A Breath Of Fresh Colours

Coombs Neck
The Rock
March 2006

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Colours
Breathe
(Buy: The Cinematic Orchestra: Breathe)

Let's Talk About Sex (On The Beach)

Morning Commute
Lawrys Narrows
January 4, 2007

Once nearly exterminated, New England harbor and gray seals are on the increase in the Gulf of Maine. This rebound, the result of two decades of legal protection, is an environmental success story. It has also created a new set of environmental management problems: as seal populations have grown, encounters between humans and seals have also increased, both on shore and off. Commercial fishers and salmon farmers, in particular, are concerned that increasing seal populations are threatening their livelihoods — a situation which is complicated by the concurrent collapse of wild groundfish stocks in the region. (via: WhaleNet)

Male seals are taking advantage of the effects of climate change by having more sex, according to a new study. — BBC NEWS

All I'm saying, is that it sounds like somebody's keeping (Read: gettin') busy.

Or, take:

1 1/2 oz. Vodka
3/4 oz. Peachtree Schnapps
1/2 oz. Creme de Cassis
2 oz. Orange juice
2 oz. Cranberry juice
Orange slice
Maraschino cherry

Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a highball glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

And meet me in Lawrys Narrows.

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Salt-N-Pepa: Whatta Man
Salt-N-Pepa: Shoop

(Buy: Salt-N-Pepa: Very Necessary)

Hey, Mr. Natural!

Keep on Truckin' (through the woods — and clicking off those pictures!)

Nature photography, as well as cards and prints, available at Kirk Gentalen Photography. Really, get over to his site and buy something — he's some of the local talent!

•••

David Bowie: Nature Boy
(Buy: Moulin Rouge: Original Soundtrack)

Eels: I Like Birds
(Buy: Eels: Daisies Of The Galaxy)

David Byrne: Marching Through The Wilderness
(Buy: David Byrne: Rei Momo)

Talking Heads: Wild Wild Life
(Buy: Talking Heads: True Stories)

It Ain't Nothing But A Tree Thing, Baby

Brown's Head Light House
The Rock
February, 2005

•••

With a house full of little critters (Babette, Maneki Neko, and the newly welcomed Marcel Duchamp) — a tiny little tabletop tree seemed the appropriate decor this season. We figured that it would be easier then yelling — "Get out of there! Get down!" — at the 'kids' every 10 minutes. We put the leash on Marcel, hopped in the car, and drove out to the woods in search of the perfect specimen.

After a long walk through the wilderness (of The Rock) and a little beach-combing, we stumbled upon the little tree — about waist high, and ideally conical. With my trusty, rusty bowsaw in hand — I bent down and took care of business. A minute later, we were walking back to the car, tree perched over my shoulder.

When we returned home, I opened the trunk of the car to the unpleasant smell of, what can only be described as, cat urine. If you have never had the smell visit your olfactory receptors, consider yourself very fortunate — if you have, however, you know the smell I was smelling. The tree did not make it's way into the house.

I conveyed this story to a friend who, at the end of my telling, said, "Oh, you must have gotten a skunk spruce." Indeed, I had.

A little research, please, and yes, Picea glauca or, the White Spruce (also known as Canadian Spruce, Eastern Spruce, Black Hills Spruce, Skunk Spruce and, oh, yeah, the Cat Spruce) — it was the last two caught my interest (and attention). Apparently, the white spruce, as a defense mechanism has, not only, stiff and sharp needles — but when young and immature, a distinctive odor; foul (when young) — but pleasant when older. How very interesting. How very foul.

We will be out looking for a new (kinder, gentler, sweeter smelling) tree this weekend — or making one out of an old Readers Digest.

•••

The Klezmatics: Hanukah Tree (Hanukkah)
(Buy: The Klezmatics: Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah)

Vince Guaraldi Trio: O Tannenbaum
(Buy: Vince Guaraldi Trio: A Charlie Brown Christmas)

Radiohead: Fake Plastic Trees
(Buy: Radiohead: The Bends)

Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
(Buy: Brenda Lee: Jingle Bell Rock)

Belly: Feed The Tree
(Buy: Belly: Star)

Dr. Dre w/ Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang
(Buy: The Chronic)

Anybody Want A Peanut?

Elephant Tree
Rockport, Maine
January 2005

•••

Kid Koala: Skanky Panky
(Buy: Kid Koala: Some Of My Best Friends Are DJ's)

Fun's Fun, But That's Not Fun!

Red Squirrel
Rockport, Maine
December 2004

"Fun's Fun, But That's Not Fun!"

You know what, I don't even know what that's supposed to mean, but Bernard tells me his Moms always used to say that to him when he did something he wasn't supposed to be doing. I guess if you can attach a mother voice it, it starts to make some sense. Any way, this post has little to do with that.

I hit a squirrel today — with the car.

I don't know if you've ever hit anything with a car before, but there's this sick feeling you (I) get in the pit of my stomach when something like this happens. (Although, this has happened only one other time before. But I remember that feeling. I do not like it.) I'm not one of those people who sees squirrels (or seagulls, or pigeons, for that matter) and has one of those little 'I wish I could kill those little effers! Rats with tails (or wings — in the case of seagulls and pigeons)! That's what they are!' moments — freaking the person, that thought they knew who you were — out just a little more then maybe you ever wanted. (Or they wanted to be, by somebody they thought they knew.) You know what I mean?

The squirrel lived. I think. I saw it run off to the side of the road and into the woods before I turned the next corner. I want to belief that I just grazed the little thing. I hope I'm right.

Drive carefully, and love the little animals. Outie!

•••

Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner
(Buy: Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner, Roadrunner: The Beserkley Collection)
Joan Jett: Roadrunner
(Buy: Fit To Be Tied: Great Hits of Joan Jett and The Blackhearts)

Working At Home

Rosamond Wolff Purcell, Teeth Pulled by Peter the Great. From 'Finders, Keepers: Eight Collectors', 1992.

The home dentistry of Peter the Great
Date Unknown

I'll just stick to doing some layout work on the computer today — but, hey, does that tooth feel loose?

(See more of Rosamond Purcell's work as it appears in the current issue of National Geographic illustrating Carl Zimmer's article on evolution, titled "A Fin Is A Limb Is A Wing.")

•••

Dust Brothers: Homework
Dust Brothers: Medula Oblongata
(Buy: The Dust Brothers: 'Fight Club' Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The Autumn Lines Are Drawn

And the birtch is back.
October 2001

Toad the Wet Sprocket: I Will Not Take These Things for Granted (Buy It!)

Wik-a-Wik-a-Wik-a, My Friend Flicker

My friend Flicker, R.I.P
November, 2005

Unfortunately, this feathered beauty got locked, or made it's way, into a summer residence and never made it out. But, even in death, the Northern Flicker has got the looks.

Check the Northern Flicker out, in life and sound, at my favorite 'College of Avian Knowledge'.

Syd Barrett: Birdie Hop (Buy It!)