More Curb Cup....

Mime theater

Graffiti in action

Skateboard tricksters

Shades of Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli

Juggling

Jump rope levitation

New stage set for Indie bands

Curb Cup Street Circus

For 3 hours today, 102 performers of all types did their thing along downtown streets.  Acts included mime,  dancing, music, martial arts, magic tricks, skateboarding, street theater, graffiti art, acrobatics,  jump rope tricks, and more.

The Curb Cup is an opportunity for anyone with an act to perform. The audience wanders from act to act and votes on their favorites. Those acts with the most votes win small cash prizes, and the top vote-getter has their name inscribed on the Curb Cup trophy.

 

The famous Curb Cup Trophy

A grand crowd came to watch the show; they came with families, friends, dogs. Some spectators were their own act....
But, as Shakespeare wrote, all the world's a stage.

Lavender glory

Rock rose bushes are in bloom. I love how sunlight glows through the delicate petals of this flower.

We have a bush in our back yard that has white blossoms. This morning as I was leaving for work, I watched as  -- just for a moment -- the sun illuminated one white rock rose flower, turning it into a glowing golden-white. Truly a morning glory....

School days again

One of Boise's historic elementary schools, built in 1913. They spent the past year totally refurbishing the building and landscaping, and now it's ready for students, who will be coming through the doors tomorrow morning.

I love the detail around the doorway.

School reminds me of the smells of floor polish, old wood, disinfectant, and sweaty kids (we didn't have A/C until the new addition was built). Classes began in mid-August in the Midwest. You knew your carefree summer days were numbered when the cicadas began their buzzing songs in the evenings.

"Bad Writing" -- a remarkable film

A special treat today: we saw a new documentary, "Bad Writing." It's a funny, honest, and wry look at one man's quest to become a writer. Vernon Lott interviews writers who have "made it" to get their insights about writing and the literary world. If you've ever dreamed of being an author, novelist, poet, playwright, check this out. It will be available on Amazon Video-on-Demand September 7.
http://www.badwritingthemovie.com/bw/Home.html

About face?

Maybe he's catching a few rays; working on his tan.

 Talk about rugged -- or is it acne?


I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception.
~ Groucho Marx

I've always thought respectable people scoundrels, and I look anxiously at my face every morning for signs of my becoming a scoundrel.
~ Bertrand Russell

Cool water

It may be 100 degrees here today, but this place is always cool, refreshing, and relaxing. Water is an amazing substance; too much and we're in deep trouble, not enough and we wither away.

Our bodies are around 60-75% water. Maybe that's one of the reasons -- along with our basic survival instincts -- we are so attracted to oceans, rivers, streams, lakes.

Have a glass, dip your toes in, enjoy the journey....


Don't you realize that the sea is the home of water? All water is off on a journey unless it's in the sea, and it's homesick, and bound to make its way home someday.
~ Zora Neale Hurston

Watching for hummers

The kind that fly, not the kind some people drive. :)

The birds that frequently visit our feeder appear to be Black-Chinned hummingbirds. One of them, a male with a black head and purplish throat, keeps watch over the feeder from a nearby juniper. If another hummingbird flies too close, or sneaks a few sips, the "sentry" dive bombs the interloper and chases it away. It's amazing to watch them as they dart and zoom across the yard. The speed of their wings (as they hover to feed) is astonishing.

This is one of the many joys we have living in our new place. I hope to nab a few photos of the tiny "jewels" in the future.

Looking upward

Another sky view during this week of unsettled weather.

Stormy weather

Some amazing clouds lately as some summer storms roll through.

Peeking through

Daisies seem to always carry a bit of sunshine with them. And these appear to be taking over this bench, which is a good thing aesthetically, and not so good if you want to sit there in the future.

I'll go for the aesthetic....

Daisies of the world unite - you have nothing to lose but your chains.
~ Anon

On the water

Ducks at dusk (along with mosquitoes).
A peaceful time for walking off the noise of the day.

Berries

Here's a sweet treat for your day...

Better than any argument is to rise at dawn and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup.
~ Wendell Berry

Summertime

The image reminds me of the Joni Mitchell song, "The Hissing of Summer Lawns," but without the dark suburban connotations....

Happy August to all of you!


To see the Summer Sky
Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie -
True Poems flee.
~Emily Dickinson