Discovering Beauty in Everyday Life

 As you may remember, our Anthropological-Photographer has been studying the courtship and mating behaviors of the local jogging populations for over a year, supported by a grant from an undisclosed foundation. At Last!  Our travelling Anthro-photographer has witnessed, documented and photographed two local joggers in the very early stages of the Jogger Courtship Ritual Dance. Note the intense concentration and the complete lack of awareness of the fifth foot.  

A careful grant-supported study of local joggers by a well respected New York Anthro-photographer has at last  documented the ritual courtship and mating dance of the New York jogger.  Astonishingly, the investigator has captured and photographed the early  phases of this ritual. Ritual Phase I   Ritual Phase II

I was amazed and a little shocked to receive this original photo of GrandPapa Squiva.  He is so like his Grandchild, yet unmistakably not  Our Squiva.  As you probably know, Our Squiva comes from a long line of theatrical people.  Indeed, GrandPapa Squiva was a founding member of the National Union of The Squirrel.  This rare photo is from GrandPapa's youth, when he was still doing extra work.  It  is extracted and enlarged from a Life Magazine advertisement for Tufty FluffyTail Squirrel Educational Cartoons (or a Look advertisements for Mixed Planter's Nuts).   http://ukanimation.blogspot.com/2010/02/tufty-under-5s.html From the Archives of Ahouva Rubenstein

Shhhh.  We may not be seeing Squiva  for a short while, since I have reason to believe that he/she is on an assignation.  Now we mustn't raise false hopes of new little S quivas ; after all, there are several sorts of assignations. It may be an appointment, an engagement or a simple tryst. Squiva may have gone back to  school to become a Physicians Assistant or an Architect.  I mean, I have no reason whatsoever to jump to any rendezvous conclusion. Nevertheless:  the concern with the tail, the obvious effort at fluffing up, the slinking off into a darkened dell, the camouflage of shadow.... Let's take a closer look.  (zoom,   zoom.) Oh Dear.

Crestone Colorado lies up against the Sangre De Cristo Mountains on the Eastern side of the San Luis Valley. The quiet capatures reality. I’m a Westerner by birth and a City dweller by happenstance. In a quiet place, nature listens. Deer Listening at a Window Junco Listening for a seed

Hello Boys and Girls, Today we are going to be creating fish. We have been studying the various requirements for a successful fish, and your job this recess is to Create One Fish. Rules: 1. You may create anything you like that still qualifies as a fish rather than a non-fish. 2. It must not eat everything in sight, or there won’t be enough other fish to go around. 3. Similarly, it must not be easily preyed upon and eaten. 4. You may use any fins, strings, colors, appendages, densities, self lighting systems, lacey pieces, gils, courting rituals, scales, behavior systems or anatomical proportions so long as you create a reasonably happy fish. Now go out and play.

Here are three photos of my feather on three spots of pavement within a yard of one another. How lucky to find such a feather amid the cemented urban cacophony.

Guest Feather by L.C. of Chicago and Santa Fe!  How do you like my Guest Feather? I won’t be getting a photo of my polka dot feather until next week, and in the meanwhile, this beautiful one has agreed to stand in it’s stead. It was donated by a seagull who was passing by that way.

(stock photo?  Not my photo!) Fortunately, I am safe, because my trusted wood-watchhog marmochuck is keeping watch.