Sibylle's Blog @mohn-images.com: Up in the air ...

Wish I were a bird .... travel would be easier, no visa restrictions, and no luggage either. I could see the sun rise every morning, warming the globe, lifting spirits for the day. I'd rather be a morning swallow or an early melodious blackbird than a night owl.

"Morning has broken" (a modern version)

Cat Stevens's classic composition "Morning has broken", in my opinion, belongs in every church songbook in the best tradition of my favourite hymn writer Paul Gerhardt from the 17th century, praising the wonders of the earth on the day of creation, in a dancing 3/4 beat...

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Little egret (Egretta garzetta)

I might want to be a large bird, maybe a bird of prey or one who needs not land very often, but can sail for days on end, definitely a single bird or part of a small family, not part of a large flock, and certainly not a strutting peacock always on display and anxious about appearances, too decked out to fly.... large and agile and strong for protection against groups of crows, or possibly a stealthy bird flying at 30000 ft ?

rather a hawk ..

....than a finch?

admiration

Great Frigatebird

A vulture has been seen at 37000 ft!

Cormorants and darters in Preak Toal Bird Sanctuary, Cambodia

A recurrent dream since my childhood is the dream of being able to fly - it seems to be a common dream for many people. I start running, spread my arms out sideways, flap them up and down, harder and harder until the air underneath thickens, carries me, lifts me up and lets me rise. I don't know whether I grow feathers or whether my arms flatten otherwise or turn into plane wings - I don't dare look to the side when I am up in the air for fear of losing balance. I acquired the technique in a first dream when I was hunted and trying to escape some situation that I don't remember - and probably woke up on. But once I had gotten the gist of it, a sequel of dreams developed. I diligently practised the ability to fly in subsequent dreams, during the long afternoon walks that we as kids had to take with our parents. When hiking through forests, I flew alongside the rest of my family for short distances by skipping every second step or so, so that no one would notice my abilities. I got better and better and could fly alongside for longer and longer stretches without them knowing. Later I practised alone, at night, using the front lawn as runway and flying up on to the flat roof of our house in moonlight. I remember the first time I landed on the roof in my dream - it had a dark grey gravel surface and the edge of the roof was slightly elevated with black slate - I didn't dare go close to the edge but landed in the middle as I am scared of heights - very weird. I wonder whether birds can be scared of heights and have to overcome that fear when learning to fly ..

... will those twigs carry her? ...

Nevertheless, I love that dream. When I wake up from it nowadays, I have a good day ahead of me. It gives me confidence, that even if I can't manage, I will be able to escape unharmed. Unfortunately I cannot call it up at will, I have to wait for it to enter my dreams, and then it will surprise me every couple of years or so.