Same Old Is Still There

This is the time of year when folks put effort into starting to shop for the December holidays. 

Today I bought coffee sticks, cookies and tub cleaner. On an aisle’s end display, I saw Christmas tree ornaments. I slowly walked by them like they’re a sleeping cat. 

After a long drive to Williston to the UPS Store to return a raincoat to Amazon, I was exhausted. But, I had to stop and shop for bug spray (spiders like to come indoors season) because I saw a wolf spider last night so big you could sadle it and ride out of town. (I forgot to buy bug spray.)

About Amazon returns: The order arrived via the USPS. For Amazon returns, they have a deal with UPS. Note, You Must Have the Code (square scan thing) for the UPS Store to accept the return. 

I reset my Amazon password to get into my email to find the square scan code thing. In less than 5 minutes, I had my drop off receipt and was out the door. 

I Google map before I left in order to figure out where the UPS Store is located. From the old days living in the area, I took the route I know best. There is a shorter route that I did not want to deal with because it normally has heavy traffic and I was aftaid things changed so much, I’d miss the turn I need to take.

On the way back home, I went by the shorter route. 

Overall, the two hours of driving is exhausting dealing with traffic. It is also a boost to my confidence that I got the task done. 

Reflection Monday October 2025

 It’s October!

😳

Day 276 of Week 40 October 2025

Well, there’s no going back, leaf peeper season is here in northern New England, Upstate New York and other part of the lower 48.

🍂 🍂🍁🍁 🍁🍁🍁🍂🍂

The time was right to upgrade my iPhone because the promotion ends in a few days. On order is my spiffy new iPhone 17. Taking my old iPhone 13 out of the case, I was surprised that it looks brand new. 

Talking in person to an ATT rep is 100% the best customer service experience. I tell him what I want from my phone. We chat. Done. I have zero anything to figure out. 

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Autumn in Vermont 2024

The painting series is delayed another day due to an eye exam. If I do paint today, it will be a surprise to even me. 

Vlog Update

The debut of my YouTube channel moves into October. 

Also, the name has been changed to my old favorite: 

New England Post Road. 

In 2016, my plan was to start a New England focused travel blog. It didn’t happen. The blog never made it out of the Private setting.

During the tremendous amount of time brainstorming my vlog, I realized the name change fit my goals to build a brand with a solid title. I also like the transitional aspect of content being from posting online. 

My vlog isn’t travel focused. It is merely a general content variety vlog YouTube channel. 

Almost October 2025

Autumn Photograph: The Leaves

 

More Paint From a Photo Considerations

Adirondack Mountains 
a Vermont view

Update 28 September 2025: I just realized that the above mountains may actually be the Green Mountains up in Lincoln, Vermont and not the Adirondack Mountains. A photo posted on the 24th are the same location. I will check my folders for time and dates.

Below Snake Mountain

The Green Mountains
Addison Vermont View

The search continues for a photograph to paint for a blog series this year. Painting them all is a thought. Asking myself what am I looking for, my answer is clearly that I will know when I see it. 

In this selection, my heart goes wide viewing the first picture. The chicory tucked in the maple leaves has a cute kitten vibe. 

The last photo feels to me like taking in a big breath of crisp autumn air on a frosty morning.

As a painting, out of all the images posted thus far, The Green Mountains, is my favorite.

Day 269 of Week 39 September 2025

The horrors being done to  America as reported in the news can’t be ignored. Fascism builds. 

Speaking up against wrongs can be a risky thing to do. My recent dip into the Instagram waters has been interesting in helping me think about being on YouTube.

The debut of my YouTube channel next week is in a hold because I am not sure I can handle the criticism going public exposes me to. I need time to think, process, and decide if my mental health can handle posting videos.

Have a wonderful weekend

Possible Photographs to Paint From

Paint from photos I'm 

Thinking about for composition

Digitial photographs under Copyright

Adirondack Mountains 
Sorry, I think they are the Green Mountains. 

New Haven River
2024 runner up

Ripton Vermont
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail

New Haven River
Lincoln Vermont

Milkweed
Addison Vermont

Art In Autumn

Middlebury River
Acrylic detail

Last year I posted about the painting process, from a photograph, for the larger painting above, Middlebury River. 

This year I will do the same. Starting next Wednesday, 1 October 2025, I will begin the new series with posting the winning photo sketched. I am searching photo folders for a few images to consider. There are more pictures of fall than the other three seasons combined. 

A canvas is on my easel at the ready. 

The Seasonal Transition

Hello to Autumn! 

Each year when the ambient temperatures cool and frost appears, there is a sense of prepare for winter.

The little shovel and scrapers go into the vehicle. Deicer spray in the closet. A mat is put down for wet boots. Gloves are moved up to the small drawer by the door. 

Soup weather brain lights brighten. Hot chocolate mugs are lined up. The crockpot silently sits on the counter.

There may be hot weather before the trees are all bare, but pumpkin hunting and hot soup season is here. 

Day 261 of Week 38 September 2025

 All week has felt like a Saturday to me. Posting the day and week numbers on Thursday instead of the usual Friday, feels right. I hope it doesn’t throw anyone off.

What new things have I learned this week? 

The pumpkin version of Special K is pretty good (based on my limited ability to taste). 

A quarter pound of Genoa salami is an act of denial for me because there is rarely enough left the next day to make the picnic sandwich I bought it for. I know I need a half pound.

I need a book to keep recipes in that has paper thick enough to glue cut outs in. My menu is so bland and predictable, my interest in preparing meals is nearing zero. I need to use recipe files.

I learned that if you don’t like something a person publicly advocates for, then in America, saying you don’t like that person, might get you targeted for hate speech. That is very scary. 😱 

As for information I didn’t know, I remember listening and knowing the tips are new to me, but I forget what the tips are. They are something about hiking safety. 

Oh! One is to not run because that can trigger a bobcat’s chase instinct. Back away slowly, look bigger, do not run. 

What new have you learned this week?

Rainbow Cloud 18 September 2025