A little disclosure before I post this gun note: I’m a registered Democrat. I consider myself liberal (tho that’s lowercase, viewing the word from the root) . More germane to this post, I know almost nothing about the two heirloom firearms I own and will admit to real discomfort around guns. Despite all this, I …
Toulouse- Lautrec and Falconry
Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec’s father was a falconer and sportsman, and though he painted everything from ladies of the night to horses, many do not know that he also painted hawks. Here is his portrait of his father, Count Alphonse de Toulouse- Lautrec, painted by Henri in 1881 when he was just seventeen (the color …
Motorcycle Nomads
Roseann sent this insightful piece on the use of motorcycles by nomads in Tibet. I have seen the same thing in Mongolia. It got us to musing on some westerners’ desires for “purity” in the Third World, which often translates into “stay romantic for OUR sake”. Says Roseann: “I loved that photo – over the …
Latest AR Atrocities
I do believe somewhere deep down they really hate animals. From The Lady With The Black Dogs: “I’ve just learned that the City of Denver, under the direction of their city court, and their Animal Control officer, has seized and euthanized 38 Pit Bulls. “.. some of these dogs were nursing puppies when they were …
Linkfest
A few interesting things from here and there. Lucky Pluvialis, having just been to the shore, is going to Central Asia. I have been warning her in the comments section about correct drinking habits. Looks like the magnetic poles are due to flip again. Many are worried about migrating animals. I am too, I guess, …
Pupdate
The pups are maturing swiftly and moving out slowly. Soon I may actually have the time (and the sleep) to write. Last weekend Paul, Nate, Nan, and Monica came to take or visit pups. Paul’s Zoltar and Nate and Nan’s Maty left. A good time was had by all– here are a few photos. Parents …
Local Landscapes
Continuing our occasional series on landscape, I thought I’d share a few images from near home. A cool front (the first in weeks) promised some relief from the heat and humid air but stalled out last night and gave us only clouds and light rain. But we could not have hoped for better. Not here. …
Flight of the Kite
A snippet of local birdlife: The young Mississippi Kites are on the wing now and starting to hunt for themselves over the neighborhood. The parents are provisioning some, also; so there is a lot of spectacular kite activity overhead! Last night my twins and I witnessed a moment that would have made a great study …
More Dogs at the Beach
Thought I would share some pictures taken Monday night. It’s been a while since I pictured Sadie and you can see how much she has grown. She was at 46 pounds at her last official weigh-in. As I have said before, there is just so much for dogs at the beach. Surf lines to chase …
Jacarandas
One of the signs of late Spring and Summer here in Southern California are the blue blooms of jacarandas, an exotic tree that is a commonly planted ornamental. The trees are native to southern Africa and South America and are apparently a common ornamental planting in Australia, just as they are here. The two pictures …