Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Weekly Curiosities


This week’s curiosity comes to you from the ‘Sometimes a yard ornament is just a yard ornament’ Department.
I drive by this house about twice a week, though I didn’t notice this treasure until recently. It appears carefully crafted and is deliberately placed on a small rise at one corner of the front yard.

I think the great wealth of candidate endorsement signs elsewhere in the yard should have been artfully arranged around this magnificent pillar. (Not that I’m implying that a four foot concrete phallus would be a fitting focal point, given the candidate on the sign. You can draw your own conclusion there.)

There are a couple of snaps I didn’t get this week, and they are, in no particular order:

Two gentlemen in Ithaca crossing the street; one pushing a shopping cart, the other tucked neatly INTO the shopping cart , with his crutches alongside and his apparently broken leg propped up on the front. It didn’t look terribly comfortable, though they both seemed cheerful enough about it.

My favorite political candidate name EVER. I don’t know what party he is with, I don’t know what kind of person he is, but anyone who is willing to get out there with signs that say VOTE TINKLEPAUGH is awesome. Sadly most of his supporters seem to live on busy roads with no shoulder and I couldn’t get any snaps. I did find this though. He’s on page 12. His home address is there too, if you are in the Greater Binghamton area and want to drop by. If you do stop by please don't mention that I referred to the Greater Binghamton area on Twitter as ‘Craptaculopolis’. ) Oh, and now I know he’s a Democrat.

The last of the glorious color making a cavern of golden light on a side road as I passed. ‘Denuded lanes, with leaves adrift below’, I thought. Yeah, I'm kind of a dork. But I like Rilke and I don’t watch TV so that’s the kind of stuff that rattles around in my craw.
The whole poem, in my favorite (and arguably, most depression-inducing) translation, is here.

9 comments:

Dr Zibbs said...

She should plant two round bushes at the base.

Kirsten said...

Someone needs to get that woman a date!!

Anonymous said...

Hee hee. You said Tinklepaugh. May I offer up another lovely selection from the halls of erectile monuments?

Nisky HIl Cemetery.

This is located near two universities with plenty of prank-prone students. It has been known to get adorned (in winter only) with two giant snowballs at the base, and sometimes for an added touch, wrapped in plastic to give it that extra-protected something.

The family who maintains it is never pleased when this happens.

Michael from dadcation.com said...

pervert! oh my eyes...

Meg said...

Are there giant eggs (or other female parts of the anatomy) around at Easter?

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

I am shocked. Shocked at such an image on your site.

mom would be ... horrified.

I mean, a rock, on a pole of some kind.

Horrifying!

HeatherPride said...

I think I need a giant yard phallus. My homeowners association would LOVE it!!

Thank you for visiting Riding the Short Bus earlier! Even though you voted for my husband, I forgive you. If for no other reason than your internet name, Shieldmaiden, sounds kind of scary. Like you might be able to kick some serious butt or something.

Shieldmaiden96 said...

Dr Z--I think that would qualify someone as a 'landscaping fluffer'.

Kirsten-- the weird thing is, I think its a family.

Kathy- That is most excellent. One wonders if the family who chose that wasn't exacting some kind of revenge on the decedent. Its sheer size suggests an underhanded comment about his personality.

Muskrat-- Hey, I don't plant 'em, I just shoot 'em.

Meg- I'll have to keep my eyes peeled around Easter. Right now there's no room for anything else, they have a McCain sign every four feet.

Lisa- There's something deliberate and disturbing about the choice of rock, is all I'm sayin'. I don't think mom has ever seen my blog, has she?

Heather- We once had an HOA that sent us a registered letter because my mother had the wheelbarrow on the driveway. While she was PLANTING FLOWERS. If we still lived there I'd build a fence out of these bad boys and top one of them with a pink mailbox.
Oh, and the name comes from Return of the King. Though I do have some sword training for reals.

Unknown said...

"VOTE TINKLEPAUGH" I had no idea candidates got selected for their funny names!

I must be really naive.