Mouse

There was a mouse living in my car in August. Now there is either another mouse living in my car or the original mouse is still there. I am going to have to get a cat. For my car.

Fall

Not sure if I like this or if it bugs me or both (I heard that Julia McWilliams bugged Paul Child before their long and happy marriage). What I do like is that it is no more a photo trick than turning a picture on its side. I like Rodney Graham's upside down trees but I am not so sure they did not bug me the first time I saw them.

Overheard at a Cafe

I heard these guys - mostly one guy talking - about their band:

I’ve learned not to hitch my wagons too tight to her because like you said one bout of bronchitis and she’s ready to kill herself

You gotta keep taking those pills

Lets sit down and do a listening session - if I get a list of your songs. It’s a really easy stream of income. 300 bucks a night.

We don’t have to worry about no one. We don’t have to worry about Kevin, we don’t have to worry about Andy, we don’t have to worry about none of those guys.

I think we should take catfish to a gigging level

If anyone wants a three piece bluesy smokin’ band they got it -

You and I and drummer to be named later…

Once we learn the songs - you wrote ‘m so you ain’t never gonna forget ‘em. Once I learn them we will be able to play them at a moments notice.

Thank goodness

Yes

Right

Exactly

Yeah, yeah

Right

Yep

Well I think so too. She called me in a tizzy. I didn’t even call her back

She’s either busy or mad at me

OK. She’ll probably call me back tonight

Tell her you talked to me tell her everythings good

We can squeeze a practice in Saturday

Or Sunday. If not all of next week is open too.

Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Next time you talk to him tell him you know me.

Oh, that’s perfect.

Right

Blue Tooth Ranch

This is where I spent New Years with some dear old friends (some dear, some old).

This is the old bridge. Back when this was a cattle ranch, before it was a grape ranch, this bridge was the only way to get the cattle from the pasture to the the slaughter house.

The Pasture.

The dear old chicken and her colleagues.

The hedge. Every time I visit the Blue Tooth there is something new. This is as much a statement about my memory as it is about actual changes.

The guard dog. The sweet, young guard dog.

Sid Ames

A former neighbor. I stole this picture from his profile on a popular social networking site.

Flooded Truck

Maybe park with the tailgate on the downhill side next time.

Christmas

Two of my favorite Christmas presents: St. Labre Indian School Salt and Pepper Shakers. I can imagine Him walking around the Holy Land salting and peppering the poor people's fish (that He taught them to catch) with these handy, durable, and stylish shakers.

Good-bye Black Santa (Updated)

Yesterday I spent a few hours cutting, with inadequate scissors and shaving with a brave, hand-powered Gillete (even with three blades it was not meant for such a task), my two year old beard.

Beard when it was about 1 year old. Photo by Samuel Copeland

People no longer recognize me. Admittedly, I am in a town where no one knows me, but nevertheless these strangers do not recognize me. I feel like they should be saying, "Oh my God, you shaved." My face feels different. The skin is cold and clammy. My cheeks can now gauge wind velocity with impressive accuracy. The skin is red and bumpy like (fill in the blank with something red and bumpy).
I miss it.
It is a day later and it has already started to grow back.

I have since shaved the mustache (You should hear my version of Bohemian Rhapsody)

A note on the title: to some I was known as Black Santa. To some white people.

New Camera

This is the beautiful camera I got for Thanksgiving from Kate.

Winter

It is so cold lately that Diego has taken to wearing his sweater in the house,

when he would rather put on his trunks and go for a swim.

Bloggle bloggle

My brother made this beautiful berry pie for Thanksgiving.

Kate and I bought three cast iron frying pans and a giant pot (8 quarts) for 5 dollars from The Salvation Army.

We baked little apple pies in the pans.

Shaping Loaves

I found this helpful for my baking habit.

Stephen Eichorn

This hand drawn (ink on paper) work is based on the artist Stephen Eichorn from Chicago. There is a link to his work to the right. I am a big fan of his work.

Sadler Boise Idaho

The life preserver in this photograph was in my office when I got back from Chicago Yesterday.
It took a while to find out where it came from. A couple with the last name Sadler, donated a camera to the department and, inexplicably, they asked if anyone might want a life preserver that said Sadler on it. Turns out our department did have someone who fit that description. I could be described as someone who would want a life ring with the name Sadler on it.

Cooking Under Pressure

With radio and cockatiels in the background, and chicken in the pot.

I Love My Shirts

Bread

I was happy about the way this bread, from my starter, turned out. It was cooked in a cast iron frying pan in the oven.

Overlooked

I am not so much happy that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize as I am sad that I did not - again. How can some dude who is the leader of the most powerful armed forces in the world win while someone who does not even control a really, really, small army (not even a gang) lose -time and time again?

Cabins I LIke

These cabins were not only chosen because of their considerable charm but also because they were well lit and easy to photograph.