Bear-Box Oddities

Although the photo certainly doesn't do it justice, the picture shows an extraordinary, 3-D card sent to us by our friend Renzo; he says he found it in Florence, Italy. The two skiing bears are dangling in their chair before the diorama of other bear skiers of varying ability. The effect is unlike anything we've seen before.

Some friends - who happen to be lesbians, mind you - found this fungus growing in their compost pile. When they saw its elegant and familiar proportions, not to mention its anatomically correct size, they immediately thought of us and rushed it right over. Needless to say, we were fascinated. However, since it seems to be on the fragile side, and since it stinks like you wouldn't believe, this photo is all that remains.

30 September 2001

[Update!] Apparently, according to Wayne Armstrong (on his The Curious Names of Wildflowers webpage), this fungus, popularly known as "Stinkhorn Fungus", has the suggestive botanical name of Phallus impudicus. We thought you'd like to know.

2 September 2004

We found this essential bathroom accessory at our neighborhood home outfitter's store. We wouldn't have thought that "Bear Bottoms" would be quite suitable for such a family-type operation, whether "Welcome" or not, but there you go. On the other hand, we found the idea agreeable enough that we've put it in our main bathroom (where other bear oddities seem to be collecting).

13 September 2001

This unusual item comes from the back page of a catalog from Lenox, Christmas 1999. Evidently a new-design introduction, this china ornament is guaranteed to become a treasured heirloom. Just why Santa is holding the teddy bear by the crotch with his hand up teddy's butt is unknown to us, but we're intrigued.

2 December 1999

This is the label on a bottle of Chardonnay made by R.H. Philips in 1996. Below the image of the fire-spouting bear is the name: Toasted Head. Curious. Is it the bear's head that is toasted or, as seems more likely since fire appears to be streaming from his mouth, is the bear about to toast someone else's head? Regardless, we found the name provocative.

2 December 1999

Toasted Head

Jeff's mother sent us this tin; we know nothing of its provenance. The outside is decorated with cartoon bears depicting various occupations; we particularly liked this little dress-up game of construction worker & nurse. The lid tells us "It's a Bear's World". The inside of the lid says that it once contained "Sesame Snack Mix", packed by E. Cherry Sons & Co., Inc. of Philadelphia. It does not say when, but the lurid colors suggest a decade closer to the 50's than the 90's.

2 December 1999