Embracing Cultural Diversity

Cleopatra VII
Altes Museum
Berlin, Germany

Genetic History of Egypt

I have edited this post for two weeks. 

It was the original Reflection Monday May 2023.

I deleted the edited versions because I have an 

aversion to backlash.

I also dislike upsetting people.

To put it mildly...

It bothers me when an iconic/ representative of a culture, lived in real life is depicted in film under a false identity that is promoted as being factual.

I embrace diversity.

I do not support erasing it.

Reflection Monday May 2023

Sun & Shadow

A blog rule I try to follow is to minimize the amount of controversial subjects such as politics, social justice, religious issues, product complaints, that I post about.

My style is Sun vs Shadow blogging.

The original (very controversial) post is  replaced by this 3rd, and last version for Reflection Monday, May 2023.  

Why so indecisive?

It is like this. A subject clicks or it doesn't. For this feature, I brainstorm ideas for a week or more. This month is more difficult than usual.

My mind is hugging the shadows, being morose and unwilling to release ideas that click sunshine.

Could it be that just telling folks what is going on is the simple subject? I think so.

2023 Week 17, Day 118

April On Route 17
Addison, Vermont

There are days when as if by osmosis, you flow into the outdoors  feeling a soul smiling familiar telling you all is as it is meant to be. Look at what renewal nature's path has for us. Adventures, hopes...and really nice weather more often than not!

Have an adventurous weekend

Draw a robin in the wild

Sing to an apple

Visit a local park

Shop summer jackets online

Make stir fry

Read about botany

Take a nice nap

Days of April Showers

Ground Ivy

 Rain for a few days has brought me some relief from allergy issues. On a dry morning, I saw the tell tale sign of budding trees by the thin coating of powdery green on the hood.

Imagine breathing that stuff.

Before the April showers arrived, the tiny purple flowers of ground ivy aka catsfoot, dotted the lawn.

Dandelions will be next.

Have a Wonderful Week

Patterns of Water & Wind

Wind & Water Patterns

Cirrocumulus Stratiformis

A Bit of Saturday Chatter

Stern & Waves

Water is fascinating to watch as well as a meditative experience to paint in watercolor. Waves swelling up next to a boat's stern raises images of a deep dark moody ocean rolling towards land.

Study the color patterns. Think about the motion of wind on water, and  the push of gravity. As the tiny waves near the shoreline, delight in the silvery sparkle of surf. In a chilly spring wind, shiver slightly with a shimmering reflection.

A Spring Reflection

That is where I had a coffee this morning. Thinking about nothing but what I could see.

Allergy season means being out and about early because when I take allergy medcine, I normally don't go out again even if it states non-drowsy on the label.

Otter Creek Shoreline

At home, I read the news.

The todo over Twitter's blue check changes is irony on laughable. Entertainers that make massive amounts of money, getting all huffy about a good business decision, when the fee is tiny in comparison to what they charge for a single ticket, is quite ironic.

Reading about Chris Christie's New Hampshire speach helps me recover. Feeling refreshed, I chuckle to imagine a Cheney Christie ticket in the next predidential campaign.

Is it possible, one might ask, that I've had too much fresh air?  

No.

Anyway, my nose is still running. It is windy out. The three days of rain in the forecast washing pollen out of the air will be a relief. It will be a good time to write poetry.

Cloud Type Identification

Cirrocumulus Stratiformis?
4:03 PM EDT Vermont

Clouds beautify the skies.

Searching the Internet to identify the formation you see above you can be frustrating. I have yet to find a website with a simple page of captioned photographs as examples of each cloud type. 

The formation appears to flow from the north, easterward in front of stratocumulus clouds.

Stratocumulus Clouds
5:19 PM EDT Vermont

A Garden to Treasure

The Old Garden

 What a treasure a photo can be

for planting annual flowers.

A favorite combination 

can be repeated with

new colors, different flowers, 

low, medium, high

and adding an interesting object.

Have a week-end to treasure

Sing, dance, draw, read, research,

exercise, connect with friends,

go to church, watch a good movie,

and

have coffee ice cream!

The Cell Phone Trade-in, a Wireless Wow vs Ouch

 

Place & Time

Photo from this original blog name,

Poet Whale Studio

*******

Old photographs have a strange vibe of disbelief they are so far in the past. Thinking of how many times passwords have been changed is mind boggling. Using a camera instead of a cell phone. Back then I had a land line phone. I only had a prepaid cell phone for traveling.

As I research whether or not to upgrade my cell phone thanks to the carrier email offers, I realize how awfully disposable focused the market has become. 

Wearing out has been done away with by the need to upgrade. The physical phone can be used until it wears out. Knowing I have good phone service doesn't seem compatible with my use it until it wears out plan.

Manufacturers improving on their products as technology advances, I believe is good. Good there. 

No plan to buy another phone, I take a look anyway.

Huh?!? A five-hundred-dollar phone only 3 years old in very good condition with a trade-in value of thirty-five dollars is insulting. Not good there. It gets worse. According to what I read online, the Android Operating System upgrades for my phone model are good for only 2 years, and the security updates for 4 years.

I have no memory of being told at the time of purchase the particulars of what value the phone actually has for longevity and maintenance upkeep. 

In summary, I believe my old landline telephone device works without ever needing an upgrade. That is of course, unless technology finds a way to make it unusable. Meanwhile, I'll probably have a new cell phone this spring. Sigh. 

Do you upgrade your cell phone with a trade-in?

Allergies, Procrastination & Luck

Old & New

Lovely April showers, a bit of chilly air, a moody blue sky over Chartreuse trees budding almost overnight describes  this 109th day in week 16 of 2023.

Allergy season is off to a bold start. I have a wicked bad sinus headache. Grouchy mood. The 3 pounds I lost is merely water weight.  The story I need to edit is in the 3rd week of procrastination.  

Except for naps, the simplest thing has not gone smoothly in April. In it all, I wake nearly every day to an intense feeling of dread. If that isn't bad enough, I heard my brain voice grumbling on that  I'm worthless. 

Oh no you don't! I say. 

No pity puttering pit party! 

Thus, for me, this week will be mental health week, reducing stress, increasing a sense of well being. 

I also discovered, by accident, a cold cloth on my nose helps relieve my nasal discomfort. 

As for the grouchy mood, good luck to me. 😎

How is your April going?

Happy Blogaversary!

 

Thank You!

Every visitor is greatly appreciated. Your wonderful contributions have enriched my life through this fascinating writing journey.

❤❤❤❤❤

My summer hat is a photo taken in my early days of blogging*, used as a profile picture. 

This blog began April 2012, 11 short years ago under a different name. Two or three title changes since, Salty Pumpkin Studio is the last name this blog will have. 

Besides, Google's number of blogs allowed per account is 100 blogs.

Last I counted, I have created over the years an estimated couple of dozen. Many were never published or lasted a short time. At present, the new blog I posted about last year, had to be put on hold in order for me to deal with life events.

When the day is right, the day will be right to take the project forward.

*I first began blogging in 2008, I think in December, on another website.