Would Pale Male Approve?

Photograph by Donegal Browne
2008-Pale Male leaves the nest bowl on 927 Fifth Avenue after his turn at sitting the eggs, while Lola keeps an eye peeled for intruders before taking his place.




While searching the net, I ran across a blurb for Best Made...they make a line of, for want of a better way of putting it, boutique axes. I know, boutique AXES? It read--



"At Best Made, each axe model bears a different, evocative name: some of those in the summer collection are Conacher (with a white and green handle), and Auld Reekie (blue-grey and orange). Sources of inspiration include Canadian painter Tom Thomsom, the poet Robert Frost, and Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk who lives in Central Park (prices range from $200 to $450). Buchanan-Smith paints each axe, while Cameron builds a community: "Everybody who buys one hears from me personally, " he says. The fall collection will have double-bladed axes, too."



The text included testimonials about how terrific it felt to make your mark on the landscape by chopping down a tree...



One can't be completely sure what The Monarch of Central Park would think of such an attitude, but somehow I just don't think he'd approve of all this tree chopping business. As to having his name on an ax that makes people feel good about chopping down trees, particularly for self aggrandisement, I suspect he has better things to do with his time than to even think about them.




Donegal Browne