duval street

Every time I hear any media knucklehead turn the phrase,
". . .from Wall Street to Main Street. . .", my mind remembers it's nights on Duval (as best it can) and I think, "I've got yer Main Street, right here!"


Duval Street is a two mile long chameleon. On a Saturday night, from the ocean to the gulf, it's a kickin', rockin' block party from sunset to closing time.


For me, it's been a while, but I've had my share of nights (and and just barely mornings) making the rounds until last call on Duval.



But then, the next Sunday morning, Duval Street is a quiet expression of Rockwellian gentility.
(talk about a geographic Jekyll & Hyde)


Since I've been out of circulation these past couple of months, I got curious to see if Captain Tony's, Sloppy Joe's, 801 & Aqua were still standing.


So, out & about I went and found that all were well and, Duval Street was in it's Sunday morning-after quietude.

coconut chaos & the sea of green

a great soul

For the past few weeks, I've been casually re-reading "Autobiography of a Yogi" written in 1946 by my Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda.
(It's a great read that I highly recommend to you)

Well, as they have so very often happened since I welcomed Yoganandaji into my world, a series of small miracles (call them happy coincidences if you prefer) have occurred during this most recent reading. They've helped me trust that I have a helping hand as I move through this life and most of them are too personal for publication here, but this morning. . .
This morning I picked up my book at Chapter 44 in which Yoganandaji describes a trip to Wardha, India in the summer of 1935 to visit with Gandhi. I read, with interest, Guruji's account of their visit, his observations and perceptions of the Mahatma (great soul). When I'd finished the chapter I closed the book and got on with my morning. I promise you it wasn't until hours later, when the sun was fully up and I had NPR radio on, that I learned that today was Gandhi's birthday.

As miracles go it's not parting the Red Sea, I know - but I ask you, what are the odds that a book I've been chipping away at for three weeks is gonna lead me to a chapter about a particular person, on that particular person's birth date?

The experience gave me something new & unexpected to think about as I was out & about taking care of banking and post office stuff this morning.

Mohandas K. Gandhi
was born on October 2, 1869 and lived a long life leading India to it's independence from the British Empire through non-violent revolution.
He died on January 30, 1948 at age 78 of 3 bullets to the chest. As he lay dying, the Mahatma raised his arms toward his assassin in an expression of forgiveness.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world."
Mohandas K. Gandhi

phountain physics

An arc of frantic motion, pushing up. . . then falling down. . .
Except for the splash at the apex! Where, for a Wile E. Coyote moment, it hangs crystal clear and motionless in mid-air before changing direction. How cool.

nancy's secret garden - VIDEO

I first met Nancy Forrester, I guess it was about 6 years ago, in a time of crises.
Her Secret Garden seems to be in a state of constant crises between not enough funding to keep the garden and the critters who live there healthy and, the covetous developers around town who continuously try to weasel the untouched tropical acre away from her.
All the same, with a little help from her friends, Nancy's been able to beat back the mayhem, time and time again.

Nancy's Secret Garden is a living rainforest museum, out of the day-to-day line of fire, for weddings, environmental education or a quiet hour of meditation under the canopy of trees.


click the arrow to play video. Run time, 7:16

Here's a link to the website. . .
Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden

intestinal fortitude

"intestinal fortitude" by Art Winstanley
acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24"
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
send e-mail for details: keywesttheblog@gmail.com

fresh water conchs

It's been a while since I've posted a picture of her lately but, my room-mate/constant companion/feline friend and most favorite furry critter, Maxine, celebrated her 11th birthday this year. (isn't that 77 in dog years?) Anyway, I thought a new view was due.

I had planned to take her down to Schooner Wharf where she could face down a few "big dogs" (believe me, I've seen her do it!) but she had a preference for the Parrot. Well, you know how Vagnoni is for pets in the place these days so that was out of the question. So, as disappointed as we were, we celebrated with a quiet night at home with cosmic catnip and way too much "sorry Charie" brand tuna fish.

Max and I have been partners for 10-1/2 of her 11 years and 11 years of my 57 varieties (can I get a kick-back from Mrs. Kerry?). We hooked up in Philadelphia while I was owner/operating my ad agency. One day she looked at me and said, "dude, you don't look real happy with yourself". Well, I thought about that a minute and knew she was right. (it had been nine years of that poison gas and honestly, I was bored shi*tless) So I said, "what do you think we should do?" Max said, "ROAD-TRIP!!!" (she loves to ride!!)

I packed her into a spacious cat carrier, laid it on the passenger seat of the T-Bird, hit the gas heading south and she bitched and moaned about being in that carrier from Philadelphia to Hollywood. (I was amazed she didn't get a sore throat). By the time I pulled up at the Neptune Motel in Key Largo for the overnight, I'd surrendered. The next morning, we cruised down the Keys in harmonious peace and quiet, me at the wheel and she basking in the sun on the platform just below the sloped back window like a backseat bobble-head big dog.

Well, it's been ten years since we blew into town. We've been through some changes, made some re-arranges and here we are, still hanging together, fat and happy "fresh water conchs". We keep the end$ pretty close, body, mind and spirit together and with blue water optimism, try to dream up what we're gonna do next.

two little birds, five seagulls, a smokestack & a quiet corner in key west

keys'n in election season

It's that time of year again! Early voting is underway, political placards pepper the playing field and the candidates are at the door.

Hells bells, we've got a couple of Charter Amendments, City Commission foot races for Districts 1, 3 and 6 of the and four guys who want to be mayor.

Now me, I don't do the "early voting" thing. I like the ritual of biking off to Old City Hall early in the morning, flirting with the election volunteers and casting my ballot. Then I feel great about it for the rest of the day with that "I voted" sticker stuck to my ball cap.

The way the system is set up, this year I personally get to vote on both Charter Amendments. . .
• should the mayoral term be extended from 2 years to 4?
• should decisions on selling city owned property be put to a citizen vote?

and I get to vote for the Mayor where the choices are. . .

• Morgan McPherson (the incumbent who's gettin' a little long in the tooth but is one of the only two real contenders) click on the picture to visit the candidate's website

• Sloan Bashinsky (who allegedly walks and talks with aliens and would probably bring some color to the office) click on the picture to visit the candidate's website

• Craig Cates (who seems like an upright white kind of guy and the other real contender offering more bubba-business-as-usual) click on the picture to visit the candidate's website

• MongoMike (who I might vote for just because I like his name) click on the picture to visit the candidate's website

. . .but mostly I'm still un-decided.

But because I live in District 1, I can only vote for City Commissioner for District 1. So while I hope Tom Lavender and Clayton Lopez can get it done for Districts 3 & 6, my choices for District 1 are a coin toss between. . .

• Tom Milone (who I know personally and find is very interested & enthusiastic) click on the picture to visit the candidate's website


• Jimmy Weekley (former five term Mayor who, when he knocked on my door, seemed completely devoid of any real interest or enthusiasm at all) click on the picture to visit the candidate's website

. . .I've more or less made up my mind on that race.

Now, I know what you're thinking. . .
How can I be taking something as serious as voting so lightly? Well, in the first place, it's tourist town politics and at the end of the day, the name of the game is money. In the second place I understand that no single politician can, or wants to, change the game in mid-stream. Whoever gets in, at whatever level, it'll be same-o same-o for a while and then special interest will dictate policy. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. . ."

Election day is October 6 this time around. Get out there and vote your conscience, your convictions or just go rattle the cage; but don't be silent. "We the people" are the last best hope for what's coming down around us.

artman's alphabet - U

bicycle salad

yin & yang

Well hell, it's been a bummer of a summer for me this year but, all the same, on the scale of this and that, the good still outweighs the not so good. Thanks all for your kind comments and e-mails and believe me when I tell you, there's nothing like being shut-down when you'd rather be out playing, to drive your mind through a fog of catharsis.

Anyway, I've been distracted long enough so let's get at it.

Working with my new friend and acupuncture dude these past few months, I learned something more about Chinese medicine and history. I've got a pretty good bead on the how and why of "meridians", a better grasp on the relationship between the "five elements" and a much clearer understanding of the concept of "yin yang".

Well, a couple of days ago I was sweeping the front porch and pondering my Chinese enlightenments when my neighbor stopped by with a few of his home grown avocados. We chatted for a few minutes, I absentmindedly dropped my new found fruit in a basket and finished my sweeping.
I'll admit I had to look twice but, on second glance, the two avocados in the basket were looking suspiciously like the Yin Yang symbol. "How cool, I was just thinking about that!"

Sort of a Han Dynasty version of Einstein's "Unified Field Theory", the Yin Yang symbol represents the field of complimentary and interdependent opposites by which all things exist.

Hmmm. . .
Male & Female • Light & Dark • Night & Day • Hot & Cold • Cats & Dogs • Black & White • Rich & Poor • Song & Dance • Death & Taxes • Life & Death • Abbott & Costello • Fred & Barney • Laurel & Hardy • Good Guys & Bad Guys • Winning & Losing • Asleep & Awake • Smart & Stupid • Fat & Skinny • Up & Down • In & Out • Love & Hate • Bomo & Climax (o.k, i made that one up) • Brave & Scared • Happy & Sad • Government & All The Rest of Us • Hard & Soft • Needles & Pins • Many & Few • Red States & Blue States • Gay & Straight • Wet & Dry • Simon & Garfunkel • Neat & Sloppy • Healthy & Sick • Positive & Negative • Happy & Sad • Laughing & Crying • Truth & Lies • Saints & Sinners • Digital & Analog (yeah, that's a stretch) • Coming & Going • Forgiveness & Blame • Left & Right • Port & Starboard • Big & Small • Ginger & MaryAnn • Porn & PG • Cops & Robbers • Cowboys & Indians • War & Peace • Sam & Dave • Heaven & Hell • Lennon & McCartney • Lost & Found • Fast & Slow • Give & Take • Good & Evil • Blow & Suck • Problems & Solutions • New & Old • Young & Old • Near & Far • Pleasure & Pain • (and my personal favorite) Understandable & Mind-Boggling