on them if you won't! ;-)

    Posted 1 year ago #
  11. LY

    LY

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    Naw! We won't tell anyone. Anyway, he's 85 now. You'd think he'd want some more immortality hedge aside from The Actor's Studio...

    Posted 1 year ago #
  12. gracie

    gracie

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    Crows - while they are mighty crafy and smart, not one of my favorites. I've had these crows hanging around my house for over a year. I swear they watch for me to come out of my house. Year ago i was barqueing and the little bugger, when I turned my back grabbed food off the table and flew off with it. Another time I caught him sitting in my open car window about to go through my purse. I had just taken in groceries so probably looking for food..again. It started out with one crow and now it's the whole fam damily! One day it looked like the movie The Birds, there were so many on the roofs, trees, etc.

    Posted 1 year ago #

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