Matthias Leue's Blog

The Silent Choir

It is toasty outside. Finding a parking spot, and a bit surprised that I do as the main street is closed off today for a fair, I walk a short half block and then duck inside my intended destination – my favorite bakery. They must have good insulation in the building here as it is pleasant inside – not too warm – despite it being a bakery.

A small loaf of sourdough bread under my arm – sliced – and with a cup of bubbly water in which can be seen the bright yellow of a lemon, I take a stroll on the sidewalk in the shade of the buildings sipping the refreshing sparkling lemon water. Ice was not to be had today, there was too much demand.

A curious display catches my sight among the many stands that line the street. A peddler has set up a large display of stuffed animals and hand puppets. I notice that these are very special stuffed animals of quality workmanship from “Steiff Knopf im Ohr”, the famous German puppet, teddy bear, and toy maker. A teddy bear purchased from them is sometimes passed down through generations. I remember some of the animals surrounding me here from my childhood.

As I look at a display of perhaps a dozen or so puppets set up on a rack of wooden sticks ,all sitting cosy together, the peddler tells me an amusing story: he says his father was a Methodist preacher for 40 years and also went through a time when the church split into two. Apparently there were no musical instruments allowed in one of the churches if I understood him correctly, and so they came up with the idea of just singing a cappella. A good solution it seems to a silly religious squabble.

As I gaze at the animal hand puppets, the peddler tells me that the dozen or so puppets in front of me here are his a cappella Methodist choir, albeit perhaps on break at the moment as not much can be heard from them. They make me smile.

© 2025

New watercolors

I have just completed a new series of watercolors for Spring 2025.

Please have a look:

Thank you to my friends Gail & Gernot for supporting me in this endeavor.

Orange delight

Orange delight

A dropped petal of a Golden Poppy on a bed of fall grass with some sprigs of spring green. There is beauty everywhere if only one looks.

Watercolors – Series 2

This delicate butterfly is part of a brand new series of 6 watercolors coming in April 2025.

Orange Sulphur

Dear readers and watercolor aficionados,

I could use some help to cover the printing costs (and watercolor pencil damage by my cat Calvin – just kidding – he only plays with them) so that I can I complete the new set.

Thank you.

Donate

2025 – watercolors – Series 2

This delicate butterfly is part of a new series of 6 watercolors.

Orange Sulphur

Dear readers and watercolor aficionados,

I could use some help to cover the printing costs (and watercolor pencil damage by my cat Calvin – just kidding – he only plays with them) so that I can I complete the new set.

Thank you.

Donate

Parrots

Discussing our respective felines I was rather surprised when the park worker I was talking to told me that his mother used to own a pet shop and that they had quite a few parrots in it too. I fondly look back on a trip to Venezuela I was able to take many years ago and have included a drawing of a parrot I saw there, albeit of a different color than mentioned in this post. To continue our discussion however, I was told that besides the parrots in the store they also had two gray parrots at home that often stayed outside in the yard much to their delight and enjoyment I’m sure.

The reader is most likely familiar with the “Polly want a cracker” cliché but in this case the two gray parrots in question had perfected imitating a horrific loud ongoing fight between two neighbors and not only that, but at 7-8 times the original volume.

Michael then told me that one afternoon several police cars showed up at his house and and the two officers who rang the doorbell told him that there had been several complaints of a “domestic disturbance” so they had come out to check on it. “There is no problem here” he informed the constables, then thought for a moment and said “oh”, taking them to the back yard where the two parrots were apparently still at it. I would have loved to have seen the expressions on their faces. I’m also unaware if there were any arrests or ruffled feathers.

This encourages one to perhaps choose words wisely as you never know when or where a parrot or several parrots may be lurking.

Wishing you a quiet Sunday…

©2025

Not what it seems

Discussing our respective felines I was rather surprised when the park worker I was talking to told me that his mother used to own a pet shop and that they had quite a few parrots in it too. I fondly look back on a trip to Venezuela I was able to take many years ago and have included a drawing of a parrot I saw there, albeit of a different color than mentioned in this post. To continue our discussion however, I was told that they also had two gray parrots at home that often stayed outside in the yard much to their delight and enjoyment I’m sure.

The reader is most likely familiar with the “Polly want a cracker” cliché but in this case the two gray parrots in question had perfected imitating a horrific loud ongoing fight between two neighbors and not only that, but at 7-8 times the volume.

Michael then told me that one afternoon several police cars showed up at his house and and the two officers who rang the doorbell told him that there had been several complaints of a “domestic disturbance” so they had come out to check on it. “There is no problem here” he informed the constables, then thought for a moment and and said “oh”, taking them to the back yard where the two parrots were apparently still at it. I would have loved to have seen the expressions on their faces. I’m also unaware if there were any arrests.

This encourages one to perhaps choose words wisely as you never know where a parrot or several parrots may be lurking.

Wishing you a quiet Sunday…

©2025

Watercolors: new payment option

My first set of watercolors from 2024 (Series 1) is now also available for purchase using Square (for domestic orders).

Naturally my cat Calvin had to add his two cents worth to the order page and yes he did receive some of the tuna below although he is not fond of soy sauce.

Tuna steak it is tonight

New payment option

My first set of watercolors (Series 1) is now available for purchase using Square for domestic orders. Naturally my cat Calvin had to add his two cents worth.

Tuna it is tonight

New option

My first set of watercolors (Series 1) is now available for purchase via Square for domestic orders. Naturally my cat Calvin had to add his two cents worth.

Tuna