"What is this world coming too when a scumsucker like that can get away with broadcasting her cramps on Facebook?"
~Dr. Gonzo
4.30.2009
The Red House
"...where black people and white people buy furniture."
Visit The Red House to learn about great deals and racial harmony.
Visit The Red House to learn about great deals and racial harmony.
Passive Aggression.Com
We recently had a hilarious incident occur at our office. SOMEONE in the building wears WAY too much perfume--and sprays it on herself in the women's bathroom about 4 times a day. Everyone has been whispering about this. But yesterday, a mysterious person with more balls than we have (at least, passive aggressive ones), tacked up a note in the kitchen. It is a Web article on the etiquette of wearing perfume at work, and how wearing too much can not only be an annoyance for co-workers, but debilitating to people with certain allergies and nerve diseases. We spent the afternoon speculating about the poster of the note...which led to our discovering a wonderful Web site, Passive Aggressive Notes. Here you can read examples of passive aggression from around the globe, including a note scrawled on a tortilla and a savage letter concerning the violation of an office desk, decorated with snarling woodland creatures. Not least among the reasons why this blog is fun to read is the multitude of grammatical errors in the anonymous hate notes.
4.29.2009
Free Cone Day
This is a nasty-ass cycad cone.
Here is Dixie touching the nasty-ass cone.
Here is the big cone on the other cycad.
Holy cone! The day we touched the cones was Free Cone Day in Gainesville!!!
Bison Birthday: IV (Erin's Gifts)
Travis the gnome sits in our potted plant just inside the office doorway, greeting visitors with a friendly smile.
Charlie the Banana King button!
4.28.2009
Aunt Jane
I found this picture on my family's Facebook page (yes, it's such a gigantic clan we have our own group). This is my great-aunt (grandfather's sister) Jane Veronica Dobski in Miami in the 1930s. She was a famous beauty--so pretty that her parents made her pump gas in a cute outfit at their store to bring in business. She died an alcoholic in her 50s. If I have a daughter, I'd like to name her Veronica.
4.27.2009
Bison Birthday: III (Lakeland)
For Part 3 of my birthday, I went down to visit my friend Caitlin in Lakeland.
This is Caitlin at Crisper's in downtown Lakeland.
Yes, an Amtrak train runs right through downtown. I waved to people looking out of the windows.
This is Caitlin at the lake in Lakeland. Is it called Lake Lakeland?
This is me and a male swan. He was guarding his lady on her nest.
This is a swan's egg. They're about the size of grapefruits and a pale bluish color.
This is Caitlin at Crisper's in downtown Lakeland.
Yes, an Amtrak train runs right through downtown. I waved to people looking out of the windows.
This is Caitlin at the lake in Lakeland. Is it called Lake Lakeland?
This is me and a male swan. He was guarding his lady on her nest.
This is a swan's egg. They're about the size of grapefruits and a pale bluish color.
Bison Birthday: II (Presies)
I don't get that many presents in a year, so I thought I'd indulge myself and show off how many nice friends I have.
These are gifts from Emily, T.S., and Jadh. Emily got me a copy of The Creek by J.T. Glisson and some honeybell marmalade (smack smack!) from Pearl Country Store--also two bumper stickers, one of which is on my car. Jadh bought me a Waylon Jennings CD and Cross Creek Cookery by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
Presents from Mom.
Whoa! One of Mom's awesomest presents ever: A genuine TIKI MUG!!!!! As Jen says, "I love me some tiki!"
This is T.S.'s main gift to me: an alebrije. They are from Oaxaca, Mexico. This one's a cat. I named her Luna because she's night-blue and has moths on both sides.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the gifts from Erin: a gnome on a stick (Travis) who now resides in one of our office pot plants, greeting visitors with a cheery smile and a reminder to handwater; and a Charlie and the Banana King Button. Dr. Gonzo sent me a filthy T-shirt which cannot be shown on this semi-family-friendly blog, but which was a hit at home.
These are gifts from Emily, T.S., and Jadh. Emily got me a copy of The Creek by J.T. Glisson and some honeybell marmalade (smack smack!) from Pearl Country Store--also two bumper stickers, one of which is on my car. Jadh bought me a Waylon Jennings CD and Cross Creek Cookery by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
Presents from Mom.
Whoa! One of Mom's awesomest presents ever: A genuine TIKI MUG!!!!! As Jen says, "I love me some tiki!"
This is T.S.'s main gift to me: an alebrije. They are from Oaxaca, Mexico. This one's a cat. I named her Luna because she's night-blue and has moths on both sides.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the gifts from Erin: a gnome on a stick (Travis) who now resides in one of our office pot plants, greeting visitors with a cheery smile and a reminder to handwater; and a Charlie and the Banana King Button. Dr. Gonzo sent me a filthy T-shirt which cannot be shown on this semi-family-friendly blog, but which was a hit at home.
An Interlude of Weasels
Virgil in the mountains, Fall 2008
Last summer, Virgil the dog had a good friend at the field where he runs: a weasel. Weasels are cute, but they have sharp teeth and claws and are actually quite vicious. Virgil thought the weasel was a toy and attempted to pick it up in his mouth. The weasel was having none of it. All summer, Virgil was covered with weasel scabs. He was bitten on the face many times. He forgot about running in the field and just hung around the weasel rock where the little creature had its den entrance. The whole nearby rock pile seemed to be underlaid with a network of tunnels, since the weasel would sometimes pop out many feet away from the rock and then disappear before Virgil could get him...and the whole place was tinged with a musky odor. One day, walking in the creek below the field, I found the remains of the weasel's lunch...several bluish crayfish claws on a flat rock by one of the deeper pools.
Now it's nearly summer again, and my folks are back in the mountains. On their very first time running Virgil at the field, they saw not one, not two, but THREE weasels! The weasel of last summer apparently found a mate over the winter (no, weasels do not hibernate), and now they have a baby! Virgil is very excited about his three new friends.
Here are some weasels:
4.26.2009
Bison Birthday: Part I
To celebrate my 29th, T.S. Elliot and I went out to La Chua Trail that goes by Alachua Sink and out onto Payne's Prairie. This was on Friday the 17th. We were out from about 2-5 p.m. on a cloudless, breezy, sunny day in the mid-70s--perfect Florida weather.
We saw:
Birds & Gators
Specifically, little egrets doing mating dances...
...a tricolored heron...
...four (total) black-necked stilts (and two stilt sandpipers I didn't get a picture of)...
...and gators! (They're singing Happy Birthday, I think.)
We saw toitulls...
...a great blue heron...
...and more gators!
Suddenly, the birding hike turned into a wildlife safari. For the first time in four years, I glimpsed (at close range, too!) a herd of wild horses in a variety of shades, grazing out on the prairie. As if that weren't good enough, we were also treated to a herd of twenty bison, not far from the horses, also enjoying the sunny day and fragrant herbage.
That guy lying down was about 100 feet away from me.
This is me on the trail:
I should mention that we also saw a mother alligator and her nine orange-and-black-striped babies, each about six inches long; and a gator munch on a turtle or moorhen--he launched up out of the lily pads, grabbed the thing, fought it, thrashing around, and then subsided chomping under the greenery. Quite a show!
To be continued...
We saw:
Birds & Gators
Specifically, little egrets doing mating dances...
...a tricolored heron...
...four (total) black-necked stilts (and two stilt sandpipers I didn't get a picture of)...
...and gators! (They're singing Happy Birthday, I think.)
We saw toitulls...
...a great blue heron...
...and more gators!
Suddenly, the birding hike turned into a wildlife safari. For the first time in four years, I glimpsed (at close range, too!) a herd of wild horses in a variety of shades, grazing out on the prairie. As if that weren't good enough, we were also treated to a herd of twenty bison, not far from the horses, also enjoying the sunny day and fragrant herbage.
That guy lying down was about 100 feet away from me.
This is me on the trail:
I should mention that we also saw a mother alligator and her nine orange-and-black-striped babies, each about six inches long; and a gator munch on a turtle or moorhen--he launched up out of the lily pads, grabbed the thing, fought it, thrashing around, and then subsided chomping under the greenery. Quite a show!
To be continued...
Amendment: 22nd B'day
I forgot that this one also included a surprise party at work, my favorite Brooklyn bookstore. My boss Henry and Seth and Zack and the other BookCourt workers contrived to get a marvelous raspberry cake (dairy free!) from Marquet Patisserie and surprised me with it and song. That was a good one.
4.25.2009
Birthdays of My 20s
One week ago today I turned 29.
Before I get to the particulars of this birthday, let me review the Birthdays of My 20s.
20: Was living in Arizona. Got a surprise birthday party from my friends that was extremely well executed. My boyfriend Joel had to take me into Tucson, about an hour away, to go to the U of A library. When we got there, he told me that he had to get home to watch a Star Trek episode. I was SO MAD at him and treated him like shit all the way home...where it turned out my roommates had been setting up for the party and cooking. Joel had baked me a chocolate cake. I was ashamed and delighted.
21: Don't remember. Probably celebrated with boyfriend Stephen.
22: Dinner with Mom?
23: Uhhh....Don't remember.
24: Went with Mom and Dad to visit the historic Moris Jumel House at the very northernmost tip of Manhattan Island. A manor house that George Washington once slept in, it is now surrounded by ghetto but still commands amazing views of the Hudson River from the cliffs. We visited an ancient cemetery in the neighborhood, then returned to Carroll Gardens for Italian food at The Red Rose.
25: Don't remember. But do remember that shortly thereafter I was set up on a blind date with parents' friends' son Noah, who drove with me down to Florida to deliver me to the MFA@FLA program that summer, which changed my life.
26: Birthday party at the Boulevards with Linsey, whose birthday is the day after mine. I had a freak out and ran away from my own party with inebriated friends Alison, Troy, Brek, and Sean. Went to Alison and Troy's house and played cornhole.
27: Dinner at The Yearling Restaurant in Cross Creek with Sean, Saara, Eric, Marianne, Dave, Bliman, and Heather. Sean surprised me by sending me out to smoke and ordering a special cake to be brought while the staff sang "Happy Birthday" and the old blues guy played it on his guitar.
28: Lunch at the Wine & Cheese Gallery with work girlfriends, then dinner at Blue Water Bay in Melrose with T.S. Found an awesome lake and hung out with some fishermen. Opened presents at home, including my Sibley's birding guide and my moonstone necklace.
What have I learned from all these birthdays? Nothing. There's no pattern here at all.
Before I get to the particulars of this birthday, let me review the Birthdays of My 20s.
20: Was living in Arizona. Got a surprise birthday party from my friends that was extremely well executed. My boyfriend Joel had to take me into Tucson, about an hour away, to go to the U of A library. When we got there, he told me that he had to get home to watch a Star Trek episode. I was SO MAD at him and treated him like shit all the way home...where it turned out my roommates had been setting up for the party and cooking. Joel had baked me a chocolate cake. I was ashamed and delighted.
21: Don't remember. Probably celebrated with boyfriend Stephen.
22: Dinner with Mom?
23: Uhhh....Don't remember.
24: Went with Mom and Dad to visit the historic Moris Jumel House at the very northernmost tip of Manhattan Island. A manor house that George Washington once slept in, it is now surrounded by ghetto but still commands amazing views of the Hudson River from the cliffs. We visited an ancient cemetery in the neighborhood, then returned to Carroll Gardens for Italian food at The Red Rose.
25: Don't remember. But do remember that shortly thereafter I was set up on a blind date with parents' friends' son Noah, who drove with me down to Florida to deliver me to the MFA@FLA program that summer, which changed my life.
26: Birthday party at the Boulevards with Linsey, whose birthday is the day after mine. I had a freak out and ran away from my own party with inebriated friends Alison, Troy, Brek, and Sean. Went to Alison and Troy's house and played cornhole.
27: Dinner at The Yearling Restaurant in Cross Creek with Sean, Saara, Eric, Marianne, Dave, Bliman, and Heather. Sean surprised me by sending me out to smoke and ordering a special cake to be brought while the staff sang "Happy Birthday" and the old blues guy played it on his guitar.
28: Lunch at the Wine & Cheese Gallery with work girlfriends, then dinner at Blue Water Bay in Melrose with T.S. Found an awesome lake and hung out with some fishermen. Opened presents at home, including my Sibley's birding guide and my moonstone necklace.
What have I learned from all these birthdays? Nothing. There's no pattern here at all.
4.24.2009
Easter Sunday Was the Bomb
Kaity sang karaoke.
We visited the chicks in a box.
We took a tour of the Eubanks family farm.
We fed the wild turkeys...
...and we paid a visit to the old sinkhole.
Yes, there is a gator under the water here.
We visited the chicks in a box.
We took a tour of the Eubanks family farm.
We fed the wild turkeys...
...and we paid a visit to the old sinkhole.
Yes, there is a gator under the water here.
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