Thinking of Spring

Forget-me-not

 The background photograph of forget-me-not was taken several years ago in my tiny flower garden. The plant was a stray inside the shrubs that I transplanted. Alas, it bloomed a few years before it didn't bloom again.

Lately I've been pondering style, mine as well as the world around me. I'm not up with fashions, the shopping scene. I don't go anywhere that I need to look all spiffy. As long as I'm comfortable, and like what I'm wearing, there's no struggling with what to wear that I have to deal with. Why I'm spending time (again) thinking about my style is a mystery to me. I guess seeing the beautiful spring flowers makes me want to look nice as well.

About the world around me, in a rural area, the colors of spring are beyond inspiring and beautiful. A well put together spring outfit Mother Nature does for herself here in Vermont.

What about you? Do you lean toward sprucing up your wardrobe in the spring?

Painting in Spring

Park at Asnieres in Spring 1887
Vincent Van Gogh 1853 ~ 1890
oil on canvas ~ wikiart.org

In the spring, what I look forward to is seeing...the first robin, the first daffodil, flowering trees, sunshine, and sandals on my feet.

For painting, as a child I loved the subject of spring the most. The joyful feeling of so many colorful flowers out of winter's white was magic to me. 

If you can get out and about, then consider taking pictures of the flowers and trees of spring. 

Paint your favorite image of spring.

Hello Spring

Crocus in March

In comparison to the world 15 days ago when I posted this blog's pause, the news media appears to be happy to be held hostage by outrageous statements from you know who. Violence continues as any good news crouches under the weight of politics and war.

My blog pause isn't because of blogging burn out. The world around me has a glacier weight that is building with each headline I read about you know who. It is impossible to get away from that sheer stupidity that he gets that much attention instead of being behind bars.

I am not a weak person. Severe emotional pain I have endured countless times. I live with depression, PTSD, and anxiety. The depth of the anguish the GOP is creating via supporting you know who, the Mariana Trench pales in comparison.

A very sad part of my misery is the belief I am not the only American who is being negatively impacted by what is going on in American politics.

Pray for Common Sense 

Pray for a good presidential candidate to emerge

Pray for America

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regular posting is still on pause

Day 75 of Week 11 March 2024

Bachelor Button Sprouts*

Internet wise, if you pause your blog, then your rating on searches and such decreases. Posting a photograph with comments turned off is a way of not losing your blog's Internet ranking. I'm not sure how or what search engine rules are concerning ranking though. 

Posting will might resume in April 2024.

*Using organic potting soil in jiffy planters, seeds sprouted in 4 days.

It Is Another Tuesday

Circles 2023
Digital photo

The memory of creating the digital photograph on the left is stored so deep that I can't reach it.

As we get older, feeling worried when we don't remember something can feel very unsettling. Taking the date created, I can go to that folder to see what else I was up to in 2023.

As for today, the sun is shinning. It is cold. Spring is a mere 28 days away. The carnations I bought two weeks ago are just fading. None of the buds opened though. My spider plant looks like it just got home from an all night rave that it wasn't ready to leave. Blogging, again, is on the when to stop radar, blip yes, blip no, blippity blip as it goes. 

Time to read a book.

Spring & a Smart Televsion Update

Azaela Leaves In Snow

 71 Days Until Spring!

The azaela waits to bloom,

as many await another winter snow storm.

❆❆❆❆❆❆❆❆❆

It has been over a month since I set up a smart television. As yet, I have not learned how to navigate all the channels, many that I would not chose if I had a choice. I rarely turn the TV on.

As I see it, a smart TV is nothing but a streaming service device made to look like a regular easy to turn on and watch television. Evidently, "smart" means not a user friendly design, IMHO. I have to scan digital signals every time I turn on the television to just see the one local channel the "smart" TV can pick up.

I have an indoor 60 mile antenna. The old television captures 28 signals. The "smart" TV scans only 4. That is evidence to me the "smart" TV is stupid. I read online there is an app or feature in a smart television that prevents it from picking up digital signals unless you do this and that or that and this to the whatever it is. 

Now I am looking into a streaming service. It is be daunting to say the least. Price is a top factor in my search. I'm in no hurry. At least I can watch YouTube on my computer without scanning anything or clicking through multiple places I don't want to have to click on.

On a positive note, I have found a way to only swipe, log in, scroll, and swipe again to make a phone call on my iphone 13. 

Community, Crocus & Fund Raisers

Along the Way

There is good food out there at community fund raisers. Check your local newspaper event calender for the information. Ordering may be required. Take out is often an option at the sit down meals.

The local meals I've ordered are wonderful, good portions as well. 

🌷

The better weather of spring is pushing up color, crocus grape hyacinths. A walk this time of year has a unique feeling of renewal. New flowers through soil or mulch have a dermination to want to see the sunshine as much as we do. Seasonal vibes can encourage energy from flowers, and from us.

Clearing away branches I put near the bird seed for cover, I found dark purple crocus already blooming. I was so busy, I didn't stop to take photos. 

The picture above was taken along the sidewalk when I was out and about. 

I expect to do more raking and planter arranging soon. Ambient temperatures of 70°F plus are the weather forecast here in Vermont this week.

Hello Spring!

 Forget Me Nots circa 2017

Reseeded from a neighbor's yard, the beautiful tiny blue flowers 

show up in between the shrubs. I look for them every year.

The photo is a favorite. 

Happy Spring!

Starting off the season with a new system, 

Going from a cell phone to a 24 inch screen is bizarre.

It is as if I my eyesight went back thirty years.

A lot of, "Oh my word that's what it looks like!"

Chat time. 

What do you think of Tik Tok?

I see the word, "Reel," and an hour or so later,

I have rabbit hole dust all over me,

mainly from watching horses, comedians, 

and fun pet videos. 

As for the foreign owners with the solid reputation for 

hacking, Tik Tok is great positive PR.

Remember the days when folks were scrambling to install

the best rated anti virus program?

Well, as it happens one Very Highly rated was or is

owned by a Russian company. 

Give me a LOL on that one, eh.

If  you want to know who owns a program, then

give Wikipedia a look see where anti virus stats

are listed showing country owners and such. 

Have a fun afternoon thinking of unusual subjects,

then give Wikipedia a spin in your research clicker.

#####

About the blog gadgets at the bottom

I don't know what the background is transparent.

I have tried all backgrounds, and nothing

brings it back to being the same as the 

main blog background.

More research to learn how to fix that.

If I go to the default color them, then the background

isn't transparent. Change anything, it goes transparent.

Update: Changed layout to a side bar

Looks More Like Spring Everyday

A Geranium By the Window

A Sparrow in March

More Zinnia Sprouts

Don't Let the Weather Fool You

It is not Spring, no matter what it feels like.

The recent warm temperatures in the Northeast are causing me daydream chaos. Thoughts dash about searching for something stable to hold onto. I find myself welcoming (the once dreaded) overcast clouds when they block out the sun. 

Shake ups can be like sifting for treasure, revealing new ideas, and why didn't I relics...if we think of it with a positive attitude. Then.

Is Winter setting us for a cold blasting blizzard in the weeks ahead? 

I'm not being drawn into that paranoia. 

I have boots. I have gloves. 

I have a down puffer coat!

Enjoying what good Earth's system brings is a blessing to embrace...even when it is still winter.

❄️ 

Spring, Sandals & Carbon Footprints

Adirondacks in January

Early thoughts today are dappled with beams of spring sunshine while outdoors the sky is heavily overcast. 

Browsing sandals begins mid February. Very pastel blue, pink and lavender are the colors I search for the most. The buy deciding factors, in order of importance, are: Size, style, price and lastly, color. Being color specific can heighten the challenge of shopping. It is also a money saver. I do not own any very pastel blue, pink or lavender sandals. 

Years ago I bought a T-strap pair that wore well in a bright color. Almost 9 years later, I still look for them online. Whatever happened to staying with a good product is a mystery to me.

Not a big mystery though because the market appears to me, to be more interested in flashy new than solid standard styles. It is as if since we recycle, a majority feel a responsible lifestyle includes feeding the waste cycle instead of taking action to reduce our carbon footprint.  

www.nature.org

Their website has a carbon footprint calculator. 

My carbon footprint is better than average.  I believe that is due to my lack of spending/use of goods and services, and low travel mileage per year. 

How is your carbon footprint?