after the mites

this was a fully feathered owl wing at some point. it had met its end on the side of the highway, and this wing was lying there, and i happen to be the kind of woman who slows for roadkill and occasionally stops. i took several photos of this wing while it still had its feathers and then i added it to my very strange miscellany in the corner of the garage where, apparently a diligent army of tiny mites gorged themselves on the succulent flesh of the feathers and left behind the brittle bones of the rachii. beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but i saw their work the other day, and all i saw was beauty.

own wings with rachis and missing feather barbs