28/07/2014

C'est la vie

The Visitation.
Frida Kahlo, the Gran Ardilla
It's an established fact that I love squirrels, well all animals, but this post is about squirrels. And, this summer, as previous ones here in Florida, there are several who come every morning for the peanuts I put around Frida Kahlo, the Gran Ardilla's, memorial pineapple palm tree. But this summer, other than Ragnar Halftail, the crew is a bunch of scraggly tailed imbeciles. They're cute but dumb as rocks. And lazy. To begin with, they're being sandbagged by a cluster of enterprising blackbirds. These fellows define the term "early bird". I had to change tactics. Now, instead of scattering peanuts around the tree, I wait till the little dolts get here then I toss nuts to them from the balcony. But there's no guarantee they will notice them, even when accidentally bonked on the head by one. And, if they do notice, chances are the simpletons immediately break into a fierce up, down and around the tree battle over it while the blackbirds dive-bomb from the fronds, scoop up the nuts and take off. And these dunderheads are picky. Sometimes one grabs a nut, smells it, drops it and goes for a piece of corn instead. The birds don't seem too interested in corn so I put plenty of that out. And, if a squirrel does decided to have a peanut, they are just as likely to scamper off and bury it in grass and yes, the smarty pants blackbirds loooove that. So, c'est la vie.

14/07/2014

Scenes from LA's Melrose and Fairfax Flea Market

July 14

My recap of our recent week in LA languishes.

Looking in on things.

It's not that that I'm trying to make it "literature".


Pink flamingos and palm trees 

Like M. Lee always says, "blog writing isn't writing".


"Don't you listen to him, honey!"

Of course, that's bullshit.


It's all good

But he's also right.


Man and man in the glass

Anyway, it's like I said, I'm still turning and tweeking photos


Flea market explorer with David and Marilyn

and not getting to the damn list of places we went.


The yellow-breasted Haggler
Habitat: flea markets, yard sales, thrift shops,
rummage sales and kool-aid stands

So here are a few from LA's Melrose and Fairfax Flea Market
for your amusement and to refresh the page.

10/07/2014

My little problem

I am finally having to admit that I have a problem with, how do I say, cameras? It's not a technical problem. It's not the camera. It's me. I'm obsessed with taking photos. It's unmanageable. I spent the day juggling an absurd number of images from the last month alone. I (excuse me. quick pause while I take a couple of photos of some really fabulous clouds in the evening sky) 'm not kidding. It's bad. I am drowning in images. I've got to start dealing with this.

LA at night from a moving vehicle
LA at night from a moving vehicle

09/07/2014

Sky Bridge home

Sunday lunch with the Chaus at the
Hsi Lai Buddhist Monastery - Hacienda Heights, CA
posted from Bloggeroid

We're home. Or were. I'm writing this as we drive  across Florida on Alligator Alley. No. Haven't seen any alligators. They troll rest stops for handouts but this time we're on a mission and not stopping

Crossing Tampa's Sky Bridge
yesterday with Swami, Minerva and Andy.

Thanks to M. Lee's fastidious planning, the LA trip went very well. Once I download the photos I'll post a few and a recap.

05/07/2014

Lunch at the Buddhist monastery buffet

We're out of here in 15 minutes to pick up Kathy's friends and then... well .... the title tells the rest of the tale. Photos to follow here and at Instagram. I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm totally sucked into Instagram these days. It's the Deconstructionist's fault. I joined just to see her photos and then she stopped posting. Go figure. And her blog hasn't been updated for over a year. Damn! She's my favorite blogger, and not just because she's my daughter. She's a wonderful writer.

Anyway, like I said, photos to follow, including (at some point) photos of the Airbnb place we're staying. It's pretty cool and in a great location, two blocks from the Melrose entrance to Paramount Studios. Every time we drive by it I expect to see a long black limo pulling in with Marilyn Monroe in the backseat.

04/07/2014

LA wanderings


LA graffiti artist

We're in LA for the week but I just can't keep up with it here. As usual, we are running from morning till night. I'm dashing this off at breakfast time but we're leaving shortly and that will be the day.

Shane & Lee - James Ensor exhibit at the Getty


More photos at imgur.....