Angels in the Garden

I noticed the white feather beside the path as I came in one afternoon.  My first thought about was how pretty it was, was quickly followed by the fact of birds carrying mites and salmonella, so I left it.  Bill commented the next day when we went out to the car, “Looks like we’ve had angels in our garden, taking care of us.” “How’s that, like?” Turns out white feathers are taken -- in Geordie-land anyhow, to be evidence of angel occupation.

“What about that grey one over there?”   “Naw, that’s just a bird, probably a seagull.”  I thought it strange that birds should be loosing feathers just as winter is approaching.  Bill said it was the young ones molting their grey baby feathers.  Seagulls aren’t white until they are grown.  I’m guessing that losing a white feather is not the usual plan and so they are rarer.


I decided to stick that white feather into the ground near the flowers, just to keep it from drifting away.  I went straight in to wash my hands. Good hand hygiene is important for good health and whilst having angels about is a good thing, we still have to do our part.