Something new begins to take shape...

{Somewhere in Andalusia, three red foxes were holding court. Collage, Gracia Haby. (Click to enlarge)}

A quiver of arrows, a parcel of penguins, a trace of rabbits, a peal of bells, a vagary of impediments, a constellation of satellites, and a leash of greyhounds, I find there are more collective nouns than not to make the corners of the mouth curve upward.

A watch of nightingales, a sleuth of bears, and a charm of finches, they call up such imagery. A raft of sea otters, can you seem them? Squint a little if it helps. There on the horizon, see them now? They’re wearing neck scarves constructed from thin slithers of kelp. And they’re making their way across the water with all the ease and grace of Venetian gondola driver.

A mischief of mice, a cache of jewels, they sound so apt, so visual, and so enchanting.

Here in this spot that runs alongside High Up in the Trees, I shall post responses, be they visual or otherwise, to particular collective nouns, and each time I do so I shall be in good company. Along for the journey I have invited Elaine and Louise. From time to time I hope to be able to invite a guest or two to join us, responding to their collective noun in any way they choose.

Do stick around; I think we’re going to have fun.

G

collective noun n in grammar, a noun that denotes a number of individuals considered as one group.