Monday, January 25, 2010

Margot and the Sphinx

The readers (dear friends!) of P-in-B enjoyed Margot's drawing of the Animals' swimming adventure so much that we found another of her Animal drawings in the Big Bed Land Archives to share. This describes one of a number of Ancient Animal Riddles that have come down to us in the present day...one that desert travelers were required to solve before continuing on their journeys...

Below are some pix of the Animals in Margot's drawing - some of whom you may already know. Like Piggles. Here is Chinabeary with her dear friend Bearly Bear at Margot's wedding, in company with our compatriot Elizabeth.












And here are Georgina and Debra (pronounced to rhyme with "Zebra") learning how to play the ukulele in Big Bed Land. Actually, these are a cool variation on the traditional uke design and are called Flukes! Monster J. is very patient with letting Animals and Monster E. try things out on his fascinating collection of stringed instruments. Debra is trying to figure out how these strings relate her (rather advanced) ideas on Cosmic String theory - but that will be another post!

10 comments:

  1. Piggles: you are so sagacious in your simple humour. It was so obvious! How did they miss it, I wonder?

    Way to go with those ukes, Georgina and Debra (I have a good friend named Debra too).

    What a beautiful photograph from the wedding! Bearly Bear and Chinabeary you both look so white you are almost as pristine as the bride!

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  2. Debra that rhymes with Zebra? I love that. Thanks for the cartoony smiles.

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  3. Dear Poetikat,
    I learn from Piggles that the simple often masks the wonders of the obvious - but then I always forget it again!

    I was surprised to see Chinabeary and Bearly Bear so pristine as well! It always surprises me that the Animals once had such clear colors (ah, youth.)But their expressions have become clearer, it seems to me, as their furry bodies fade a bit...

    The Animals are all quite fascinated by how well you seem to understand them, and they've been wanting to ask you if perhaps you are part Animal yourself?

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  4. Dear Willow,
    I'm so glad you like Debra's name - it made me smile when she told it to me! She is a quiet and gentle but very definite Animal. She is looking forward to passing on her Cosmic String theory next week! I'm glad you liked Margot's cartoon - I know she'll appreciate that.

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  5. Eberle, I think perhaps I am, actually.
    We have a new member to our clan, incidentally. We had made an effort to find homes for the many who lived with us at one point (lots of them went to a new mom's shelter to be friends to the children) because we were running out of room, but I think Big Bed Land has touched a soft spot in us and we are ready to move over and squeeze a few new Animals in.
    So we have taken on a lovely (life-size) shaggy sheep and we call him Rufus. He has a warm spot right beside the cast-iron stove in the living room and he is wearing the most delightful red, pink and orange cap that used to belong to me.
    By the way, did you ever see the link to the Fiddlehead poem? I put it in a response-comment a little while ago.

    Best, as ever,
    Kat and the ever-increasing, H-Gang.

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  6. I'm going to photograph Rufus and put him in my sidebar, so you can take a look (over at "Keepsakes").

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  7. ha. i enjoyed the cartoon. very cool...

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  8. I am honored to be show cased. And bedazzled by my own beauty and genius. Any chance of hearing a recording of the Animals playing the fluke, or other instrument?

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  9. Ach! I am so ashamed. Matt points out that wheelchairs have 4 wheels, not 2.

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  10. Dearest Margot,
    Piggles suggests that you put shame aside for the foreseeable future. How many wheels does a wheelchair have? Some number, as Aunt Phoenix often says.

    Polar Knight says that earlier forms of wheel-chairs did really only have two wheels. So using an old fashioned wheel chair for the riddle is cool - because you have three time frames going on: ancient Egypt, nineteenth century England, and the glorious present of Roller Derby Queens. Polar Knight, Great Big Bard of Big Bed Land, also points out that half the fun of being a writer is spinning tales to explain the half-real half-magical world of writing to others (even when you don't understand it yourself.)
    Love to you all out there!

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