While perusing the Maine news this morning I came across a few photo’s that made me crack a smile.
The images really do speak for themselves… but how could I possibly pass up on helping to give them another minute in their 15 minutes of fame. I mean.., this woman to the left is so damn cute in that……hat.
ok..,  I really think that without a doubt,  the hat is expanding an unhealthy culture. There..it’s said! Whew, I feel better.  I bet it’s the whole Gay marriage issue that pushed her over the edge, and that is why she wears the hat,  poor woman.  Gays!!  YOU MADE HER WEAR THE HAT!    

Now..there’s this other fine, Maine woman in the next photo. She carries a VERY smart sign explaining the obvious.
C’mon folks… if you are a gay,  you cannot procreate,  so WHY DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO MARRY!!?!
Silly gays…

My only disappointment in her sign is that she either ran out of room, or simply forgot  to add:  God created Adam & Eve.. NOT, Adam & Steve!  (I love that line of thinking, & believe the phrase is so underused!)

Proud, young man in his stylish, football uniform. Photographed in the 1930’s or so,  and then hand colored.
Not much padding was used in those days, and no face protection with the helmets.

When men,  were really men!

This is one of my favorite  sports related photographs.  I researched the name, and found an early news clipping which states that, L.C. (Fritz) Stoppelbein was a speed skater who set a record for skating continuously for 100 hours in 1931.
As you see, written on the bottom of the photo, he proclaimed himself the, “Champion of the World”.

Primitive Bee Box

Today, most bee keepers purchase “nucs” or package bees when they are interested in acquiring a new hive.  This primitive “Bee Box”, with original red paint, was used when bee keepers had to hunt and capture ferrel bees.  Traditional bee keepers used the box by putting something sweet in the chamber.  This attracted a bee, who then communicated the location of this resource to her sisters.  More bees entered the chamber to feed on the sweet treat.   Once several bees were captured in the chamber, the bee keeper released the bees.  They typically made a “bee line” to their hive, located in a tree or log.  The bee keeper followed the bees to the hive, and was thus able to steal a little honey or capture the bee colony for “keeping”.

Entrance to Chamber

Bee Box With Chamber Door Closed

This is a cabinet card photograph of a circus or carnival performer holding a very large snake over her neck and shoulders.  The card is rather faded, but intriguing, nonetheless.  The name “Susie Miett” appears on the back of the card in pencil.

Obermuller and Son were known for their photographs of freaks, carnival and circus performers.  Both father and son came to gruesome ends.  Frederick, the son, committed suicide in 1900 by drinking carbolic acid several months after his two sons died due to illness.  August, the father, reportedly killed himself as well, by drowning in a tank of chemical developer.

We have read the NY Times’ account of Frederick’s death (May 13, 1900).  We have not, however, found any authoritative source describing August’s death.

We will be interested in learning more about the Obermullers, about “freak” photography, and the reputed rivalry between the Obermulers and their competitors in the trade, and will welcome your comments