Crow's back

Crow here. I know I've been away for a while and I apologize but I really needed a break. An invitation to fly with the condors in Peru was a chance not to be missed because these guys are totally cool and almost the same size as me. You didn't think I was a normal looking garden crow, did you? Andean condors are massive birds, among the largest in the world that are able to fly and since I stand at 6.5 feet (without my boots on) we can give each other back slaps and high wings without having to worry about injuring each other. Also like me, they have enormous 10-foot wingspans so strong winds are a joy whether high up in the mountains or along the coasts gliding on the air currents and thermals. It was a joy only their eating habits could spoil. I understand it's all very helpful to the environment but a diet of carrion got old for me once I ran out of the picnic goodies susan had packed. So I'm back. I see things haven't changed much.

It appears to me that giving more money to the people who caused the current economic problems isn't what I'd call helpful. I mean if you were going to give millions, billions or, God forbid, trillions of dollars, wouldn't you prefer it went to people who know what they're doing? Wouldn't you give it to those who have a history of spending money wisely for the greater good? Why not give it to Heifer or Doctors Without Borders or Unicef for crying out loud?

Speaking of trillions, what is a trillion anyway? I remember my old friend Carl Sagan saying there were billions of stars in the galaxy and billions of galaxies in the universe and everyone listening would gasp in awe. Now a billion is just like pocket change: 'Oh well, a billion here and a billion there, what's it matter?' Are they crazy?

Throwing money at these people is like trying to get rid of an infestation of rats by throwing edible garbage at them. Oh no, that will never cause them to go into an eating and breeding frenzy.

I'm reminded of another President I used to chat with many years ago, Andrew Jackson, and what he had to say in a similar situation:

"Gentlemen, I have had men watching you for a long time and I am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country. When you won you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank. You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter, I shall ruin ten thousand families. That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin! Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves... I intend to rout you out, and by the eternal God I will rout you out!"

Does anyone know a Chief Executive with that kind of courage?

Okay, that's enough from me tonight. There's a nice glass of warm brandy waiting for me and that perch over on the other side of the room looks very comfortable. I'll drink to your health and say 'Good night and good flight'.

randal facts.. i mean random

Just as I thought I'd have a quiet rainy weekend to continue lazing around - I mean working on my latest painting - what should happen but that a quick browse over at Randal's blog saw me struck with the '6 Random Things' meme. That'll teach me to go looking for a hit of poetry and madness with my late afternoon cup of tea but, while the watercolor paper dries after the last wash, I'll add to what you'd prefer not to know:


The Rules
1. Link to the person who tagged you. (Done)
2. Post the rules on your blog. (You're reading them)
3. Write six random things about yourself. (As if anyone's interested)
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. (Who else deserves this?)
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog. (That's what surfing is for)
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up. (Ditto)

Okay, here goes:

1. I like playing low-key video games or high key ones if I can play along with my best friend. Our all time favorite was Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles where I got to be the magician female Yuke, Castra (that's her with the pointy ones) and he played the Selkie girl warrior, Numb. We've got a brand new version for our wireless DS's.. not as pretty as the Game Cube one but acceptable. I love casting spells and solving puzzles.

As a corollary to this we've been playing Animal Crossing Wild World twice a day every day for three and a half years. It's very Zen like and if you play it long enough and get every item you come to realize that things are valueless but friendship is real.

2. I'm near sighted but refuse to wear glasses unless I'm at the movies, driving or in a strange place. I couldn't stand the idea of contact lenses either with the result I don't see blemishes on people or notice wrinkles. I recognize people at a distance by the way they move.

3. I don't own a cell phone. If you see me walking down the street talking and there's nobody with me I really have gone crazy.

4. I've kept a journal since 2002 where I record books I read, movies we watch, presents we've sent and received and whatever happens to seem worth recalling like the concerts, visits and the time I decided to get an aquarium because the picture was pretty. That was a bad idea suitably noted for future reference.

5. Apart from visiting family and friends I've never purchased a ticket to a faraway place just so I could sit on a beach and stay in a hotel. Instead, I travelled. If a place looked interesting I'd go and live there, including finding work. Now I'm so much older than before it takes a little longer to decide on the next place.. possibly Halifax, NS. If we're lucky our pensions might add up to a decent rent payment which means working for food and sundries. Do you suppose elderly life models are in high demand there?

6. I have a passion for live music and even without the journal I remember every show I've ever seen.. like the night at the Leroy in Pawtucket, RI where guys were throwing their underwear at Blondie. What a thrill for Deborah Harry, eh?

Now we get to choose our six victims.. or possibly willing participants:

Linda
Pagan Sphinx
Spartacus
Gary
Liberality
la Belette Rouge

No obligation here.. just if you have the time and inclination.
All is well.

non-verbal communication

works for me

If I were a writer I'd be up here posting my poems or short stories or amusing anecdotes about the foibles of human nature.

If I were a mathematician I'd be manipulating symbols using rules without any hint of their true meaning.

If I were a photographer I'd be posting gorgeous shots of places I'd visited.

If I were a hiker or runner I'd be outside right now.

Instead, I'm an artist who doesn't work fast.

hold this spot

It's time to get on with some work for a day or two but I don't want you to think I've got lost. So to provide something kind of neat to view for anyone who passes this way, here's another of my older paintings. She's been up here before but not in a long while.

Meanwhile, Crow sent a postcard from Peru where he tootled off with some condor pals a couple of weeks ago. He'd been pretty flocked off by the end of winter what with all the bad economic news and the fact I ran short of fruit cake but he says he's feeling much more relaxed and harmonious now. He'll be back with more news soon but until then he asked if I'd post this fine video of one of his friends sky dancing to the beautiful voice of Yma Sumac.

entertaining myself

This is what I did on the weekend. I've never photographed a painting in progress so the only people who get to see what I'm working on are those who stop by my house. That's a pretty rare event in itself, one that calls for the painting to be covered and the brushes rinsed while I make tea and conversation.

What you see here is the central image I'll be working from. It's been transferred to its sheet of watercolor paper and has already undergone some changes but the pencil lines are so fine as to not be discernible to a camera. I inked the original drawing so you can get an idea of my idea. It may not look like much right now but it took several days to get this far and will likely take weeks to complete.

If I weren't such a lazy person I could have drawn a picture of a great public works project that came to mind. How about if they built a moving sidewalk from Los Angeles to New York? Building it would certainly provide employment for a lot of people and I imagine it being powered by former corporate fat cats running inside large versions of hamster wheels. Travelers could stroll with their luggage for a mile or two or sit in those ubiquitous white plastic chairs waving to the people going the other way or for entertainment, throw their garbage at the guys in the wheels. It may be an idea whose time has come.. I wish.

(Any resemblance between the central figure and anyone you know may or may not be intentional.)

march is spring's yawn

Tourist: Good afternoon.

Shepherd: Eh, 'tis that.

Tourist: You here on holiday?

Shepherd: Nope, I live 'ere.

Tourist: Oh, good for you. Uh...those ARE sheep aren't they?

Shepherd: Yeh.

Tourist: Hmm, thought they were. Only, what are they doing up in the trees?

Shepherd: A fair question and one that in recent weeks 'as been much on my mind. It's my considered opinion that they're nestin'.



Tourist: Nesting?

Shepherd: Aye.

Tourist: Like birds?

Shepherd: Exactly. It's my belief that these sheep are laborin' under the misapprehension that they're birds. Observe their be'avior. Take for a start the sheeps' tendency to 'op about the field on their 'ind legs. Now witness their attempts to fly from tree to tree. Notice that they do not so much fly as...plummet.

From Monty Python.

We all have days when instead of soaring we plunge. I'm trying not to let it get me down.

who knew?

We all thought Escher's work to be inexplicable until the recent discovery he was actually an economist.



Now I feel much better.




Mark McHugh - thanks, Lindsay!

time for skittles and beer

Ahh, my favorite time of year is springtime and it's almost here even if you do happen to be among the unfortunates digging out from under 15 inches of blizzard delivered snow today. Take heart. It's March and Easter's on the way. Watching rampaging giant bunnies chase children over hill and dale is another of my favorite things. Thanks Michael Sowa for letting me post another excellent canvas filled with spring delight.

Speaking of thanks, I've been very remiss in not acknowledging the very excellent blog friends who've given me awards recently. I've been feeling guilty about not posting them but must also note that I'm not very good in general about blog awards. This is a tiny spot and some of the awards require the recipient to pass them on to eight or ten other bloggers. By now just about everyone I know up here has been given them during my period of idleness, indolence, inertia, sloth, languor, lassitude, lethargy, loafing and general apathy. Take your pick. See, I'm still digressing but now it's time to make amends and to express my gratitude to those of you kind enough to let me know you find something enjoyable here now and then.

Three lovely people have nominated me for the 'Friend's Award':

The first of these came from Lover of Life (I like to address her as LoL) -- who appeared out of the blue this winter. She lives at Lake Tahoe and not only posts lovely pictures of the area but also is a very thoughtful and interesting writer. I liked the ghost story and have one for her one of these days.

Then the charming Pagan Sphinx gave both Crow and me the same award. Crow is still preening over that one since he's quite certain it was meant just for him and my name was mentioned only because Pagan is kind. He's likely right since I know the two of them have a 'thing' going.

Just yesterday the highly cultured Liberality surprised me with the third one. We've been seeing each other around for quite some time and I've been very impressed by her astute and candid observations about social issues combined with great personal kindness.





The well designed 'Creative Blogger Award' also came from Pagan Sphinx. When this arrived Crow started packing his bags saying he's been meaning to spend some time in Western Massachusetts and spring seems like an excellent time. He's on his way, Pagan, so I hope you have some extra peanuts and some old Christmas cake. He might need a stiff shot of brandy and a warm perch if it's still snowing there. He brings my thanks and salutations.

The final one, the 'Sisterhood Award' was presented by the inestimable gifted writer, precocious blogger and very sweet longtime friend, La Belette Rouge. She and her He-Weasel and charming, delightful, exquisite, splendid, dainty, delicate and lovely little Lily of the West are preparing for a trip to The City of Light this spring. I never got to see Paris in the spring and they've promised to think of me as they sip un verre de vin on the Champs Elysées. What more could you ask of a friend?

Now that I've got them, what do I do with these fine awards? You can call me idle, languorous or torpid but the fact is that now I have approximately 34 deserving blog friends to nominate in turn and only have 20 in my blog roll. Should I spend the evening searching out the unknown (to me) lands of Blogtopia to find worthy recipients? No. I'll just be gratified I have such good friends.

On the other hand, I don't think the 'Sisterhood Award' really hit our neighborhood so I'm going to award it in turn to some dear Sisters:

Utah Savage - offering Savage Delight
Lisa Golden, formerly DCup of Politits, now - That's Why!
Linda, my Vulture Peak Muse
G-Fid, North of Sanity
Lover of Life - LOL :-)
The Crow
Pagan Sphinx
Liberality
Kirie
Suzie Riot
Skippy
CDP
and, last but not least, Seraphine of Encore Seraphine.

If any brothers would like a Sister Award, please drop a line. Meanwhile, happy almost end of winter - also known as Spring!

sunny Labrador

It's becoming clear that moves to cut global carbon emissions may be too little and too late for us avoid the worst effects of climate change. This is a photograph of an agricultural area not too far from Beijing that's quickly being overrun by the Gobi Desert. We all know about the recent devastating fires in Australia and everyone in the Gulf areas of the US are naturally terrified of another Hurricane Katrina coming ashore.

Scientists are predicting the average global temperature will rise from 2-6 degrees Celsius in the coming century. So what? Celsius is unAmerican and doesn't mean much of anything, does it? Anyhow, just for the heck of it I looked up the number on a conversion program and learned that the mid-range temperature of 4C actually translates to 39 degrees farenheit. Yow. Is it silly of me to worry about such a thing? After all, overnight temperature swings can be much like it just about anywhere we live or we could compare it to moving from Montreal to Miami.

Whether we like it or not we need to understand that an average warming of the entire world by 4C would make the planet unrecognizable from anything humans have ever experienced. When will we know when it's time to take drastic action and will the human race ever be able to act positively in a coordinated way? Okay, I know the answer to that one but I had to ask. Goodness knows someday a few people will look back at what we've done to the planet and wonder what were we thinking. Maybe that's the answer. It will be a few people.

It's definitely time for the world to pass on the clean coal fantasy. Coal provides 50% of our electricity which comes from hundreds of expensive, enormous plants, each one of them owned by rich and powerful companies. The Chinese have been opening a coal-burning power plant every week. How can we even begin to discuss alternatives with them until we do something ourselves?

On Monday there's going to be a big rally in Washington, DC of environmental activists. The people in Appalachia have suffered for decades under the rule of the coal mining companies and the ugly, old and dirty coal fired power plant owned by Congress should be the first to go.

There are plans made and still shelved to rebuild and electrify the railroads here. A revived rail service could remove 85% of the long haul trucks from the highways within 25 years. What a great concept and how nice it would be if people didn't have to give up their cars.. at least so long as they're electric ones.

A little symbolic action may be just what the country needs to raise awareness that things can be done so we don't have to plan on moving our families to sunny Labrador. I consider it an encouragement to the current administration to keep moving forward. We've already lost too much time and I'd like to know there'll always be an April in Paris.



You can check out the full size version of the map here.

Late addendum: Lindsay Lobe came by today and noticed I'd made a serious error with my translation of a 4C temperature increase meaning 39F. Although 4C does translate to 39F, in actual practice I'd failed to note that average global (combined ocean and land) temperature is 57F and a subsequent rise of 4C translates to about 8F. Ooops. Sorry. I never was renowned for my math skills but 8F isn't good either. All the rest stays the same.

think before you ink

Women, don't get a tattoo. That butterfly looks great on your breast when you're twenty or thirty, but when you get to seventy, it stretches into a condor.

You may lose your most valuable property through misfortune in various ways. You may lose your house, your wife and other treasures. But of your tattoo, you cannot be deprived except by death. It will be your ornament and companion until your last day.

I always look for a woman who has a tattoo. I see a woman with a tattoo, and I'm thinking, okay, here's a girl who's capable of making a decision she'll regret in the future.

Your body is a temple, but how long can you live in the same house before you redecorate?

The perfect tattoo, the one I believe we are all struggling toward, is the one that turned the jackass into a zebra.

All the above are from the quote garden. I thought I should post something but I'm feeling lazy - a semi permanent condition much of the time. Instead, I decided to post a picture I painted a couple of years ago when even office ladies were getting tattoos..

Now maybe I can go finish that overly long and tedious book I've been reading. A bubble bath in a candlelit room with some Belgian chocolate sounds about right.