31 October - Current Events



Happy to be back online, following the tragic outage of the last couple of days brought on by the exceeding of our measly bandwidth allowance. Meanwhile, in the news...

... A pumpkin sports

25 October - Extensive Fall Coverage



We're now entering the prime fall catwalk season, but only Natasha rallied to this afternoon's call. Above, a tree that came down during yesterday's monsoon makes for some excellent climbing.




Natasha keeps a careful eye on one of the Museum's Forest Preserve deer. Leroy will sometimes chase the deer, but hasn't brought any down, yet.




Meanwhile, back at

It should be obvious that the wise motorman knows not to stop for a giant squid who has to pee.

23 October - Still From the Collection



From the Museum's collections, a fine example of a daguerreotype, circa 1856; subject and photographer unknown.


More Daguerreotypes from the Collections:

23 October - Small Unit Tactics for Felines



Very interesting to note the Circle Cats' instinctive knowledge of infantry platoon tactics - Nutmeg (center) takes the point, while Natasha (left) peels off to take the right flank and Leroy (right) lopes off to the left flank. It seems to be a variation of the German tactical Schützenkette (skirmish line); inevitably, we call it a Schützenkatzen. It would make a great computer game; a first-person pooper.

UPDATE - Old Friend of the Museum

The Zulus called it the "Horns of the Bull" formation, with the left and right flanks (horns) sent round in a sweeping envelopment to either side, while the main body (the head) attacks and engages the enemy straight at 'em. Patton encouraged his officers to employ this tactic at all levels of engagement: "Hold 'em by the nose and kick 'em in the pants!". Nathan Bedford Forrest was also fond of this tactic with his cavalry, which he used most effectively as mounted infantry.

18 October - Photography Before Breakfast, 1974



Stopped for breakfast and photography in Mount Vernon, Iowa, one morning in 1974. I was on my way to Madison, Wisconsin, I think, to visit

17 October - Blue Summer Day



A young blue-haired girl in a blue plaid dress on a blue swing hanging from a blue tree branch; in the background, a blue palm or blue banana tree or blue rubber plant and an inviting-looking blue hammock.

12 October - The Great Catleap Forward



Cat Natasha launches herself into orbit during Saturday's catwalk. If she was depicted thus in a cat statue with only one leg on the ground, it would signify that she had distinguished herself from her cat-brethren by getting stuck on a roof, losing an expensive hand-made cat collar, and by throwing up on a leather sofa.

Actually Natasha is taking part in a brief but far-reaching

10 October - Context of a Catdiptych



How very interesting it is to note how the meaning and context of photographs can change depending on how they are grouped, and can establish a "meaning" far removed from "reality". In the example above, it appears that Cats Leroy and Nutmeg are nervous - wary - ill-at-ease - as they keep a haggard eye focused on - in the second picture - Natasha, who contextually appears censorious - disapproving - of the other two cats.

But if we may set aside the contextual context, in "reality", Leroy and Nutmeg were actually nervously watching Natasha, who actually was censorious and disapproving. She attacked them moments after the picture was taken.

We really ought to get a grant for churning out edgy stuff like this. We can't keep doing it for free, you know.

9 October - Bier und Eisen



This image from the collection's a little late for Oktoberfest, but I'll post it anyway since it may not actually be an Obktoberfest scene. Despite the US flag that seems to be mounted on the horse, it was taken somewhere in Bavaria - notice the Bavarian colors that festoon the wagon and the lad on the horse, and the cockade on the postman's cap. Nice picture, and it reminds me that I'd like a nice cool Märzen pretty soon.

8 October - Bear Again



I was quite taken by the song The Congleton Bear, with its ursine retelling of the Osiris-Mithras-Baldr-Jesus myth, especially by happening on it so soon after watching

The Congleton Bear

The Wakes coming on and the bear he took ill
We tried him with potion, with brandy and pill.
He died in his sleep at the eve of the Wakes
The cause, it was said, was strong ale and sweet cakes.

Chorus -
The cheeses of Cheshire are famed, but beware
Of stories they tell of the Congleton Bear
Congleton Bear, Congleton Bear
They sold the Church Bible to buy a new bear.

He'd served the town well and held served the town true
To lie him in state was the least they could do.
The old bear was dead, a successor they'd need
A new bear was wanted, and that at great speed.

(Chorus)

Now a parson is useful in times of great need
And imbibed with strong porter he quickly agreed.
The parson, his Bible he gave then and there
We sold it in Nantwich to buy a new bear.

(Chorus)

The new bear, a she-bear, was toast of the town
To music and laughter she danced up and down.
So loudly the cheering would waken the dead
It caused the old bear for to rise from his bed.

(Chorus)
Pills, potion and brandy induced a deep trance
And refreshed by the music he began for to dance.
He danced down the road causing many a gaze
And word quickly spread that the old bear was raised.

(Chorus)

He rolled his dark eye as he spied the she-bear
And with an embrace they danced jigs pair-and pair.
The cheeses of Cheshire are famed but beware
Of stories they tell of the Congleton Bear.

8 October - From the Video Unit; Jeoffry Revisited



Above,

4 October - The Pugilists



Another superb tintype from the collection - a couple of dudes engage in fisticuffs, sometime around 1870.

4 October - Constabulary Duty



Here's another constabularily-themed tintype from the Janus Museum's collections. This stern though rosy-cheeked Dogberry wears a fine top hat with brass numbers, instead of the straw hat of

The Gendarmes' Duet

We're public guardians bold yet wary,
And of ourselves we take good care.
To risk our precious lives we're chary,
When danger looms we're never there,
But when we meet a helpless woman,
Or little boys that do no harm...

Chorus:
We run them in, we run them in,
We run them in, we run them in,
We show them we're the bold gendarmes.
We run them in, we run them in,
We run them in, we run them in,
We show them we're the bold gendarmes.

Sometimes our duty's extramural,
Then little butterflies we chase.
We like to gambol in things rural,
Commune with nature, face to face.
Unto our beat then back returning,
Refreshed by nature's holy charm... (chorus),

If gentlemen will make a riot,
And punch each other's heads at night,
We're quite disposed to keep it quiet,
Provided that they make it right,
But if they do not seem to see it,
Or give to us our proper terms... (chorus)

2 October - A Superb Sausage Effigy



I would like to acquire this superb hanging sign advertising Polish sausages for the Museum's collections. Plus, I would like to acquire, for myself, a Polish sausage with kraut, onions, and mustard.

No Polanski jokes, please.


Previous Sausage-Related Postings: