4th of July and other summer things.

Both Jewel and my mother have been on my case about not blogging, so here's my meager offering.

First, I thought I'd share some of the pictures I took at the Candor 4th of July parade (which actually took place on the 5th, oddly enough). I used Picasa to make a couple of collages. (PS: I'm a cheater, I know; I'm not as crafty with Photoshop as Jewel is. Someday, perhaps.) See if you can spot the following: the fife and drum corps, guys in kilts playing bagpipes, at least two old cars, numerous flags, a bluegrass band in the bed of a pickup, and the white-gloved waves of the VFW ladies' auxiliary.

As Jewel mentioned, we also spent some time recently at the Ithaca Antique Mall. It's a great place with literally tons of stuff: records, art, electronics (including a couple nice Technics turntables I had my eye on), and lots of great vintage furniture. Jewel bought a great issue of the Saturday Evening Post, and I got three prints that look like they may have come out of an art history textbook. My mother, however, made the best purchase of the day by far. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:

Shark Alert.

If you think you can tell the artist and/or song playing in the background, leave it in the comments. The prize is...my enduring respect.

("You can't just pretend to have prizes," said Jewel.)

-- its