Sharp Dressed Man

Spoke to my friend Jim yesterday, who is looking forward to attending a big awards ceremony this weekend. The Grammys, no less! He bought a tuxedo for the occasion, and I'm sure he'll evolve into Handsomus Maximus before he escorts his wife on the red carpet. I know you ladies can get woozy over men in white T-shirts and jeans when you think of one standing by himself. But when it comes to being a couple, when you see yourself in the picture, too, nothing beats the black and white tuxedo, against which your color, sparkle and splendor are shown to best effect. So it is, and so it should be. That's the way we like it, too.

If I need to prove my point, compare and contrast the images above and below.

The Round Stones

We found these strange round stones, so we dug them up.


It was hard work.


This is where they were. The Huron River, near Monroeville, Ohio.
Charlie Browning took some pictures.

Snow Balls

Years ago while driving on a scouting adventure through rural Alabama, this remarkable structure appeared. It was built right on the shoulder of the little two-lane road. I stopped to look more closely, and found that it was abandoned. While taking some photos, I saw a lady sitting on the porch of her home a few hundred yards away. So I strolled over to ask about the stand. She told me that it was the remains of an entrepreneurial effort by a local teenager, with the idea of selling flavored-ice treats. He built it from salvaged lumber and recycled sheets of corrugated tin and painted it himself. All was going well until an inattentive driver swerved to avoid hitting a stopped school bus, crashing into and crushing one side of his business, thus putting an end to his enterprise.

Well, I have a weakness for hand-painted advertisements and folk Americana in general, so I wanted to see at least the paintings preserved. The lady put me in touch with the young man, and I was able to negotiate a purchase. I returned a few weeks later and dismantled the facade and panels on each side, which I still own. Maybe I'll go into business myself someday.

I love the blue clouds and the floating images of his product. That elaborate painted feature on the front left is called a Love Knot. It has appeared on several decorated folk art objects that I've seen over the years.

Stitched Together Leather

You know, sometimes a group of vaguely related things or images turns up at the same time, more or less, and there you have....well, something - a blog post, at least. These are all somehow related to leather.

First, a collection of ice skates being offered at auction. I've always admired skate blades and fittings.
Then an antique real photo postcard of the interior of a tack and saddle shop. See the big heavy duty stitching machine in front?
And last a digitally printed Pantone leather chair that was exhibited at a trade show but is not yet in production.

Floating World

Just because I like the image.

And lily pads. And reflections.

Photograph by Claude Vosburg, Ellake, Michigan, 1911.

All Wrong

His name is Richard, but they call him Dick.

I Am The Egg Man

More from Miss McDonald. Easter Egg-Man, Cat, A Little Lamb, and House (with two suns and a moon)

Winter Art

Snow Man
Cut Paper Construction
by Beverly McDonald
1936
from her kindergarten scrapbook



The artist

More Joyful Noise

Check out this tiny troupe. They're armed with drums, tambourines, triangles, cymbals and more. Try to imagine the aural assault when this crew got things going. And most of the kids look eager and excited.

Attacked by Fashion

Foxes. Hat Sharks.

The Art and Science of Shoes

Here we have what appears to be a high school science project. It's signed G. C. Carr, and looks like it dates to between 1920 and 1930. He has cut from wood two profiles of a shoe, which serve as front and back covers for a book. G. C. hand-painted on the front cover a stylish two-tone man's shoe. Bound into it are many illustrated pages with facts about the trade and craft of shoe making and repair. He wraps it all up with a pious thought for the day. I'd give him an A and a reward of merit.

WTH Series #2

A frozen mammoth prepared for shipment.

Found at the terrific Time Machine by Heather Pringle blog.