Number 22 gliding by, slipping through water, soft as velvet, deeper than a sigh, silhouette of flowing grace, their supple necks in silent rhythm, gliding......sliding.....float in liquid space.

How do you know which one is number 22?

Another great shot! I could look at this sort of thing all day!

Jean

HI, Jean, and Jazz, yes, I should explain myself, I think, I thought the two black swans looked like a big number 22 sailing along on the water, the shape of their necks, you see, do you see? Tee hee, maybe it's my eyes getting a bit carried away, remember how long it took you to see the dodo in the clouds, Jazz?

I guess by the time I'd taken the photo, the '2's had moved a bit close to each other to be as effective, but i had in mind the name of the photo before I even pressed the button!

I hope this all makes perfect sense now, my dears, My very best wishes to you both- do you know, I've been out 'yacking' all day, and done no washing at all! I have to get on with it right now, or there'll be no school uniforms for my poor girls to wear tomorrow!

Sue

Nice.Epi

Gday Oz. Sue, these are my most favourite birds and the reason will be explained. Are you sitting comfortably? Well once upon a time there lived a little boy who was enslaved into the seedy world of Pubs. His parents made him work his fingers to the bone and clothed him in tattered old rags. He was made to sleep in the cold, outside in the bottle shed where he learned to survive on the dregs in the empties, to smoke fag-ends and share the cats dinner which consisted mainly of offal.(it was very offal). In the winter, this poor dishevelled waif was made to feed the furnaces that were the coal fires in the rooms of the four story building. He was savagely beaten and told that children should be seen and not heard. Eventually, the little boy, now strong and hardened grew into a much bigger and obnoxious yob. That little boy was me, and the name of the pub was THE BLACK SWAN. here endeth the story.

Goodnight Sue----Jim

I love swans. Good phot kiddo. I got the 22 straight away. Very clever.

Number 22 reminds me of a ditty.

Boating lake. Attendent calls out, "come in number 9 your time is up". Assistant says, "we do not have a number 9".

Response; "number 6 are you in difficulties".

Swan Sudoku, good one, Jazz!

Yes, now I see the number 22 very easily, Sue. My imagination must have been turned off when I looked before because now it is plain as day!

Well done!

Jean

Jazz, I'm glad you saw this one easily, you got me worried about my health, with the dodo clouds!

Thanks, Epi, I'm very glad you came and you saw and you liked!

Jim, I don't believe a word of it, but it's sure nice to see you here..:D

Paulie, that is excellent, made me laugh out loud! Thanks for that! :D:D:D

Jean, I'm glad you've seen the 22 too now, did you see Paulie's funny joke above? I found it rather amusing!

Very best wishes to you all, and thanks again for taking the time to leave your many varied and entertaining comments, they are very much appreciated!

Sue

I know another joke with 6 and 9 in it, but unfortunately, it is unprintable---Jim_

You'll keep, Jim, as will your joke!! :D

OOps, Sue, I dont mind if you delete it..No harm intended. Best wishes --Jim

NO worries, Jim, I love your wicked sense of humour, as you very well know!

Awe I'm so glad Sue. I would hate myself if anything I posted resulted in hurt feelings. Sometimes I go a little too far, especially with expats and close friends. You only have to slap my hand Sue and I will feel duly admonished.

My little story above is 90% accurate, I had a hard but gloriously happy upbringing.

Happy days Sue and now I'm off to hit the sack--Gnite Oz.---jimjams

Very beautiful shot and poem, Sue!

Looks like arranged... ;o)

A scene from "Swan lake"??

Black swans are very rare here.

Wolf ;°)

now you i know but what you doing there almost great symmetry. shoot the second duck stuffed the shot...... Oh but you did.steve

If that story is 90% accurate, Jim, you should write a book about your childhood, there aren't too many people about who grew up like that!

Very best wishes to you, and thanks for the message, happy snoozing to you too,

sue

Thank you Wolf, I'm so happy you enjoyed the poem and photo together. These swans were so obviously proud of their young ones, they weren't chasing around looking for food all the while, but really appeared to be showing off!

Very best wishes to you, Wolf, sue

I do see what you mean, Steve, yes that top duck upsets the balance for sure. I hadn't noticed the almost perfect symetry before you pointed that out to me. I was pleased with the shot, but thought it was just a melee of birds, whereas in fact, it's almost an orchestrated glide by! What a shame, but no, I'll let the duck live, for now.... :D

very best wishes to you, Steve, sue

Nice one, Sue! I think we could do a little photo numbers poster for kids with these! And how big are the babies now? My little family here seems to have migrated, so there are still a few swans for the winter, but the babies have gone on their way.

OK Sue you are going to wish you had not looked at my photos

The only time I have seen a black swan was on a pub sign swaying outside an English pub selling good old English ale. (Can't stand that cold stuff that you drink)

The number 22 I took for the tagging of the swan. In Britain they are protected (and have been for years!) see…

http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/swans/upping2.html

One sad thing is that a number have been disappearing, and it is thought that Eastern Europeans are killing them to eat as they do over in their home countries.

Sue

this fella has a message for you

“We aint having any of those red nosed over here matey!”

Regards, Gandalf