Comments on: Behold My Golf… Brushes?

By: Emerald63

Emerald63 — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 20:25:22 +0000

@anodean: Oh. Well OK then. But really... isn't my version just a bit more entertaining? ;)

By: anodean

anodean — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 04:59:49 +0000

@Emerald63: Ah, sorry - "soil amendment" is the general term for things added to the soil to condition or improve it; in this instance, phosphate favors plants that are heavy root feeders (as contrasted to plants that rely more on their leaf canopy).

By: Emerald63

Emerald63 — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 22:44:27 +0000

@anodean: "...they’re more like semi-animate tortoises" Is that not a redundantly repetitive statement? Also, what the heck is "phosphate soil amendment"? Are you saying you're a congressional lobbyist for the tortoise industry?

By: anodean

anodean — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 16:54:29 +0000

@Emerald63: No, no, they're more like semi-animate tortoises, very slow and usually just looking to settle - as these fellows seem to have done, given the bits of moss/lichen. If they ever seem likely to crowd up the foundation, it's simple enough to coax them back a couple feet with some phosphate soil amendment.

By: Emerald63

Emerald63 — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:54:57 +0000

@anodean: "The mossy boulders appear friendly, however." Unless, of course, they are actually just much more slowly gestating pupae... Perhaps a push broom would be in order?

By: anodean

anodean — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 18:51:50 +0000

My guess was that the “brushes” were ceremonial fly chasers, meant to be waved about the face and neck after the manner of Eddie Murphy’s impersonation of an African prince in “Trading Places” – hence their position beside the protective sunhat… presumably for outdoor use.

Or at least, I presumed this until I realized that photo after photo failed to show the ceilings, most of which are apparently very high, hence the wall paint color-block effects meant to visually lower them. While high ceilings do strain the composition of a photo (and are good to have in a desert), the effect of two cameo-pictured ceiling fans that look like burst pupae along with the ladders the rest of you noted began to inspire a certain dread.

The mossy boulders appear friendly, however.

By: Frodo

Frodo — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:38:00 +0000

@Emerald63: I did notice the "carrot", but I didn't notice the other ladder. I chalked it up as another part of the rest of the weird artsy stuff which looks like an attempt at a modern Native American...ish look, although it's quite nondescript. It could be African...ish for all that. I like archeological decor, but this just looks like they are trying to put together a look rather than to display treasures. What they ended up with looks cheap.

By: Emerald63

Emerald63 — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 23:43:23 +0000

@K: We seem to have very different tastes, K. Please, I hope you know I hold you in no disregard because we differ - it's not personal! I have no doubt you might find some of what I like objectionable. I'm totally OK with that and would harbor no bad feelings if you ever wanted to say as much.

By: Emerald63

Emerald63 — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 23:41:16 +0000

@Frodo: Yeah, I noticed the ladder, too. And there's another one in Pic 11. Even better though, did you notice the giant "carrot" on the wall in Pic 30? Maybe the fallout from the old Nevada bomb tests is still affecting AZ plant life? I think the brushes thing is an effort to make the place look classy in the artsy-fartsy sense.

By: Frodo

Frodo — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 20:50:09 +0000

@Emerald63: And why take a photo of the brushes if they don't convey. Some kind of selling point that I'm not aware of? My big question is why they have a ladder hanging in the bathroom with a rug draped on a rung? (photo 26) Is there some strange bathing practice in Arizona that I'm not aware of?

By: K

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 20:46:06 +0000

I think the place is beautiful. The listing agent should have taken better pics, but it’s a gorgeous desert home with a pretty good price tag for the area, too.

By: Emerald63

Emerald63 — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 20:43:54 +0000

Of the 55 listing photos a dozen or so are worthwhile architecturally and for location. A few “atmospheric” pics are OK, but more than 2 dozen?

A lot of them are of decor, not of the structure’s layout or other permanent features. The decor… somewhere between “blah” and “eww.” There’s just nothing very interesting or with any personality. A lot of the items seem like stock pieces used to fill in space. Maybe nicer end stock pieces, but still just as bland. The one exception (for me, anyway) is the dark columned display shelf in Pic 21. Too bad there isn’t a close-up.

The close-to-monotone colors don’t help. What colors there are are too close in color value (visual weight) to one another to make much impact. I get the use of a low key palette in the desert, but the opportunity to showcase one or a small range of bright colors against that low key backdrop is completely missed here. I have to think Georgia O’Keeffe would be disappointed. Me too.

OK… the brushes. ??? They’re not paint brushes or make-up brushes. My only other guess is archeological implements, but I don’t think that’s it. They have such lovely carved handles, too. Anyone know what these are for?