A few years ago a female peacock showed up in the neighborhood. We searched for her owner, but no one came forward. Over time she became the queen of her corner of the highway. She spent most of her time on the porch of the Heating and Air place or in my neighbor Barbara’s back yard. Barbara eventually took her in and named her “Pretty” because she loved to stare at herself in the mirror.
The next spring this fellow showed up unannounced…
I’m just here to pick up chicks.
He was young and out on the town. Again we tried desperately to find his owner to no avail. He fell head-over-heels for Pretty and all attempts to relocate him failed. A neighbor right across the road had a problem with snakes and decided that this handsome lad might be just the ticket. Poco took him in and he thrived, but sadly Pretty did not. She was killed crossing the road to see her beloved.
A solitary man
Our young fella spent weeks crossing back and forth after Pretty passed. Eventually he settled into a routine and he can be seen at the Grange Hall on the swing set, at the Heating and Air, and even on Poco’s chimney. He is a wonder in flight. Poco named our mystery man Krishna. In a sea of green and brown, he is hard to miss.
Looking for love in all the wrong places…
A couple of winter’s back we installed new french doors on the old Grange Hall that serves as a community center for the neighborhood. Immediately our lovesick boy found solace in the windows – each afternoon he could be found on the porch admiring the mystery bird inside the Grange Hall windows. I went to get closer after taking this shot and he audibly scolded me. I learned that you can’t come between a man and his own reflection.
Peacocking around – strutting my stuff.
Krishna has grown from a young buck to a glorious sight. He walks upright along the road and struts, but something has been missing in his life – love. Each spring Krishna will call out with all his heart, he will display his plumage on the swing set and from the chimney top, but to no avail – until this spring…
Hubba hubba!
Just a couple of weeks ago I saw this little beauty on my drive home. She was strutting her stuff about a quarter-mile from the Grange Hall. There are reports around the neighborhood of the two love birds getting cozy at the Heating and Air place.
I’ll stick my neck out and take a chance on love…
I regularly see them on the road – most often one is searching for the other. Krishna will pace along the dirt road and look for his lady-love in the woods, and she does the same. I heard a report of her watching him on the swing set as he displayed his plumage. I’ve yet to get a shot of them together, but after all, lovebirds want their privacy.
Baby got back
Unlike Pretty, the new girl in town appears to be the same type of Peacock as Krishna – even though she is green, she has the same face mask. And when she walks down the street, she really shakes her stuff.
I’d walk a mile for you…
Krishna is old school – I see him making the trip to pick up his girl, across the road, around the corner, through the woods to the dirt road. He’s never looked better. He’s quit chasing after that bird in the Grange Hall windows, there is something real in his life now.
That long and winding road that leads to her door.
Perhaps Peachicks are in our future?
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I was sent here by Kat at travel.garden.eat for this post, and I’m glad I was. Your interpretive skills are terrific, and fun to read. It’s terribly sad to read of Pretty’s fate, but I’ll at least take solace in Krishna’s new ladyfriend. Lovely photos.
Thanks so much Sid – The writing side of blogging is the biggest challenge to me – but I like giving my images some context. We are all so happy for Krishna!
Still a better love story than twilight 😀
I couldn’t agree more 🙂
What a great story–and I’m now loving peafowl. Seems like humans could learn a lesson or two, monogamy while retaining independence…
Beautiful photos, as always. 🙂
Thanks – they are such majestic birds, I haven’t seen the girl around for a few days – I hope she’s not the “love ’em and leave ’em” type.
I hope she didn’t give him the “only want to be friends” line. 😉
I hope so too 🙂
Great photos and story to match. stunning colour in those beautiful birds.
They are almost unbelievably blue – such beautiful creatures
I love the story, and the photographs.. 🙂
Thank you for giving it a read 🙂
Great photos and story!
Thanks so much!
What beautiful birds!
They really are – the iridescence in those feathers is just amazing in person.
Wow I absolutely Love Love Love this!!!!!!
Thanks so much!
The southern writer Flannery O’Connor, saw peacocks as her personal symbol. Take it as a good omen for your writing. Beautiful pictures and a lovely story!
That’s a nice thought. I’ve never thought of a personal symbol. Thanks!
Love the story and the photos. I can’t help but wonder if they escaped from a farm or breeder.
Fascinating that He should be taken in by his own reflection, but I guess all males are the same. (And they say females are vain – LOL).
LOL – so true!
Well – we advertised them in the paper and posted on online billboards for months, so I suppose they could have come from a farm or breeder, who never bothered to look for them.
amazing story! I love the moral of this story (at least that’s what I think) you can’t come between a man and his reflection! haha
Haha – I hadn’t considered that there was a moral, but I think that works, especially for peacocks 🙂
I just loved that line!! I laughed out loud for real!
I’m glad to have provided a laugh. You never really know if you’re funny while you are writing 😉
I simply love this story of Krishna and his new love. Sorry for Pretty …
Your photos are gorgeous and did I say that I adore your style of writing, Lorri? 🙂
Thank you so much – I am working on my writing, it’s hard to know if you are moving in the right direction though. Those birds are just gorgeous and people are stopping by to take their photos – local celebrities.
It would be so wonderful to have peacocks living around our home. What a lift it would be to see those glorious, gracious creatures each day!
I almost adopted Krishna – but the dogs, I just don’t know how they would be with a giant bird. I love them though. I often take a detour to see if he is at the Grange Hall.
Very wonderful story…much like life’s ups and downs. Keep us updated, Namaste, mary
Thanks – I will do that.
What a lovely story! And you have some writing talent, there. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks so much – I appreciate that, writing is something I have been working on, but it’s not my strong suit. Thanks for visiting and for the kind comment.
Wonderful love birds. Aren’t you lucky!
Indeed I am – they are just gorgeous this time of year.
The Picture with the window is very nice where you can see the shadow of the peacocks head!
Very nice…
Thank you – I had one with a better reflection, but Krishna wasn’t in focus – I wish he would just hold still for me 🙂
Great photo/story combination. Bet you had fun with that. I’m not familiar with peacocks but do people really keep them as pets/ Loved the reflection of the head in the third photo.
Yes – they are popular in rural settings. They kill snakes and eat ticks and other insects, but they are loud and they do fly. I have always wanted some at my place, but with the terriers I’m not sure it’s a great idea. Thanks!
I hope they have peachicks and raise them to be great peacocks. They are beautiful. I hope they thrive and stay out of the way of cars!
Krishna is very adroit when it comes to crossing the road – it’s not like you could contain him. I hope to see babies soon, if not I am happy to at least see him happy.
so right 🙂
Oh, Lorri. Such a sweet but sad story. Your photos are the bomb.
Thanks – With color like that it’s hard not to take a good photo.
What a sad and nice story…to be continued!
Definitely to be continued.