Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Fall, You have let me down.

Dear Fall 2015,
Let me begin by telling you how much I love you.  The colors you bring into my life; the cool, crisp mornings and warm afternoons; the lovely smells of autumn, all make you my favorite time of year.


You have one very important job, one at which you failed miserably in 2015.  It is you who conducts us gently from the humid warmth of summer to the harsh cold of winter.  You are suppose to be here as a buffer between summer and winter so everyone gets used to the idea that we are moving from suffocating in the heat of summer to freezing our tushes off in the depth winter.


What the heck happened here?  You have hung on for way too long, you keep showing up in the middle of what should be a cold snap and then disappear confusing everyone and everything from cherry trees to caterpillars.

It is cold and snowy today and I am freezing, freezing more than ever because you paid a visit last week.  I feel sorely let down by your lack of compassion.  Next year I'd really appreciate it if you'd do you job, guide us into winter, linger a little, then let go and wait your turn.

And if you could talk to Spring about arriving a little early or at least on time, I'd really be happy.

Your faithful friend,
Buddy


Thursday, January 3, 2013

I'm so FAB

So....
Let me start out by saying I don't like to shop.
There is nothing about the art of shopping that appeals to me.
I like hunting, I like digging, I like sniffing where other dogs pee, I do not like shopping.

The only brick and mortar stores I like are those that allow dogs and keep treats just for me under the counter (Gander Mountain and Rural King!!).  I am of two minds about on-line shopping...while I can do it in the privacy of my own home which I like, there are no treats to be had from the computer which I don't like.

So when I became a FAB fan, no one was more surprised than I. fab.com

http://www.skin-perfection.com


I came across it by accident.
An advertizement flitted across my computer screen for....get this...Glow-in-the-Dark Apple Skins.



 And I thought to myself....How cool is that?   I can go into the kitchen in the middle of the night and get an apple for a snack (a healthy snack at that) and I won't have to turn on the light.

Color me surprised when I clicked on the link (fab.com) and it was an advertizement for products for Apple Computer/Phone/iPod/iPad stuff.  It was a great disappointment when I realized my dream of glow-in-the-dark apples flew out the window.

The disappointment didn't last long once I began looking around (not shopping...just looking).  FAB has some fabulous stuff, fun stuff, colorful stuff, arty stuff.

Take a look...

EAT














DRINK














SLEEP














CULTURE














AND A LITTLE FUN














What more could a dog ask for? 
Well, maybe some apples that glowed in the dark.

Love,
Buddy

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

This Bud's For You!

Picture this scenario:
Ten o'clock Sunday morning.
OlderMale, wearing a ball cap and black shirt, sitting in a short lawn chair in a tent, waiting for the doors to open, on the second day of a two day art fair where he was trying (not entirely successfully) to sell his photography.
TallThinYoungGuy, stopping by to say hello and ask a question.

TallThinYoungGuy:
Um...this is going to sound funny....but...do you drink?

OlderMale:
Not really.  Why?

TallThinYoungGuy:
Um...I was looking for someone who had a beer or something.

OlderMale:
Well, I do have one beer.

TallThinYoungGuy:
Um...can I have it?  I mean, until the stores open and I can buy one for myself.

OlderGuy:
Why do you need a beer?

TallThinYoungGuy:
'Cause I need something to take the edge off.  I'm working at this stupid art fair, I'm not selling a damn thing (pottery), I don't even want to be here, I have two tests to study for and a paper to write, which is never gonna get done, 'cause I am stuck at this damn art fair, and I just need a beer. Please? I'll give you three beers when the stores open if you just give me your beer now.

For those who are curious, the legal drinking age in the state where this happened is 21.  TallThinGuy got his beer and I suppose he survived the day, though I don't know how he did on his tests or if his paper ever got done.  He did not trade three beers for one.  He did however trade for something else.


It is all about supply and demand.

Love,
Buddy




Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Quirky Point of View

 I love artists who look at the world from a different point of view.   Take a look.















Love,
Buddy

Monday, October 22, 2012

Thursday, October 18, 2012

What's In A Pinhole?

Pinhole cameras (or Camera Obscura) have been around for a really long time-especially if you are counting in dog years.

It is easy to build a pinhole camera for film out of household items.  While there are still places you can get film developed, unless you can do your own, it is getting more difficult to find really good film labs. 

The good news is that you can convert a digital camera into a pinhole camera.

This particular YouTube video is interesting, especially if you watch it without the sound on like I did.  Then there are a number of sites giving basically information with variations on the theme.
Here   and   Here  and  Here

You can take pictures like

This













and
This


















and
This














and
This











Now,
Go,
Make/Convert a camera,
Have fun.

Love,
Buddy

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Paper

Wipe your be-hind
Blow your nose
Print headlines
Write a thank-you note
Send a Christmas card
Clean up a mess
Wrap fish and chips
A drinking device
Make a hat
Fly an airplane
Pay for things
Wrap a birthday gift
Airplane ticket
Books
Magazines
Signs
Bills
Checks
Writing
Printing
Drawing
Packaging

AND
all this really, really cool stuff...
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/masters-of-paper-art-and-paper-sculptures/     
http://weburbanist.com/2008/12/02/papercraft-creative-paper-art-design-sculpture/
http://www.paper-sculpture.com/paper-sculpture-gallery-1.htm
http://www.squareinchdesign.com/beautiful-paper-sculptures-by-calvin-nicholls/  

What can you do with paper?  Personally, I like digging used tissues out of the trash can and decorate the floor with them.

Love,
Buddy