the muse tests a frame

image copyright and by kindest permission of the curatorial spouse

What better way for an artist to test the fancy frame he's making than. . .  by featuring the Kat Von D?  Right?  I'm right.

animated natural history: why dogs have floppy ears

thanks british library (PD)

Wolves: upright, pointy ears.  Most dogs: floppy ears.
Hares and wild rabbits: Ears up.  Many domesticated rabbits: Soft floppy ears. 
Boars/pigs? Check. Goats/goats? Check.  Cats/Cats? Um - that one doesn't work; they're all up and pointy, wild or no. (Cats: Throwing wrenches in the works since...ever.)
Still, the ear phenomenon is prevalent enough that it sparks curiosity.  And when I ran across this short, entertaining animation on the subject at NPR, I learned the latest research on why those ears (and those shorter muzzles and those spotted coats).  A publication by Charles Darwin is namechecked: "The variation of plants and animals under domestication."  Want to idly flip through some of that?  You can find an introduction and several editions here.

animated short: "dog gone" (happy!)

Imagine it: a school where everyone has, and brings, their dog.  Off they go on the bus to Rover Prep, and then they sit in pairs at each desk, waiting for the dog-shaped class bell to ring. 
But what if you have no dog?
But you used to have a dog?
And your well-meaning dad brings you a new puppy, but...

To get the rest of the funny, touching, hopeful story, you'll have to go here and watch the animated short "Dog Gone."  I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

more of the fair 2016

the once-a-year elephant ear.  mmmm

I thought this looked like a baby chick football team

Interesting pigs, one asleep, one up for treats: 

the Mangelitsa or Mangalica, a curly-coated Hungarian breed of swine 

I like running ducks, though I keep referring to them as "upright ducks"

the fair 2016

Off to the Washington State Fair today!  

Time to stroll around and check out the pygmy goats...

the awesomely curly Sebastopol geese....

fancy baby chicks....

and this super-fancy pigeon's tail (of which there was so much I couldn't see the rest of him!)

More snaps tomorrow.

it's raining cats and dogs, and more visual treats

thanks british library flickr (pd)

Here's some creative treats I found on Vimeo:

 - I guess the French don't say "It's raining cats and dogs," but "It's raining ropes."  In this project for Eurostar, animator Claire Fauché mixes them up in a jaunty 30-second spot.  You'll remember how to say it in French now.

 - Absolute Radio invited listeners to share memories of dogs gone by.  Some of the resulting tales were too good to be true/or ignore, so Absolute Radio did the obvious thing and had a song made about it.  You can add your Fido to the Dead Dogs Memorial!

 - So many dog breeds, but to them, it's all one world.  A Dog's World.

 - A very short documentary piece very full of heart: the pets of the Amazon's Awa tribe.

inconsiderate

Given by Dr E. J. Dingwall, © Victoria and Albert Museum, London, as permitted 

That's what "Sans Gene" means - inconsiderate.  Why anyone (possibly German, circa 1904) thought this would be an appropriate postcard image is beyond me, but I'm not complaining.  According to the V&A, this is #57 of a series....what's in the rest of that series?

such a bright face

image courtesy and by kindest permission of the artist

I find longhaired chihuahuas such vivid, bigger than life creatures.  So does the artist behind the Etsy shop BentNotBroken, whose work is electric closeups of friends of all breeds.  German Wirehair?  Cockapoo? Your basic ginger and white cat?  Ah, not so basic when portrayed in strong, bright brushstrokes.  Maybe this is what pet auras would look like if we could see them.

open wide! two cats one matchbox

found on flickr, user wackystuff. creative commons attribution-noncommercial 2.0 generic

What do I know about this matchbox label?
1.  It is attributed to Japan circa 1910.
2.  It is terrific.
3. I wish I could translate it.
The art of vintage matchboxes is a rich trove for collectors.  Here's a short article from Collectors Weekly to introduce this affordable, inventive genre of creativity.