The Last Monday of February 2026

An Early Bird

What say y’all about this month 

sprinting into March?

I say, Whoa! 

Storing up ways to create slow weeks is a worthy endeavor. A problem with that, as I see it, is that I don’t like the best one. Getting up early.

If I rise early feeling spiffy, then that is all right. I go with it. But up at sunrise for me has lost its luster. There’s no good reason why that changed. 

Changing back to starting my day early feels reasonable to me. Today is a wash as 6 AM was hours ago. I’m setting this Tuesday’s wake-up alarm for 6 AM. 

Are you an early riser?

Does starting the day early make the day feel longer for you?

USA! Hockey Gold!

 USA MEN’s Hockey Team 

Won Gold!

Tears of Joy!

There is something about hockey, I believe, especially in New England, that flows in the deep like no other sport. 

Even my old holy rollie Bible hugging grandmother could turn into a fire breathing monster during a hockey game. 

A Tale of Two Tissue Boxes

This morning I have an idea that makes me laugh. Mentality, how thinking has moods like the phases of the Moon, tidal schedules, low and high pressure systems, aging.

Especially fun to explore is the why we didn’t think of that sooner.

Tissue. I used one box of tissue at a time. On the sofa, the box is on the coffee table. In the recliner, I move the box to the side table. 

Why? I buy two boxes of tissue at a time. I have no fear of two boxes being opened at the same time. Common sense says one box belongs on the coffee table and the other belongs on the side table. Two boxes. Two places. 

No more getting up to go over and grab the tissue box adds a feeling of luxury to my life. If I had half a dozen reading glasses stationed around my home, then I’d be near delirious with happiness.

About the painting process

The approach is to finish paintings within a similar time constriction of what taking a class requires. Help completing artwork is what I need. I set out with this painting believing I can finish it in one or two sessions. 

The process has revealed to me the obstinate side of the subject itself. Thinking the colors command is wrong. The scale is the true master of that landscape. Scale and color should be in harmony with the image my mind sees. Thus far, they are in conflict as I find myself falling deeper into adding details to support my brain’s image. 

This is a painting from a photograph that will be a larger painting. So, I eliminated the conflict, stopped and signed the painting. There may be tweaking, as the majority of artwork has, but for now, it is finished. 

On the Shores of Lake Champlain
11x14 inch acrylic 2026
M.Flannery

Winter Photograph: The Ugh About It

 

From the inside of winter