Rascals Under The Tree

 

Yes, we ARE getting close to Christmas, aren't we.

And the number of rascals waiting under the tree, awaiting presents are growing.

An application of "Rascal-B-Gone" would shift them.

Bonus - Vintage Photographs of People Dressed Up in Christmas Tree Costumes

Today's Yule Lad -Bjúgnakrækir Sausage Swiper Hides in the rafters and snatches sausages that are being smoked.

Bjúgnakrækir

The Christmas Cowboy

 

Huh?

Well, actually he is Mr Chris Maas, of Lubbock Texas, and actually he's getting a bit tired of the teasing.  However, his chum Hal Owen has similar issues about the end of October.

Bonus - Major General Horatio Gordon Robley and His Collection of Māori Tattooed Heads    ( Speechless).

Today's Yule Lad -  Skyrgámur Skyr Gobbler Has a great affinity for skyr, a regional style of yogurt.

Skyrgámur 

Banished to the Garden

 

Doesn't matter what the time of year is, when Uncle Elroy comes round to visit mummy, the kids are banished to the garden for an hour. Rules, is rules.

Bonus - Rochester men die after fertilizing marijuana plants with bat feces

Today's Yule Lad - Hurðaskellir Door Slammer Enjoys slamming doors, especially during the night, waking up the household.

The Great Tree (But Not A Christmas Tree.)

 I wonder where it was.

probably not Iceland.

Bonus - List of mass shootings in the United States in 2024

Today's Yule Lad - Askasleikir Bowl Licker Hides under beds awaiting the wooden food bowls placed on the floor.

An Evening of Food, Alcohol and Debauchery

 

Yes, A and N are round again this evening, to discuss what important lessons have been learned from 2024.

Accompanied by Scrumpy Jack, spicy pizzas and naming the countries of Africa. Including Benin.

Bonus - Life Pro Tip - Want to get the snow off your car? Use your leaf blower!

Today's Yule Lad - Pottaskefill Pot Scraper Steals pots to scrape out the leftovers.

The Arrival of Cardinal Fang

 

In the small city of  Mosher in South Dakota, there is an annual tradition held on the third Sunday in December. The Mud-Wrestling  battle between the churches.

Originally a personal disagreement between the leads of the Lutheran and Catholic churches, the locals enjoyed the event as a celebration of community, with a evening of prayer and alcohol after the event.  Eventually, the local Rabbi and Sikh Guru got involved, and it became more of a Battle Royale.

Here is the build up to the 1964 event, with the arrival of defending champion, Cardinal Fang, with his seconds Monseigneur Biggles, and Deacon Blue (Actually, high school wrestling coach Bob "Muscles" Flowerdew... yes, a ringer.)

Bonus - More Ice Please

Today's Yule Lad - Þvörusleikir Spoon Licker Steals wooden spoons being used for cooking. Extremely thin from malnutrition. 

A Treat For Buster

 Don't forget to treat your pets (or "Fur Babies" if you're twee AF) to extra stuff this winter season. They deserve it.

Bonus - Goede Hoop Marimba Band play Vivaldi 

Today's Yule Lad - Stúfur Stubby Abnormally short. Steals pans for the food baked to the bottoms and brims.

Stufur

Is Your Tree Up?

 

I'm doing my decorations, limited tho' they will be, tomorrow.

Back in 1965, I'm sure this aluminium Christmas Tree would have been the height of fashion.

Bonus - Aluminum Christmas Trees and Wiki

Today's Yule Lad - Giljagaur Gully Gawk Hides in gullies, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk.

Giljagaur

Lower River Campground

 

Upper and Lower River Campgrounds on the north side of the Merced were inundated by the 1997 flood and permanently eliminated per the park's Yosemite Valley Plan in 2000 along with the Group Campground and about half of Lower Pines Campground.

Bonus - well, actually, No.

Today's Yule Lad - Stekkjarstaur  He is particularly fond of sheep’s milk but has enormous trouble with getting it because his stiff knees make impossible to bend his legs.

The Snow Clearing Squad - Are Still At It

 

Nope.

You don't get out of a commitmentg that easily.

Clear It !!

Bonus - How A Capybara Works

Dull. Very Dull.

 

In fact...

EXTREMELY TEDIOUS

Bonus - 

Maria Callas and Marilyn Monroe

Swing Time

 

( I remember having a cardigan in that colour. )

Oh, how swinging has changed since 1976.

Bonus - Cat Chilling

A Crisp Welsh Morning

 

No info on this slide (you're not surprised, are you?) but it wasn't tricky to recognise Pistyll Rhaeadr in Wales.

Nice.

Bonus - The Chief Apologises.

Beryl in South France, 1964

 So, here in Britain today, we're lashed by Storm Darragh. Bleaugh.

So, let's travel back to 1964 and the Beryl Blood collection. This seems to be Beryl in South of France ("Before it became popular, dahling").

Beryl is rocking the Mid-Sixties BoHo chic look. and the chap is sporting a.... hat.

Bonus - World Bed Making Championship

The Snow Clearing Squad

 

The whole car park for $10. A Deal is A Deal.

Bonus - Don't forget that Scotland has a fleet of excellently named gritters. "Sled Zeppelin" and "Licence To Chill", for example.  Follow them

Bonus 2 - 

Marilyn Abers: The Pool

 

There was no written info on the slide, other than "ACM Siggraph".

But, it doesn't take a genius to know that that means the SIGGRAPH 1983: Exhibition of Computer Art, and their decent archives allowed a rapid identification of this as Marilyn Abers' artwork The Pool.

Fascinating to see how leading edge computer graphics have advanced in 41 years.

Also - Computer art -> 35mm slide -> Comouter scanned image.

Bonus - apparently-not-every-nation-uses-the-same-tally-system-neat

The House of Terror

 

Hey folks. Wouldn't it be interesting to try and track down this house, and figure out where in the world it was?

Nah. Probably not.

Luckily, the slide is annotated with "May-1975-Glenview Trevelmond".

Looks like a nice part of Cornwall, tho' that slide doesn't do it justice.

Bonus - New Sport - Cat Drifting

The Dingwall Acropolis

 

Few people are aware that Ancient Greece had control over norther Scotland until the events of 76BC. But, here's the evidence.

Just outside of Dingwall,  the remains of Plato's Acropolis...remain. Ignored by most NC500 drivers, and remembered only as the name of Dingwall's Gyro and Kebab Takeaway.

Worth a visit.

Bonus - Interactive Double Pendulum Playground

December in The Lakes

 

This would appear to be Blea Water, the deepest Tarn in this Lake District.

It's from a set of slides seemingly documenting a university department's trip to the Lake District to do some sampling of water n stuff from teh various areas. And some nice picturescque slides... like this.

Slide Number 5900, in this collection. 

Bonus -  How MTV’s First Rival Became Cable TV’s Biggest Flop

So, That's the end of November.

 

December tomorrow. Ow Shit.  Another year almost over.

This slide was marked "Zion Natl Park - Utah - Russ Nov 1950".

Yup. Looks Awesome.

Bonus - 

No Dogs At The Table?

 

I knew I could find one. Labelled as "Thanksgiving, 1971".

Clearly, the matriarchs of the family are unhappy that Bobby has Skipper the Dachshund on his lap. No Pumpkin Pie for him.

Bonus - Wearing A Salmon On Your Head Is Back In Fashion For Orcas, After A 37-Year Break

Thanksgiving Feast

 

I know that I have some Thanksgiving Day slides for our 'merican visitors, but...I'll be damned if I can find them just now. Dammit.

So, let's have Minnie and Wilbur and their barbecued turkey hotdogs.

Bonus - 

"The Wife's Mother is staying for the weekend...."

 

It's the rules. Any visit to an ancient Roman or Greek amphitheatre will always involve a middle-aged "wit" thinking he can launch into his pub comedy routine.

If only they could release the wild animals on him.

I think that this the Roman Theatre, Sufetula, Sbeitla, Kasserine Governorate, Tunisia

Bonus - Strange and wondrous creatures: plankton and the origins of life on Earth

Struggling for words here

 

Scrubland....road...distant hills ... clouds ... small shack.

Lot's of potentially interesting details, but overall... dull.

Bonus - I Say !!

Anyone recognise this ?

 I didn't.

But some quick checking on Alta Vista (ah, nostalgia) suggest that this might be Blarney Castle, home of the infamous Blarney Stone.

So there.

Bonus - Hey USA, It's almost Thanksgiving! Are you getting your eels ready?

Last pick at a Wife Swapping Party

 

January 1964, and your choice is between Euphemia McGlumpher and Hortense O'Toole.  What a dilemma. 

Bonus - The Bodysuit Collector: Doctor Fukushi Masaichi And The Art Of Preserving Tattooed Skin

It's Almost Time For C*** D***s

 

I've seem several houses with Christmas Decorations already (In fact, I suspect that were there all year, but not illuminated until recently.) but as November fades, it's almost time for the depressing selection of tat to brighten the festive season. Because, it's what Little Baby Jesus will have wanted.

Maybe I'll head over to Bronners. Except, that's on the wrong side of the ocean.

Bonus  - 

It was Sixty ONE years ago today...

 ...that Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated John F Kennedy

This, as is tradition, is an image of JFK's temporary grave. 

Bonus - again, predictably, Destroy All Monsters    

The Man of Mystery

 

Slide box number 163 is an oddity. Black and white negatives mounted in 35mm slide frames. Allegedly dating from 1937.

This 'ere bloke...doesn't want to be identified. So, I'm guessing that this is a young John F Kennedy.

Maybe.

Bonus - 

Chonky Cat

 

Chonky Cat Likes His Food.

Bonus - 

One person's tragedy...

The Arrival of Snow

 

Last night saw the arrival of the first snows of this winter at SlideGuy Chateau.20 Hours later, most of the ground is free of snow, tho' the trees still look good.

So, it seemed appropriate to post this slide of a fence. In the snow.

Sort of artistic. Sort of tedious.

Bonus - Today is World Toilet Day.

An unexpected sight on the River Derwant.

 Up until 1975, on the River Derwent, just south of Whatstandwell, canoeists would be met by this unusual sight.

Alvin the Alligator sunbathing on a rock, or sometimes chomping down on a stray sheep. He had been released into the river as a Rag Week Prank by Zoology Students at Matlock University, in 1958.

Initially, there were some attempts to recapture him, but after the disappearance of a couple of gypsy shoemakers, the locals sort of adopted him as an unofficial vermin-catcher. Nice.

Bonus - 

Skansen - 75 years

 

In commemoration of last night's visit to Nottingham to see GOAT (a Swedish Psycho-Voodoo group....honestly), this slide seems slightly appropriate.

No details on slide, but clearly from the 75th Anniversary Celebrations for Skansen. That is the oldest open-air museum and zoo in Sweden located on the island Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden. It was opened on 11 October 1891 by Artur Hazelius (1833–1901) to show the way of life in the different parts of Sweden before the industrial era.

Bonus :