Bench of the Week!

I thought I would stick my neck out today and join in with 'Bench of the Week'!
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This has been started by RuneE of Visual Norway, (a stunning photo-blog - wish there was a secret portal for me to visit Norway from Camelopardalis!). 'Bench of the Week' is not a meme as such, but RuneE welcomes anyone to join in by posting a picture of a bench on Fridays.
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Here in Giraffe World we have many benches, as we all love to sit and read, or talk, or fall asleep in the sun ...
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The only bench picture I could find for today has me on it too - I'm sure you won't mind! (It was taken a while ago when I was a little slimmer and didn't need to wear my glasses ...) The seat has a lovely view across the River, and is nicely ornate with the giraffe arm-rests. However, personally I prefer a higher back for neck support while reading my Raffsburgh Review!

Necktune's Chariot!

This has been a thrilling week for our Giraffe World Tours business! We have dramatically increased the scope of our outings ... Not only do we still have our lovely blue bus, we have just acquired a new vehicle for underwater nexpeditions - Necktune's Chariot!

The above drawing by Nexi shows us setting off on our inaugural ride. The sub has long retractable legs, which are so useful for setting off on the beach and getting into the shallow water. Once in the deep ocean we can submerge and look at the above-sea views through our long giraffe-neck periscopes. The round port-hole windows allow us to observe the sea-life.

Fortunately I am not expected to sail Necktune's Chariot! We have a new member of staff at Giraffe World Tours - Captain Gurgle. I took this photo of him through my telescope, (he is a little camera-shy).

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However, when it comes to singing shanties, all bashfulness departs! Get him in the Gleeful & Greedy on an evening, and he'll entertain the whole village ... Here are the lyrics of his favourite song about his favourite brew - tea.

(My dear bloggy friend and poet, Poetikat, recently asked if there were many poets in Giraffe World. I know Captain Gurgle wouldn't consider his shanties to be poetry - but they're certainly fun to sing!)

Who'd like to join us on our underwater adventures?

Springtime in Knollshire

Dear Bloggy Friends, you are highly favoured! Necky Becky, our oft-times grumpy daughter is in a good mood, and has decided, (nay - demanded!), that I should share with you one of our favourite spring walks.

I'll let her speak:

"This is our best view of Knollshire up here. You can even see our Necky Knoll House with the garden round it. There's my Dad's vegetable garden too. (He doesn't do much work in it though). Me 'n' Hals are on our favourite knoll. Old Gnarly the gardener says there's supposed to be a secret portal to another world called planet Earth, somewhere round here!"

Necky Becky never minds the rain. We had a few late April showers today, but she still insisted we go on our walk with Hals, posting a letter for Maureen en route.

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I love the overcast skies of showery spring days. Each droplet of rain seems luminous and full of promise. The grass gleams in the vernal light.

We all love to wander through The Forest. How beautiful it is there, with the birches clad in spring green. The young leaves shimmer as pinky giraffe-patterned clouds move mysteriously across the sky.

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Everything pulsates with a sense of waiting. The feeling of growing, ('growyness' as Necky B. calls it), pervades the atmosphere.

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Not to be missed out, big sister Nexi asked me to include this little 'decoupage' she has created from Necky Becky's picture.

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(Girth's just hollered across the room that we've not included a view of he and Nektareeni's Gleeful & Greedy Restaurant! There's a special story to tell you about that next time ...)

Happy Spring!

Les Choses Ordinaires de Raph

Back in the mists of time, (on Tuesday the 10th of March!) Chris Hale , the wonderful wordsmith of Middenshire, tagged me. I am here at long last doing his bidding: listing six things or habits of no real importance about myself ...

Six Choses Ordinaires de Raph

1 It is so quiet here where we live, that at night I can hear the snails chewing.

2 I love eating bananas.

3 I frequently get wonderful new business ideas ...

4 My hot water bottles all have names. (Do you give yours names too?) This one is called Toastie.

5 I have an alter-ego! The mischievous Prankman Cheng - this is another example of Middenshire influence! (You can read about it here).

6 On average, it takes giraffes two attempts to pass their driving test. It took me four. Most giraffes have 2 or 3 types of car in mind to choose from. When I passed my test, I read every brochure in our local McShyne Motors, and then bought the car I had in mind ten years before! (The most important thing is a good neck-rest).

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So, dear bloggy friends - at last I have fulfilled my tag! Now I must link back to Chris Hale of The Middenshire Chronicles. (I know I did that earlier but the link here will take you to his current post). The tag consists of listing six things or habits of no real importance about yourself. I will leave this open for six people to take up, as I know it went round in March, and I can't remember who did it then! So if you would like to take up this tag, let me know - and have fun!

A Proud Dad (with Ear Defenders) ...

As many of you will know, our eldest daughter Nexi is studying at Art & Design College. Her most recent assignment has been in film.

For her project, Nexi chose to film her younger sister Necky Becky, (pictured above), singing with her boyfriend Neko's band, The Stiffnex.

I expected extreme sibling storms, squalls and shrieks - but no! (Although you may dispute the latter when you watch the film). Nexi and Necky Becky worked together splendidly as a team, together with Neko on guitar, Sgruff on bass and Nukkle on drums.

So here we have it - Nexi's debut pop video, 'Be Who You Wanna Be!' with Necky Becky and The Stiffnex!

I'm a proud dad! But I'm going to hide in the kitchen until it's over ...

A Giraffodil Poem

The first of April seems like a good time to make myself look a little silly!

I'm referring to my foray into writing a poem around this time last year. No-one really knew my blog existed then, so I was relatively unabashed. But now ... a good number of you are proper poets! However, I'll stick my neck out and post it again anyway.

Poetry is something I know very little about - but I know what I like! My favourite poem of all time is 'Moonlit Apples' by John Drinkwater.

I first read it during my student years and was captivated by its sense of wonder. All my life a sense of wonder has been one of my most cherished 'riches'. The Grizzled-But-Still-Incorrigible-Scribe-Himself! recently posted about wonder and describes it far better than I ever could.

Plants are one of my passions. The sight of the wild giraffodil Narcissus sylvestris ssp. giraffodil growing in woodland fills me with the most exquisite wonder.

I used the structure of 'Moonlit Apples' as an homage to John Drinkwater for all the pleasure his poem has given me.

My poetic effort and language is 'over-the-top' I know - but I suppose that is what you would expect from a giraffe!

Not in my briefcase!

My friend Eleanor of Thatchwick Cottage set me the task some time ago of talking about Five items that aren't in my briefcase but ought to be there!

I do apologize for taking so long to post: firstly, we have been nextra busy with our spring entrepreneurial exploits, and secondly, most days I can't even find my briefcase!

So, I have at last caught up with myself, my time and my briefcase. However, as you will see - it is lacking in some very important contents ...

Number 1: A phone! Yes, I know ... I am very old fashioned, but I really am not a mobile phone person. Give me the stylish old proper telephones any time! But they are a little bulky to cram into my case!

Number 2: What do you notice about the smart business-giraffe in the above picture? He is carrying an umbrella! He must have a much better memory than I do, because I nearly always forget my umbrellas in cafes and shops. Therefore I really ought to have a small telescopic umbrella to keep in my briefcase.

Number 3: The focus of business is allegedly supposed to be money. Money is not my focus. Maybe this is why I usually forget to carry any with me.

Number 4: A newspaper. When I buy my Neckelchester News, I immediately scour it from end to end, preferably sitting on a sunny bench. My head full of thoughts and ideas which arise from my reading, I absent-mindedly leave the paper on the bench. I suppose it's better than carrying the paper away and forgetting my briefcase!

Number 5: The final item I ought to carry in my briefcase but do not, is a nice brew of hot tea and some food!

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"Ah!" I hear you saying, "He forgets his lunch too!"

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Blushingly, I have to confess, dear bloggy friends, I certainly never ever forget food. I remember it far too early in the day ... and eat it all! My lunch is devoured well before time for elevenses - my briefcase is lighter and I am not!

Over to you! I leave the picking up of this meme to my readers - if you would like to talk about five things that are not in your briefcase or handbag, but ought to be, I would be very glad to read your post!

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Thank you Eleanor for setting me this task!

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For everyone: Here's a question ... you now know five things I haven't got in my briefcase. Please tell me what you think I do have in my briefcase!