Winter Photography: Drooping Pine

Pine trees drooping under the wright of snow and ice have  a philosophicsl vibe. 

What a Difference an Area Rug Makes

For months I browsed online for a living room area rug. I found many I love. The issue about buying is that I want non-slip backing, no need for a pad underneath, good reviews, and under fifty dollars. 

A home environment, I feel, is important to mental health. The problem is justifying the costs. Also, matching a rug to a room can be tricky. 

I saw gorgeous rugs that don’t go with my eclectic decor. You can make sand box in your living to put your feet while you sit in a beach chair daydreaming, but it will never be you at the beach no matter how many margaritas to slosh down. Matching is a must.

I finally found an area rug on Amazon that fit my criteria, (best of all my budget). The amazing thing that stands out is the transformation from just a room to a real cozy living room.

Does your decor match you?

Giving the Dull a Fancy Shine

If I haven’t been out much, then I push myself to visit a local thrift store or the library. Both places have a warm community gathering place vibe. 

A recent stop at a favorite thrift store produced a small but good haul of things I watch out for as well as items too cute to pass up. An old aluminum ice cube tray is good for beading. They don’t show up that often. 

The wood salt and pepper shakers, vintage and handmade, have that cabin in the woods vibe I like. The pressed glass plate is perfect for light snacks. It feels brand new, nary a tiny chip or scratch anywhere.

Spending under ten dollars on an entertainment excursion is very budget and mental health friendly. I went to Middlebury, had McDs*, a thrift** visit and drove home.

Think of it this way:

I went out of town for lunch. Afterwards, I visited a shop well known for quality vintage items. I made purchases that are a good investment for easier living before taking the lovely mountain views ride home. 

Attitude about how we view our lives can help in giving us a positive outlook. Transforming dull into fancy is light hearted fun. If your life feels dull, then consider putting on a simple shine. Tell yourself in the mirror that you are worth it. 

* Food budget item

** Entertainment budget item

Simple Beauty from a Tree

From the Old Tree 

The old tree, grew on its own from a wild seed in urban Nature. Its home was on a short and steep slope surrounded by daylillies, morning glories and lily of the valley. Over the years branches fell, the largest near a third of its mass. It needed to go. 

Walking by, I found the small piece with bark attached, and picked it up. The beauty of color and shape remind me of ancient stone formations, mini Grand Canyon style. What surprises me most is the spectacular texture of the bark with  green moss on it. From the ground, the old tree was not a looker. Up in its bark is where loveliness was cradled, magical as a dense old growth forest. 

The piece will be put on a stand for display, after I spray it with a clear sealant. 

It is my scholar wood, like a Gongshi, Chinese scholar’s stone.

What Is a Fun Week Anyway?

A fun week, methinks, has more good moments than sorrow or grimness going on. On the idea of time going by too fast, viewing how our life flows might slow down how we perceive the passage of time. 

The other day my timer and the washer did not match. There were 6 minutes left on the rinse cycle (commercial washer). I don’t like standing around. How to make time go by faster? Hm? Thinking, minutes can fly by when I daydream of dancing the two step with an old cowboy in the full Moon light (bucket list). Wha La! The wash is done.

Now I’m thinking of what makes a fun week. Avoiding grim things is a good move, as long as they aren’t things that can't be put off. Keeping busy with productive projects is also a good move.  

What makes a fun week for you?

A Winter Mind Set

 Spring is only 84 days away!

12 weeks with

longer and longer daylight.

About Communicating Online & Off-line

On the 2nd weekend of January 2026, root beer floats with chocolate ice cream are my Saturday treat. Why? Because yesterday was my McD lunch treat day; and I do not have McD without soda. Thus, my no soda January failed. The disappointment I feel creates the excuse to have root beer floats. No soda January will resume after the root beer is gone.

After that sorrow, I have been dealing with things that require communicating online. Needless to say, it has been frustrating because the bully mentality of websites is difficult to deal with. The you do it our way or else is not a good way to treat people. 

Then, there's the issue of why of the problems happen that usually turns out to be my fault because I'm not tech savvy. I believe when pages have the plus sign, +, to open a new tab, that will be the online rule for websites. But, it is not the rule. 

For example, the AOL app. On a website that sends me an email with a verification code to my AOL email address, I cannot read that email because there is no + available for (that I found) a new tab to the AOL email to be opened. 

I uninstalled the AOL email app. Using regular AOL email isn't as good, but it gives the me control I should have as a customer. 

The other frustrating online issue is the Contact Us feature. Right off, the next page is to FAQs. Ok. I type in question just in case, (being I have a reputation for being the fault of the problem). Nothing there. So, I hunt for the Contact Us option originally given. Oh dear, I have to log in, create an account and go through more hoops that sensibly necessary. 😖

On the bright side of life, I have enough sheets of forever US Postal stamps to last me 3 or 4 years (with the one stamp use per month that I have now). How did I end up with so many stamps!? 

I think when postal clerks are so nice, as soon as they ask if there's anything else we need, knowing the postal service struggles, I feel the least I can do is buy stamps.  The other reason is my desk gets so messy, I can't find the stamps I have. So, I buy more. The Oh so that's where they are, is always a cheery moment. Also, when mailing off a package, put stamps in there before sealing the box. 

Ever see one of those shows that helps folks declutter, where everything in the room is removed, and only what is useful is put back? Well, I'm going to do that with my desk area. It has to start first thing in the morning to have time to clear someplace to sleep. 😎

How is your January going?

Day 9 of Week 2 January 2026

Posted from laptop

👀Add Images to this blog is not working, again

on Safari, Edge and Opera using my iphone 17 Pro 

☹️

👀

What’s been going on in the World isn’t what it was a year ago. The suit, the uniform, the fashion changes because that is what living does, moves on. What made us concerned, sad, anxious or happy is in the past, peeled away by time. 

We are here in the days of 2026. The weeks going by fast are here with us in them. Yet, like this morning, I feel no spin , no breeze blowing by, no adventure or lovely landscapes racing by. Going fast? What fast? 

Being the fan of list making, I’m going to list a page of things that I might fancy to do in 2026.

To start:

Find a signature font I like as my own

Learn a foreign language

Bake biscuits from scratch

Learn to make homemade bread and pasta

Join or start a low impact walking & hiking group

Start a plein air painting guild

Lose weight on purpose

Down size by 60%

Visit love ones

Become a fine art photographer

Do not buy another spiral big notebook

Have breakfast at an old diner

Sew a dress of my own design

Make a quilt

Crochet a winter hat

Read biographies

Dance daily

Paint and draw daily

I will think of more to write on paper so I can cross things off when they are done and add things as I go.

Have a fun weekend!

Read how boots are made

Bake a lemon meringue pie

Browse online mugs with tea diffusers

Draw a Nordic design

Listen to a film score

Discover your state poets

Update: Google Can’t Access Photos to Blogger Add Images

Problem solved Adding images

Update  13 January 2026

I fixed it! 

🎉👏🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

The solution I didn’t write down.

I went into Safari and Opera settings. I turned features on and some off, not sure which ones.

It has to do with tracking. Tracking seems to be the new word for cookies.

 A new development in the problem of Google can’t access files when using an iphone on Blogger Add Images.

Conclusion, this blog ran out of photo space.

Get more GB. Whala! Problem solved. 

Almost. It is still there, but not all the time. 

9 January 2026

The problem is back. 

Using Edge browser, I was able to go through the Add Images process right up to Insert (the photo). Then the screen froze, no photo is added. I had to close the tab to find my way back to my blog. 

Some Days Are Made For Laughter

Selamica 7.1 inch plates

 The photograph above has a fun story. 

I decided to be good to myself starting out 2026 by changing my eating habits.

Last summer I found heart melting dishes searching for square plates. I didn’t buy them then because I already have beautiful dishes. 

As you may know, when an opportunity to justify a purchase arrives, few of us say no. Happy new year time. I buy the dishes.

They are gorgeous! The issue?

Clue: A 7 inch rectangular plate is not the same as a 7 inch round plate. 

The smaller portion meals I plan, when using the new 7.1 inch plates (note ruler), will be half a small portion.

I laugh. Every time I look at my new weight loss plates because it is so funny. I wish I had a photo of the look on my face when I opened the Amazon package and realized my mistake.

They are keepers that will help me even more be aware of having healthy meal portions. 🤣

A January 2026 Photograph: Roosting

Doves on a cold January 2026 morning