Ever feel like you’re a new person

It is after 1 PM EDT. I have yet to start my real day because I’m immersed in lazy. Like waiting to go on stage, (as I imagine it), when I do get up I know the task at hand, once complete, will leave me feeling like a new person. 

This is a milestone for me. Will it sit unused for months? Ready to use, will the thrill be gone? It is such a bug deal for me that I feel silly.

Nah. I will stare at it. I will sit there. I’ll peek around the doorway for a look. Eventually, I will tape a sheet of paper to the glass and draw. There are half a dozen major paintings in need of sketching out before I commit paint to canvas. 

The whole experience feels like a new chapter with me as a new person. From now on, when asked what I do, I will answer that I’m an artist, a blogger and a writer. I write poetry and fiction. I paint landscapes and abstracts. 

For now, I’m just lazy and enjoying the moment. 

It is out of the box

Summer Above & Below

A storm system that rolled through yesterday had spectacular cloud formations. Along Route 7 going north out of Middlebury, the vista is quite far enough to see a huge sky cloud garden. I waited to stop for pictures until I reached a turn off area in Ferrisburgh, Vermont.

Field and woods
very low clouds moving eastward

Pull over near Rt7 & Rt 22A
I stopped there to take photos.
Looking southward

Looking northward

And then, arriving home the resident toad greets me.

In the summer, subjects to photograph are as good as any perfect autumn day. Yet, when I scan through photo folders, there are far more fall pictures than any other time of year.  

As an amateur photographer, a seasonal balance hasn’t captured my attention. A autumnal moody forest interesting me more than a muddy trail with bare branches in spring, is the balance I naturally achieve. Although I see the beauty in both, the vibe of fall fills my soul. 

However, autumn use to be my very favorite season, but it is giving way to the warmth of summer. Old bones needing life less cold is my guess on that. 

How about you? Does one season over another capture your attention more?

What a sieve does

First thing this morning, I am happy to know today there are errands to do. The same errands that I mis-thought I had to do when I woke up yesterday, Sunday. (Saturday is a blank.)

Weekends are sieves the week falls through. 

I had 3 errands to do today. After doing the first two, I forgot to take care of the third one. Once home, I am not keen on going back out. Age, not fit enough or both, I always feel exhausted after errands. 

Doing errands is a part of life that I believe is more important as we age and/or our social circle becomes smaller.  Out and about we see people, catch up, make new friends, see interesting things and in general, contribute to as we absorb the community atmosphere. Value in that, I feel, is immense whether we are readily aware of it or not. 

• Plan errands for efficiency
• Make a list if need be
• Always check before going out the door that you have everything you need. There’s no sense returning a book to the library when you left it at home. 😎

A Saturday in August 2026

Big clouds, breezy, hazy blue horizons, today in this just about northern part of Vermont and Upstate New York, it is a day to be out before the a storm passes through the Champlain Valley.  

After a short trip to Middlebury, I decide to take pictures of boats on Lake Champlain from Fort Frederic at the Crown Point State Historic Site.  I haven’t been out much this summer not wanting to drive far. Well, scrap the usual by the lake photo taking.

Today and tomorrow is a special event for The French & Indian War Reenactment  from 9:30 AM to 4:40 PM, Free admission and parking. 

I briefly stopped at the visitor’s center before deciding the heat and I aren’t compatible on this day. The drive was nice though. I did take a few pictures.

On the way home, I passed stopping at two yard sales. The thought of bringing anything home when I need to get rid of so much, is giving me the discipline I will never have with buying cannolis. 😎

Hope your weekend is going well

Thank you for stopping by

Fort Frederic along Lake Champlain
Upstate New York

Lake Champlain in August

Day 219 of Week 32 of August 2026

Here we are with one week to go until the middle of August 2026! It is wild that summer is still going strong. 

Good news today that my wrist continues to heal so well, I no longer need to wear the splint all the time. I can see my whole hand! 🥳💃🎶🥁🎵😁🤣 Time to get those perfect long fingernails chipped. 🤣

For some reason, in the last month or so, using my cell phone for simple games, like mahjong solitaire, is aggravating because the screen either locks up or refreshes on its own to start a new game. 

There are four websites I use. They all freeze up the page. One website regularly refreshes the page.    

The daily painting set up process has been dented by a slight moving of stuff out of the corner where the drafting table will be. It is a new arrangement with a view to the outdoors. Note, a small room does not mean it is easy to arrange. 

Mailing packages has been a real shocker. If you haven’t used USPS Priority flat rate boxes recently, then you might be shocked as well. A large USPS flat rate box costs $34.02 to ship (as of April 2926)! Last I remember it was $19.99.  

I think it will be cheaper for me to drive to Massachusetts to drop off holiday stuff. 

Have a Fun Weekend

Bake tomatoes & feta cheese

Sing something silly

Walk with friends

Draw a grasshopper

Have a large coffee frappe

Buy an ocean scented candle

Have dinner outdoors