Friday, May 9. 2008
Little Walter on harmonica with Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers, Wild About You, Baby, 1967.
Over the transom: As a young minister in Kentucky, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a graveside service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be buried there. I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost. Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and I stepped to the side of the open grave. There I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, as I told them that this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour out my heart and soul. As I preached about "looking forward to a brighter tomorrow" and "the glory that is to come," the workers began to say "Amen," "Praise the Lord," and "Glory!" The fervor of these men truly inspired me. So, I preached and I preached like I had never preached before, all the way from Genesis to Revelations. I finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers say to another, "I ain't NEVER seen nothin' like that before, and I've been puttin' in septic tanks for 30 years!"
Samuel Finley Morse Badger of Massachusetts, aka Sam Badger, aka Solon Francis Montecello Badger, painted ship portraits. This is the schooner Edward H. Cole: 
Wednesday, May 7. 2008
 "The national median home price for existing homes is just over $200,000 right now. Knowing how difficult it is to find a home for that price in some areas of the country, I decided to do a little research to see how much it would cost to buy a '$200,000 home' in different cities."
That median house in Topeka: $115,000. In Greenwich: $1,400,000. Average home prices, at A Comparison of US Home Prices. (h/t, Wall St. Fighter) 
Photos: Larger photo is a $1,495,000 home in Greenwich, CT. The other is a $109,000 home in Topeka, KS. I believe I could have a fine life in anything with a roof, as long as I have my fireplace, my broadband, and a place to grow tomatoes.
 Some friends are leaving soon for a ten-day Ireland golf trip.
There seems to be some agreement that the Royal County Down Golf Club is the best links course in the world. They will also play Ballybunion and some of the other famous links courses. I find it pleasant that Ballybunion has their etiquette listed at their site. That's Nicklaus at the 4th tee in 2001.
Tuesday, May 6. 2008
 Our Dylanologist is flying to Prague today for a visit with friends, thence by train to Rome to work for a few months.
He will need to dust off his Italian, but I know he can do that. For what it's worth, his conversational Latin isn't bad either, for a Protestant. We trust that he will be able to continue his Thursday free ads for Bob Dylan, and that he will send us some fresh photos. Especially train photos. And photos of Roman and Greek ruins. Bon voyage, and Arrivederci. Photo: Bridges of Prague
I am heading down to NYC today to see Claudio Bravo's show at the Marlborough Gallery. This is his Terracotta Triptych (oil on canvas): 
Monday, May 5. 2008
The link about make-up for men somehow randomly led me to this, and our doubtless thousands of crossdressing and transvestite readers will be happy to know that there is a Crossdressing Support site. Deep down, every guy wonders what it feels like to be a girl, don't they? And vice-versa.
Over the transom: Is one Nobel Prize
so much to ask from a child
after all I've done? Today I am a man
Tomorrow I will return
to the seventh grade. More below -
Continue reading "Jewish Haiku"
It's not a Grand Banks trawler - it's a 1970 "Grand Banks-type," which makes it more affordable. Nice 50' boat. A single guy or gal could live on her quite happily. 
Friday, May 2. 2008
 A quote from Allan Gurganus' The Lessons of Likeness: being a true history of Thomas Eakin's Portrait of Walt Whitman:
This oil portrait braids the sagas of two self-described toughs: Walt Whitman very much of Brooklyn-New York and Thomas Eakins, a definite Philadelphian. A couple of American pioneers, the John Muir of literature and at least the Kit Carson of 19th century Main Line aesthetics! Of all the portraits depicting our nation’s outsized Gandolphian wizards, I have fixed on this one for the simplest reason: I love the work of both sitter and artist. Their efforts go on changing and enlarging my own efforts. Respect and awe leading to love—surely that’s at least the beginning of an understanding?
Image: Walt Whitman, shortly before his death, by Thomas Eakins
Thursday, May 1. 2008
The laws regarding the importation of any Cuban products - including cigars - into the US are unambiguous and harsh. However, I do not think that they are enforced with any vigor. These laws seem to be a testament to the political power of the Cuban emigree population in Florida, who (rightly) hate Fidel so much that they are (wrongly, I feel) willing to harm all Cubans economically. Re cigars, the history is that, prior to the embargo in the 60s, it was Cuban tobacco that was in demand - not Cuban cigars (which were a small part of the market). The best hand-made cigars were built with Cuban tobacco fillers and Connecticut wrappers in Miami, Tampa, and New Jersey. 
Editor: Juan Paxety corrects some of The B's assumptions, in the comments.
Wednesday, April 30. 2008
Tuesday, April 29. 2008
My current favorite smoke: Macanudo 1993 Vintage No. 2. Spicy. Definitely needs no aging in ye olde humidificatorium. By the way, do not expect me to ever discuss Cubans here. 
Monday, April 28. 2008
We posted a painting by James Buttersworth last week. This one, Welcome Home, is by his father, Thomas (1768-1842). 
Saturday, April 26. 2008
After a long hiatus, they're back. Here are a couple of brick bungalows, of a style very common in the streetcar neighborhoods of Nashville, built for middle-class families in the 1920s (these two are both from the Edgehill neighborhood, close to Vanderbilt). They don't try to be flashy, but are solid, well-proportioned homes that are now far more popular among buyers than their much more recently-built ranch style counterparts in the same neighborhood. 
Friday, April 25. 2008
"It may be perpetual motion, but it will take forever to test it."
A site for perpetual motion machines and other things that don't work. (Toon from the site). h/t Neatorama
James Buttersworth (1817-1894) is probably the best-known maritime artist. He worked out of New Jersey and Brooklyn. This is Yachts Racing in the Upper Bay, 1860. 
Thursday, April 24. 2008
 This one goes out to Dr. Mercury, who was craving a somewhat more patriotic offering after our Dylan post earlier today. Fair and balanced. Would you believe it, though, that Dylan actually toured with Merle just a couple years ago? And one of the songs of Dylan's last album was directly inspired by Merle's classic "Workingman's Blues"? They have more in common than one might imagine. Anyways, here is the Red State answer to "Masters of War:"
"I hear people talkin' bad,
About the way we have to live here in this country,
Harpin' on the wars we fight,
An' gripin' 'bout the way things oughta be.
I don't mind 'em switchin' sides,
An' standin' up for things they believe in.
But when they're runnin' down our country, man,
They're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Runnin' down the way of life,
Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep.
If you don't love it, leave it:
Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'.
If you're runnin' down our country, man,
You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
I read about some squirrely guy,
Who claims he just don't believe in fightin'.
An' I wonder just how long,
The rest of us can count on bein' free.
They love our milk an' honey,
But they preach about some other way of livin'.
When they're runnin' down our country, hoss,
They're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Runnin' down the way of life,
Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep.
If you don't love it, leave it:
Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'.
If you're runnin' down our country, man,
You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Runnin' down the way of life,
Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep.
If you don't love it, leave it:
Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'.
If you're runnin' down our country, man,
You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me."
Wednesday, April 23. 2008
 Several of us Maggie's Farmers enjoy visiting Scotland and Turkey (the fact that we love visiting Italy goes without saying, and our Italian- and Latin-speaking Dylanologist will be there soon, working this summer).
Turkey has the exotic feel, the food, the people, the scenery - and the history. This is how I plan to do my next visit to Turkey. Meanwhile, I hear from Bird Dog that he is planning to join a church trip to Israel. He has been to Turkey, too, and loves the country.
The Cornell Farm, 1848. It is believed that Hicks was schooled in sign-painting: his primitivism was no affectation. He was also a Quaker minister. This pictures the Cornell farm's (Bucks Country, PA) prize animals. 
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