Elderly Overweight Man in a Speedo

Here is a snippet of what appears to be a tutor's response to exam essays. It was sent to me by my son while I was in the middle of study, found from who knows where.
Too good not to share.  And, actually, quite useful.  The imagery certainly stays with me!

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NB. If you ever want to re-post this, thinking 'Oh, what a fun idea it would be to add an image',  I do not recommend you do a google image search using the title words.  If you do, don't blame me, you have been warned. 

Where Do Some Bloggers Go?

Arctic Fox (never mis-spell him 'Artic') was a great blogger.  I wonder what happened to him?
He described himself as: "I'm a 6 foot skinhead from Huddersfield. I'm old enough to know better, but too stupid to care."
This was one of his very many excellent posts.
Warning, it's about a run of mice he had in his kitchen, and shows an image of each of them in the 'Lucifer' trap that got each of them.

His last post was Tuesday September 18th 2012.

If you're out there reading this Foxy, I hope you are happy and well, and pleased to know we are still missing you.

Photographing Little Critters

The other day when tidying up my email boxes, I came across a survey I did, and in which you may have been kind enough to participate. I asked people to share their reactions to insects and spiders etc - those little 'critters' about which many seem to have such strong emotional responses.

I ended up with some great information from the survey and I adjusted my PG Dip subject matter in response, ending up with a focus on the honey bee, Apis melifera.

I am still creating work exploring our relationship with bees, and every now and then I put together a body of work that I feel is good enough for an exhibition.
I am moving towards another at the moment, and would like to ask you for help again, this time as stars of the show!  More about this soon, when I have worked out the details.

In the meantime, have a look at these little critters… if you dare.

Art is a Job

Words in Māori I Should Know

Artist's idea of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.

Māori Language Week comes around only once a year.
But I am working on my te reo ('the words') steadily all the time.

The Treaty of Waitangi, complex document tho' it was, and made even more complex by having different versions in Māori and English, was signed in 1840 by a significant number of the then Māori and European officials living at that time in Aotearoa New Zealand.

One of the original Treaties of Waitangi
 (Tiriti O Waitangi)

If you are interested there is more information here about this document that is probably unique in the world, in that it (goes some considerable way to) recognising the rights of the indigenous people of a land at a fairly early stage during a European colonisation.

I think it should at the very least be interpreted as a document of respect for the Māori and this includes the spreading and knowing of the Māori language.

Here, as much for my benefit, so I know where to find it again, as for your interest, dear TLVD reader, is a super site that lists 100 useful Māori words, and includes their pronunciation.

I'm pleased to say there are many I already know.

Hei konā rā!

Smartbird and Spot

This robot bird was invented more than 4 years ago.
I can't believe how casual we are today about things that really are astonishing.  If this was the renaissance, even, there would be people on horseback galloping all over the place shouting it out.



And, here's 'Spot' from earlier on this year.  This is almost creepy.  Imagine being chased by one of these!  It recovers its balance after being kicked better than a real dog would.

A Mild Winter Day.

Well, that was a pleasant day. The blackbirds are starting to chupchupchup at the neighbour's cat and do their territorial song to each other, so spring must not be too far away. 

Lucky, because I am just about out of firewood.