Camera Critters # 23

What is Camera Critters you ask? It's a weekly photo meme where people submit pictures of animals and pets. I know about it from my friend Bobbie who is a regular participant. I thought it would be fun to try to submit something, so here is the dragonfly photo I took when we were boating on the Connecticut River a few weeks ago. Click on the icon below to check out the list of participants who have submitted entries this week.

Brilliante Award!

From a blogger who's quite brilliante herself, that coolest of cool women DivaJood.

I now bestow the dazzling award to some of the most effervescent boys in the neighborhood. Each appreciated by me for their unique talents.

Singing Bear - Gifted musicologist, music critic, poet and good friend

The Cunning Runt - Brilliante nature photographer and part of my family; as like...in the real world sphere.

The Poetryman Poet extraordinaire, lives for peace and peacefully lives; always

Ed of Enriched Geranium Musician and fine blog commenter on my esoteric music posts (thank you for indulging me)

and

Steve of Color Sweet Tooth - Savor the artist's colors; he is a luscious painter and incredible art commenter on my blog. Lucky me!

The Friday Evening Nudes

Paul Cadmus

Colored Pencil On Paper
1983

Phillip Pearlstein
Two Models On A Kilim Rug
1966

Delacroix
Male Academy Figure

John Constable
Seated Nude Male Figure

Michelangelo
Eve
Fresco (detail)
Vatican, Rome

Are YOU Resisting The Urge?

My post Just Say No To Abstinence-Only Sex Education is up at The Peace Tree. It includes this little ditty from Edward Current.You're gonna enjoy this one! ;-)

div>
Resisting The Urge

Note: I want to apologize for not commenting on blogs and for not responding to comments in a timely fashion. I'm incredibly busy with work; having taken on a few projects that require extra time at home. I've also been trying to take advantage of the beautiful weather while it lasts. There just isn't time in a day to do everything that needs to get done; let alone things I enjoy, like blogging.

My goal is to catch up on blogs over the weekend. Till then.

Love & Peace,
Pagan

Bad Art Or Not?

Narrow Are The Vessels
Anselm Kiefer
( photo of the installation on the grounds of the home of the collector)
Here is the installation permanently moved to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
MoCA

Some information on the structure: it's 80 feet long and consists of six tons of salvaged concrete slabs. The collector, who remains anonymous, had it in his yard in Connecticut until he was sued by the Fairfield Historic District Commission because technically and legally, Narrow are the Vessels is a structure of its own, with regard to its mass and gravity. The collector, who had to temporarily close the street to allow five large flatbed trucks to deliver the slabs to his property, didn’t object to the term “structure” and didn’t fight the case. Instead, he transferred it to Massachusetts, a state with less-imposed structure laws, for it to be displayed in the Museum of Contemporary Art. The collector remained anonymous but did say he decided to replace that piece with another piece that can be moved more easily.

I saw this structure on a visit to MoCA last year. I'll share my impressions in comments.

note: I purposely did not link the artist to a web reference because I think it may affect your impressions. I knew nothing about Kiefer when I saw the installation. I can't wait to read Steve's comment on this one! :-)

Bad art or not?
You weight in.
(no pun intended)

From PDA: Here's Something You Can Do

Join the Pressure Campaign!

Our grassroots pressure on Congress is working! Thanks to your help, PDA and a coalition of other groups have STALLED H. Con. Res. 362, the Iran Blockade Bill! PDA alone sent over 13,000 emails to Congress in July. But our Hill sources expect similar anti-Iran bills to be introduced when Congress comes back from recess September 8. We need to lead with a preemptive pressure campaign against similar extreme bills and in favor of a more effective diplomatic approach.

Package to Congress:
PDA and The Council for the National Interest will be hand delivering a package of materials supporting diplomacy to EVERY Senator and Member of the House during the week of September 8 – 12. This is a landmark diplomacy package signed by seven prestigious former ambassadors and deputy ambassadors that could change the direction of debate in Congress and America as to how we relate to the rest of the world. Click here to learn more and review the package contents.

Call-In Week:
In support of the package delivery, we need to keep the pressure on with telephone call-ins and emails beginning this week (September 8 – 12). The basic messages are:

1. Please work for a return to diplomacy first and military force as our last resort, as the primary principles of US foreign policy.
2. Specifically, co-sponsor H. Con. Res. 321, calling for a comprehensive diplomatic initiative in the Middle East that could defuse the Iran tensions and aid our responsible withdrawal from Iraq.Do not support the Iran Blockade Bills, H. Con. Res. 362 in the House, or S. Res. 580 in the Senate, or any similar extreme bills that might be introduced.

Here’s the Action:

• Call the Capitol switchboard at 202 224-3121 and ask for your Representative or Senator.
• Or click this link to send an email to your Representative and Senators.
• If you are really “gung ho”, you can also call the chairs of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Howard Berman at (202) 225-5021 and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Joe Biden (202) 224-4651.

Phone calls are especially effective because they create a buzz in the office. Ask to speak to the legislative aid who handles Iraq and Iran. If their Member is already in accord with our positions thank them and urge them to convince their colleagues to vote the same. As always, be polite and respectful, but be firm, as this is a crucial time.

Thank you!

Howard Jennings for the Out of Iraq IOT

A Boat Ride on the River

Last Sunday, a day equally as beautiful weather-wise as today, W.P. and I went out on the boat to explore the river that surrounds us - the mighty Connecticut.

Along the bank

I found this formation of bark jutting out of the rock interesting

(above)
We saw a great blue heron and later when we stopped to eat our picnic lunch, a dragonfly landed on my knee

The French King Bridge
(It was named after the nearby French King Rock, a geological formation in the river but no one seems to know which French king it was named after or why.)

We love the silhouttes of so many dead branches than hang from the bank over the water. Sometimes the one below is covered with birds.

W.P. ever on the lookout for birds and other animals. He's almost always the first in any group of people to spot the critters.

(below)

An island of grass

Time to go home