Cactus Blossom

In a overlooked patch of rubbishy scrubland, under briars and brambles, a spiky cactus struggles to produce flowers of awesome beauty.

Reminds me of my life ;o)

Bonus - Ass Interrupts Interview

Hefferlumps

What can I say? Elephants, photographed in their native surroundings.

Bonus - At the request of almost one person, here's a picture of my little rascal...Reggie.

Bonus 2 - It's back.

God Will Provide

Hmmm. Yet to be convinced...

Bonus - The Japanese know all about food presentation.

Bonus 2 - The Ideal Gift - Amazing New Product!

Another Pot Deal Goes Down

Yes, there's a lot of it going on. Maybe, it's the same dealer as before, but these three ladies know what they want.

Bonus - Hold on...isn't that John Malkovitch?

Kan Chen Junga

Making a change from the usual "Sorry, I have no info on this shot" blether, there's a full guide on this slide. Enjoy.

Bonus - Come to Scotland

BULLSH*T

It's never a good idea to disagree with the West Athens branch of the Maine Small Businessmen's Association.

Here, a slide showing their response - secretary Mrs Betty Happschatt delivers a STEAMING shovelful of bullsh...Bovine Ordure...to the now out-of-favour former member. She's ably supported by the full committee, save for Rev. Al Grout (excused on account of his gout).

This was a last warning.

Bonus 1 - Glorious - Sid on The X

Bonus 2 - Intriguing game - Curve.

She's Losing Patience

She was expecting a drive to a small tea room.

She got a 7 miles walk to "Inspiration Point". And she wasn't wearing hiking boots.

She's not happy.

Hide. Trust me.

Bonus -

Thursday Night is Boogie Night

...and Linzi's ready to strut her stuff. Or maybe she's hosting a Tarts and Vicars party...

Bonus -

Two Guys on a pile of sand

Ronseal - It's what it says in the title.

Bonus - Centurion Tank - Tough !

Bonus 2 - On a tank theme, T90 shot taken by Photron camera at 18000 fps

Volcano !!

With the news that the ash from the 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption is still causing trouble in Oz, it seems slightly appropriate to post this slide of a rather non-threatening Hawaiian volcano. Honest, the olther slides in the set do confirm this as Hawaii, but this shot doesn't really convey...anything.

Bonus - Need a top quality folding shovel, with multiple uses? You need the Chinese Military Shovel WJQ-308

Reaching for the Heavens

Nice architectural details. Don't know where, but I'm guessing Germany.

Bonus - Viddy well, little brother. Viddy well.

Mikimoto Pearl Island

Can't decide if this is a great photo, or just an inept one. But, there's something about it that makes is special.

Mikimoto Pearl Island is still an active tourist trap.

Bonus - Partizan Belgrade unveil new kit. Well, that could have gone better.

FUNGUS?

Well, I think it's a fungus, but it could just be a detail for Princess Beatrice's Wedding Hat.

Bonus - From the every odd Cyrial (aka Mutated Monty)

Bonus 2 - Pib and Pog

Blonde Bares Breast at Beach

Another blog title likely to attract the wrong sort of Googler.

Bonus - Do Not Press This Button

Bonus 2 - 28 Great Movies From the Perspective of Minor Characters

Michael Winner???

"Calm down dear, it's just a macaw sanctuary."

What on earth would Michael Winner be doing at a wildlife sanctuary? Apart from scaring them.

Bonus - Daily Mail scoops the big news. Man drinks coffee and eats snack. Worth reading some of the comments - the readership isn't impressed. Fave comment - "Coming tomorrow: former Northampton Town manager Ian Atkins spotted at a BP garage buying charcoal briquettes and a Ginster's steak slice.

- Frosty Jack, UK, 15/6/2011 9:26"

Daisies ... Of The Galaxy

On e of those synchronicity moments. I was looking a folder of slides, trying to decide which to use.

Then, my media player chose a random tune, and I realised that it was from Eels's Daisies Of The Galaxy.

Result !

Bonus - obviously.

Where in the World?

Oh. Too damned easy.

Bonus - The Family That Drinks Together, Stays Together.

Gee, That's Swell

At first, I thought this was just a stormy day slide.

But then...the sky sure doesn't look very stormy, and there's a lot of people around. Especially on that scaffolding construction on the left. So, what is it that caused that swell. A boat launching is my guess.

Bonus - The Dalai Lama walks into a pizza shop... Cringetastic

"The Hawaii Episode"

Actually, this a bit of a surprise. It's a back-stage photo from the early 1970's ITV sitcom "I'll Work It Out With A Pencil".

Tho' it's now forgotten by everyone, "Pencil" was set in a firm of Nottingham Accountants, featuring brothers Jeff (left, played by William McGovern) and Barry (right, played by Jerry Kwalek). In one episode, Jeff and Barry win a holiday in Hawaii. However, as neither has a passport, they pretend to go the on holiday, but actually spend the week at home "living their Hawaiian lifestyle" with their wives Kate (left, Janice Douglas) and Cindy (a young Helen Mirren in her only episode.) When the Tax Inspectors arrive, hilarious consequences ensue...

Bonus - Belated Happy Birthday to Prince Phillip.

Billy and Bobby

Best Friends For Ever.

They share everything - food, drinks, chasing Frisbees, flea-powder...everything. And you can see who's the smartest...

Bonus - How odd. Toynbee Tiles.

Naughty girls deserve restraint

Oh.

I wonder what Google search terms brought people here.

Anyway, Josie and Heather are restrained, as punishment for...something. Your imaginations might go wild here. Or might not.

Bonus - Movies Plots Explained

Bonus 2 -

One for the Spotters

Might be of interest to someone...

Bonus - Real Horoscopes.

Hey, Ponchos are Cool !

Like the Bow Tie, ponchos have that "timeless, *****-you, I'm an individualist" fashion reputation, and every girl gives them their own twist.

But, on men, unless you're Clint Eastwood, give it a miss.

Oh Bum - This looks a little like this

Bonus - to make up... The Best Sport / Martial Art / Team Game / Madness Ever ! (Info on wiki, as usual.)

Bank Holiday At The Beach

Ah, if only this were in focus....

The people in the background remind me of a phrase by Ivor Cutler - "Hugging the wall to escape the worst of the effects of the fresh air"

Bonus - Found It

"Life in a scotch sitting room vol.2 ep.11

The sky grew black and white
The wind blew under the door
"Let us go for a walk" said Father
We rose slowly from our positions towards the door
The door locked tight we set off in a straggly line
Hugging the wall to escape the worst of the effects of the fresh air

When we left the street and were in the country
Father became instructive
"There is a thistle" he would cry into the wind
pointing a pale finger and we would look
Then further along " There is another thistle" again pointing
There were lots of thistles in Scotland
We were soon well acquainted with them.

Mother was also informative
"look a patch of grass" and we dutifully twisted our heads then hugged the dry stone dyke to escape the worst of the effects of the fresh air

Sometimes a big man would pass astride a donkey packed with turnips
We would ponder
Father would enlighten us
" He will sell the turnips to a shop"

When we came to a field my parents would sit back to back at a tree and order us to play
Our best game was finding a rabbit hole and pushing our foot down, turning a right angle…then trying to pull it up with the brogue still on.
An incensed rabbit would often carry a brogue off to it's nest ---- and an incensed father would have to squirm through the warren to retrieve it. But he had played the same game when he was a lad and could scarcely blame us for following in his footsteps.

The other game was battering one another over the head with a thistle while shaking hands.

When mother called we ran up tore a chunk off a square loaf scooped it deep into margarine then ran off to a secure place…

After Tea father played the pipes and we danced reels on the dyke. Often we slipped and gashed our thighs – quite badly. But nobody cared in those days… It was all part of going for a walk.

We went home in a line Father pointing out objects of interest as we passed like " Look - A tree"
And if he knew he would tell us the name.

Home we returned to our positions while Father snored with his head on the table. And mother mixed porridge.
We listened to the wind and winked and smiled
Absent-mindedly rubbing spittle on our cuts.
"

Do You Mind??

"I'm trying to top up my sun-tan."

Bonus - All the way from Japan...Gamarjobat

Bonus 2 - Gee, that's was unexpected

Sunday At The Beach

Myrtle Beach, in South Caroline, I believe.

Tho' this series of slides has a little of the LS Lowry about them, to my eye.

Bonus 1 - A Gallery of Badly Stuffed Animals

Bonus 2 - O.M.G. Outrage and Fury at the Daily Mail about the most offensive word in the world ! Pity they didn't actually say it. Nevertheless, would you allow your wife or servants to listen to a programme like this ?

Bonus 2.5 - Sandi Toksvig The Eyjafjallajökull Remix

The Wedding Line-Up

Looks like a vintage shot to me - early 1950's ? As the official photographer is using a 5x4" plate camera, (but this slide was a 35mm shot), it seems like a reasonable guess. Any connoisseurs of bridal fashions care to offer an opinion?

Bonus - Kurt Vonnegut graphs the plot of every story.

A Pot Dealer

A fine collection of terracotta pots, perfect for gardening and planting.

Bonus - Awesome People Hanging Out Together - Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn??? Yes.

Kitsch n Kitten

There.

Everyone loves kittens don't they?

Everyone hates naff sixties twee crud, don't they?

Bonus - O M G

Bonus 2- Oh, go on then. Another Japan World Cup film...

An Idyllic Scene

Looks like North West Scotland to me, but there are far too many buildings. Could be an advertising shot, but could just be an exceptional holiday snap.

Bonus -