The old expression in my title here—close cousin of ‘you could knock me over with a feather‘—is a colloquialism for great surprise. It’s also, was so many colloquial phrases are, comically colorful and exaggerated. Hyperbole and humor grow out of genuine life experiences and events. They are anchored in recognizably real sensations and situations as much as in silly imagination.
After all, when in shock, don’t I feel my knees suddenly go uncomfortably loose and slack, and go all light-headed as though not only my hat but the whole top of my head might just fly off at the slightest whiff of a breeze?
The appeal of the idiomatic phrase, regional quirks of language, colloquial expressions and other ‘decorative’ forms of description is that they can often communicate far more about the situation than mere facts can do. They share more of our personality and character and our own experience of the moment than the dry recitation of what can be scientifically charted could ever be able to convey. And they amuse and entertain, which gives much more impact to any statement than simple and bald recitation, and what has such verve is more likely to stick in the memory as well.
Also, it’s kind of hard to make a little illustrative sketch that conveys the astonishment with which an unforeseen hat-snatching or similar surprise nearly so well as one that says, Well, Blow Me Down! If you know what I mean.
Art-Colored Glasses 
What a great sketch.
😀 So happy you enjoyed it!
xo
I love your sketches:)x
And I, yours!!! And your more elaborate works, and your words…well, all of it, of course.
xoxo,
K
Love it! What I love about your sketches is that they are all YOU and I never doubt what they are.
That is such a sweet thing to say! Thank you, Laura. Hope all’s swell with you these days. We’re already having so many great adventures. 😀
xoxo
Looking forward to hearing of your adventures soon!
The stories and the photos are many, and will continue through this week. 😀 But soon…. 😉
🙂
When life gets to huffing and puffing at me, I suppose I do tend to hang on to my hat just a little bit tighter, in the colloquial sense. I adore how your sketches are perfectly fun and can be appreciated as creative artwork on their own, but when you throw in a bit of narrative, you elevate the whole experience and really take it up a notch. You might even say it blows me away.
Why, then, I am blowing *kisses* your way. Many thanks! 😀
xoxo & Peace!
Wonderful drawing, Kathryn! I love the phrase “Knock me over with a feather!” It is often assumed that only great dramatic happenings can affect us greatly. This phrase speaks of ‘softer’, subtler experiences that can be just – if not more – transformational. XO ♥
Yes, Diane, you’re so insightful. It’s very often those seemingly infinitesimal things that, like the split atom, have a profound effect on us and our lives and loves. What a marvelous, intimidating, delightful thought.
xoxo!