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

Silly in August

On a hot August afternoon thinking of silly things is appropriate. Summer likes silly.

Never been in a hot tub

Have been in a hot spring

Never been on a cruise

Have been on a boat

Never owned a walkman 

Have owned a record player

Never saw the Statue of Liberty in person

Have been to NYC multiple times

Never been inside the Empire State Building

Have been across the street from it though

Never seen Grand Canyon in person

Have studied Grand Canyon in a geology 

Never been to Europe

Have ancestors from Europe

That’s it for a slow Thursday

Peeling, Placing & Preparing

After a major change in diet, although feeling healthier, I’m not keen on figuring out what is good to have that’s quick and easy. There is more peeling things to eat than ever before fruit and vegetables. I open my fridge and feel like a liberal with only yogurt to snack on or boil a few frozen Brussel sprouts. 

Major goings on here clearing away things I save for just in case, and down sizing my wardrobe in order to have room to place things where they best suit my creative spirit. 

The chill in the air the other day has me thinking about autumn. Do I want to prepare for a foliage photography excursion? What I want is a theme to follow along the lines of best apple cider donuts. 

I found my notes from last year detailing a fall excursion to diners. That sounds interesting. 🤣

Well, until the leaves turn, enjoying what’s left of summer is the plan. 

Summer Catching up

Presently, I am engaging in doing things that are away from the Internet. Stepping back from that life aspect has a mantra…

Do something different.

Different than being online, not something new to me. 

I have an easel, a large desk space, a table easel and a portable drawing board. None of them replaces having a drafting table. If you draw a lot or do watercolors, and have the space, then consider a drafting table. 

The plan is to paint watercolors and draw on a daily basis, instead of when the mood arises. Depression is a mean mood squelcher. Together with a weekly theme and selecting common objects, the effort to create more will be a squelch buster.

Going into 6 weeks of healing, besides being stiff from lack of use, my wrist feels great, delicate, but near normal. The last ortho check up is days away. The stabilizer splint will not be missed as I hope to transition to a brace less cumbersome or just a wrap.

Summer being in its last half is sad and exciting. Yesterday I felt a slight chill of autumn as storms passed by. I did not want to go inside for a sweater. The air conditioner is still on. It is chilly indoors as well. 

The book I’m reading, The Siren’s Call, by Chris Hayes is a good read. The subject of attention is an interesting one. Non fiction is a good way to shake up the brain to think more. I’m even taking notes as I read. 

Enjoy your August