Still life on a stick.

One of nature’s floral water vessels.

Once upon a time there was a bed of flowers past its prime. On a sunny winter day walking around Agnes Scott during a break from a short course, I came across these. I think they are hydrangeas. So glad the college gardeners found the shrub’s sculptural beauty worth leaving for others to admire.

Curiosity got the best of Little Miss Etymology.  The Greek hydr- from hydor meaning “water” was obvious. But it wasn’t until I got to peering at the dark brown clusters on my screen that I connected -angea (from angeion for “vessel or capsule”) to what are actually cup-shaped seed pods.

Culture Vulture

Visual/verbal messaging disconnect.

As I was busy being green, I was not too busy to notice a little trash humor. However, this sign is misleading…showing more what you might find at a landfill and not the recycling bin. I would have expected an illustration of boxes, cardboard, paper, bottles, cans and plastic…but not of dirt, a fish skeleton and worms. A vulture trying to find sustenance in a heap of the former would, indeed, be as lean as the one depicted.

Maybe in an attempt to redress the confusion, another warning advised that if you left anything other than recyclables (like the organic household waste pictured), you would be fined.

Haak’u Haiku

Da wa ee! — “Thank you” in Keres.

Happy St. Esteban’s Day to the people of Acoma Pueblo! Here is a haiku in honor of your special celebration. Feast on!

The Place Prepared*

Ancient seabed bluff.
Windswept views; mica leaves let
light in. Sacred still.

*Translation of “Haak’u”

Okrahoma!

Abelmoschus esculentus: Okra, no jokra!

Summer is not summer without crisp fried okra, the ultimate comfort food. I cooked up a mess last night. I was lazy (and hungry), because usually I’ll first coat the cut seed pods with a whisked egg and then cornmeal before plopping them in Spanish olive oil. A high-fiber alternative to buttered popcorn. Savory crunchiness. Texture is everything!

The word “okra” comes to English via the West African language, Akan. Should you be traveling the globe and get a hankering for such goodness, which also goes by lady’s fingers and gumbo, here’s a handy-dandy cheat sheet of how to get what you want (note the linguistic similarities):

Brazil (Portuguese): quiabo
Czech Republic (Czech): zelenina
France (French): gombo
India (Hindi/Urdu): bhindi, bhendi or bendai
Italy (Italian): gombo or abelmosco (check out the Latin heritage)
Nigeria (Igbo): ọkwurụ
Russia (Russian): okpa
Spain (Spanish): quingombó or calalú
Sub-Sahara(Bantu): kingombo
Turkey (Turkish): sebze

Wanted: R & R

Courtesy of Cali Szczawinski — Las Cruces, New Mexico.

I spied a clever turn of phrase on this campaign button that the owner of Meson de Mesilla penned herself. America, what’s not to agree about here? Let’s come to our senses and vote for reason, substance and the reversal of misfortune we’ve suffered the past 3+ years. Enough of you were naively sucked in by hope and got…nope. For others, “Sí, se puede.” was a catchy, pronunciation-friendly phrase you took a shine to. (Wow, more than a one-syllable slogan and in another language!) Most were baited with change, then switched with “Brother, can you spare some….”

This got me started.

If you gave the inexperienced, unqualified Joebama the nod four years ago, it’s o.k. That happens a lot, so we won’t hold that lapse of judgment against you. However, we do expect you to learn from and avoid repeating the folly. We need a fixer, not a poser. On to the real deal: integrity, resourcefulness, a solid work ethic, admirable intent, good energy and action that promotes and brings about prosperity. Sadly, that is not a lot to ask given the current White House occupant, that questionable American. Which is exactly the point: we need to demand more from our (highest) elected officials. In the same vein, we should also show them the door when they fail to perform to minimum standards. Inviting arrogance and his wrecking crew in for a second try is perversely tantamount to the widespread social passing of undeserving students. We do not need any more lofty, moving target, empty promises from a victimizing, blame-driving, serial apologist.

It is neither crime nor character flaw to have enviable business credentials (at least so far). Nor should jealousy of Mitt’s good fortune and his bank account be in vogue. (That is how certain Europeans have responded towards their fellow citizens who are better off than they are, and look where it has gotten them.) On the contrary, we should only be so lucky to make the most of and embrace the opportunity @MittRomney represents. Who alive, in his right mind and eligible to vote, once and only once, would not prefer a guy who has consistently shown he can create jobs, turn around companies, lead, successfully negotiate, stand for and deliver on said things and initiate and implement improvements? The incumbent is wholly unviable.

Lil Ode to McKayla

Speed, sizzle and sass.

McKayla, love your daring acrobatics. Keep on flying!

Mighty vaulter.
Calm, cool and collected.
Killer technique.
Amazing amplitude,
You go, girl!
Lands and sticks it.
Applause!

This ain’t no Salvador.

Ice cream that doesn’t break a sweat.

Dreamstones, as they are commonly referred to, are essentially “nature imitating nature” in vertical canvases of rock. So highly regarded were these naturally occurring Cangshan蒼山 deposits from Yunnan Province (Southwest China) that the town where much of it comes from, Dali, lent its name to the Chinese word for marble: da4li3shi2, roughly “big texture stone” or 大理石。What a coincidence then that the Spanish great, Dalí, was principally a landscape artist.

First prized by scholars and the like-minded, the marble also formed a type of tribute to the Imperial Court. Unfortunately, along came a revolution, and the stones and most everything associated with them was destroyed, their romancers nearly silenced. You see, you don’t just cut a slice from the quarry, mount it in wood and call it art. There’s technique, knowledge and an eye for color and pattern that go into choosing, classifying and interpreting the marble. Raw stories in the massif; collected stories waiting to be polished.

When warning labels were tame.

Piggybacking Crayola®

I remember these candles looked an awful lot like Crayola® Crayons, which gives you an indication of how long I’ve kept this packaging. I was a heavy user at one time…of crayons and candles. Guess I was also into brands and trademark protection since before I knew it.

I always meant to send this box to Binney & Smith to see what their legal counsel would have to say of the trade dress. Like I said, I meant to. Warning labels these days usually defy common sense.

Polar bears on cars?

Identical design used from 1986-2009.

That’s right. And on trucks, school buses and snowmobiles. The best damn license plate ever. The newer ones are more flashy, yet still in the shape of Ursus maritimus.

Giant Yellow Moth

The Imperial Moth, Eacles imperialis.

Not sure what drew this beautiful creature to the Shell station, but it was huge — easily the length of my phone— and did not move the entire time I was there filling my tank. I think it liked the heat; it surely was not there to hear that annoying recording promoting the current soft drink promotion. Thank goodness for the mute button. Come Fall, you would not be able to tell this hyper-winged thing from a tulip poplar leaf.