THROWBACK THURSDAY: ACTING

In the 1950's, in college, playing Ejlert Lövborg in Henrik Ibsen's tragedy, Hedda Gabler.

Taking that fatal drink.

He has come to no good.

ELECTION DAY PLUS ONE

At least, that's how I see it.

DID YOU VOTE?

Well?  

Did you?  

Because if you didn't you won't ever have seen anything like the wrath of this "peace" dove.

So?????

I was just reading yesterday's post from Val the Victorian about her son's clothing habits.  I paused for a trip to the bathroom and caught this glimpse of myself in the mirror.  And I thought, so?????

INTERNET DIFFICULTIES

In case you hadn't noticed, most of our lives have changed, thanks to the Internet. Here is one of my biggest gripes.

Because I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time working (playing) on my computer, some of my friends and relatives tend to ask me for help when they have problems.  My standard answer for years has been "do you have a 12-year-old in your neighborhood?"

But lately, it seems the age of computer wisdom has dropped.

So my general advice is . . always ask someone much younger for help.

Happy Sunday!

TEXTURE

Some times it is good to slow down and take a closer look at one's surroundings.

Just as long as it doesn't "bug" you.

FRIDAY FUNNIES (Halloween Edition)

Have a great night and a fun weekend, folks, and keep grinnin'. Thanks to all of my contributors and especially to the BRD's Jet for posing for that final photo.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

If you live in the United States and watch television you may have caught part or all of the 14-hour series The Roosevelts on PBS.  It told the life stories of three prominent members of the family, Presidents Theodore and Franklin Delano and Franklin's wife Eleanor.  Theodore, or Teddy as he was more commonly known, had a long history with the state of North Dakota, where I grew up.  Just 60 miles from my childhood home, in the city of Minot, the largest park is known as Roosevelt Park, named in honor of Teddy.

There is a large statue of Teddy in his Rough Rider uniform and once back in the 40's or 50's, my family's camera caught me paying a visit.

A RED MAPLE

The maple tree in our front yard is growing redder and redder as the temperatures at night go lower and lower.

More of the leaves are changing (and falling) every day.  It seems like one could stand in front of the tree and watch the red creep in.

The color offers a nice contrast to our brilliant blue sky.

If you look at this picture carefully, or perhaps blow it up by clicking on it, you'll spot a crescent of an early-rising moon up and to the right.

I CAN'T IKEA

I've never been inside an IKEA store, the Swedish furniture giant. But when we lived in Phoenix my wife and her daughter made a visit to the big store fairly near where we lived. SWMBO said it was the most confusing place she had ever gone to shop and she had to ask an employee how to find her way out of the place.  I suppose it's good marketing, thinking that people will spot other stuff they just have to have while they're working their way through the maze.  But I know the two gals never made a second visit.  Herewith, then, is a diagram of the typical IKEA store.

Talk about rats in a maze.

On a gentler note, here's a place beloved by the thousands of children who have been dragged through one of those many arts and crafts fairs on "The Square" in Prescott on a hot summer day.

The fence that surrounds the fountain keeps youngsters and dogs out but it's low enough to allow arms to reach in and touch the water.  A blessing in Arizona.

OLD PRESCOTT AND A FAMILY NAME

Sometimes you don't appreciate what's around you, right there in plain sight. Very close to where I live, the Fitzmaurice ruins contain artifacts of the Mountain Patayan people who lived in the area some 14,000 years ago. Still the city (still called a town) has only been incorporated 36 years.  So while humans have been around here for hundreds of generations, it's a town with relatively little history.  

But just down the road a piece lies the town of Prescott, which this year is celebrating it's 150th anniversary.  1864 was when the first streets were laid out and homesites sold, even though it took almost 20 more years before they got around to incorporating.

Still there are many significant historical buildings right in downtown Prescott.  You can recognize them by the architecture and the stonework.

Not the least of these 19th Century structures is the Yavapai County Court House.

It's a grand old building that has been undergoing some badly needed renovations in the past year or so.

The Courthouse Plaza, or The Square. surrounds the building on all four sides. While it hosts many arts and crafts festivals throughout the summer months, it is also sacred ground. The flags flying honor the 19 firefighters who died in a wildfire in 2013.  

There are monuments to local citizens who served their country during many wars over the years, like this one honoring World War Two veterans and victims.

There was a familiar name among the listings.

That was my father's name.  He was Franklin Berry Taylor, known as Frank.  It's a version of my name also . . Franklin Bruce Taylor, known as Bruce, though in my senior years when I have to fill out more and more documents who demand my first and last name, I've begun to use Franklin.  It just makes life easier.

By the name, that name on the plaque is no relative of ours, at least as far as I know.

Neither is the guitar-maker's name I noticed on the front of a downtown store.

They're headquartered in El Cajon, California. Still . . I just might have to send off for one of their tee shirts.  I think I'd go for the antique-looking one.

That just would seem to fit with the theme I've been wandering around in today, wouldn't it?

SOME BONUS FUNNIES

It's a silly Sunday.  Keep chuckling even though tomorrow is Monday.

LEAF ME ALONE

FRIDAY FUNNIES

It's Friday once again and I have been overwhelmed with contributions this week.  So I'm just gonna pick 7 or 8 and save the others.  If yours didn't make this week's list, remember there are other Fridays in the year and Stay Tuned.

And, of course, the cats.

That's it for this week, folks.  Loads of thanks to my contributors. Have a fantastic weekend. Be careful and don't Fall.  (There's a wee joke there.)  And always remember to keep laughing.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Twice Told Tales

I was a kid in North Dakota in the 1940's.  No Internet back then. Heck, there wasn't even television.  So we got our entertainment from books and radio programs.  I don't know where I got the idea I wanted to be a magician but one year I got a magic set for Christmas.  Over the years I had a pretty good collection of books on magic.  And I gathered together some paraphernalia for making coins disappear and confounding my playmates with a deck of playing cards.  My mother was pretty good with a sewing machine and with craft paper and she made me a black magician's cape and a black top hat and sent The Great Taylor out to do a show.

Now those pants and dusty old cowboy boots could have used some work but look at those hands.  Magician's hands!

The magic shows didn't last but acting had gotten under my skin.  In high school and college I was in a number of plays and entertained the idea of becoming a professional actor.  Alas!  Youthful dreams.

But speaking of dreams, check out this dreamboat.

Mom outdid herself creating this Prince Charming costume for some play or operetta from my far and distant youth.  

Eat your heart out, Pacino!