Tuesday, January 27, 2009

IN MEMORIUM

I was going to add this as a P.S. to my morning post, but felt it needed a space of it's own.

My friend Jan's peacock, Mr. Mel, passed away this week. He was 18 or 20 years old and had led a good life. Jan cares for her animals better than a lot of humans care for each other, so he was inside, resting on a bed of towels, comfortable when he took his final flight.

I have his feathers all over my house; he lives on in my quilts, in a vase in my studio, in a small gourd in my kitchen. He is in Christmas stockings I was commissioned to make, his magnificent tail was used in a Christmas tree by the same lady who ordered the stockings. For those of us that are FiberPirates, his feathers were frequently enclosed in the Baggo exchanges.

Through Jan's generosity, and that marvelous bird, we all learned a bit more about avian behaviour, and especially how spectacular a bird he was.
So Mr. Mel, I hope you are in a warm, beautiful beyond, where your tail is spread wide to reflect the light and that you are honking as loud as you can to the angels.



















You will be missed.

6 comments:

bernadette ostrozovich said...

I am so sorry. I know how much this lovely fellow will be missed! I need my critters like I need air to breath! Jan, I couldn't find a more direct way to contact you to express my condolences. Mr Mel and you are in my thoughts and prayers. How blessed you both are to have shared your lives. I do not know anyone else with a peacock guardian angel and Mr Mel will be a noble one!

Jan said...

Thanks, Anne, for this lovely tribute to a lovely and noble bird. His royal presence made this old farm feel pretty special. People used to know this place as "that place with all the peacocks" back when I had over a dozen and they would scream at every car that drove by, on full display on the flat roof of the woodshed. I'd hear a car stopped in the road and go out to check, the people were admiring the peacocks. Mr. Mel was my first and survived to be the last. Until I get more. If I get more. How I ended up with Mr. Mel is a story in itself. Back in 1991 I looked outside and saw something blue down in the chicken yard. When I investigated I found it was a young peacock. I only found out where he came from a couple years later (a neighbor brought him home but their dogs chased him and he found greener pastures here with my chickens) I named him Mr. Mel because his blue beauty reminded me of Mel Gibsons beautiful blue eyes. My Mel is already very much missed.

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

You need another peacock, at the right time.
Mr. Mel would want that.

Leslie said...

What a lovely legacy. Oh, I have some of his feathers. They were great to use as some sea life in a Baggo quilt I did. I kept some for me. Peacock feathers have always been a favorite, as I belong to Clan Peacock as well.

Julie Zaccone Stiller said...

What a lovely tribute to a beautiful bird. Farewell to Mr. Mel,I'll treasure the feathers I have from him. Jan, I hope you find a new peacock when the time is right.

Kristen said...

Mom and I both have feathers from Jan's special friends.
Jan, I'm so so sorry for the loss of a wonderful bird and special companion.

Anne - what a lovely lovely memorial you have given him.

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