Okay, okay... I'll admit it... it's autumn

I have been accumulating images in my brain and in my camera for a while now, and here I must present to you the findings of the past.

Let's begin with the very recent past. This morning, post-farmer's market, post-apple buying and post-coffee, I decided to record more Missoulian oddities.

Phase 1: Signs or pictures that are spray painted on to surfaces. Please see picture 1 - 4, here:

(@ Farmer's Market, downtown) Yes...but empty of what? Water? Can one be empty of water? Does it mean some existential emptiness? You never know with these renegade spray painters -- they are Sartrean, I just know it. I do feel empty of value whenever I approach a water fountain. I look for regeneration in water, sure.

(also near the F Market) The fish just make this one. I get the "dump no waste"; Missoula's equivalent to NYC's "post no bills". But the fish? So artistic.

(near home, adjacent to a "park". and when I say "park" I mean island of grass with picnic bench and trash can.) I drive past this everyday, and from afar it looks like Charlie Chaplin, which I thought was just fantastic. To have a red Chaplin on a electricity box in the middle of a park? Divine. Upon closer inspection, it seems it is instead a very decadent bowler-hat wearing female. From...what is it?... The jazz-type acts where the women would be performing and a cane would come out from across the stage and drag people away (the pre-audience-booing phase).

...and well, this isn't spray painted, but it is located in my hallway, so I feel like it's important. This message is also sporadically placed on various bus stop benches in town. Ah, the renegades are spreading high self-esteem across the county

Phase 2: Finger-less Jesus:

Found in a cemetery. In the middle of condominium developments, adjacent to the highway. In a field with no tombstones, only a community garden. And poorly erected fences. And construction materials -- mounds and mounds of gravel and those little barriers that have blinking lights on them. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the left hand of this statue is missing all fingers except the thumb. (See closeup). For this reason alone, I will post these pictures.


Phase 3: Autumn and ethereal beauty; The only spirituality I believe.

The best tree ever to be located. I drove around, finding train yards. I also came upon a man carrying a Mountain Dew, hitting the mug of a dog. I couldn't decide if his action was malicious, or some kind of playful action. He seemed to know the dog. But the dog was snarling.

Some beautiful trees lined many of the streets. This particular one had the most luminescent quality to it, in context with the rest of the surroundings. The magic is largely lost with this image of it here, however. Trust me. Very amazing. Oh, and I was too lazy to move to get the truck out of the picture.