People
photo credit: lyris-lite.com
Whistling comes in many different tones. There's the flat tuneless whistle that the whistler always thinks is melodious but assaults the ear of the listener. Then there's the tuneful whistler of everything from the latest rock music right the way to Beethoven's 5th which is a source of free entertainment to passers by. Perhaps the best is the wolf whistle. Get this as you pass and know that you still 'have it', whatever 'it might be'.
Birds
photo credit: cbcphotocomp
Some birds chirp and sing melodically but others just whistle. The best whistler and imitator of other birds in this part of the world is the skylark. Bird whistlers are good to listen to unless it is 5am and they are holding their very disorganised choir practise in the tree right outside your bedroom window.
Trains
photo credit: i2.ebayimg.com
Trains used to whistle before they went all electric and started buzzing and peeping. The sound of the train whistling as steam was blow through the pipe is very much a sound of the past now. It does exist where there are preserved railways but the sheer power it signalled has long since gone in most areas. The fabulous, almost booming train whistle is now a half strangled, pathetic little burping sound.
Kettles
photo credit: ivoryandcrescent.com
Kettles used to whistle when they boiled. The steam would build up and force itself out through the whistle to alert you to the fact it had actually boiled. It continued like this until you either turned off the heat to it, or it ran out of water. Modern kettles have plugs that you push into a socket and they simply switch themselves off once they boil without letting you know.
Wind
![]()
photo credit: abroadblogs
Wind comes in various forms as we are all painfully aware but wind that whistles usually comes through trees, or small cracks in building, down chimneys and the like. Whistling wind is a favourite sound effect in horror stories when it's wild stormy night and there's something spooky lurking in the vicinity.
Football Referee
photo credit: f4group.co.uk
Football referees whistle when they want to get the attention of the players. Some of these referees have poor eye sight but whistle anyway if they think they seen infractions of the rules. This is often seen in English football stadiums where spectators can be heard to chant ' The *******ref's blind, the **** ref's blind****** get your glasses on **** ***'
Earle H.Hagan
photo credit: junquetrunque
Earle H. Hagan is known best for writing and whistling 'The Fishin'Hole' which was the main theme to the Andy Griffith's Show and the Dick Van Dyke Show. He died in May 2008 aged 88 years.
Dog whistle
photo credit: softwarereality
A dog whistle? Dog's don't whistle. Well, at least I have never come across one that was talented that way. Dog whistles are very high pitched whistles which are audible to dogs but not to people Dogs have a much higher range of hearing frequency than we do. Mmm, I wonder if I can teach my dog to blow a whistle?
Aztec whistle of death
photo credit: bookofjoe
The ancient Aztecs sometimes buried their dead with skull shaped whistles held in each hand. The sound of these was shrill, sharp and piercing. Archaeologists thought at first that these were toys but other discoveries including carvings showed that the sound produced by these whistles was thought to be the true sound of death. On that basis it might be wise to be careful while playing my clarinet. One note at the wrong frequency and poof, it could all be over.
