The Last Shadow Puppets.

'The Age Of The Understatement' is a wide-screen, bold and brilliant introduction to the band. The Last Shadow Puppets are Alex Turner (from Arctic Monkeys) and Miles Kane (from The Rascals).

Firm friends ever since Arctic Monkeys toured with Kane's previous group, The Little Flames, the pair were so inspired by listening to the likes of Scott Walker, early Bowie and David Axelrod, that they hatched a plan.

The result is 'The Age Of The Understatement'.

I like the Bowie influence and had already liked the Arctic Monkeys.

Dog days of winter.

Breaking news: Uno, the Beagle, wins Westminster Dog Show!
My post on dogs was just by chance - anyway, way to go Uno. We used to have a beagle when I was a kid: Taffy Ann. Hearing Uno on TV, he sure has the Beagle woof (or whatever noise that is).

Amy with Cubbie at the yearly local car show.

It was right down the street at the High School. Taken in 2003, Cubbie in dog years is now older than Amy.

I'm just waiting for it to get warm. It's been too cold to play with Cubbie outside, so instead I'll post a couple 15 second videos I took with my camera.

Usually I hit him softballs for about a half hour after work. When he was younger, I couldn't miss a day with him or else he would be bursting with unspent energy. Being a little older, he just shrugs if we don't go out.

Below is a picture of Cubbie strolling thru the yard.

In the background: phlox, sunflowers, dahlias, and cornfield.

If I hit the softball hard enough, it would land a couple rows deep into the corn.

Cubbie loves running through the corn - he always finds the ball too.

(Note: I am much farther back when I hit the softballs. I'm guessing 200 feet. He really gets exercise during our workouts.)

My camera gives you 15 seconds of high quality video or however long you want with medium. I do the high because 15 seconds is long enough.

I used to have Magnavox VHS movie camera - you could take up to two hours of video. Kinda like a Robert Altman movie with no editors. In my case, shorter is better.

Both videos are us playing in the large with snow - one with my "homeless" burn barrel blazing and one by the house (too much snow that day).

If you notice, at the end, he runs through my legs, turns around, pokes his head through the other way and gives me the ball. He learned that on his own.

Dog days of summer.

Dog days of summer. By the way, did you know John Cazale only made five feature films? Amazing. He sure established a himself as a character actor in a very short time. Reminds me a little of Gary Oldman for some reason - more for immersing one's self into character than for looks.

Anyway, the best I have is a good joke I received via email (above) and a 15 second video I forgot to put in last post. Have a nice weekend.

Another version: Bob(the cat) made me. I look at it this way: I remember having to work the night of the last *M*A*S*H* (VCR's were about $ 700.00 then and yes, I missed it, finally seeing about 5 years later (quick note: my boss taped it and invited me over to watch it. I couldn't do it ) and going back even further, missing the end to The Fugitive (such a tortured soul, David Janssen). If I can capture 15 seconds of any day and look back at it from any computer, anywhere, anytime, it's got to be cool in it's own little way. I love technology...

English themed roadtrip.

This is a narrow little country road about two miles out of town. Notice the red triangle with a "Yield" on the railroad crossing sign (what other option do you have with a train?).

My neighbor told me a nearby roadside garden vendor was clearing out the last of their annuals. He gave me the impression they were free for the taking. I had a few holes to fill around the yard. Sounded great to me. After talking a bit more, I found out they were priced using the "Honor System".

What do you think about when you hear the word Honor? Obviously for neighbor Kenny, pay what you want, if anything.

I immediately thought of Honor Blackman. Cathy Gale from the British TV series, The Avengers. I love British TV.

Honor left to play Pussy Galore in the James Bond movie Goldfinger and was replaced by Diana Rigg as Emma Peel. It turned out to be a good career move for both of them. They are both still active.

This part of the road is about a mile from the farm I grew up on. I used to ride my bike on this road. Ahead on the left is a house where a young kid got his head blown off while playing with a shotgun. I was always scared to ride by the house. Haunted.

Below I took a 15 second video, panning the road and field. It's too windy, bad sound quality, but I like hearing the sound of my voice. Always experimenting; tip # 1 - don't do video on a windy day.

On the left side of the road was this straw field. It was really bright out and made for good colors. This made me think of that minor classic, Straw Dogs by Sam Peckinpah. Set in rural England, it starred a young Dustin Hoffman and a very cute Susan George. I liked it; it's worth a view.

This looking the other direction from the road. That is our old farm way back over the soybean field.

What did I buy when I got to the roadside stand? Begonias, of course (really, I needed some shade lovers). This time of year you can't keep anything looking decent in the direct sun. And I paid pretty much the correct price. I discounted a little bit because of their condition (they were not "spring pristeen").

Back at home. These cleome fool Clint and I just about every year. Starting out, they look like pot plants. I actually quit my illegal paper burning in the barrel behind the garage. Don't draw attention to yourself. Then they get a little bigger, grow thorns and I know they are flowers.

The leaves look like pot to me.

My illegal burn barrel. Have to take it easy anyway for the morning glory.

Backyard garden. All the sunflowers came back on their own.

In keeping with my occasional English references, a must see show for me is on PBS; Rose Mary and Thyme. (I case you are wondering Mike, Wednesdays.)

It is a British TV series - two women are gardeners who also solve crimes. It isn't Masterpiece Theater but it is an enjoyable little show.

My only complaint with the sunflowers is they bloom too early. Or don't bloom long enough.

Experimenting with no flash. The morning glories are starting to climb the garage.

Ending with two Lilys. Both are favorites. One is English. (Any excuse to get Lily in a post.)

Bob (the cat). 15 second videos.

I grew up a dog person. We raised English Springer Spaniels when I was a kid. Burpee was my first dog. What was he named after? I don't know. I never really thought about it. Anyway, that was his name. He was around till I was about 16.

Now our household pets are all Amy's: Cubbie, the Chocolate Lab; Rama and Bob (the cat).

Both cats came from animal control centers. They were lucky. Living with Cubbie, they act like dogs in a way. In the morning they would rather wait by the door to be let out than use the litter box.

Catch them in the right mood and they actually will come if you call them (okay, sometimes). But in the end, they still are cats and usually follow the beat of a different drummer.

Bob (the cat) in 4 acts on a Sunday afternoon:

Part 1. Bob (the cat) sunning by the front step.

Part 2. Bob (the cat) says hi to his (something going on there) friend, Cubbie.

Part 3. Brushing him out while he "air guitars". So much hair. So much cat emotion. You should see him do the Blues.

Part 4. Brushed out, Bob (the cat), the epitome of balance, almost falls off the picnic table. Ha.

The music was excellent Sunday. It was live from the archives weekend. Mostly live performances from appearances on WXRT or local concerts. This noted, I can keep track how long it will be before they do it again.

15 Second video and Red blues.

Being a gardener is never ending. Once I get everything growing I have then committed myself to about a half hour a night watering after work. Real smart. Ha.

Following this is a bar clip of Geneva Red of The Original Delta Fireballs. Six foot of red haired harmonica playing woman doing the blues. Local artist. Made her High School's wall of fame.

Clint and I saw them in February for the first time about 4 blocks from home at the local bar. We had a front row table. Jackie 5 and 10 (Woolworth is his name) came up to me and introduced himself. Cool. He knew my sister and I guess remembered me from some of the parties we had thrown just down the street (Prairie Ave - ha). My mom still lives there. I remembered him after a little reminiscing. Something about pulling some beverages up the side of our house with a rope for a party. Small world. Things were different then. Or not.

Geneva Red puts on a great show. (Geneva being the name of nearby town.) Her version of Boz Scaggs Loan Me a Dime (not the original version but this link gives you an idea of the song - fantastic guitar - Gregg Allman) made the whole night worthwhile.

By the way, this wasn't the bar we saw them in but it could have been. People walking in and out, cars going by. Reminds me of Storefront Hitchcock. An excellent Jonathan Demme music video film

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Geneva Red: