Saturday, September 30, 2006

Monarch(y) in the USA



Danaus plexippus (which, literally, translated in Greek means 'sleepy transformation').
September 27, 2006

Ahhh, the lovely Danaus plexippus. I don't know what it's like in your neck of the woods, but here, the monarchs are wide awake and have transformed the woods and gardens of the Rock into a magical place.

"Adult Monarchs possess two pair of brilliant orange-reddish wings, featuring black veins and white spots along the edges. Their wingspan is about four inches, and they weigh less than half an ounce. Males, who possess distinguishing black dot (stigmata) along the veins of their wings, are slightly bigger than the females.

Each adult butterfly lives only about four to five weeks. But one of the many wonders of the Monarchs is the annual creation of a unique "Methuselah generation." As autumn approaches in their sites of migratory origin, a very special generation of butterflies is born. Unlike their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents -- all of whom had ephemeral lives measured only in weeks -- these migratory butterflies survive seven or eight months. In human terms, given our average life span of 75 years, this would be like having children who lived to be 525 years old!

This generation performs the incredible feat of flying from Canada and the United States to the center of Mexico -- after which they begin the northward journey again. Once they reach the United States, a kind of relay race begins: their short-lived offspring, with only four or five weeks to live, continue making the trek northward over several generations."


Enjoy 'em why you got 'em, for these beauties are on their way to a sweet little vacation spot down south.

And, if you dig the bugs, you have to get up to Montreal and check into the Insectarium. You will not be disappointed.

Booth and the Bad Angel: Butterfly Dreams (Buy It!)

Friday, September 22, 2006

Summer Is Ready When You Are


Photo © Scott L. Robertson/slrobertson.com

At The Gwinnett County Fair, Georgia, USA
Summer 2006

Ahhh, Fair food! (Not to be confused with Fair Food.)

I like all the different people.
I like every kind of fair.
In the crowd, you bet I'll be there!
Walkin' around,
Going nowhere.
Seeing sooey and saints, at the fair.
'Saints'—The Breeders

The Breeders: Saints (Buy It!)
Masters Of Reality: Tilt-A-Whirl (Buy It!)

Enjoy more of Scott L. Robertson's Fair photographs (and a large selection of other subjects) at his web site.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Wood4Sale



Wood4Sale Sign
September 2006

I'm not sure what it is that makes me most happy about this sign. Is it the 'Guy Formally Name Prince, then that Symbol, and then Prince Again' use of the number 4 for the word 'For'? (Yes.) Is it the fact that—even though your cord of wood will consist of 'Mostly Oak'—the sampler you will receive, may also include some 'maple' and 'Birtch'? (Of course.) Could it be that it looks like Danny, who I assume scripted and executed this wonderful bit of advertising, actually wrote $200 backwards first? (Yes, Yes! Okay, that one was definitely what first drew me to this sign.) Or, is it the fact that, even if I was considering buying wood for the advertised price, I'd have to find a way to get the wood to my house (since the price includes cutting and splitting, but it's 'Not Delivered'?

Yes, it was all of those things. 'Wood4Sale' Bonus Enjoyment: The fact that I got to pixelate (just like the music videos on the TV!) out Danny's number, just in case you got any bright ideas about going to pick up your own cord of wood.

Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood: Little Walter Rides Again (Buy It!)
Nat Couty & the Braves: Woodpecker Rock (Buy It!)

Meet The Mets! Meet The Mets!



The 1969 World Championship New York Mets
Of New York Town

As The 2006 New York Mets, once again, win the National League East Division. We don't care (nor should I even have to mention) that it took them 18 years to repeat this feat—let us just remember what happens two (as in 1969 and 1986) of the last four times that they have won their (1969, 1973, 1986, 1988) Division Championship.

BACK ROW (left to right): Equipt. Mgr. Nick Torman, J.C. Martin, Ron Taylor, Ed Kranepool, Don Cardwell, Donn Clendenon, Nolan Ryan, Art Shamsky, Jack DiLauro, Clubhouse Attendant Roy Neuer.

THIRD ROW: Jim McAndrew, Tommie Agee, Cal Koonce, Ken Boswell, Tom Seaver, Kerry Koosman, Ron Swoboda, Wayne Garrett, Bobby Pleil, Traveling Sec. Lou Niss.

SECOND ROW: Tug McGraw, Gary Gentry, Al Weiss, Cleon Jones, Manager Gil Hodges, Jerry Grote, Bud Harrelson, Ed Charles, Rod Gaspar, Duffy Dyer.

FRONT ROW: Trainer Gus Mauch, Coach Joe Pignatano, Coach Rube Walker, Coach Yogi Berra, Coach Eddie Yost, Asst. Trainer Joe Deer.

Bill Katz & Ruth Roberts: Meet The Mets!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Get Ur Pumpk' On



Gettin' Grown (finally!)
September 2006

This lone pumpkin survived 'The Great SlugFest Massacre of Aught Six' and is now getting ready for it's seasonal coming out party. Go pumpkin! Get Ur Freak On!

Missy Elliott: Get Ur Freak On (Buy It!)
Cee-Lo: Gettin' Grown (Buy It!)

Saturday, September 16, 2006

What A Piece Of Man Is Man



Hugo, Man of a Thousand Faces
The Pumpkin(less) Patch, The Rock
September 2006

My nephew used to come to the house and exclaim, "Where's Piece of Man?" Knowing what was coming, I would go to Hugo's hiding place, take him out, and show him to my nephew who would, in turn, run screaming from the room. Piece of Man. Hugo. Any way you put it, Kenner (THE toy company of the 50's, 60's, and 70's, and sucked into oblivion by Hasbro in 2000) thought kids would love it.

Well, maybe they just want to know where he is at all times.

Radiohead: Creep (Buy It!)
EasyStar All*Stars: Paranoid Android (Buy It!)

Friday, September 15, 2006

Que Pasa, Pussycat?



Babette (aka Number One)
July 2004

Like all good bloggers, when in a pinch, I offer a pet. Te quiero.

Fishbone & Los Fabulosos Cadillacs: What's New, Pussycat? (Buy It!)

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Meat Is Murder



PigBoy®'s Halloween

Pay the piggy back, back
Pay the piggy back
See the piggy, do the piggy,
Pay the piggy back

The Bees: Chicken Payback (Buy It!)
The Smiths: Meat Is Murder (Buy It!)

Monday, September 11, 2006

Saturday, September 09, 2006

But, I Heart SoapPets®



Warning Sign, Lawson's Quarry, The Rock
August 2006

With just two simple words, I find yet one more obstacle in the pursuit of my hopes and dreams (in the development of my all-natural, biodegradable, vegetable glycerin, pet-shaped QuarryBath® companions).

Big Mama Thornton: Hound Dog (Buy It!)
Cat Stevens: Where Do The Children Play? (Buy It!)
Martina Topley-Bird: Tennessee Stud (Live) (Buy It!)

Frickin' Frickles



Friday office lunch.
September, 2006

No shite! Dems is fried pickles!

Frickles. That's what it said on the Appetizer Menu. How could we not give 'em a try? Just the name alone made us order them. Cold Geary's and Frickles, please. Who could ask for anything more?

The Frickles plate was clean before our sandwiches hit the table.

Bon Appetite!

New Birth Brass Band: Fat Boy (Buy It!)
Beck: Nausea (Buy It!)

Friday, September 08, 2006

For 50 Bucks and a Case of Budweiser



Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador
Late August, 1998

For 50 dollars and a case of Budweiser, this guy took us on a four hour boat tour of Rocky Harbour, a sweet little town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, at the mouth of Bonne Bay, and just outside of Gros Morne National Park. By the end of our tour, he could barely tell us where we were, as we navigated our way back to town. It was one of the sunniest and funniest days in the three and a half weeks we traveled through the provinces.

The Pogues: Sunny Side of the Street (Buy It!)

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Sailing Homeward



But first, dropping anchor (if you know what I mean) with the schooners off Swans Island.
Summer 2006

Heel y'ho boys, let her go, boys
Bring her head round now all together
Heel y'ho boys, let her go boys
Sailing homeward to Mingulay!

What care we tho' white the sea/Minch is?
What care we for wind and weather?
Let her go boys, every inch is
Wearing homeward to Mingulay!

Wives are waiting on the bank, boys,
Looking seaward from the heather.
Pull her 'round boys, and we'll anchor
'Ere the sun sets at Mingulay!


'Mingulay Boat Song', composed by Hugh Roberton (1874 - 1952) in 1938—a good 26 years after Mingulay lost its island community for good. But still, it's a beautiful island, with a beautiful song in its namesake.


Richard Thompson: Mingulay Boat Song (Buy It!)
Dan Zanes: Mingulay Boat Song (Buy It!)

Everything Is Broken



Arey's Cove, The Rock
January 2005

Broken bottles, broken plates,
Broken switches, broken gates,
Broken dishes, broken parts,
Streets are filled with broken hearts.
Broken words never meant to be spoken,
Everything is broken.

Lil Bob and the Lollipops: I Got Loaded (Buy It!)
R.L. Burnside: Everything Is Broken (Buy It!)

Saturday, September 02, 2006