Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Eensy (Not so Weensy) Spider

       A huge spider builds a web over the back deck steps -- then it mostly disappears every morning. Turns out she's an 'orb-weaver'...and eats her web, including its victims, every night! 

     Daughter #2 named her Charlotte. She's high enough that the dogs won't bother her, but Son #1 and the Brick have to be careful not to bump her web's bottom edge. 

     I hope she stays into the fall. 

Charlotte, in all her glory --  at least half-dollar size.

 She's having a real impact on the pesky moths that have been hanging around. 

You go, Charlotte!

Meanwhile:

More than 270 Mozart statuettes stolen in Salzburg!  You and I both are wondering- why?? (I would guess tourists and locals are picking them up as 'souvenirs.')

The best deer-resistent perennials that thrive in sun. Which we get plenty of around here! (You'll also see a link for deer-resistant perennials that prefer shade. Thanks, Frugal Farm Girl.

Homemade food gifts for Christmas. Who says these can't be used for birthdays and other holidays??  (Thanks, Frugal Farm Girl.)

One woman's (Ruth Rogers) life collection.

Fifteen treasures that tell the story of America.

How this print swept the world -- and changed views on Japanese art forever.  

(This print, "The Great Wave" by Hokusai, sold as part of a 36-piece set for 1,646,000 pounds in June this year at a Christie's auction in Paris. You read that right -- more than $2,225,000 USD.)

Random ways people made a fortune. 

'Hyperbolic fiction' -- or making up your life, in hopes that no one else finds out. (The ex-Cambridge professor is in this category. (Sadly, he committed suicide recently.) He's not the first, nor the last -- novelist H.G. Carillo, also a professor, made a lot of his Cuban roots in his book, Loosing My Espanish. After his death from cancer, it turns out, among other falsities,  he was Herman Glenn Carroll -- born in Detroit. But hey, a good writer!

A fun interview with Dan Ackroyd.  I really admire this guy.

"Top 10 simple financial tips" -- from Quora readers. 

Massachusetts joins the growing list of states that allow you to kill your baby up to the moment of birth. Sadly, Colorado is also on this list.

Dance for a minute or so -- and get a discount on your gas?  I'd do it!

Deepfaking -- happening to influencers and celebrities alike.

Have a great week. Stay authentic!

Utagawa Hiroshige

 Utagawa Hiroshige -- 1797-1858. This 19th century Japanese artist is considered one of the premiere woodblock printers -- ever. If you're a fan of Japanese art (as I am), you'll recognize his name. 

A collection of Hiroshige's prints sold at Christie's auction some years ago. Why am I telling you this? Because the prints, estimated value $15,000-25,000 each, mostly sold for a stunning $118,000, instead. Or more.

Now THAT'S a markup. 

Why am I also telling you this? Because a 600-piece collection of Hiroshige woodblock prints is set to auction at Christie's soon. It will be interesting to see if the prints hold their value, appraisal-wise. The first installment auction starts September 15.

Take a look for yourself at the 2020-21 auction, including realized prices.  Meanwhile, here are more of his prints for you to admire. Lovely. 

'Nihonbashi Bridge'

'Ryogoku Fireworks'

(a print of this is part of the Sept. 15 auction)

'Shona'

'53 Stations of the Tokaido' -- selected examples

Makes Sense...

 

More kitty comics here.

For All My Earlybird Friends...

 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Can We Bear It?

     

We've had a visitor stop by the past few weeks. Not that we've seen him, but our trash can has been dumped over and pawed through. And I'm guessing, from the times the dogs have been Very Concerned, that he's stopped by more than that.

     Our neighbor texted -- we've got a black bear in the neighborhood. Maybe two. 

     The Brick notified the neighborhood chain, just in case. One neighbor thinks that the drought has forced these guys down; another neighbor could care less. But I would hate for Bo, Tiger or our granddog Freya to become the next snack. 

      It's still hot and dull. We've gotten a bit of rain, but the forecast suggests we'll get a lot more this week. Dare I hope?

Meanwhile:

What did Pompeii smell like?

"Love Me, Hate Me, Just Don't Ignore Me:"  What Terrell Owens is doing nowadays.

A new website -- for the original Gee's Bend Quilters. Take a look.

A visit to an old friend:  Brin at Messy Thrilling Life. I just wish she'd post more updates...

Making a home out of an abandoned general store.  I'd love to try this, but the Brick is not a fan.

The best free events in New York City.

Thousands of structures are there, hiding under the rainforest in the Amazon. 

Two of Saint Augustine's sermons discovered -- after 1600 years!  (They were written over by another sermonizer.)

Gee's Bend Quilts, reinterpreted by Ralph Lauren?  At least the collaboration is with people associated with the original quiltmakers. 

One of the stranger commercials I've ever seen:  Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lil Buck shill fashion in this 2015 offering.

Cambridge's youngest professor is no more -- he resigned.  Just in time, ironically, for his memoir to hit the bookstands. One review mentioned all the OTHER Great Accomplishments he did (or didn't?) and called it a piece of "mythic proportions." I'm betting it's full of it, all right.

And finally:

Today's basic advice on Bored Panda:

"If you tuck one pant leg into your sock, people stop expecting much from you."

So there you go.

Have a great week.

Weather We Know or Not...

 Here's the latest prediction for 2026-2027's winter, courtesy of the Old Farmer's Almanac:

(Click on the white space, if the image isn't appearing)

It's difficult to even think of cold and snow right now...does that stuff even exist??

What do you think?

Edmund Fitzgerald

     On Nov. 10, 1975, the tanker Edmund Fitzgerald  sank in a nasty winter storm. The "good ship and true" took 29 crewmen with her. 

The Great Lakes have had many other shipwrecks, but this was one of the most mysterious. One minute she was there, communicating with another ship -- then she was gone. Even after the shipwreck was found -- and she was deep -- there are still conjectures why she went down. (Besides the storm, that is, which was one of the worst ever.) Her captain's last message:  

      "We are holding our own."

Gordon Lightfoot's song about the Fitz is just as deep and mysterious. I would often play it right after I crossed the Michigan state line, on my way to see family in Sparta.

Now one of my favorite groups has brought their version of

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" 

See what you think.