This brilliant, interactive orrery (model of the solar system) created by Jeroen Gommers, a Dutch designer who specializes in infographics.
Go to his website and click on this link for the full effect.
Just try to catch Mercury – he’s a speedy little devil.
“… Asked on what aspect of American culture he finds most fascinating, [Seaman 2nd Class, Hikiro]Tamagotchi seems to have trouble knowing where to even begin.
“I can’t quite put my finger on it,” he muses while methodically chewing on a hot dog. “I just feel like there’s a lot of ancient wisdom to be gleaned from Western culture. I especially respect the teachings of the martyrs Tupac and Biggie, even though they each represent conflicting schools.”
He then gestures to two fresh tattoos on his biceps: one reading “Water,” and the other, “Spam.”
“Spam is customary fare indigenous to the American island of Hawaii,” Tamagotchi explains. “And water is the essence of life, and I just think the way Americans write it is so beautifully intricate.”
“The English alphabet is really amazing when you think about it. Twenty-six letters, each with an upper and lowercase form – very yin-yang,” he continues. “I had my tattoos done in an ancient technique known as cursive. It hasn’t been taught in decades, and very few Americans still possess the knowledge to read and write it.”
La Fête nationale de la belle France – le quatorze juillet!
Americans have The 4th of July; the French have Bastille Day. On July 14, 1789, an outraged group of Parisians stormed the Bastille, a fortress and prison in France where prisoners of influence were held, in hopes of capturing ammunition.
Shortly thereafter, King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette took refuge in Versailles as the violent peasants pillaged and burned châteaux, and destroyed records of feudal dues—this reaction is known as the grande peur (great fear).
For the peasant class, the Bastille stood as a symbol of the hypocrisy and corruption of the aristocratic government – controlled mostly by nobility and clergy. This important event marked the entry of the popular class into the French Revolution.
The French recognize Bastille Day as the end of the monarchy and beginning of the modern republic. The lasting significance of the event was in its recognition that power could be held by ordinary citizens, not in the king or in God.
I missed posting on July 4th, but here are some patriotic tattoos — these are for you, Carol!
This one was a real commitment.
I think this one is lovely.
And I like the retro ones.
Happy belated Fourth!
I am looking forward to Macaroon Day on May 31 – not to be confused with Macaron Day which is March 20.
What is the difference? Macaroons are super sweet, are easy to make, can be made by the home baker, and are not expensive. Macarons are super sweet, are difficult to make, are found in snooty French bakeries patisseries, and are expensive. I like them both.
The Macaroon, a flourless cookie. Traditional macaroons are made with flour ground from almonds and leavened egg whites. It is believed that macaroons originated in Italy. In 1533, macaroon cookies were brought to France by Italian monks and nuns. Two Benedictine nuns, Sister Marguerite and Sister Marie-Elisabeth, baked and sold the cookies in order to pay for their housing. They became known as the “Macaroon Sisters,” and their cookies became famous throughout Europe. Credit: Oddlovescompany
A macaron is a classic French cookie. The soft, crunchy, delicate shell is made from almond flour, sugar and egg whites, and sandwiches a smooth layer of creamy ganache. Credit: macaron day
This is about the easiest Macaroon recipe I know:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix milk and coconut together. Drop by spoonfuls onto the baking sheet. They will set and begin to brown in about 10 minutes. Check them early so they do not burn. Dip the bottoms of the cookies into melted chocolate.
No tattoos this Tuesday, just this little cartoon explanation.
I planted potatoes in these two half barrels. In the smaller one, I planted white potatoes –
In the larger barrel, German butter ball potatoes –
This is what they look like now –
The white potatoes will mature in about 60 days; the German butter balls will take about 130 days. This is the first time I have tried growing potatoes. I am using Happy Frog potting soil. Here’s hoping.
I was surprised to find a number of potato tattoos:
Today is Limerick Day, the birthday of Edward Lear (1812) who popularized this poetic form, although limericks have been traced back to the 16th century.
Lear was also an author, illustrator, artist and musician. He was the youngest surviving of twenty-one children and, although he suffered from a variety of physical afflictions, remained productive throughout his life. Skilled as a draftsman, he began selling his drawings to support himself as early as sixteen years of age. (Wikipedia)
Lear’s painting of Butrinto, Albania
Limerick expert Don Marquis identified three types of limericks: “limericks to be told when ladies are present; limericks to be told when ladies are absent but clergymen are present; and LIMERICKS.”
I do have a book of the naughty ones, but here are a few limericks which can be told when ladies and clergy are present:
There once was a lady, Ilene,
Who lived on distilled kerosene,
But she started absorbin’
A new hydrocarbon
and since then she’d never benzene.
There once was a lady from Hyde,
Who ate a green apple and died,
While her lover lamented,
The apple fermented,
and made cider inside her inside.
The limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I’ve seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
Since it is tattoo Tuesday, here is a tattoo depicting Lear’s poem about the Owl and the Pussycat.
Tattoo artist Brian Woo’s dad wanted him to be a doctor, but instead of textbooks, Woo began to experiment with tattoos at 13. Soon he was apprenticed at Shamrock Social Club in LA, where stars like the Sex Pistols, Tupac, and Johnny Depp have been tattooed and waiting lists can be over a year long.
The Doctor describes his technique as fine line black and grey. And the tattoo that made him famous? “A wolf made up of my constellations – the first time I used my signature circles and lines to create an image,” he said.
I like the sciency, scrimshawy, graphically clean look of these designs.
For those hardy souls who are into running, the Pittsburgh Marathon is being taking place this weekend. Some folks have opted for tattoos to commemorate their efforts:
This bridge tattoo is my favorite.
This is a story here in the Pittsburgh Gazette. Thanks to Robb for this news.
Sunday was Daffodil Sunday at Lakeview Cemetery. This historic cemetery, founded in 1869, encompasses over 285 acres and is the final resting place of people such as John D. Rockefeller and President James Garfield.
Every spring over 100,000 bulbs on Daffodil Hill bloom in great profusion. Last Sunday was probably the peak of the blooming season.
People and cameras also were blooming on the hillside and it was difficult to take a photo without also capturing people enjoying the view.
Did you know there is a Daffodil Society?
Do you know the difference between daffodils and narcissus? There isn’t any according to the Flower Expert. Both are members of the genus Narcissus.
Did you know daffodils have their own poem, written by William Wordsworth?
They also lend themselves to lovely tattoos:
Firearms, fibers, any news or behaviors that make me say, "hmm, let me take another look at this."
I still miss my man, but my aim is getting better.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 