Starlings

 I put out fat balls and the starlings descend. Masses of them. A twitteration. A tribe. The babies squawk and gawp, the parents rush about, one of them has found a snail and is beating it up on the patio. It's like a train pulled into the station and the holiday-makers have all come pouring out.

Pentecost

 Yesterday was Pentecost.

Pentecost is when King Arthur holds open house and oddbods show up with requests and challenges. It's the springtime of the year and the start of the questing season.  

Malory's tale of the Sankgreal begins on the eve of Pentecost when a "full faire jantillwoman" rides into the hall on a horse that is "all biswette" and asks for Sir Lancelot...