Who do you admire? Clamz edition.

Philip Guston: the year he died! his shirt, his face, and his hands looks like his paintings!

Dan Bejar: so gypsy chic! but I sing British blues music!

Joan Mitchell: I can fit in with all of those masculine drunks! and I love my dogz!

Toadz

I've always loved the natural world but lately I've been into toads more than ever. It all started when a lovely plump toad returned to our porch every night around 9:45 pm. From then on, we always made sure he was there, even watched him catch bugs, and it seemed he liked to be petted. He didn't mind the flash of the camera or being observed. Once I made him upset and he released his water sac!!! Oops, I'll try not to startle him from now on.

Then one day he didn't come back. Life wasn't the same. Yeah, its summer and I'm bored--but toads have loads of personality. It hadn't rained in a while, I guess that was the reason. If you didn't know, toads burrow themselves in mud and dirt during the day and are nocturnal, most active at night. Well, since its been raining new toads have been showing up.

Lately I've been on the search for a Toad House. I also found someone who might love toads more than me. These pictures are my personal photographs of my amphibian friends. I like this one because he looks deep in thought.

Its been cold!

Thanks Winnie, that was a very sweet post. Too bad I have to bump it down with this one--but I gotta do what I gotta do.

So its been really cold here in North Carolina and among most of the Southeast and eastern part of the country. How are you dealing with it?? At first it annoyed me, much like many other people I'm sure. But then I got really used to it...the gloves, the sweaters, the scarves and hats! Warming my car up for ten minutes in the morning while I get ready for work (and not worrying, because who wants to steal my precious wheelz! (no sarcasm with "precious" intended)). Even if they did there's no way in BEEP it would go into second gear not warmed up. And I've been thinking to myself, so this is how the other half of the country lives (+ snow of course)!!

Now that its getting back to a normal NC temps again, I'm kind of sad. I really liked turning the heat down when I went to work and then bumping it up when I got back...my place heats up fast, then I'd just chill out on the floor next to the one heating vent in my whole place. Even jogging in that cold weather kind of gave me a power trip..."look how motivated I am!!"

Its has also made for some interesting (if sad) news. A man died in Miami of hypothermia. Iguanas are falling off of trees in Florida because their body temps have gone so low and then they just shut down. FYI, they aren't native. Owners just release them once they don't want them and they have multiplied. Manatees in Florida have also been gathering around an electric company's pipes because of the warmer the water. The plant has even turned up the heater for the sea cows!! That's kind of sweet.