Spot the Frippet: loft.

This is an easy spot for me because I'm actually in a loft as I type. Most of my view is taken up by a huge ash tree which is showing no signs of sprouting even though the oaks behind it are nearly in full leaf.

When the oak's before the ash

Then there's bound to be a splash

When the ash's before the oak

Then there's bound to be a soak.

Yep: so it's going to be a wet summer, whatever. Ah well.

It's a common thing round here for houses to have their lofts converted into rooms, and a stroll along any street will disclose the tell-tale window of a loft extension among the tiles:

photo by Philafrenzy 

But it's not only people who live in lofts:



pigeon loft. Photo by Dg-505

Balls which are made to fly upwards also have loft, especially golf balls:


Lee Westward in a bunker. Photo by Steven Newton.

Most marvellously of all (though you're sadly unlikely to spot one) a loft is a full-size drawing of a ship's hull or aeroplane, drawn by a loftsman.

Well, that must be an absolutely wonderful job for someone with brilliant drawing and engineering skills and body odour issues, mustn't it?

Spot the Frippet: loft. This word has been around in English for about a thousand years or so. The Old Norse lopt meant air or ceiling, and is the same basic word as the German Luft, air, as in Luftwaffe.