15 Minute Snowman

2 unrelated mystery photos this week.    This first one is NOT an electron microscope photo of flower pollen (I don’t have an electron microscope … yet):

The challenge on this photo is not what is in the middle of it, but rather how it was composed:

My camera is in the shop again (the 2 year $30 extended warrantee on pocket cameras is highly recommended), so only a few iphone photos this month.     We had our first snowstorm last weekend.   I constructed this 8 foot snowman in 15 minutes, likely a new world time record!  (for our backyard anyway):

Speaking of records, I broke last summer’s no shower/bath record.  This year, using our handy pool and hot tub, I got through 5 months, May –> Sept.    This hair was washed once in the last 6.5 months (our trip to Boulder last month):

Not too slimy (is wet, not dirty), but was a bit long.   Helen fixed that:

For those of you still pondering that second mystery photo and have not cheated by looking at the bottom of the post, here is a second clue (this is a ‘before’ photo):

I thought I had escorted all the mice out of our house (5 of them), but recently found this guy trapped in our food cabinet, trying to knaw his way out.  The food was on the upper shelves, a mouse's worst nightmare, trapped in a box inches away from nirvana:

A spider in our garage DID achieve nirvana … he trapped this poor guy, giving him enough food for at least a couple of big spider Thanksgivings dinners:

That first mystery photo was another exotic vegetable that Helen foraged.   Some sort of cauliflower: 

That second photo is much more exciting.   I bought myself an early xmas present … we have a new baby in the house!

Technically, at 6’ 1”, this is a parlor or boudoir grand piano, as Baby Grands are < 5.5’, but we like calling him Baby. 

I’ve been monitoring ebay, craigslist, and local showrooms for a few months, looking for bargains on used pianos, but finally decided on a new entry level brand, Story & Clark at $7.5k. 

Pretty pricy, but could have done much worse.  New brand names start at $30k and a 6’ Steinway costs $60k.   Kind of glad I’m not good enough to fully appreciate the difference.