Jaunty Blue Man

Orange Man has left the green pastures of the Waffle House restaurant, but Blue Man has come to take his place. He sports a dapper blue outfit, complete with red belt, hat and super-hero-style tights. Notice that Blue Man even has his own blue tire and curb markings.

S. Cobb Drive at Austell Rd

Like Orange Man, Blue Man is waving at passers-by and encouraging them to turn into the auto shop for repairs and/or a deal.

Hmmm... waving at them with one hand and sucking them in with another...

Yes, Blue Man does seem to have extra muscles/parts... I wonder what's up with that... And, whoa! He has a tail, too!

Now that I'm looking... maybe he's juggling and not waving.

Whatever he's  up to, however, you have to admit: He is looking' good!

4th of July Celebrity Appearances

Celebrity sightings in the 4th of July parade in Marietta...

Random Founding Fathers on the march
Marietta Square

A reclining Lady Liberty - she's been on her feet a while...

Uncle Sam 
Don't fall out of the car!

And of course... The Jolly Old Elf himself

Local Bounty

Fruit tree

Just outside the Garden of Eden
Marietta

Little Big Chicken

Think of all the fun travels you'd have with a mini version of the Big Chicken riding on your trailer hitch! 

Chick magnet alert!

King's Ct off Atlanta St, Marietta

On the other hand, you'd know it was watching you in your rear view mirror the whole way...

Mermaid Sighting

Stunning work of art seen in Hilton Head, South Carolina. 

Side view of the mermaid

The work is a mixed-media collage made of clippings from magazine articles and images, with five real starfish. The canvas is actually a wooden door.

Straight-on view of the mermaid

The artist is Julia Miltiades, who made the work "in honor of her muse," her mother. The real starfish are from her daughter's birthday party.

Beautiful and original!

Dress Like a Cow

Friday the 13th was "Dress Like a Cow" Day at our local Chick-Fil-A fast food restaurant.  Our neighbors, young and old(er) had a lot of fun making their costumes and admiring each other's creativity.

Chick-Fil-A customers

Powder Springs Rd at Macland Rd, Marietta

The whole family joins in

Can you guess what I am? Hint: "Moo!"

Courteous.  Thanks for holding the door!

Fashionable and lovely

Serious contenders with "real" cow costumes

Happy fun for families and friends

Every costume detail perfect

From spots and dots

To tails

A tender moment

Between friends

Let's do this again next year!

Gee! Those ice cream cones went fast!

Don't forget the lemonade!

Fanciful Face Jugs

Found lurking in the display shelves of the Swan House fine art gallery...

West Paces Ferry Rd, Buckhead

Actually... Southern potters have made face jugs since the late 1800's. The first face jugs may have been made in Edgefield, SC, by slave potters. These pots were 5 to 9 inches tall, with small white rocks for teeth. Their purpose is unknown, but they might have served as a connection to ancestors or as grave markers. 

White potters took up the tradition and made it their own. I have heard that grotesque face jugs were used to scare evil spirits and kept them from entering a house. I have also heard that face jugs most often contained corn whiskey. In this case the faces deterred thieves.

Face jugs became quite fashionable in the 1960's and '70's as exotic/fun items to collect. Many potters throughout the South still sell traditional face jugs, and it is clear that the tradition has gained new momentum!

Many thanks and a tip 'o the hat to Emily for her good eye and quick reflexes!