Xenophobia

[altivo]

Xenophobia
Originally uploaded by Altivo

Seems to be a universal problem, doesn't it? Here we see yesterday's harvest from the vegetable garden behaving instinctively, if irrationally. (And if you think herding cats is hard, just try to get squashes to pose while you set up the lighting and camera.) 24 Aug 2008

Inspired, in a vague sort of way, by the photographic amusements of Joost Elffers and the peculiarly clever artwork of Ursula Vernon.

Comments

[alexsious.livejournal.com]

all the yellows: "AHH it's GREEN!!!"

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

Heh... to me this also looks like Green is a supplicant, hoping to win over the Yellows and earn initiation into their ranks.

The hazing rituals must be horrendous. "...bring forth the fishhooks!"

Light and laughter,
SongCoyote

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Or, to quote from Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles:

"What did he say?"

"The sheriff is a [BONG] !"

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Scarification? Mutilation? Grilling over open coals?

I confess, we plan to eat every one of these, regardless of color. Nom nom!

[duskwuff.livejournal.com]

The necks of the yellow squash are what really do it for me.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

A couple of these are really kinky. One plant went nuts and produced three of them at once, all tangled together. ;p

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

The fire comes to the green and the non-green alike, it seems.

I recommend scarification and a sliver of garlic slipped into the wound.

Light and laughter,
SongCoyote

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I'm not overly enthusiastic about garlic, but Gary likes it. We sometimes baste zucchini strips with Italian dressing and roast them over charcoal though. I've also treated larger, harder zucchini to the eggplant parmesan treatment and they turned out quite nicely. I suspect though that the one in the photo and another similar one captured today will end up in zucchini bread.

We had spaghetti last night with a sauce made from bottled marinara and steamed yellow squash. That was quite nice too.

[nekura-ca.livejournal.com]

Very well done, very cute.

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

Mmm... zucchini bread. And I love spaghetti with yellow squash.

And pine nuts. Lots of pine nuts!

Light and laughter,
SongCoyote

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Took forever getting the yellow ones balanced so that they stayed put while I snapped a few photos.

[marzolan.livejournal.com]

*laughs* that's great

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Tasty too. Gary made Moroccan stew for dinner tonight. He cooked a diced up chicken breast with onion, turnips, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne in some chicken stock in a crock pot. Then in the last hour he added diced up zucchini and yellow squash (yes, the victims were among the models in the photo above) and let them cook until just tender. We had it with rice, though couscous or millet would probably be more authentic. In any case, it was delicious and there's a lot left over.

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

Very funny. *looks up Joost Elffers, already being a reader of Ms Vernon's*

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

Oh, and looking at the big version, the outside yellow things especially look very much like birdy-heads. Which is even more amusing. :)

I just friended you on Flickr. Forgot to do so before.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Indian runner ducks, yes. Or expressive bowling pins. Or just perhaps, Al Capp's "shmoos".

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Elffers is a brilliant photographer who does funny still lifes out of fruits and vegetables. He finds anthropomorphic faces, birds, animals, insects in places you probably never thought of looking. Sometimes a little modification is needed to emphasize what he sees, but often it is just the angle of view or the lighting that sets it off. I think the first book he produced was Play with your Food in 1996. There have been many more since then, including the hilarious Dog Food and Fast Food. Google will find you samples and excerpts.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha :D Love it, a classic picture a prime candidate for a lolcat

[altivo.livejournal.com]

You should look up Joost Elffers on Google and take a gander at some of his work.

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

*smirks* I didn't know you were expanding your artistic skills towards social commentary :P

[altivo.livejournal.com]

When it comes to art I try to let inspiration take me where it will.

*nods*

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

It was clever and well-done, but do you mind if I enquire what the inspiration was?

Re: *nods*

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Just looking at the pile of squashes that I'd brought in, and realizing how much the necks of the yellow ones look like bird heads or maybe "shmoo" heads from the old Li'l Abner comic strip years ago.

Re: *nods*

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

*chuckles* I see...