What Is Essential Is Invisible to the Eye

Or, It's Right In Front of You

Marcel Duchamp
Enjoying what's right in front of, and all around, him.
The Rock
July 2007

•••

I guess I'd say I've been on vacation. (Or, a total slacker.)

No, I'll say vacation.

•••

The Sea
(Buy: Morcheeba: Big Calm)

Perfect Day
(Buy: Lou Reed: Trainspotting [Original Soundtrack])

Sun Lips
(Buy: Black Moth Super Rainbow: Dandelion Gum)

Island In The Sun
(Buy: Weezer: Green Album)

Its A Sunshine Day
(Buy: The Brady Bunch: Nick at Nite: Beach Blanket Bash)

Blinded By The Light
(Buy: Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band: Live In Dublin)

Fuzzy Fruit Salad Daze

I don't know about the rest of 'em, but the grapes look pretty comfy.

Fruit Salad
A few days past its prime.
The Rock

•••

Yes, I know, there are children starving somewhere. I promise, I will compost this with a guilty conscience.

(And, eat the fruit faster next time.)

•••

Here Come The Fuzz
(Buy: Jon Spencer And The Elegant Too: Hot Fuzz [Original Soundtack])

Here Comes The Fuzz (With Jack White, Freeway & Nikka Costa)
(Buy: Mark Ronson: Here Comes The Fuzz)

I Love You For All Seasons
(Buy: The Fuzz: Art Laboe's Dedicated to You, Vol. 2)

Fuzzy Freaky (Mark Walk And Ruby Mix)
(Buy: The Visible Man: Luaka Bop 10th Anniversary: Zero Accidents on the Job)

Chocolate Covered Demons Atomiques!

Assalto alla Terra! (Italy), Atomische Duivels! (Belgium/Flemish), Des Monstres Attaquent la Ville! (France), Formicula! (West Germany), La Humanidad en Peligro! (Spain), O Mundo em Perigo! (Portugal), El Mundo en Peligro! (Mexico), One! (Poland), Politiet og Uhyret! (Denmark), Són Elles! (Spain/Catalan), Spindlarna! (Sweden)*, Yön Pedot! (Finland) No matter how you say it, it's killer atomic ants — in my backyard!

THEM!
The Rock
July 2007

•••

I've got 'em! Right in my backyard! The dreaded European Fire Ants (Myrmica rubra)!

How they got out to The Rock in the first place, I can only speculate. (Most likely, with the influx, and in the roots of, the also dreaded, Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) that some idiot decided would be great to grow out here.) But, G and I have been gardening around them ever since we bought our house, three years ago. I had never had any contact with them before moving here. G knew what they were right away — and what they were capable of. You see, these little (about 3/16 inch long) red fuckers defend their territory pretty agressively and sting, at first burning like hell, and then (for me at least, being apparently allergic to whatever the little red devils are stinging me with), leaving behind a pretty good size welt.

Not being one for panic and pesticides, I've not had much luck in finding a solution for our predicament (other then walking around the yard with a tea kettle pouring hot water on them), but, I am not beaten yet and, with (according to research, so far,) no redeeming natural qualities, and a potential threat to the environment (especially, mine!), they will not win.

Now, it's time to bring it on! (Or, start eating them!)

* Actually, in Sweden, Spindlarna! translates to "The Spiders!",which might might have been a bit misleading to the viewing public. Or, maybe they just chalked it up to us 'Demons Atomiques Americans'. Who knows?

•••

Ants v. The Universe
(Buy: Richard Laviolette: A Little Less Like a Rock, a Little More Like Home)

Army Ants
(Buy: Tom Waits: Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards)

Ants In The Kitchen
(Buy: Masters of Reality: Sunrise On The Sufferbus)

Antmusic
Beat My Guest
(Buy: Adam and the Ants: Very Best of Adam and the Ants)

Baby's On Fire
(Buy: Brian Eno: Here Come The Warm Jets)

Water Your Garden
(Buy: Lucious Jackson: Fever In Fever Out)