The Funny Farm

Banana In Snow

"They're coming to take me away ha ha

They're coming to take me away ha ha, ho ho, he he,

To the funny farm 

Where life is beautiful all the time".

(And warm?)

 The first use of the term, Funny Farm, was used in John Knowles 1959 novel, A SEPARATE PEACE, set in New Hampshire (no wonder).

"You might start to believe it, then I'd have to make a reservation for you at the Funny Farm."

Well, they don't call it the funny farm for nothing.  This winter is killing me.  Going to go try and work on a painting, but I'm afraid my muse is frozen outside somewhere on my Peaceable Hill Farm which is why I put a banana in the snow (a lame attempt at an art installation piece/joke). Pitiful.

Peter Beard

Peter Beard.  I've been a fan for a long time. I recently saw a short interview on another blog with Lee Radziwill.  She spoke of Peter.  He is endlessly fascinating, (moreso, I propose, than Hemingway). You hear the phrase, a man's man.  Well, I say that Mr. Beard is a woman's man.

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Peter attended Yale as a pre-med student, but quickly learned he wasn't interested in it.  Photography, journaling and art were his passions and he pursued them to the nth degree.  He was the darling of the jet set - Capote, Warhol, the Kennedy clan, Mick Jagger et al.  He was once married to Cheryl Tiegs.  But, his love and passion was for Africa and her animals.  He met Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) and bought land next to hers.  Though wealthy, he railed against Western capitalism and its effects on Africa.  

 Whether being trampled by an elephant, posing with crocodiles, painting with his own blood, or photographing the world, Beard has lived life to the fullest - more than most I suppose.