“You never know what you might get when old friends from out-of-town drop in. Thank goodness that even after that stint in the nut house they haven’t changed much and are still wearing a squirrel mask in public.”

Hey, we know that face! The Estate Store in Portland, OR posted this awesome photo in their description of a beautiful antique mirror they recently put up on sale.

(Get your very own Squirrel Mask here.)

[via Estate Store]

Moms = Awesome

We think this spectacularly tentacular painting perfectly illustrates that fact. Entitled Contessa with Squid (oil on panel, 2011), this is the work of Omar Rayyan, a gifted artist and illustrator based on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

All of us here at the Geyser of Awesome would like to wish all of you awesome moms out there a very happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for all that you’ve done and all that you do.

[Image via SteampunkOrama]

Photographer Colleen Pinski took this awesome photo of an onlooker  taking in the magnificence of an annular solar eclipse in Albuquerquee, New Mexico on May 20, 2012. The photo was one of the finalists in The Smithsonian’s annual photo contest.

Colleen Pinski describes the experience of watching people watch the eclipse: “I feel it can inspire so many people around the world, no matter what race, religion or gender,” Pinski says. “Anyone can look at it and feel touched by a ‘beyond this world’ experience.”

[via Smithsonian.com]

Gifted glass painter Judson Portzer created this awesome medieval portrait of the internet’s favourite sour-faced kitty, Tard the Grumpy Cat.

Entitled Sir Grumpsalot, this stained glass piece is part of an upcoming group exhibition taking place at the Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment center in Huntsville, Alabama. The Grumpy Cat Art Project is exactly as wonderful as it sounds - it’s all artwork inspired by “The internet’s grumpiest cat.” (Who isn’t actually grumpy at all.)

There will be an online auction on the Lowe Mill website beginning on Monday, May 27, 2013 and end at 9 PM on May 31st. All proceeds from the auction will go to the contributing artists and to constructing a children’s playground at Lowe Mill. After the online auction ends, there will be a public art reception at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment center on May 31st from 6 PM to 9 PM.

Head over to Laughing Squid to preview more delightfully frowny pieces from The Grumpy Cat Art Project.

What a lovely princess of kitsch! This awesome Kentucky Derby Hat, sporting not one, but two fabulous pink flamingos and wreathed in huge roses was photographed by Jeff Haynes.

The folks over at Buzzfeed assembled a great collection of outrageous Kentucky Derby headgear. This one was our favourite. Click here to view the rest.

[via Neatorama]

This fine fellow is Dieter Besuch, a competitor in the Whiskers Freestyle category of the International German Beard Championships. And those are some seriously awesome whiskers.

(Don’t fret if you haven’t got the time or ability to grow such splendid facial hair of your own. We’ve got you covered over at our Mustache Shop.)

[via Telegraph.co.uk]

Artist Carollyne Yardley, friend and fellow lover of squirrels (previously featured here), just unveiled an awesome new oil painting which reveals a terrific secret. For years the world has been wondering about the identity of the infamous UK-based street artist known simply as Banksy. Now we know: Banksy is a Secret Squirrel. Head over to Carollyne’s blog to read more about her recent discovery.

From the Department of Awesome Camouflage comes this incredible Portrait of an Eastern Screech Owl taken by photographer Graham McGeorge in the Okefenokee Swamp, located in southern Georgia.

This stunning photo is part of the 2013 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest. (Click the link to view more entries and learn how to enter the contest yourself.)

[via My Modern Metropolis]