You know how little boys are supposed to carry entire cargo loads of plastic items and small weaponry and fresh-caught amphibians in their pockets?

Well, Archie has no pockets, so he likes to drag things in from out back and bury them in various chairs and couches.

Mostly, it’s a lot of rocks and sticks, with the occasional shred of mulch he’s pilfered from the bags that are stacked on the bricks out back, waiting for my green thumb to emerge. (Is it sudden when that happens, I wonder? Or painful?)

A couple weeks ago, it was a neatly severed bird’s head, and I wish I had halted my grim disposal long enough to snap a picture for you, because it was quite achingly lovely, all the more so because of its gruesomeness.

Today, I was looking for one of the 3 cordless phones I own, not all of which are locatable or juiced at any given time, and I discovered this under the covers of the kitchen loveseat, where we spend much of our time:

Hey, the snake doesn’t need it anymore, but Archie, being a young man of toys and tools, certainly might. 

Best part? The monkey’s little outfit.

Amazing images (and lots of ‘em) via

That last entry was 150. I think I’m supposed to do a shot or something.

Many thanks to The Subtle Rudder creative/IT department, for bringing the pretty, and for all the late night and early morning tech support. Team Rudder, you rock!

Soft sculpture via

I was traveling right after the 4th, so I missed this bit of slo-mo/rapid-fire loveliness, set to a Sigur Ros soundtrack.

The Fourth from Michael Brodner AKA Bones on Vimeo.

This reminds me of sitting with my sister and her friends on a campus hillside in Lawrence, Kansas, many Independence Days ago. We were in a state of, ummm, chemical collegiality, watching the fireworks with a choir of gleed-up kids behind us going “ooooh!” and “aaaah!” at every explosion of light. That was a magical night of goodwill and toleration, and every time the kids shrieked, it tickled my spine in a most pleasant way.

Perhaps I should just add Sesame Street category? Here’s a great old LP cover, featuring the Count.

Via

And here’s Oscar, a proudly unmedicated anger-management dropout, looking oddly happy about waking up early. 

Via

If you’re feeling musically inclined, Fong Songs has been doing muppets cover week, with lots of hilarious mp3s. Be sure not to miss the Songs from the Street. Where else are you going to find Steven Tyler doing “I Love Trash,” or Little Richard singing “Rubber Duckie”?

Artists all over are finding inspiration in the man, the messiah, the Mo-bama. Here’s a sampling of the work.

Note all the radiating sun rays signifying almighty magnetism. These have a real Jesus meets Che Guevara in a holy game of 1-on-1 vibe. (T-shirt Che, not guerilla Che: it’s all about the iconography!) (more…)

I worry that once Dad sees this, he’ll be bush-bound with his favorite chihuahua, and we’ll have to visit him in New South Wales. Frankly, there won’t be room for all of us. But this place looks perfect for a single soul and a small dog or two.

It’s corrugated copper-clad, to protect against heavy weather and brush fires, and the sides flare up, revealing walls of window. And they come right down again when you want to batten down for the night.

There’s even a water tank, to collect rainwater run-off. So wee, so eco.

The only issue is the copper-clad privy nearby. I’m not sure I’m ready for that much nature. 

Via

Attention must be paid to the belly. 

You will rub!

Since he spends his night in puppy-jail, Archie likes to take his early morning nap sprawled out on me. 

Think of it as lap+.

Are you trying to kill me, Bnice2mice??

Your dog Parsley looks like my dog Stella!