Brodé Galeux d’Eysines. Parle vu?

Just a few more weeks, Cinderella...

This French heirloom pumpkin means "embroidered with warts" from Eysines (a small city in the southwest of France). This baby is from the gardens of Glen Mar in Greendale, WI, USA.

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TGIF! presents....Andy Williams' "Softly, As I Leave You!"

Andy Williams passed away this week at the age of 84. Inarguably, one of the prominent velvet voices of all time, Williams left a legacy of music that has brought me joy throughout my life. Here's one of my favorite songs covered by Andy, the theme from the made-for-TV hit film, "Brian's Song".

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11 a.m. & 2nd Breakfast!

Above - Left to right: Pimpernel Bramble of Willbottom, East Farthing (me) and Todo Bracegirdle of Hardbottle (Brian).

So, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the 1st printing of JRR Tolkien's masterpiece, The Hobbit (Sept. 21, 1937), there was a world-wide 2nd Breakfast held this past Friday at 11am. Hobbits love to eat - and they frequently have a 2nd breakfast. I organized this and Brian, my co-worker - was a willing participant. Green tea, cherry scones and wild honeycombs! It was a thing of beauty!

If you've never heard of Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, or The Hobbit, read here, friend.

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Black raspberry jam.

From the berry crop at Glen Mar. Doubled my output from 2011. Oddly, canned just three days earlier than last year.

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TGIF! presents...Lucille from "Cool Hand Luke"!

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Fall.

 

"The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you
like the leaves of Autumn."

- John Muir

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Dumpster Diver Jeff!

 

Primitive/toll Noah's Ark painting. Stopped in at Bethesda Thrift Store in Hales Corners where my 3rd cousin Katie works and unexpectedly walked out with these treasures. $19.12. The lot! I'm good. Click on READ MORE! to see more of my booty.

 



 

Wreath.

 

 

Basket #1.

 

 

Candle holder? Sort of big for that. Candy? Nuts? 

 

 

Another candle holder?

 

 

 

Basket #2.

 

 

Small carafe.

 

 

 Tchotchke, knickknack, bauble, thingamajig, doodad, trinket, or another candle holder, maybe?

 

 

Basket #3.

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TGIF! presents..."Suo Gan"!

TGIF! presents...Empire of the Sun & "Suo Gan"! Kick ass movie and kick ass Welsh tune. Christian Bale is beyond his years in this film. I mean....he's incredible.

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BARTON HOLLOW goes GOLD!

The Civil Wars' debut album is celebrating in Nashville on September 26th! If you haven't heard of Joy and John Paul...well, you should. Grammy Awards, Americana Music awards....I'm beginning to lose track. I first caught wind of them in April 2011 - saw them here in Milwaukee in November 2011.

Here's the official music video for the song "Barton Hollow". I should fly off to Nashville...

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When the Gov'na calls....

That's me, Wisconson Governor Scott Walker and Kelly Severson Miller at the Governor's Executive Mansion in Madison last Saturday for a private reception for Badger Boys & Girls State alumni and counselors, sponsored by the BBS Alumni Association. Wonderful, bipartisan (but not political) reception. Gave the gov'na some Ircink homemade maple syrup & honey. Which he, of course, loved!

(Left to right): Scott Adrian, Gary Saunders, Governor Scott Walker, Joel Ninneman and myself. The five of us worked together as Carpenter County counselors at Badger Boys State, held every June at Ripon College. Lifelong friends and memories and truly a highlight (the BBS experience) in my life.

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Do you have Prince Albert in a can?

Then let him out. HA! Classic! I got a million of 'em.

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Celebs say (and do) the darndest things!

 

If you're still reeling over Clint Eastwood's speech at the Republican National Convention, Clint gave an interview to The Carmel Pine Cone, his local paper in CA, after his now infamous stint at the RNC.

Now - I'm a Clint fan. Always have been. And we have similar politics. He's pro-choice and pro-gay rights. And pretty much a righty on most everything else. Oh - and he supports the arts. Forgot about that one. Anyways, I probably wouldn't have used "the empty chair" or made those couple references about President Obama telling Mitt Romney "to screw himself" (which Clint alluded to but didn't actually say), but that's just me. Aside from those two things (which I really didn't get bent outta shape about), I had no problem with what Eastwood said.

In the interview, he touched on the "method to his madness" (my phrase) regarding his speech. Here are some highlights:

A)  "I had three points I wanted to make...That not everybody in Hollywood is on the left, that Obama has broken a lot of the promises he made when he took office, and that the people should feel free to get rid of any politician who's not doing a good job. But I didn't make up my mind exactly what I was going to say until I said it."

B)  "There was a stool there, and some fella kept asking me if I wanted to sit down...When I saw the stool sitting there, it gave me the idea. I'll just put the stool out there and I'll talk to Mr. Obama and ask him why he didn't keep all of the promises he made to everybody."

C)  As he wrapped up his remarks, he was aware his presentation was "very unorthodox," but that was his intent from the beginning, even if some weren't on board. "They've got this crazy actor who's 82-years-old up there in a suit...I was a mayor, and they're probably thinking I know how to give a speech, but even when I was mayor I never gave speeches. I gave talks."

I know it was on national television which certainly amplified the entire incident. But I would rather have done what Eastwood did on national television than tweet what actor Jason Biggs (AMERICAN PIE) did...something about taking two pinkies and shoving them into Paul Ryan's wife's asshole - and that her asshole was probably bleached. OR what actress Ellen Barkin (TENDER MERCIES, SEA OF LOVE) tweeted - about how she wished Hurricane Isaac would sweep "every pro-life, anti-education, anti-woman, xenophobic, gay-bashing, racist SOB right into the ocean .

Yep. Most definitely.

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TGIF! presents....Johnny Cash's "Hurt"!

Had no idea this was a Nine Inch Nails cover. Cash owns it.

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RenFaire @ Bristol! Part Deux!

My second visit to RenFaire in Bristol, WI in three weeks - this time with Brother Jason. We had a blast. Click on READ MORE! for the pageantry that is...RENFAIRE! Here is the beginning of my post.

The man who would be king. Brother Jas at the archery stalls.

Scottish claymore.

This lovely couple caught my fancy.

A lute player. A lutist!

I...am...Robin Hood! Well, I am...

Jas trying on head adornment.

Everyone's welcome at RenFaire! Here are some fantasy dudes.

The queen's court.

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Hair today, gone tomorrow!

 

Grace (oldest) and my goddaughter, Gwyneth...beauty stylists! In order: caught, pictured proudly with evidence, and finally, mommy "the cleaner" comes to the rescue. Oh yeah - this happened the day before school began in California.

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Natural comb honey.

From my beekeeper brother. $12. What do you do with it? Eat the honey and chew on the wax. Email me at jeffbumbershoot43@gmail.com if you want one. 

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RenFaire swag.

Celtic cross and mouse....I don't know. You hang it off a pot or dish. Pics from RenFaire @ Bristol, WI posting soon!

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