Once Bitten

Citizens ask me every day why the Idyll-Beast is not campaigning in Idyllwild’s Mayoral Contest. Certainly he agrees that raising money for ARF and Living Free is a worthy cause: any dollars he finds, he stuffs in one of those jars.  And his success in the 2011 Chamber of Commerce Board elections would seem to put him in a position to seek higher office.

Although we have heard rumors of a write in campaign on his behalf,  the Idyll-Beast has held firm in his decision not to run. “If nominated I will not run, if elected I will not serve. If served, I will not be delicious.”  The animal goes on with some advice for the candidates: “The election is fun, lots of snacks and grooming. And photo ops. But after the election it’s a different story. You may be all day in the office and forget to eat. Your hair may begin to fall out in clumps. The press may misquote you or associate you with some scandal or another.”

The Idyll-Beast did offer some reassurance and an offer of cooperation and moral support to the future mayor. “Former Chamber Directors tell me that the memories become fonder with the passing years, and dog or cat years do pass more quickly than Beast years. If you need some one to scratch behind your ears and tell you you’re a “good dog” I’ll be there. And remember to delegate: you don’t need to lift your leg on every fire hydrant in town, that’s what committees are for.”

So it would seem that although even the most introspective and elusive animals may “catch” the political bug, the Idyll-Beast is once bitten, twice shy.

Art and Science

Noted wildlife photographer and friend of the Idyll-Beast Gina Genis brought to our attention a beast of a story on the KCET.org website. Author Tyler Stallings is Artistic Director for the Culver Center of the Arts and Director of the Sweeney Art Gallery at the University of California, Riverside. The man knows about truth and beauty, and while I cannot agree with all his conclusions, I applaud his seriousness of intent and admire his sense of the sublime. The story is here:

http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/riverside/upcoming-idyll-beast-piece.html#_login

The page states that if enough people "like" the story it will be made into a mini-documentary. You know what to do. 

Human Nature Center

Researchers have begun submitting evidence from last weekend's Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival. Apparently the Riverside County Department of Parks and Recreation invited Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce Director Idyll-Beast to assist in their public outreach effort. The animal proved to be a lively addition to the Parks pavilion, inviting scads of visitors to visit Idyllwild, Riverside County's only Mountain Resort Community.

Guest researcher Patrick Strong submitted this image of three delighted wine and balloon lovers discovering one of the Inland Empire's lesser-known assets.

A careful perusal of the image reveals what appears to be a slightly blurry Idyllwild Nature Center volunteer, Scott Fisher. It is lilely that the blurring is a result of the camera's depth of field and not Mr Fisher's wine consumption.

The Festival was a terrific opportunity: Hundreds of visitors met the Idyll-Beast and availed themselves to the ensuing photo-ops, and the Beast learned a few things about human nature.