Can you tell why the Sisters named this poor little bird "Sine Fine"?
We are getting another foot (and a half?) of snow . . . And I just told someone the other day that it felt like April!
This would be a good time to introduce you to our latest guests. Behind the Sisters’ refectory is a little deck and garden the Brothers built for us years ago. Someone called it our “Portuguese pavilion.” We have many visitors to the “pavilion,” especially when the bird feeders are full or we’ve put out stale bread. Our winter guests include Blue Jays, Chickadees, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Woodpeckers (Who named them? They don’t have any red on their breasts, only on their heads . . ), Tufted Titmice (Is the plural of Titmouse “Titmice”?), red squirrels, gray squirrels — they have quite a party outside! Several of the classrooms look out into the garden: Science class is never limited to one period!
What a prize!
The Sisters' garden during a December storm -- the snow is now three times as high.
Another chickadee -- not "Sine Fine" -- for comparison
Comments 6
Hello Sisters,
What kind of bird is “Sine Fine?” Did y’all name him that because he never stops eating (dinner without end)?
The deck and garden are lovely, but from the looks of it, I’ll bet they don’t get many visits from the Sisters during the winter!
Mary Anne
Posted 08 Mar 2009 at 3:09 am ¶Dear Mary Anne,
Sine Fine is a chickadee. You are correct in the translation “without end”, but not it its application. :) Try again!
Posted 08 Mar 2009 at 10:16 am ¶Dear Sisters,
Posted 08 Mar 2009 at 5:43 pm ¶It must mean that winter is without end, which is why the chickadee must keep on eating!
Missy
Keeping trying! I’ve posted an additional picture to help . . .
Posted 08 Mar 2009 at 6:15 pm ¶Oh my goodness!! He is without end (without *an* end). He has no tail feathers! Did the Sisters’ cat get hold of [part of] him? Is he able to fly okay without the tail feathers?
By the way Sister, I had to look up “sine fine” online to find its meaning. :O/ I did take a year of latin in high school, but I believe I was absent the day that phrase was taught. ;O)
Mary Anne
Posted 09 Mar 2009 at 1:13 pm ¶You’re right! No, Rhipsime didn’t get his tail, at least, not that we know of. Sine Fine’s tail was growing rapidly the last time we saw him. We have lots of trees, so he didn’t have to fly too far, and he seemed to do fine!
Posted 09 Mar 2009 at 1:41 pm ¶Post a Comment