Chief Ten Bears: February 2007

Crafts of Boulder NV

Before I forget again, here are two pics that escaped my original Nevada post. A huge sheet metal version of an american flag. The stars were individually cut out with a mig welder. The wagon wheels are antique and about $125us each.

Depression-era cotton quilt at the Boulder NV Museum. Once belonged to a family who helped build the Hoover Dam.

Boot Memories

I had forgotten to post the pics from my last birthday on April '06, where we went to Gaitor's for one last dinner. This was the last day of operation for the Showstring Lodge and Boot Pub as well.

I'll miss those epic potholes in the parking lot.

Gaitor's was a neat little local haunt.

The crew giving me sh*t-eating grins before tucking into dinner.

Fast forward to February '07 and Gaitor's looks like this.

There goes another 100 low-cost bed units. Where are the seasonal workers going to stay now?

Last year, the 35 year old sign to my sub-division also got trashed and replaced the new city logo. I suppose it only looks 10 years behind style wise in comparision to the 70's helvetica snowflake.

Bears, Links and Bear Links

Happy 75th birthday to Liz Taylor, who recently had a hot date with a big ass black bear.

Some very nice specimens of Smokey the Bear ephemera here, here, and here.

I really like these shoes, but do they come covered in simulated bear fur? Oh yeah.

The only thing missing is a big sprig of parsley and fresh ground pepper.

Meet Ponpoko, the Japanese equivalent of Smokey the Bear.

Illustration Friday: Crash

To use some ski resort parlance, this bear is 'crashing' for the day after handing out valentines throughout the forest. Love is hard work.

Check it Out!

Bumper Crop of Bears

Many thanks to Maureen for forwarding these photos of four curious black bears checking out a brand new playground at her friend's yard in Anchorage Alaska.

Knicknack Paddywhack

Not much to report on at 'Camp Cabinessence' except the weather is warming up, thank god. I'm down to the last cord of wood for the winter season and this piece in particular reminded me of the nice weather Dave and I worked the Soo Valley in last October. There are over 100 outer rings in it, a remnant from an old, old cedar tree.

Although hard-pack snow is clogging the streets and roads around Whistler, I can scrounge up plenty of shelf space for cool flotsam in the house like this 1' high palmistry hand from eBay. I always wanted one of these crazy things.

Metal construction sign from a defunct company. The screenprinted lettering belies its age.

Another Sally-Ann find in Victoria, a pine tissue box with dutch painting.

I only noticed the two different shaped tusks while detailing the face on this metal mask from a natural food shop in Pemberton. Popular Indian folklore explains that Ganesh broke a tusk in a tiff with another diety, Parashurama.