There is some question as to who exactly stated that "cellar door" was one of the most beautiful combinations of syllables in the English language. J.R.R. Tolkien definitely mentioned it, saying, "More beautiful than, say, sky, and far more beautiful than beautiful."
And some say it goes back to H.L. Mencken, who repeated a story about a Chinese student, knowing very little English, finding "cellar door" enjoyable... not for what it meant, but for how it sounded.
Whatever.
A combination of syllables that is particularly sonorous to me is Magee Marsh.
Say it with me....maGEE marrssssshhhhh. A string of sounds that never fails to run a shivery finger up my spine and makes me goofy with glee.
I will spend the day tomorrow packing and jumping about like a giddy school-girl, preparing for my big drive up to Northern Ohio. This will be the second time I am going alone, but the first time I will be meeting up with a birder-buddy...KatDoc.
So I will take tomorrow night off from blogging...and the next post will be from the gorgeous, fantastic, can't-be-overestimated, birdilicious Magee Marsh.
11 comments:
Girl, I tell ya, sometimes the topic of some of your post just come out of nowhere, don't they?
Have a safe trip!
I'm telling you -- you should be the writer . . . not me!
Heck yeah! Have a great, great time.
Hope you have a great time birding Susan.
So thinking ahead to next year & the Magee Marsh experience.....is there a train station nearby? That would be a fun adventure coming from Minnesota.
My high school English teacher told us about cellar door. He said he had friends who liked the phrase so much they named their daughter Seladoa. Imagine my surpise in finding so many other people whose English teachers had the same story.
Have a great time in Magee Marsh. We can't wait to hear about it.
OMG, Mon@rch will be there this weeekend too. So will my brother-in-law. We sometimes are there this weekend but not this year. CAn't wait to see and hear all about your birds.
Oh, little playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies, three
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rain spout
Into my CELLAR DOOR
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more.
Have a great weekend at Magee Marsh.
Heather
Wayne, PA
I'm sad because I can't go...
and I'm chuckling to myself, remembering a certain person's pronunciation as "Maggie Marsh." You know who I'm talking about. hee hee
Have a blast! Get some great pics!
Have the time of your life, Susan! I'll be looking forward to your bird-delicious posts :o)
I hope you still have my number if you make it here sometime early! Have fun and this place rocks! I can't wait to see all the birdies that are around here! have a fun weekend!
It's a shame I had to work this week. I could have met you at the marsh. What a bummer!
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