Lords a-leapin' in the rain

Only three here, not ten, but the green anole lizards leaping around the plants on the patio look like courtly lords in fine green hosiery and velvet breeches. They are very excited, in a reserved and elegant way, that it is sprinkling. We have been without rain for a long time, and the lizards, like fishermen, know this will be a good time to catch lunch.

I rescued the gecko collage box from the patio before the rain. Sprayed another coat of clear acrylic finish on it early this morning. With the addition of the gray plastic mesh window screening, it is complete. Photos and details of the piece in progress are posted on MamaCollages.



The expression, "leaping lizards," seems to come from the old comic strip my dad called Little Orphink Annie . On Sundays when visiting grandparents in Pierce, or McCook, Dad could sometimes be persuaded to read and interpret the comics in the Omaha Weird Herald. Little Orphan Annie, Bringing Up Father, Katzenjammer Kids, Prince Valiant, Pogo, Dick Tracy, and Li'l Abner didn't speak to me in 1960. The main impacts of these sessions were:

1. Learning the days of the week was easier when only the Sunday comics had colored ink.

2. "Bringing Up Father" was really known as "Maggie and Jiggs." Jiggs helped me learn about spats. I suspected that Jiggs sat in my grandma's rocking chair with his foot up on her hassock sometimes and talked on her telephone. Grandma sat that way "with her phlebitis," and Jiggs sat that way "with his gout." For all I knew Gout and Phlebitis could have been the names of invisible lapdogs. And, in fact, if I ever have three pomeranians, I will name them Spats, Gout, and Phlebitis.


© 2008 Nancy L. Ruder