A MOMENT IS ENJOYED

OWNER'S NAME: Liz

LOCATION: New York City (The photo was taken at my apartment in Astoria, Queens, but I got the eggplant from an artomat machine at the Whitney Museum in Manhattan)

EGGPLANT QUOTE: a happy moment

COMMENTS: I was intrigued by the artomat, and having trouble choosing which mystery item to get. I thought the stray eggplant looked cool, and I was not at all disappointed. It was so cute! I thought the quote was a little weird (especially since the quote on the box was "pesto, at best") but definitely sparks the imagination. I loved showing it to everyone who came over to my house!

ONE HAPPY HOPPER

OWNER'S NAME: Wynne

LOCATION: San Jose, California

EGGPLANT QUOTE: do a happy hop

COMMENTS: Though Wynne likes to hop, and hop rather happily, she is pictured here attempting to eat her mother's ceramic eggplant. We have no idea why this is.

WARY OF BANANAS

OWNER'S NAME: Maia

LOCATION: Rio Rancho, New Mexico

EGGPLANT QUOTE: never act on the advice of bananas

COMMENTS: In protest of the Iraq War, Maia had set up her own war memorial, complete with tiny plastic combat boots and a tombstone among other items. When she received this eggplant for her 9th birthday, she decided the bananas mentioned—whose advise we ought not heed—could be interpreted to include our country's commander-in-chief who launched the unnecessary and disastrous war. Her stray eggplant has now become a part of her war memorial installation.

CHEERS FOR EGGPLANTS

OWNER'S NAME: Sebastien

LOCATION: Altadena, California

EGGPLANT QUOTE: very good! very good! yay!

COMMENTS: This eggplant is emblazoned with the Laughter Yoga cheer: Very Good! Very Good! Yay! It's owner, Sebastien Gendry, is the founder and Director of the American School Of Laughter Yoga. He served for 2 years as World Operations Director for Laughter Yoga International, the organization leading the Laughter Clubs Movement of over 5000 clubs in 55 countries and is still the official representative for this movement in the USA.

An enthusiastic and articulate speaker, he has been featured several times in the US media (The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC Good Morning America, National Public Radio, Associated Press, CBS News, Telemundo, Celebrity Fit Club, KCAL 9, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Inspire, and more).

WEBSITE: www.laughangeles.com

BOLDY SINNING

OWNER'S NAME: James

LOCATION: Los Angeles, California

EGGPLANT QUOTE: sin boldly

COMMENTS: James denies that this eggplant has anything to do with him at all. He adds: "Don't believe all those stories you've heard about me."

THEOLOGICAL INTEREST SPARKED IN ARTIST

OWNER'S NAME: Curtis

LOCATION: Louisiana

EGGPLANT QUOTE: only of interest to theologians

COMMENTS: "Me and my partner Mark were visiting our friend Eric in Providence, Rhode Island this past winter and we happened in a very cute funky arty store whose name I've already forgotten, although, if pressed, Eric would probably remember it, since he lives there.

"Anyway, in that shop, there was something that looked like a converted old cigarette machine just like I've seen in the gift shop at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and I thought and said to Mark and Eric, 'Hey, you never know what you'll get with these, but I want to try this!'

"So I bought a token from the saleperson and I bought this eggplant, but I'm just now getting around to photographing myself with it. I'm pretty proud of being about to get it close enough to my cellphone camera so that you can read it, and so it almost looks like my head is the same size as it is.

"Back when I was an art student I did a little art exhibit of mail art and really enjoyed when random people sent things in, so this really has captured my imagination. I haven't gone onto your site yet, but I'm going to wait a couple of days and see if this makes it up there.

"Oh. Funny little coincidences -- you're an ordained minister, and my dad is, too (United Methodist, in case you're curious); you're an artist, and so am I."

WEBSITE: www.generalaesthetic.com

A PUPPETEER IS MADE

OWNER'S NAME: Carrie

LOCATION: Green Lane, Pennsylvania

EGGPLANT QUOTE: poof, you're a puppeteer

COMMENTS: "Have you ever heard of the Art-o-Mat? Art-o-Mats are refurbished vintage cigarette vending machines filled with art! And not just any art, art packaged in cigarette-sized packages! What could be more fun than that?!?

"I was first introduced to the Art-o-Mat, when a friend handed me a $5 token at Monkey Hill Antiques in New Hope, PA. My pull, from this odd Bulldog Juggling Art-o-Mat, won me a Stray Eggplant... a grape and green clay eggplant that reads "Poof, you're a puppeteer."

Yes, you heard me... I pulled an inspirational eggplant. And to be honest... I LOVE it!

"Its sits so pretty on my desk next to two gnomes, a medal of Our Lady of Czestochowa which has Pope John Paul II on the other side (I'm a Polish Grandaughter!), and a golden "long life" Buddha, I received from a good friend."

NOTE: Though Carrie got this recently, it is an eggplant from the very first edition, made in 2004. They are no longer made like this one with the quotes glued on. Now the letters are recessed into the clay.

BLOG: She's Gone Wanderin'