For the love of dirt.

Spring is in the air and today I'm finally getting around to starting some plants, but before I could get out the door, Mr. Mailman (or Mr. Maleman as I like to call him) came strutting up my steps with a big package in his hands. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Here's what it was:

Not the package you were expecting?

Aw it's so good! Look at the sun bouncing off those happy leaves! Look at that fabulous dirt! It occurred to me that I certainly have a 'thing' for autochromes that feature dirt. I think the graininess of the format is particularly flattering to texture. It also helps that the three 'dirty' autochromes I have are all much larger than most of my others; as far as I'm concerned, the bigger the better when it comes to autochromes (the motion of the ocean is only a detriment).

You can almost smell those flowers, non?

But this one still reigns supreme for nice soil: it's a very old one and the colour is still vibrant for it's age, it's giant sized, and the dirt looks magnificent. Gaze away:

You should come over and see this one under the loupe - it's amazing.

Keep your eyes peeled for dirty autochromes! They have an inflated value at the moment. Happy filthing!

More Weird Film Cells!

UPDATED! From Rosita (1923) starring good old Mary Pickford!

(thank you Myles!!)

I'd sure like to figure out what movie these cells are from. I spent an afternoon putting each little one inside a nice glass slide casing, so they're a little easier to scan. These are the ones I like best, I also like how you can see where the sprockets have worn the perforations:

I don't know what's going on here. None of the other cells give any clues!

Just like my room!

I did a cleanup job on these two to take out the specks. See Mmm Coffee!

Cute stuff, right? All I know is it's a United Artists movie, something about a castle. Can anyone recognise it?

Old people, doing crazy old people things.

Hello young lovers! Sorry to have ignored you so, but I've finally got through a pretty major career shift so I can now return to my duties as your faithful curator! Although I have spent today playing with my images (see? Mmm Coffee), it's too beautiful out and I need to take some air - so we're going to blast through some of the fresh slides. I had a hell of a time with the scanner today, these images are mostly from dark community halls where old people do strange things, so appologies for the scattered quality. Let's see what the magic lantern has for us today... well well! It's Kodachrome from February 1965!

Old man Highpants misses Hawaii so much he buttoned his shirt wrong.

Awww. It isn't always fun to dress up.

Martha stole the curtains again.

Terry went everywhere with her voodoo doll.

Then he butchered her right there for pretending to be Japanese.

She tore the scalp right off a hobo for this costume.

The uniform made him want to be a topper for once. Dave couldn't sit for days.

No YOU be the chinaman this time, I want to be the faded whore.

Sure! A cheap mask will totally compliment that gown.

They had some great sex later.

Best costume of the night - lesbian newlyweds!

OK folks, I have some good stuff on the horizon, stayed tuned and enjoy the weather!

Swarthmore Football, 1963.

Sometimes in a girl's life, she has to re-install windows and has crisis after crisis at work and can't do the things she really wants to do like scan slides. But then, with a little perseverance and few free minutes, she can get back to those slides and finally share some gems. Check out these fabulous fifteen, from a beautiful fall day in Pennsylvania, 1963. No wonder americans love football so much!

Kodachrome, in the order they were taken:

The donkey is amazing, isn't it? Just a fantastic shot. I love S-Girl's hair and enthusiasm too. Here's two more from a different day:

GOOOOOOOO COLOUR PHOTOS! YEAHHHH!

Cars vs. Bears, Jasper National Park, 1955.

Oof! Last across the line, this week! Here are some great oldies a fabulous '50s road trip through JNP. Bears were smaller then - if I saw a baby bear I'd start poopin' because nothing is more dangerous than momma bear. As they say.

Looks smelly.

Up a tree!

Hitching a ride!

Such nice fur.

Awww, what a nice little fella.

This is seriously a mother bear watching her two li'l babies approach and stand up on a car. Unreal.

The best, I love the car and the streak of light on the left. Poor guy looks a little sad, though.