“Microlithomania” unfurled on a drizzly Sunday; we had a nice crowd. The ullage was uncorked, and shots of Alsation pear brandy were handed to our hosts at Jalopy, Geoff and Lynette Wiley.

Doug began with a few remarks, explaining the Ullage Group a bit, or trying to, and then giving credit to John Michell for his book Megalithomania. He then followed with a three-part talk on stone simulacra. The first part introduced the stone stars of Sion-Vaudémont, in the Lorraine: crinoid fossils with a rich tradition as a local luck charm; the second concerned Checkerboard Crossing, or the Giants’ Highway, in Beggs, OK (shown above): a limestone formation with a history of Beggsian folklore; the third surveyed the paintings of Richard Shaver, sparked by the pictures Shaver saw in stones.

Lisa followed with a talk on the cultural and psychoanalytic overtones of “toads-in-holes,” the historical reports of toads and frogs found alive inside stones.

An intermission followed, during which Doug displayed one of the stone stars, dug from the French dirt many years ago, and an original drawing by Shaver. There was a moment of panic when an audience member dropped the tiny star, but it was found nestled in a floorcrack.

Anthony then closed with a videoed interview with Dr. Javier Cabrera in Ica, Peru, who showed his collection of dubious petroglyphs; and stereo slides of an Ullage Group outing to Ringing Rocks State Park, in Upper Black Eddy, PA, accompanied by Brian Dewan’s recording of us hammering on the damn things.

The attendees chattered, dispersed into the drizzle; and we were left with the warm afterglow of carrying heavy projection equipment.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)