I almost titled this one "Cluckminsterfullerene". "Buckminsterfullerene" is the name given to the simplest of the "buckyball" molecules - C60, that has a model resembling the pattern on a traditional soccer ball when lines are drawn between carbon atoms to represent the molecular bonds. In this case, the carbon atoms are replaced with marshmallow "Peeps" and the toothpicks are the molecular bonds.
The inspiration for this image came from hard-core "Peep" fans I work with discussing ways that my forty inch diameter "tension sphere" could be transformed into a base for mounting Peeps that would be suitable for entering in the Seattle Times' annual "Peep-culture" photo contest. I really didn't think that using hundreds of Peeps in this way was a good idea, so I came up with this more conservative model which would use only 60 (exactly four large boxes).
My computer model of the Peep was based on a stuffed version that Will had laying around his desk, so the beak ended up a little off from the pointy beak of the marshmallow treat that it is based on. Consequently, my peeps look like they are just as likely to quack as cluck. Hopefully, that doesn't disqualify my entry. Of course, the fact that my model is rendering of a virtual model and not a photograph may raise a few judges' eyebrows. If all goes well, you may see my entry in the Easter edition of the Times (Sunday, 4/8). If not, I still had fun putting it together.