Scented Razors?

So. I'm trying to figure out what kind of lady would buy razors with scented handles. Really, are there women out there who sniff their razor handles? To what purpose?

Spider-eating Whippersnapper

A few weeks ago my 14-month-old daughter walked up to me with something in her mouth. It didn't appear to be food or a booger, so I yelled "Get that out of your mouth." She opened up her mouth and spit out a brown widow spider. No harm done, except to the spider. I think it drowned.

More Backyard Fun

This is my third day off in a row--a rare event here recently, but it's been nice to reconnect with the family. Today is breezy and cloudy, and last night's light rain left behind a welcome coolness. I took the littlest munchkinette outside to talk to the flowers. We had a splendid time.

Backyard Fun

I was able to spend some time with the boys today, after they came home from school. We found this big skink, about 8"-9". This isn't the first one we've found, or the first one that I've blogged about--I guess the backyard is a welcoming skink habitat. Here's a pretty good shot.

I came in a little closer, trying not to scare it away.

A little closer still.

This guy's had a tough go of it--notice the scars on his head and back, and it looks like a fairly new tail. Moving in for the big-time closeup, and . . .

Yeah, he split pretty fast, made me jump. Up the tree he went. You can just make him out, center of the picture, left side of the trunk.

I saw a lot of other wildlife. Here's two of the boys, digging in the ground for bugs. They get that honestly, I suppose.

The Circle of Life

The boys found this owl pellet in the backyard. Hair, an undigested claw--looks like a mouse met his match. Gives a new, fresh meaning to the tender lyrics of the Disney The Lion King song, "The Circle of Life": "It's the circle of life, and it moves us all"!

Pictures, and a few words

I’ve not posted in a while. In fact, I’ve not written anything in a while—partly due to lack of time, partly due to a feeling that I have nothing to say at the moment. Perhaps the two reasons are related. I know in my experience that if I do not make time to observe my place in this world (whether interior contemplation or outward observation), anything I try to write sounds half-formed and hollow.

Anyway, I’ve not been on vacation, but have been working out of town on Daufuskie Island, off the South Carolina coast. Being out of town, sharing living space with others (and trying to merge my living habits with the habits of others) has taken a toll on my writing productivity. And I’ve not had online access, so blog posting has been impossible. However, I’ve been able to enjoy a few hours of early-morning solitude on the beach, and after work I’ve had some delightful bass and redbreast fishing. Thought I’d try to send along a few pictures.

Is this seat taken?

Today I did a little work in the friendliest bathroom in Savannah. I'd have to know someone pretty good to use this--they don't call them "privates" for nothing.

Dino from Flirtatious Era

2010

I found this on the packing of a front door we set the other day--thought it was a fair visual representation of last year.

Alexander's story II

Alexander's story is finished--it took a pretty tragic turn. Chris, the hero, ended up with an arrow in the soft spot of his head (original illustration by the author, above), and the cyclops ended up winning all the battles. That's the way it goes sometimes.

Mouse in House

You may have heard we have a few mice in the house; I've spent the last few days trying to kill the little guys. I know it goes against my general stance on kindness to God's creation, but I've read The Plague--they need to know who they're messin' with. I'm leaving this one out as an example to the others.

Unusual discovery

There's an Emperor Penguin in my fridge, perched atop the Gatorade. I'm not sure how he got in there, since in my opinion a penguin (even one as royal as an Emperor-type) would not be able to open the door--I mean, they can't even use their wings to fly, much less open a fridge door. I suspect one of the kids saw him languishing in the warm South Georgia winter weather and gave him access to the top shelf. I'll let him stay awhile until he recovers, provided he leaves my Sam Adams Winter Lager alone.

Now here's something interesting

I wrote a paper for a literature class this session on Hawthorne's short story "The Minister's Black Veil." That turned out OK, but my professor gave us the additional assignment of putting together a PowerPoint presentation to go along with our paper. I was having a problem finding a picture of a minister with a black veil--yeah, I know, you'd think with all the crap on the Internet someone would have a picture like this, but nothing doing. So, with the help of my son (the photographer), my black leather hat, a black overcoat, and a couple of well-placed tissues--The Reverend Mr. Hooper comes to life!