Old Illustrations

Book illustrations

 

Hand colored

During the change over to the winter furniture arrangement, I found in my stuff the little black and white illustrations I cut out from  falling apart 1800s grade school primer. (I researched the book and the value first.)

I glaze, color, glaze, and add coats of clear sealer. Matt or shiny sealer has yet to be decided. I'm leaning towards shiny because it will lighten up the artwork better. I will add a stiff felt back and jewelry hardware.

I'm undecided on pin or necklace pendants. I rather fond of the idea wearing the fox as a pin on a tweed jacket this fall. The Old Mill is best as a pin because at 2 x 2.5  inches small, I think it would be lost as a pendant. Other illustrations that are larger will definitely be pendants. 

3.5 inch hand colored book illustration

Flowers in August

At Cape Cod Massachusetts near Marshfield, the pictured type of roses here, were everywhere. We call them Rock Roses. I forget their other names.

They are very hardy, even here in Vermont. The rose hips are large with a lovely dark coral color. 

Do you have a favorite summer flower?

The chill in the morning air has convinced me to not resist the end of summer drawing closer. Instead, I daydream about autumn being spectacular. Soup Season is a delightful time of year. I sort of look forward to feeling soft socks on my feet. Even seeing Halloween decorations no longer makes me cringe that they are out so early. 

Have a cringeless fantastic week!

Posted using my cell phone 

Lunch, Autumn & Reading

An August Lunch Break
Canada Geese along Lake Champlain

The last two days here in Vermont have been lovely with a nice breeze, warm air, and just the right amount of humidity. Good outdoors weather is always a welcomed gift from Mother Nature.

Planning is what I like to do in order to make Spring and Summer feel (to me) like they are lasting longer than the passing of days shows. My 2024 Summer plans have not all been realized. The windstorm last weekend tossed stuff all over my deck. Instead of putting it all back together, unfinished summer arrangement and all, I'm going to change it up for the cold weather. Yesterday I even made notes for the fall. 

Knowing what you want, I believe, can get you closer to making it happen. Thus, this Autumn season my theme is: Embracing Nature. Posts will include botanical notes, geology, geography and whatever science branch fits the tree of fall excursions I hope to draw from.

Canada Geese resting on the shores of
Lake Champlain

This morning, I was fortunate to get called to fill in on a cancellation for a bone density test. The results are not perfect, but not as bad as I feared. When you are in a depression slump, health can suffer. Exercise is not easy to embrace on a regular basis. I'm on track now, taking vitamins and such. Sweets are off my menu. Exercise, especially weights, will replace some of the hours of sitting in my chair daydreaming.

Not all is lost. I've had some good blog ideas. I've had a lot of laughs on X. I've started reading again. And... I just forgot what else I was going to type. 😂

Anyway, one of the books I'm reading, Code Dependent, Living in the Shadow of AI, by Madhumita Murgia, is fascinating! The introduction alone opened my eyes up to thinking of how AI (artificial intelligence) is so pervasive in everything on the Internet. 

Data mining is very scary. 

AI is not a subject you don't pay attention to. I highly recommend knowing the scope of AI in your life. 

Afterall

An August Sky Over Vermont

Multiple projects are a certain indication one's mind has been active. There is a difference, however, between have (the project) and doing (the project). Creative ideas grouped into one interest like art, writing or poetry can become overwhelming if they are left to build up as new ideas emerge.

Belief is the fuel that keeps the oldest project going.

Inspiration is the fuel that a new idea rides on.

When both run out, then one can end up where I am today.

Deliberately distracted by other things like reading or doing laundry. Any mundane task is good enough for me to be busy not looking at what I want to do. 

I began a novel a few years ago, Cornsilk Moon. I posted about here on this blog. Yet, since last winter it (loose-leaf notebook) has followed me around my living room because I'm always feeling that today is the day I begin editing to write the last draft. Writing is a scary process when you get close to the ending. I'm not good with endings.

This week, starting today, I'll be telling myself not to be scared. Afterall, Halloween is 78 days away.

Day 222 of Week 32 August 2024

August 2022 Route 17
Addison, Vermont

 At peak summer, the heat creates a haze that places a pale light over everything. A simple tree in hot sunshine for no particular reason reminds me of summer more than a sandy beach or butterfly does. I can almost hear the June bug's buzzing sound piercing the stifling air as the sun stings my skin. I can almost smell the gravel stones cooking as the dark shade calls me in for a moment of cool relief.

This summer of 2024 has been the definition of what summer is, hot, rainy, and muggy with weather as delightful as a country fair. I am grateful that I have been able to sit outdoors under an umbrella to have my lunch; and moments to think about nothing special. My list of summer plans may have few things crossed off, but what has filled my days is much appreciated.

Appreciate Your Weekend!

Tell a pair of flip flops a funny story

Sing to a moth

Read about grasshoppers

Browse summery wallpaper online

Watch a lemon slice float in ice tea

Draw a sailboat

Play catch with a friend

There Are Those Days

There are those days when you 
feel like it isn't worth getting up.

Days when rolling back 

into the covers feels right.

Welcome to Today

My day began with my favorite, Mark Kelly, not being chosen the vice president running mate of Kamala Harris. Tim Waltz sounds like a nice guy. Time will tell how well he will do. However, he doesn't bring the strong aura, rank or balance to the ticket that Kelly could.

Next is running into glitches using the Brave browser. I log into Chrome, all the glitches leaving comments and photos disappears. I'm not a big fan of Chrome. It looks like, though, it is the safest place to use. Brave has been uninstalled.

As I go along, up earlier than usual, another downer is my plan for today has given way to wanting to stay inside to clean and read. It is mostly cloudy, dull white sky. I'm not sure to get out and about or just get out the vacuum.

Wishing Y'all a Wonderful Day!

I did go out for a short while. I walked around to take pictures of the rides and food places for as far as my bad knee would go. Unfortunately, my iphone put the sent pictures in a weird place that makes it a hassle to send pictures via email.

Going there is a major deal for me as I like to avoid crowds.

Reflection Monday August 2024

If you feel alone,

then consider reaching out 

into your family, friends and/or community

to build positive relationships.

Have compassion for yourself

as well as others.

 

Day 215 of Week 31 August 2024

Small Petunias in a Vase

Bringing flowers indoors is something I was taught to do as a child. If there were violets around, then mother wanted a bouquet. I was heart broken that dandelions don't last well in water. Going by a fancy house with flowers in the yard was magical. I envied not their wealth. I envied having a yard where gorgeous blooms can grow.

Have a Flowery Weekend!

Marvel at a meadow of wildflowers

Read a scary novel

Browse salad bowls online

Take a nap

Baked peach cobbler

Watch a funny movie

Call a dear friend

A Sad Farewell to July 2024

 

Summer Sandals

Using my cell phone to blog is a trip into a science fiction adventure. The settings on my phone are different. I’m not sure why  URL, that the page is on, is rejected when it is entered to  allow me to post using my Google name. Remember the days when computer programming, circa 1980s, was such a mystery swirling around the languages used? I struggle to recall the names. Cobalt? No, COBOL! 

Anyway, to Blogger when I am signed in, I am anonymous when leaving comments. Not a mood changer, but reason to have a silly ponder it moment.

July 2024 will be missed for being a summer with warm enough ambient temperatures to create some very nice days to be outdoors. 

August. High Summer it is in my mind. Solid season, knowing if you don’t get in the water early month, then it will be chilly water to frolic in. The next four weeks are vacation zones, each one with a new robe to wrap around us as autumn giggles with a frosty grin. I am not looking forward to fall because I want summer to last longer, in a nice way. Putting sandals in storage is always sad for me.

Are you having a nice summer?

An Average Day

Ring Necked Plover 2018
Dead Creek, Addison, Vermont

Up, wash, dress and make coffee is how my day begins. I journal, computer, online, and then have a restful prayer or ponder moment before I move to do anything. There are days I make breakfast, and days I don't eat until lunch time. Counting my errands' stops, there are about eleven places with an average of 3 or 4 on one day. There are days when I go nowhere. I live a small life in reality, and a medium global life online.

When I'm home from food shopping, if there isn't something sweet (fruit, soda, chips, baked goods) or crispy greasy to have, then I feel like I didn't buy anything to eat. I rarely buy those things. Thus, I often have a hungry vibe going on for what to eat. 

Forage style eating is how I consume food. Whatever is the easiest to access for a nice chomping moment, that is what I will grab first. For that reason, I put a ban on my buying peanut butter (to stop myself from snacking on big spoons of peanut butter). 

Here's the kicker. I think my average days are normal, like lots of other folks. I don't engage in anything unusual, except maybe sometimes hours of sitting in a chair depressed and napping. 

The depression slump I've posted about is finally lifting. I increased my vitamin intake; and, get more sleep more often. 

August at Dead Creek
Addison, Vermont
2018

This morning I went through photograph folders for 2018. The bird pictured here didn't have a name. Searching the area online, I found a page with the bird under a different name, Baird's Sandpiper.  It took a few searches from remembering it as a plover, to find the right identification. If I am wrong, then please leave a comment.

General Chat & Thoughts About Stuff

Grumpy the Toolbox

Whatever went on when I wasn't looking, why my toolbox looks grumpy will be a mystery.

Happiness seems to be allusive nowadays as negativity rules the headlines. I was looking forward to watching the opening of the Olympics until I read about some of the choices made. 

I have always been anti porn. Dragging, pardon the pun, soft porn into a family event is in bad taste. I am not anti-drag. I am against pushing it in the mainstream. It is a lovely form of entertainment but isn't a G or PG rating. 

Speaking of venues. Using the browser Edge can be uncomfortable to get use to. The grammar and spell check can be helpful and annoying. 

Also, I never save passwords. To my surprise, Edge saved passwords. That was a shock. I went in to shut that feature off. How it happened is another mystery. 

It is not a bother to have individual information for each website you are registered with. It is not a bother to enter an email address, password or ID each time. It is called Security. 

Also, Edge too often changes the font size on a page. I think that is because the cursor hits the wrong thing. It is annoying for sure.

A while ago, I was working on a project. The back of my hands below the knuckles where the skin is thinner became like sandpaper from the materials I used. Daily use of Gold Bond Pure Moisture lotion helped. In a couple of weeks, the skin has healed. I use it on my feet as well. I have a thing about nice feet especially in summer.

Monarch Butterfly

To my delight, this summer I am seeing more Monarch butterflies in the area. Last year they were scarce.

How is the butterfly health in your area?