TUG

Black and White Kittehs

Julia Ramponi

Julia Ramponi was an Italian immigrant who lived across the street from us in Santa Cruz. She kept her small yard and the public area in front of her house spotless well into her eighties. She told me--in very accented English-- that in the Old Country, the centerline of the street marked the edge of the resident's (unofficial) responsibility. I actually saw her once using gasoline to remove oil spots on the pavement left by leaky cars parked in the space in front of her house.

I'll never forget her self-respect and for the respect she had for her neighbors.

Old Joe

My Russian tutor took this picture today during our lesson at the coffee house.

Я старый человек!

Time marches on.  The hairline, too.

Cat and Turkey

The Maple

The sun lit up the maple late this morning after a drenching pre-dawn rain.

Washington for Beginners

"Onions and prisoners".  LOL

 "Moss"  So true.

The First Astronaut

Steve Allen's "Man on the Street" interview with Bill Dana on the Tonight Show

                                            Allen:  Hello, what is your name?

                                            Dana:  My name Jose Jimenez.

                                            Allen:  And what do you do?

                                            Dana:  I am the first astronaut.

                                            Allen: I see.  Is that a crash helmet you're holding?

                                            Dana:  Oh, I hope not.

Western Scrub Jay

I've easily trained the Jays to swoop down and take peanuts out of my hand. It didn't take long. If I hold three, they'll linger on my hand for a few seconds as they figure out how to pick up at least two. They often watch the squirrels bury their peanuts, and then steal them.  They're rascals.

Poor Poor Pitiful Me

Quirky lyrics.  They nailed the ending.

I wish there was more volume.

Tug and the first fire of the season

All my cats have been wary of the first fire of the year, and Tug is no exception. This is about as close as he gotten so far...

Leaves at my backdoor

Leaves at my backdoor after a windstorm.

Random pictures of Bahji, Israel

Restoration and preservation of Bahji and  the Garden of Ridvan, Israel.

Channel 9 Movie Theater

I believe it was 1955 when I was living in North Hollywood with my four brothers and both parents. My two older brothers were spending the summer in San Francisco, and my twin brother and I were left to take care of ourselves during much the hot, dry summer days in the San Fernando Valley.  We ended up watching a lot of television, such as it was.  Every week, channel 9 in Los Angeles broadcast the same movie every day for six days, and then twice on Sunday, and named the feature the "Channel 9 Movie Theater".  I still remember the jingle.

One week that summer, my twin bro and I watched every showing of 'Room Service with the Marx Brothers.


Hail and Farewell!


Jumping butterballs!

Ketevan Geladze

 "You'd have done better to have become a priest"  

--Ketevan Geladze (mother of Joseph Stalin) to her son.

 

Building Sections

Layer Colors:  175 and 34.

In the Days of 49

Kids in a Crosley

CROSLEY STATION WAGON

I remember riding in the back of a Crosley similar to this with my three brothers and bags of groceries, with my dad at the wheel and my mom riding shotgun in '49 or '50.  The little motor and gearbox was no match for that much load climbing the hills of San Francisco, so its status as our family car was short-lived.