Summer Photograph: Sun On Water

 August sun on water

New Haven River

Lincoln Vermont

When Oops Is Funny

 Every year I buy myself a birthday present. The reminder we are important to ourselves is a message, I believe, we need to hear as well as respect.

Mind you, the birthday present-to-self is not an excuse to go off and go wild buying stuff. There have been years when birthday cake was my present-to-self. (I was on a no sweets diet.)

This year I bought an adorable half inch serepentine pendant necklace.

As you can see from the photo, I greatly underestimated the size. 

This is not the first time I have not paid attention to an item’s size. There’s the hot air balloon poster to cover the wall above my double closet that arrived in a size ten envelope. And then there’s the small bedside lamp that arrived in a box the size of a beer keg. Yes, I have made mistakes buying online. 

The lovely part about it is all those oops made me laugh.

Adding…

Evidently there are 2 choices to have with a Dunkin Blueberry Breeze Refresher. No need (when asked what I want with that) for me to keep saying “A straw.”

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🥴

Summer Photograph: Ice Water

Water & Ice

 

Reflection Monday August 2025

 

Old Profile Photo

The profile photograph can be anything you feel represents you.

Reflect on what represents you

The Thrill of a Butterfly

 A Monarch butterfly was seen at that milkweed plant yesterday, 28 July 2025.

It is good to celebrate the thrill of seeing a butterfly. 

Butterfly day is March 14th. 

For me, Butterfly Thrill Day is 28 July!

Seeing Beyond the Haze

Haze July 2025
Looking east from Rt 7
towards the Green Mountains

The summer haze plus smoke from the wildfires in Canada limits the visibility here in New England. In the photo above, traveling the roads, the farthest are the Green Mountains’ Presidential range about 15 miles away. As the crow flies, maybe 3-4 miles (guessing). 

Prayers for Canada

A blue haze in the distance is normal for hot summer days. Thinking about doing such a landscape painting reminds me of the English landscape artist, J.M.W. Turner. 

The foreground adds a color variety the horizon lacks. What may feel too blah can be beautiful if the composition is done just right. 

Whatever you look at or paint,

Enjoy the last days of July 2025.

Brainstorming To Soothe the Soul

It could be that the subject of blog titles, finding good names is becoming tiresome to read about here. So let me splash around in a different brain pool.

Brainstorming is all about a full fluffy easy brain play time vibe. The exercise can be like a good laugh clearing away one’s woes for a moment. Brainstorming, I believe, is healthy. 

Even if you don’t have a core goal in mind, (like creating a blog title), you can brainstorm.

Consider this: Chose a subject to brainstorm each week. Write down and research your ideas in an Idea Notebook. 

Tip: 

Don’t share your ideas if you don’t want somebody to use them instead of you.

If You ever do have an idea you want to go forward with, then lock down the legal matters first. 

Note. July 2025

Made up domain names, the majority with the word salty:

Availability look up results:

Available - 3

Priced over $1000.00 - 3

Make an Offer - 14

As I’m checking another domain name today, there was a rare screen lock. I had to reload and squeeze out of there. 

Day 206 of Week 30 July 2025

 

Cumulus clouds
Elevation 1000~ 6500 feet or higher

The weather here in upper northwest New England has been beautiful this week, read under the shade of a tree perfect. So off to the library I go for a good book to read.

For two titles I’m on the waiting list. The third is a charm,  presently waiting for me to go back outside and get it out of my vehicle.  🥴 

I’m writing this post on Wednesday instead of putting it off until Friday.

Start a fun weekend on Friday!

Pack up a picnic Friday night

Picnic on Saturday

Create a unique summer sandwich

Buy a big watermelon

Make herb & lemon ice tea

Re-read your state driver’s manual

Draw horses in a pasture

Listen to songs about summer

Rambling On About Summer

Creativity can be fickle. Just as this artist reaches the exciting almost finished stage, anxiety can be overwhelming. What if I make a mistake!?   

A simple solution is to remind myself, if I did it before, then I can do it again. (I also use that reasoning to help me get to dental appoitments.) Talking through it blazes the trail forward. 

Trail!?

This summer, I feel is peaking. Next Friday, August begins the slow slide into autumn. I have yet to hike or walk anywhere. I also haven’t been to a beach yet. 

Lincoln Vermont

Remember this?

The last half can be a 2nd summer dedicated to creativity. That includes traveling to take photos and see places to blog about. Being out and about learning and experiencing is, I feel, part of being a creative person. 

Today’s local forecast of 90°F or higher means if I am outdoors, then shade, sunscreen and hydrate. It is just after 10 AM EDT here. Time to get out into summer. 

Summer Photograph: The Creamie & Cotton Candy

Addison County Field Days

 A summer creamie brightens the sunshine. 

Cotton candy makes summer sweeter.

Abstract Art: Free-hand vs Staight Edge

A: Abstract watercolor, free-hand in progress

B: Abstract Watercolor stage 1

 The vibe an abstract has depends on, I feel, the personality of the lines.

In A above, I’m drawing, same abstract style only by free-hand. The vibe is playful, casual, more fluid in the stories it presents. 

In B above, I drew using straight edged tools. The main circles are the inside edge of my blue oainter’s tape. The squiggly and small lines are free-hand. The vibe commands, directs, entertains. 

Think, A is beer and B is Scotch. 

For those that don’t drink, think A as whip cream in a can, and B as homemade in a bowl whipped cream.