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June 2003 Archive  We regret to announce that Toby Gray, our beloved Museum Cat, died this afternoon after a long struggle with heart disease. Despite his illness, Toby had kept up his busy schedule - greeting Museum visitors, sleeping, eating, sunning, strolling about the Circle, and pursuing his pal Peake. He had spent most of the day on the front porch, in his favorite chair, keeping his eye on the activities in the Circle, as had been his sworn duty since he arrived in Washington Grove. He was only four, and our greatest sorrow is that he should have had many more years of porch-sitting ahead of him. The Museum staff already miss him greatly. So will, I think, his wide circle of friends and admirers. Even the Association of Circle Cats, a hard-bitten group of non-sentimentalists, will miss him, I bet. Several Toby portraits may be found on our downloads page. 25 June - Our Odd Disappearing Act The Janus Museum site is off the air 'til July, as we've exceeded our traffic quota. Sadly, the Museum is too strapped for funds to pony up for an increased quota. So far, the Curator is resisting putting up an Amazon "tip jar", and no other revenue streams have so far been identified. Our apologies for the blackout. 24 June Turks to EU: Hands off my fried lamb gut sandwich! When word spread that there was a possibility that the European Union would ban the kokorec, a traditional Turkish treat, it released a flood of culinary nationalism. This New York Times article includes a kokorec song by the Turkish singer Mirkelam: Kokorec, ko-ko-ko Kokorec, ko-ko-ko How happy we are together, morning noon and night Let's get together and defy the strangers who have come between us. 23 June  Appaloosas, Retreat Street Stable, Baltimore 1986. Another shot from a series done in the neighborhoods around Baltimore's North Avenue in 1986-'87. There were several stables in my patch where the arabbers keep their horses. 18 June  Kermit Carter and Mitten, Whitelock Street, Baltimore 1986. 15 June  Orphan of the storm - Toby the Museum Cat's favorite climbing tree in the Museum's Forest Preserve was a victim of the storms of the these last days. It had a convenient low curving trunk that one could easily jump on and them walk and climb as far as one liked - most distressing to lose it.
14 June - Sing, you Monkeys, Sing!  Sampoorna Ramayan, a 1961 film of the Ramayana, includes a fabulous calypso number, Bolo Sabhi Jai Ram, sung by Hanuman the Monkey God and the Monkey Army while they build the famous bridge to Lanka. High excitement yesterday when a doe visited Washington Grove's historic Circle and was caught by the Washington Grove Pacer Farm Circle Cam. We have a moderate herd back in the Museum's forest preserve; they occasionally enter the Circle at night, watched carefully by the Circle Cats. 12 June Looking for the Circle Cam? We've taken it offline for the day due to storms predicted for the Washington Grove/Derwood/Buckeystown area. We recommend the Washington Grove Pacer Farm Circle Cam, which is made of sterner stuff. Also, the Circle Cats tend to shelter in view of the Pacer Farm cam when the rain comes down, which makes for fine family viewing. We'll return to the air when clement weather returns. Meanwhile, contemplate the Lord Hanuman:
Does anyone know what he's clutching? Castanets? Symbolic hot dogs? 7 June 
It's Saturday, so it's raining again. This has dampened, but not deterred the annual Washington Grove Women's Club yard sale, the traditional beginning of Washington Grove's summer season. I bought a couple of books, including: ...and a mini German chocolate cake at the bake sale.
Apologies for the delay in updates - we've been busy preparing for, conducting, and recovering from the annual Board of Regent's meeting and banquet. Not exactly a glittering event, but at least the oyster bar didn't sicken any of the VIPs this year.
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