I took this image of the Devil's Bowl in 1997 with film using one of my TLRs (probably my Mamiya 330). It is in a State Park north of Grand Marais on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Wife and I are headed back up there tomorrow morning and am really looking forward to seeing this area again. Probably won't see this particular falls because it requires walking up and down literally hundreds of stairs to get there. Could do that in 1979, don't think so today. There's plenty else to see on the North Shore tho.

SO YOU COWARDS think you're tough because you jumped me?? Waited for me to be alone... in front of my own home??? 😡 I still handled all of you, left 3 of you on the ground laid out!! You're lucky I don't have any marks on my face. I have some on my arms and neck but so what!!!! I bet you didn't expect me to swing back since it was 6 against one. I might be in my 70’s, but I'm not too old for this! Yeah, I'm not gonna lie I was getting tired of fighting and just wanted to go back in the house but I kept on swinging and made sure you got yours.. PUNKS!!!!! All I have to say is, you started this and I finished it. I hate mosquitos!!! Mosquitos are not my friends!!!

Last week I opened a discussion on Leica camera bodies asking if they are demonstrably better than their competition.
This week, I move on to asking why those of you who collect or simply wear luxury watches do so. I am hard pressed to come up with any reason why an expensive mechanical watch does a better, or even as accurate a job as the simplest of electronic alternatives. Clearly, no one purchases a multi thousand dollar watch purely to know the time.
I am not being judgmental. I understand the concept of fine craftsmanship, the idea of dressing for success, and certainly the desire to show that you can afford something expensive on your wrist. I am not suggesting that one should not buy something he can afford.
When does it become smarter and better to find alternate ways of displaying ones affluence.

Madame P was hard at work on a spell last week when GoGo van Gogh-Gogh, the Ministry of Mayhem's drunken Artist-in-Residence, happened along. He watched in fascination as she wove her magic down in the Ministry's dungeon, and he felt compelled to immortalize her work in yet another painting.

Upon viewing the work, I noted the spell she was working on was the one she generally used to turn me into a frog. But for once, it must have been meant for someone else, as I haven't had bugs for lunch in almost a month.

Madame P has long proclaimed that no one could ever replace Chopper, her Peruvian Piranha Dog, as numero uno in her affections. They've practically been joined at the hip for years.

But let's examine the facts-- Chopper's getting on. His youthful good looks have faded, and we don't see him in her arms as much as we used to, do we? Madame P was even spotted at last Saturday night's big hamster fight without him, claimed he wasn't feeling well. Uh-huh. I saw him at dinner, he looked and acted perfectly fine, ate like a horse. Not feeling well? Hah!

And while a certain little someone is presented with a new toy almost daily, when's the last time poor Chopper had a new collar and leash? Or anything more than a cursory pat on the head? Answer me that!

Not to mention there's a peculiar daydreamy kind of smile on the lady's face with a certain little someone in her lap when she thinks no one is watching. And that same lady flushes and acts all embarrassed when I happen to catch her singing to that certain little someone. I can't remember the last time I heard her singing to Chopper...

No question, there's something going on. But is this just a casual fling, or something more serious?