You Ain't Nuthin'...

art work by Wayne Wirgau

                    

...but a hound dog...but he's Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll...

...together again...uh...for the first time...with Marilyn.

Anyway, you get the idea...and we already had the first passersby ask if they could take a pic.

They also asked if we were going to do the Beatles next...

...to which I answered a resounding nyet!

Much more likely to do Sinatra...

...because the Pack Master of the Rat Pack is hands down waaaay cooler than the Fab Four.

Just because I like it...

...a view of the full moon from our courtyard...not bad for a cell phone pic.

It was a cool night, reminding us it's now September and Autumn is knock, knock, knocking on Summer's door...

please tell me you know who this is and why he's here...

...but you know what? 

That's ok...Karen has been teaching me to embrace each season and not miss the enjoyment of Fall by wishing it was still Summer.

It's so annoying when she's right...and there is still that whole zombie apacalypse thing to worry about...

had to work this in somehow

...but what the heck...Summer may have packed her bags and left for the station...

...but we're going to do our best to...

...even if it kills me.

Short report on hickory golf today...actually did pretty well on the fairways...

...and had my chances to 1 putt for par and bogey...

where's gravity when you need it?

...but that right there sums up my day on the greens.

Even so it was a gorgeous fall morning, cooler temps and bright sunshine.

Delightful.

My friend Larry from work has been trapped up north...

...suffering out there in the wilderness.

early morning visitor

He's got nothing to do but watch the wildlife...

a belted Kingfisher taking a break from his fishing duties

...and struggle to endure the harsh vistas of the barren terrain...

sunset on the water...

...and fire in the sky.

...our hearts go out to him in this time of desperation.

Well, it's finally here...

...that unwelcome bookend to Memorial Day...Labor Day weekend.

It started in 1887 and became a federal holiday in 1894.

Designed to honor the working men and women who built this country, over time it has also come to be regarded as the traditional end of the summer season.

Just as Tom Hanks reminded us...

...there's no crying in baseball...neither can we tolerate tears over the end of summer...

...well, maybe just a few...

And now a quick jaunt through the parting shots sector...

wasted 2 hours of our lives watching this drivel recently...you've been warned

Arturo Fuentes stopped by the command center this week

these 2 guys spent a few minutes chattering at me

it has been this summer

I'd love to hang around and chat with you some more, but these cigars...

...ain't going to smoke themselves...

later, mcm fans...

Ladies and Gentlemen...

art work by Wayne Wirgau

...allow me to present...the Mid Century Modern Power Couple that never was.

Yep, that's Elvis and Marilyn gracing our mid century modern garage, but Elvis is still a work in progress...we decided he needs to be bigger, so I'll have follow up pics of the completed portrait next week.

Marilyn, on the other hand is both finis and spectacular..

...and here she is, all lit up at night...

...pretty darn cool.

Marilyn and Elvis were the biggest stars in their professions, contemporaries, but never romantically involved.

They did meet briefly - according to Joe Esposito, one of Elvis' posse - in June of 1960.

They happened to be on the same Paramount Studios movie lot and bumped into each other near their dressing rooms.

They exchanged pleasantries and a hug and that was that.

No torrid love affair, no one night stand...just a friendly hi how are ya between the 2 biggest superstars of the day.

So there you have it - the mid century modern power couple that never was - now together on our garage.

Might have to add one more mcm icon to our collection...

Ol' Blue Eyes, anyone?

It was 4 years ago this weekend that Karen and I did some Metro Cruisin' with Mr. T...

I know what you're thinking...

...nothing like kicking it old school in a 1923 Model T.

...how does an old guy like him get a young beauty like her?

It's the car, boyo...beautiful women dig beautiful cars...

Good times.

Cloudy day on the links...

...but a very enjoyable round, and I saved the best for last...

...when I dropped that 9 footer for birdie on #9.

As the saying goes, even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then...

...because the rest of my round was the usual mix of bogeys...

...and their uglier siblings, double/triple bogeys.

Even so, it was a pleasant stroll through the countryside chasing that little white gutta percha.

Can't wait to tee it up again next week.

Karen and I have been watching another PBS / Walter Presents series, In Vlaamse Velden (In Flanders Field)...

...the story of a family in Belgium and their struggles during WWI.

We're enjoying these European series about historical events for the different viewpoints than we sometimes get here in America.

In World War 1, Germany attempted to execute their "Schlieffen Plan", which called for a sweeping attack through Belgium and down into France...

...and Belgium was seen as little more than a useful bridge on their road to victory.

History records it didn't quite work that way, and the Flemish people of Belgium suffered tremendously.

Besides the brutality of the occupying German army and starvation due to food shortages - with a tip o' the hat to Herbert Hoover's Commission for Relief in Belgium efforts -

- this series explores the internal conflicts between the Flemish and the French - allegedly allies in the war.

For most Americans, that's probably a lost subtext but to the Belgians it was a major affront that compounded their anguish during this awful time.

So expand your horizons a little and tune into this series on PBS...part of a number of efforts created to remember the 100th anniversary of WWI (1914 - 1918).

Seen here and there...

Larry's back at his cottage for a week of work and vacation...

...enjoying beautiful sunsets...

...and glorious moonlit nights like this...

our courtyard fountain in the sunshine

a couple of pals dropped by the command center this week

looking for one of these in my size

did I use this one recently?  well I'm using it again...I like it...

I know - I can't believe it either - but it's that time again...

What?  Heck no, not that!   This:

I can't really jump that high, but we're packing it in anyway for another week here at the Atomic Monster Cafe.

But don't worry, we'll be back next week and remember...as the great Joe Louis said...

...you can run, but you can't hide...

later, mcm fans...