Gray on Grey

Gray is described as “the color intermediate between black and white, it is without interest or character; it is dull and nondescript.” Gray is thought of as dark, dismal and gloomy. It is monotonous and deary, it is the color of cloudy days and grumpy old people.

Gray definitely has some challenges for its Public Relations department. I was contacted via email by the vastly unpopular color to see if I could help ramp up its image. I felt up to the challenge, and we set up a meeting to talk over the phone. I heard the accent straightaway then I realized….Gray was Grey! Blimey!!

I just assumed Gray would be American. And it told me off in the most sincere and classy way I have ever heard uttered by a six foot tall crayon. It spoke of rainbows and holding hands, it sang beautiful protest songs and then it created in my imagination the most lovely image of gray clouds raining on a parade.

I admit I was moved and I promised Grey that I would take on this challenge, this #Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge Grey….

Colour?? Then I became Gobsmacked! innit a wee bit dodgy? Is this bloke for real? It has imprisoned a useless “u” in its color.

And It’s got me speaking in tongues!

My screen was then attacked by these red squiggly lines! Help! The British are coming! I admit then I freaked out and threw my phone atop some greasy fast food cheeseburgers and French fries in hopes that I could scare off the “invaders” but as I saw it start to melt into the bright neon American cheese, I heard a voice…

It was that accent again….and it was so polite.

“Excuse me, Miss”

It was Grey, it was still on the phone, it must have heard me scream and now I feel like a fool for overreacting. I grabbed the phone out of the greasy cheese and apologized for my bad manners and my told it that I would help, free of charge.

It spoke in no uncertain terms that I seemed “too chuffed” and that it was “sick of crazy American bloggers and all their B.S.” It said it was going to a Canadian firm.

And I was left with nothing but placid dreams and and greasy cheese in my ear…

Lost colors of Crayola credit: colourlovers.com

This was written in response to SueW and Gerry C.’s Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge. To participate please tag your posts

Permalink: https://weeklyprompts.com/2024/11/02/weekly-prompts-colour-challenge-grey/

Image credit: Beesquare on Flickr

References

British Slang Words: Dictionary.com

Blue Jay Way

A bright blue blur speeds past my field of vision and I hear that excited and unmistakable squawk. I spy its shadow in the brush, its mouth agape, panting like a canine in the warm afternoon sun. I throw exactly one decent sized peanut with conviction. It arches out and up into the cloudless blue sky and lands with a small thud on the dirt trail. The blur dives down and descends upon the peanut with laser precision. It takes the saltless legume its its mouth and soars back into the air and off to a distant line of fir trees.

I walk along the long narrow worn down trail. I don’t watch my step but its okay as my feet know the way. I call this stretch of the park Blue Jay Way. It is where I visit my friends the Jays. There are two kinds of Jays here; Scrub Jays and Steller’s Jays.

California Scrub Jay

This beautifully blue bird is not only a stunner to gaze upon, it is a stunner of the skies. It can and will outmaneuver other corvids like crows and the Steller’s jays here. These birds are quirky and full of personality. It is easy for me to get photos of them as they tend to stick around.

Scrub Jays have many positive attributes one of them is that they are planters of forests. These Jays are known scatter-hoarders which means they like to cache their food (nuts and acorns) in spread out locations.

Scatter hoarding is important for seed dispersal because the uneaten seeds, like acorns, can potentially germinate and spread plant populations, as in Oak trees.

Steller’s Jays

Steller’s Jays are darker, more deeply beautiful and from my experience they are as shy as they are swift. Steller’s along with other corvids are talented mimics. I have heard these birds sound like hawks and owls.

These birds are a challenge to photograph as they don’t let me get as near as the other birds and they don’t dawdle over their food like the Scrub Jays. They kind of remind me of me as I tend to avoid the spotlight as well. Don’t misunderstand me by thinking these birds are timid, they are not. Onery and refined is how I would describe them.

They are stunningly beautiful iridescent deep dark indigo blue and jet black birds. My photos do not do them justice. I am in pursuit of good clear Steller’s photos and I am working on my photography skills and will post better pics once I get some.

These birds are wonderful to visit. It is good for the soul to have animal friends.

~Nancy

Interesting and Related

Half the trees in two new English woodlands planted by jays, study finds~ The Guardian

STELLER’S JAY | A very STELLAR JAY indeed~ Lesley The Bird Nerd

Blue Jay Way by The Beatles (You Tube)

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