Subject
"coral rowan" comes not in May but with first frosts
From
Date
Body
[EDNOTE. VF responds here to JM's information on rowan trees re:
Zemblan flora. -- SES]
Correction: in north European rowans (Russ. "ryabina"), flowers are
white; berries are orange; they stay on the tree after leaves are gone
and become deep coral-red as first frost hits them in northern Russia or
Zembla (October; morning puddles glaced with ice of mica, so fun to
break with your boot on your way to school).
Snow will settle by November.
Birds by that time take care of the berries, but some may still hang
blood-red against snow.
One of thrush species is even called in Russian "drozd-ryabinnik", the
Rowan Thrush.
Some birds' red hues match the rowan berries' color (Bullfinch,
Pyrrhula, Russ. "snegir'", literally "snowbird", prominent in Russian
poetry from Derzhavin to Brodsky)
Aside: mica (semi-transparent layered mineral, Russ. "slyuda") was used
for windowglass in medieval Russia, hence Muscovy glass; a connection to
Zembla glassworks.
Victor Fet
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Zemblan flora. -- SES]
Correction: in north European rowans (Russ. "ryabina"), flowers are
white; berries are orange; they stay on the tree after leaves are gone
and become deep coral-red as first frost hits them in northern Russia or
Zembla (October; morning puddles glaced with ice of mica, so fun to
break with your boot on your way to school).
Snow will settle by November.
Birds by that time take care of the berries, but some may still hang
blood-red against snow.
One of thrush species is even called in Russian "drozd-ryabinnik", the
Rowan Thrush.
Some birds' red hues match the rowan berries' color (Bullfinch,
Pyrrhula, Russ. "snegir'", literally "snowbird", prominent in Russian
poetry from Derzhavin to Brodsky)
Aside: mica (semi-transparent layered mineral, Russ. "slyuda") was used
for windowglass in medieval Russia, hence Muscovy glass; a connection to
Zembla glassworks.
Victor Fet
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm