tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66396765233790573642024-02-20T18:50:07.107-08:00Linda_HensleyLinda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.comBlogger540125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-5891600218026062902020-11-22T13:36:00.000-08:002020-11-22T13:38:45.560-08:00"Stairs", #inktober52, #inktober<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWSf0GW1EPf2MzrG5g29OQ_hsyItdKzMo2xt7uZ_NMtfi-_TPBukczfkiPRGVgOUcbvC6pcmRayBPka3Buc7yl0-xip82hgZkhoMAA4__6tEdol1HC587sQLU9ZynI0Tph_bQz3jl0wo/s650/Pup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="650" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWSf0GW1EPf2MzrG5g29OQ_hsyItdKzMo2xt7uZ_NMtfi-_TPBukczfkiPRGVgOUcbvC6pcmRayBPka3Buc7yl0-xip82hgZkhoMAA4__6tEdol1HC587sQLU9ZynI0Tph_bQz3jl0wo/w400-h315/Pup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Seriously,
I’ve tried writing a post for weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just couldn't keep my concentration through a whole page of typing
because I have acquired a puppy who NEEDS my full attention all the time –
except of course when she’s getting in trouble.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqU-hjGn3HzB8QxU0t-iGGtBvkyyGYVFip3E10fYcWRQZtEhZ2Db0Q9nYUxLTKoV9-4o8-qx-sD2T4qC-FFoVTuBLwKOD8RCqcNKwGX8pMxdRalqx_tMx5oyoB15PDmWzGwBk3KFAq54/s650/Pup-FB.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqU-hjGn3HzB8QxU0t-iGGtBvkyyGYVFip3E10fYcWRQZtEhZ2Db0Q9nYUxLTKoV9-4o8-qx-sD2T4qC-FFoVTuBLwKOD8RCqcNKwGX8pMxdRalqx_tMx5oyoB15PDmWzGwBk3KFAq54/w400-h300/Pup-FB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
blog silence actually started with stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The deck steps were bad and I replaced them with the invaluable
assistance of a friend and Bro3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
helpful friend pointed out other things I needed to fix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bro loaned me a ladder with a stern directive to clean gutters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I caulked,
mortared, painted, stained… I can’t even remember all the things I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I know for sure is that I was tired at
the end of every day and didn’t feel like writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also so stressed about the US election
that I couldn’t think straight or say nice things in a post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank God we can put that stress behind us, as
long as the current president doesn’t blow up the world before January 20, 2021.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to everyone who voted for that happy
outcome!</span>
<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmdT9k8B2jO2KGkNuceKTF-qgVBFOFVmDNnpvQ1csoIoote85uaQyMj5NTttQWjj_g_-wtES8v_DDn2Wsr_fus834W6nyvbFShzUXp7Lftu97eIqE0QEN6kmdCewmSqwUsqj_m2J_SlY/s650/Pup+Tail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="650" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmdT9k8B2jO2KGkNuceKTF-qgVBFOFVmDNnpvQ1csoIoote85uaQyMj5NTttQWjj_g_-wtES8v_DDn2Wsr_fus834W6nyvbFShzUXp7Lftu97eIqE0QEN6kmdCewmSqwUsqj_m2J_SlY/w400-h215/Pup+Tail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I
grieved when my last dog died about a year ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t start looking for a new companion right away, and then everything
shut down because of Covid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I searched
rescue websites for months before I saw my new baby at <a href="https://www.rescuevillage.org/adopt/adoptable-dogs/" target="_blank">Rescue Village in Geauga County, Ohio</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is currently about 14
pounds and about 5-6 months old of every breed in the rainbow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love mutts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vet suggested
she might be part whippet and said Pup will probably be about 25 pounds as an
adult which is plenty big enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a
soft, cuddly, wiggling delight who is lovely in every possible way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In case you can’t tell, I adore her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life feels good and normal because I have a
puppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She runs up and down the deck
stairs many times in a day and I’m glad I fixed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
wanted to write a gushing post about her since I got her, but I’ll admit she’s
tired me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walk miles every day
and my knee is killing me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s made
friends at the park and learned some basics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was housebroken in a day, walked nicely on the leash in another day,
sits, and lets go of things on command.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She definitely gets “NOOOO!!!!”, but that doesn’t stop her from doing a
bad behavior again behind my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
play fetch and she helps me pick up sticks in the yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our next lesson is “SHHH!!!!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has a bark that can shatter steel 3 miles
away and she uses it to alert the world to squirrels or to her abandonment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s also learned she can use her voice to
boss me around because I run to shut her up before someone calls the police on
us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
sure she was neglected and pretty sure she was abused before me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rescue people told me she had lived her
short life in a kennel and “knows nothing!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That last bit definitely proved true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I saw her reaction the first time she saw grass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to imagine, sad, but a delight at
the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She discovered dried up
dandelions and loves to make them explode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She chews on my fennel and oregano in the garden and has the freshest
dog breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take her to the woods or
river and everything is new and wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every person or dog is a new friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Except, there was one guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
afraid of him, and it occurred to me he was the guy I called the cops about
last year for hiding in the woods to watch high school girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a smart dog.</span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKFfbHAs01R5vD9HJIrIF7CYu5apoa5bT7xOe4GU2keGchGJeMxEYnWLWzz5sKjfArzFnQQ7yeaKJ0Jtrrh9anW8rQ-NPBXGFTRDPnzFgvmHLPS0PuDMG8T0VM8ufaF6zMdN1Sei1m00/s650/Pup-Mistrust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="642" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKFfbHAs01R5vD9HJIrIF7CYu5apoa5bT7xOe4GU2keGchGJeMxEYnWLWzz5sKjfArzFnQQ7yeaKJ0Jtrrh9anW8rQ-NPBXGFTRDPnzFgvmHLPS0PuDMG8T0VM8ufaF6zMdN1Sei1m00/s320/Pup-Mistrust.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's mistrustful and uncooperative with picture taking<br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
had some absolute meltdowns when I first got her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was more than a cry for attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She actually sobbed in my arms when I left
her for a few hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cried in her
sleep and I stroked her and said it was alright, the bad days are over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The longer I have her, the fewer bad dreams
she has, but she still gets upset if I have to go out without her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now she has dreams about the park and playing
with the neighbor boys too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always
wonder about the idiots who think dogs don’t have feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course they do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKie2dWGvx8uOH2_6X_3XyVYD6RZoq1_Jg_P5PCg6ChaD1rx_785JEcHtW7hqCk-q8_9Hfx9veKYSGrDLFytu3QTrT7hnwKCU7ZsrfBdKGRixJY3TpigfSY0GiK7-hIFnviKDweH8Tso/s650/Pup-Profile+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKie2dWGvx8uOH2_6X_3XyVYD6RZoq1_Jg_P5PCg6ChaD1rx_785JEcHtW7hqCk-q8_9Hfx9veKYSGrDLFytu3QTrT7hnwKCU7ZsrfBdKGRixJY3TpigfSY0GiK7-hIFnviKDweH8Tso/s320/Pup-Profile+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The drawing above
is the only thing I’ve drawn lately, and that was using my sleeping pup’s back
for an easel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also hard to type
with a warm puppy on my lap, forcing me to stretch to the keyboard to type with
one finger, and she makes me take play breaks, but really, I’ll make an effort to
post more often.</span>
<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wishing
everyone a happy Thanksgiving!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay safe
and healthy!</span></p>Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-49391759792919778612020-09-07T13:31:00.000-07:002020-09-07T13:31:35.170-07:00“Drill”, #inktober52, #inktober<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlCdzhF-UrEHQg0PbcLy5LVflTM3Ag93IY-SKeCIeV8-RM03QQ1gh639JwFgVTfbjtjjVM4oH-luCmH3v7L0Hewsljsvkh0FhH9APZd6YodeqbKOJlot5L3MOcVvx4ZISThxa6Eyz3eQ/s650/Brain+Drill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="459" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlCdzhF-UrEHQg0PbcLy5LVflTM3Ag93IY-SKeCIeV8-RM03QQ1gh639JwFgVTfbjtjjVM4oH-luCmH3v7L0Hewsljsvkh0FhH9APZd6YodeqbKOJlot5L3MOcVvx4ZISThxa6Eyz3eQ/w283-h400/Brain+Drill.jpg" width="283" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
have been reminded of my blogging duties, especially as Mom said she thought I
was dead or dying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My apologies for
dropping off the web this past month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
kept trying to write a post, but I just couldn’t find the right words to say
what I want to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to yell “Don
is a bad boyfriend!”, and I’m pretty sure nobody wants to read my yelling.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here’s
the thing, I had a narcissistic husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t know anything about Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and I fell for many of his tricks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since
then, I’ve studied NPD (beyond my friends’ patience and understanding).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m like an alcoholic who quit drinking with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want everybody to see the light and know
the things I’ve learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After I started
my studies, Don became the US president.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This really made me want to educate everyone about the dangers he poses
– except one of the realities about NPD is other people really don’t want to
hear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you see my conundrum?</span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Most
people know Don is a bad boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
cheated on his mistress right after his wife gave birth to their son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all know he’s a racist and
misogynist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know he’s out for himself
and hangs out with criminals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know he
breaks laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His base forgives
everything even if they say they don’t like him either.</span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
blamed myself for a long time during the marriage and long after my
divorce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I was miserable, why
didn’t I leave sooner?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I valued the
marriage commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I
believed his lies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I’m too
stubborn, or too optimistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to
work out our problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t understand
he didn’t want to work them out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
enjoyed fighting and making me miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He twisted everything around so I didn’t know which way was up, and he felt
entitled to do whatever he wanted to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Live with it.</span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
week it came out Don doesn’t respect soldiers wounded or killed in battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody is really surprised by this, are
they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life as we know it is threatened
by climate change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don wants to drill
for oil in one of the last undisturbed places in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t care about the planet, nature, or
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take away Social Security from old
people too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t care about
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll leave all of us to clean up
his messes and heal our broken hearts.</span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
ex would do something nice every now and then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Okay, I like getting flowers or going out for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, he loves me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t he?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ll keep trying to work things out… but then he didn’t come home or
show me respect or whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don is just
the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll throw his base a bone
like nominating judges or giving the wealthiest people a tax break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says that’s what you wanted so shut up.</span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His
opponent, Joe Biden, is by all accounts a decent man with a lifetime of
government experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and his
running mate, Kamala Harris, both have centrist, moderate goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some people, that’s just not exciting
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They aren’t turned on by the
good man even though he’d make a better partner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want the bad boy even if the bad boy punches
them out once in a while and might end up killing all of us.</span>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
don’t know how to convince anyone Don is a bad president.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>200,000 Americans are dead from Covid-19
because he either didn’t act or encouraged risky behaviors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His actions have resulted in most Americans
saying they won’t get a vaccine when it’s available because they don’t trust how
it’s been developed and rushed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know
in your heart that if Don was a good leader we’d trust the vaccine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He isn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please vote
responsibly.</span></p>Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-75618177276592261932020-08-01T15:15:00.005-07:002020-08-01T15:20:12.016-07:00"UFO", #inktober52, #inktober
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuhgNzB_OjoqBaA0krFJ2zis0E52TUZIqDdgYrnujO6jXVOwPUsFPnlXRx2_yqpS19tDiksVtMugzqQzcv7_RzUWpkogzSVqnaKHB6tHuGorCl2HlXVZr570wwtZYqcY93LlPOgfwq3M/s650/Bee+Drawing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="650" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuhgNzB_OjoqBaA0krFJ2zis0E52TUZIqDdgYrnujO6jXVOwPUsFPnlXRx2_yqpS19tDiksVtMugzqQzcv7_RzUWpkogzSVqnaKHB6tHuGorCl2HlXVZr570wwtZYqcY93LlPOgfwq3M/w410-h299/Bee+Drawing.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">There
are definitely unidentified flying things in my yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know this because they attacked me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure I’m going to live after the
attack, but there was a bit of time when I was wondering if my rapidly swelling
knee was a sign I’d developed a bee allergy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remembered a time when I was a kid when a neighbor boy got stung.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His arm swelled like a balloon before he was
rushed to the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that’s why
he quit playing at my house?
</span></font><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">The
summer people behind my yard kept bees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
long row of stacked boxes were kept right along the property line, though they
possessed an acre or two of land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
suppose this was because we had gardens and apple trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dad didn’t complain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted the pollinators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man showed up once a year in his bee
suit, armed with his smoker, and collected honey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked watching him – from a distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember him ever giving us any honey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t seem fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wouldn’t be any honey without our
flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Millions or trillions of bees
buzzed through my childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned
to live peacefully with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
</span></font></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">I
took a walk in the park with a friend this week and told him about my childhood
bees. I smugly repeated my childhood adage, “Don’t bug them, they won’t bug
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, I tempted fate.</span></font>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">Bro4
has repeatedly directed me to paint my shed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve repeatedly promised to get around to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some</i>
day…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I finally started moving my
pile of old logs so I could get to the shed walls. The logs were falling apart
so I got a pitchfork and started tossing them into the yard waste bin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed a few bee-like things buzzing
around, but mostly ignored them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
noticed they were very fuzzy, a little smaller and darker than the usual
honeybee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a little curious, but I
was a woman on a mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was finally
going to paint the shed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, Bro4
added to my to do list when he dropped off a ladder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently my next job is to clean out my
gutters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess they aren’t supposed to
have maple trees growing in them?</span></font>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">Anyway,
my pitchfork snagged some weeds off a log and exposed a hive of monsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The monsters got upset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a moment of surprise and the monsters
took that moment to make a beeline to my tender flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OW, ow, ow, ow, OW!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I broke the bee rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t leave them alone and suffered the
consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re going to die!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, it took me a while to start
thinking about drawing battle lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hobbled to the house and tried desperately to remember what to do about bee
stings.<br /></span></font></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">I
haven’t been stung since I was a kid and I stepped on a rotten apple with a
bare foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very angry bee was inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was stung between my little toes, which is
a nasty place to hide a stinger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried
to remember what Mom did then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
pretty sure she plastered my toes with baking soda, or maybe it was meat
tenderizer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lacking tenderizer, I
slathered soda on my extremely painful elbow and knee – and then a spider bit
me on my other arm!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nature hates me this
week.</span></font>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">My
tender parts are back to normal looking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t hurt anymore, but I’m going a little crazy from itchiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I said, I’m pretty sure I’m going to
survive this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s too bad I don’t have a bee suit and a
smoker because those monsters have to go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Except?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had another recent
conversation with a beekeeper and said I sometimes think about keeping bees
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have space and bees are good for
gardens and flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I’ve
accidentally gotten my wish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can I
unwish something?</span></font></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: times;">I tried to look up what kind of bees I've got, but I'm just not sure. Anyone know about bees?</span></font><br /></span></p>Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-47410619822783095822020-07-26T15:34:00.000-07:002020-07-26T15:34:08.446-07:00“Sandy”, #inktober52, #inktober<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Y2De8MTJY2b-s-byWioji8KKhZHAmKigy-4y7l0R08Ic7lR77WdtZ9LqehKd99mOkdJjihll2uhCMGclS1gHg-fxJc5_NDSg_DPSrmT3MdUGxdT3UROAZsZJDg0ohg4lNtl5JGLB1sQ/s1600/Sandy-WIP4+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Y2De8MTJY2b-s-byWioji8KKhZHAmKigy-4y7l0R08Ic7lR77WdtZ9LqehKd99mOkdJjihll2uhCMGclS1gHg-fxJc5_NDSg_DPSrmT3MdUGxdT3UROAZsZJDg0ohg4lNtl5JGLB1sQ/s400/Sandy-WIP4+Detail.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My
college roommate was from the east coast, which she thought was superior to
Ohio.<span> </span>She waxed on about the Atlantic
Ocean which I’d never seen.<span> </span>I got sick
of her putting down my home and said Lake Erie was just like the ocean.<span> </span>It looks limitless from the shore and has
waves.<span> </span>In fact, the lake is far better because
it’s fresh water and doesn’t have human eating monsters in it.<span> </span>One summer she visited the lake and I visited
the ocean.<span> </span>We both exclaimed, “You were
so right!”<span> </span>We both kept sand from our
visits.<span> </span>It was a good summer.
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Grandchildren
are visiting next door.<span> </span>They’ve been
there long enough for me to both get used to them and not long enough for me to
get used to their screeching.<span> </span>Why do
kids have to scream so much?<span> </span>The girl
has found more screechers to play with and has progressed from the perfectly
adorable little child she used to be into an occasionally sullen
near-teen.<span> </span>Before you know it, she’ll
turn into one of the most evil people on the planet, an 8<sup>th</sup> grade
girl.<span> </span>It’s too bad we can’t keep them 9
years old forever.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
rejoiced when the grandmas filled the car with coolers and towels for an
obvious trip to the beach.<span> </span>I had a
lovely, quiet day.<span> </span>Towards evening, I
found I was looking forward to the kids coming back.<span> </span>The grandmas are boring neighbors.<span> </span>The only entertainment they provide is a
reason to complain about their lack of proper suburban lawn care.<span> </span>The kids are like having a flock of
butterflies flitting around, a pleasant diversion during my covid seclusion.<span> </span>Their car pulled in and the shrieking
recommenced.<span> </span>I scratched out my
butterfly comparison and thought about unoiled heavy machinery.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
weather has been extremely hot lately, yet it didn’t occur to me until now that
I should go to the lake -- sand, sun, fun, and all that.<span> </span>I like swimming and the rocking of the
waves.<span> </span>Then I thought, sand gets
everywhere, I’m pigment impaired and will get sunburned, and it’s not like I
can socialize while doing these things because of Covid-19.<span> </span>I argued with myself to go to the beach in
the evening – but the bugs come out in the evening. <span> </span>I hate being a responsible adult.<span> </span>I want to be a shrieking butterfly.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
find that when society shut down, I shut down.<span>
</span>I quit reading my daily horoscope.<span>
</span>What’s the point if I’m not actually out in the world?<span> </span>Actually, I’m not sure there’s much of a point
to the daily horoscope to begin with, but it was part of my daily routine.<span> </span>I don’t go to the store.<span> </span>I don’t even know why my attitude changed so
much when my actual life didn’t really change other than seeing a friend seems
to require a hazmat suit.<span> </span>I just feel
like I’m waiting out the pestilence while my brain tells me that there isn’t a
quick solution to any of this.<span> </span>In fact,
everything is probably just going to get worse.<span>
</span>I think I’m having a childish reaction.<span>
</span>Make myself small and maybe it won’t see me. <span> </span>I think I must not be the only one responding
this way but I don’t hear of anyone else talking about it.<span> </span>They complain about being stuck at home, but
they don’t seem to share my feeling that time has stopped.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ohio
is in the medium range of US infection.<span>
</span>Nobody I know has it, but the disease is around, or so they say.<span> </span>I don’t actually see evidence of it which
makes this all feel surreal.<span> </span>The governor
says everyone has to wear a mask when they’re out, and I hope people comply,
though I’ve seen too many act like jerks about it.<span> </span>A lot of people also don’t seem to understand
their nose has to be under the mask too.<span>
</span>Oh well, I tell myself the nicer people stand a better chance of
surviving.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZqdbv3XMewyCF2CdSBpywbfHilmuJXQ5t6S0GaqVM9h8G1vX7VTSK2PT9sRwbj_AZEon8wRGZFC7WXt-wfofw6Pg3Yy_lrWPg1akI3anGbg8-84iE6o7QUV-potTQZL4CEiVbkII3bY/s1600/Sandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="520" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZqdbv3XMewyCF2CdSBpywbfHilmuJXQ5t6S0GaqVM9h8G1vX7VTSK2PT9sRwbj_AZEon8wRGZFC7WXt-wfofw6Pg3Yy_lrWPg1akI3anGbg8-84iE6o7QUV-potTQZL4CEiVbkII3bY/s400/Sandy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sand
in a timer doesn’t seem very “sandy”, but it is what I’d painted just before I
saw the word for the week.<span> </span>I think this
is the last Barbie painting I’m going to do for a while though I’ve enjoyed
painting them. You may notice some of the elements in this piece were in previous paintings. I was consolidating my thoughts from the other paintings.</span></span></div>
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<![endif]-->Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-323803666834346312020-07-19T06:45:00.000-07:002020-07-19T06:45:35.383-07:00“Garden”, #inktober52, #inktober
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbuAkFy2Z0OMJjcSOSCPP8ZcY9L2hwB4M4V6cHc3-ZeuyNxup7v1CHrqp4Mi7ELMW15uQUif9WMMxlvcgbIYVE5EXdKXo2OjQVtfdPupjWlMVpc7LM9FiMYus6qM35_hHNSKlC2hEUR0/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-Flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="406" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbuAkFy2Z0OMJjcSOSCPP8ZcY9L2hwB4M4V6cHc3-ZeuyNxup7v1CHrqp4Mi7ELMW15uQUif9WMMxlvcgbIYVE5EXdKXo2OjQVtfdPupjWlMVpc7LM9FiMYus6qM35_hHNSKlC2hEUR0/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-Flowers.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
started writing this post about how the darned varmints keep eating my
garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got up to get another cup of
tea and looked down from my kitchen window to see deer eating my
gooseberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re shameless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t even seem to care about the
gooseberry’s vicious thorns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The twins
camped out in my yard for 2 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
didn’t care about my loathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, I
had a few moments when I thought about how pretty and cute they are, but I
collected myself and remembered to go back to hating them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fantasize about eating venison.</span>
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RqNJ3P4HIUx-pSsrrpMW5kaEAK9MDnF8zHJEfRd8VFaM-H1mjm30AU2Mybt4pPhcKUNvgjBRuJcSQzHYZMd8zrSIrG5WgB4s-YL38znEEBuUtrJ2kvZxsEsFveY3JTUOUbfCr9W0HS8/s1600/Fawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RqNJ3P4HIUx-pSsrrpMW5kaEAK9MDnF8zHJEfRd8VFaM-H1mjm30AU2Mybt4pPhcKUNvgjBRuJcSQzHYZMd8zrSIrG5WgB4s-YL38znEEBuUtrJ2kvZxsEsFveY3JTUOUbfCr9W0HS8/s320/Fawn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Okay,
let’s switch topics and talk about something more pleasant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was at Mom’s house and commented on a
framed collection of pictures by my great aunt Ila Rhea (Lee) Little that Mom had on the wall which I hadn’t seen
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom said I could have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whoopee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took it home and realized I don’t have enough wall space either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I propped it up against the dining room wall
and find Ila Rhea’s art makes me happy whenever I walk past it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s got to be a sign of good art.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58rpZ1Kbxe62gzYCv0bh2XI3Nh1TxPhC6MJh7JtPafyOnFHavvyTh_Q3HhMlp0Dvul0u347nS1z_LSX0ROBBVIM1XiZD-E1N2-3kwqiLdYiIicCqUQJWtOh3E5CPXxOR0FoRPowJh-lE/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="525" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58rpZ1Kbxe62gzYCv0bh2XI3Nh1TxPhC6MJh7JtPafyOnFHavvyTh_Q3HhMlp0Dvul0u347nS1z_LSX0ROBBVIM1XiZD-E1N2-3kwqiLdYiIicCqUQJWtOh3E5CPXxOR0FoRPowJh-lE/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art.jpg" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Size: 20" x 24"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
piece is very nicely and professionally framed so I didn’t want to take it
apart to scan it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reflective glass
and shadow box format made it hard to photograph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said,
let me share Ila Rhea’s art from her college days, from 92 years ago…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9POqZ1Ssa_IOqP4KZQgEx_om1aHsFw_xViRMG6PJvo70wPtxRQ98Cmv2zz_mn1BMzTTabZI-uAl6lTkwJIsxlv2LI5C4bHdHCthGDIsQNsWsm2VkSexxRfE1oRdfk2JIyzbI7z82YpbY/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-Flowers+w+Date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="487" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9POqZ1Ssa_IOqP4KZQgEx_om1aHsFw_xViRMG6PJvo70wPtxRQ98Cmv2zz_mn1BMzTTabZI-uAl6lTkwJIsxlv2LI5C4bHdHCthGDIsQNsWsm2VkSexxRfE1oRdfk2JIyzbI7z82YpbY/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-Flowers+w+Date.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8t3EtQXZIgdJ-ebRtd91RY76iU2Zh2K2tk-qZ4Rb_sClL8vIiKxaS4czbmzQF7n8SPSLZ1J34F0z7jbgKzx4zBfGm1d39dSH2HT_uRpA25HvQxSZCBiZZDnk5B-Fsp-XLBa0lb8U-MtU/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-Jolly+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="650" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8t3EtQXZIgdJ-ebRtd91RY76iU2Zh2K2tk-qZ4Rb_sClL8vIiKxaS4czbmzQF7n8SPSLZ1J34F0z7jbgKzx4zBfGm1d39dSH2HT_uRpA25HvQxSZCBiZZDnk5B-Fsp-XLBa0lb8U-MtU/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-Jolly+Card.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think I inherited that table</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY_ajPon8Fr6sy-Fpl-k6dDVUwxGWGahZ-kvOfR-yUvLz5A_ZQ8ksQ-w_fKMSwm_bui-3j0WZM8I8R1WylWOroyBO5Wr_wM7yMNFjHoJrtc8UIrmnL48oFcmABFGh_m94kDj27wM3UeQ/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="445" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY_ajPon8Fr6sy-Fpl-k6dDVUwxGWGahZ-kvOfR-yUvLz5A_ZQ8ksQ-w_fKMSwm_bui-3j0WZM8I8R1WylWOroyBO5Wr_wM7yMNFjHoJrtc8UIrmnL48oFcmABFGh_m94kDj27wM3UeQ/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-Girl.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgWLeH8IyTJzQPhOdtPHRxqhcNuIM7hyKYWTYGATWPSls04njEdeXmxG8cztj0GCUPZvaWoO8iEvDP0TW-8G9rX0XpBAUMbWbtO15Zcrg5YEhWnCc_mGzd8A6ec87NVnrCoePcNQYbXk/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-Steamer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="453" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgWLeH8IyTJzQPhOdtPHRxqhcNuIM7hyKYWTYGATWPSls04njEdeXmxG8cztj0GCUPZvaWoO8iEvDP0TW-8G9rX0XpBAUMbWbtO15Zcrg5YEhWnCc_mGzd8A6ec87NVnrCoePcNQYbXk/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-Steamer.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEq1rrmCR2lviK0LFvAMeoty0VbQJC4OE3zuK8xaTqBqLbFXd3fmW5NDEWkSziHnh6hQMg40JEunqDNYNTnyidjCTYgvGZ6Srphmi-46G513ctsYMbeRbw2hsaR7aO-UNeTkT78RYMP4/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="650" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEq1rrmCR2lviK0LFvAMeoty0VbQJC4OE3zuK8xaTqBqLbFXd3fmW5NDEWkSziHnh6hQMg40JEunqDNYNTnyidjCTYgvGZ6Srphmi-46G513ctsYMbeRbw2hsaR7aO-UNeTkT78RYMP4/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-House.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5wACRIPy0mqxiu8iWJF4iU8538XuS1S6Qk1M_RB_FTZUNMnY60MKaDAdXPalyfUzWGWvcGQW2MB5HlA5FLz-OJdNJfkF2WA27LRxX3ueKC4xHRl08xNejedGFYJY5xMHlLEyuODGU-8/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-Birthday+Woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="338" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5wACRIPy0mqxiu8iWJF4iU8538XuS1S6Qk1M_RB_FTZUNMnY60MKaDAdXPalyfUzWGWvcGQW2MB5HlA5FLz-OJdNJfkF2WA27LRxX3ueKC4xHRl08xNejedGFYJY5xMHlLEyuODGU-8/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-Birthday+Woman.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VcHuXRZ0V9HTmmcZfMEZAsi2_82BBfhKxYxIFCC8y2SJWaI0HbQ5U6ZJNemo4qevPe2gicCwulAchnXugG_TTYhDiW217in61WlcxAorD0zelchd8W6ShfcJEL61z54jfle2xdznnss/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Art-Woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="358" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VcHuXRZ0V9HTmmcZfMEZAsi2_82BBfhKxYxIFCC8y2SJWaI0HbQ5U6ZJNemo4qevPe2gicCwulAchnXugG_TTYhDiW217in61WlcxAorD0zelchd8W6ShfcJEL61z54jfle2xdznnss/s400/Ila+Rhea+Art-Woman.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Obviously,
studying my aunt’s work is much better than studying the devastation of my
garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a lovely lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine her decades of students were glad
to have her as a teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish she was
still alive so I could ask her things it didn’t occur to me to ask about life
and art when I had the chance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mom got upset with
me t</span>he
last time I posted some of Ila Rhea's work (<a href="https://lindahensley.blogspot.com/2011/06/swept.html" target="_blank">which you can see here</a>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom said it was a violation of Ila
Rhea’s privacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said I thought Ila
Rhea would be pleased people could see her art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a way for her to live on although she’s no longer with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many years after you die is it okay for
other people to blog about you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
I’d be happy if one of my nieces or nephews posted my work after I’m gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you think?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXH6HChR3HizKPS43vmh_dvQGoChl-xfQVCy2OaM8eH8TN67mrJvrAjitlL8BWI0iqDoLFk-uNj2BNq6v8rgzhRROsmT9TbvGKSmCkWkYXO5B0KRpCmvEd7yaYNSWocI-_Ko8rzrkTlJA/s1600/Clifty+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="650" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXH6HChR3HizKPS43vmh_dvQGoChl-xfQVCy2OaM8eH8TN67mrJvrAjitlL8BWI0iqDoLFk-uNj2BNq6v8rgzhRROsmT9TbvGKSmCkWkYXO5B0KRpCmvEd7yaYNSWocI-_Ko8rzrkTlJA/s400/Clifty+School.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As an afterthought, I googled Ila Rhea's name and <a href="https://www.miningonthemountain.org/clifty-school" target="_blank">found this post</a> about the school where she worked early in her teaching career. Fascinating. More stuff I wish I would've thought to ask her about.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9b-Ur8rkZOXYfuqwhJ0_p-PEPCgcq9Her0XieiZS8wcoJE4wO4EleDLZ9-f1g2ZQZA9tkFLU8VCiAaTBObOxIEXRx4DymzmKhNxcd_QDKpdDu4mbm2Vxx-7Af-ofOSVwwrz4ZW73AwU/s1600/Ila+Rhea+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="432" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9b-Ur8rkZOXYfuqwhJ0_p-PEPCgcq9Her0XieiZS8wcoJE4wO4EleDLZ9-f1g2ZQZA9tkFLU8VCiAaTBObOxIEXRx4DymzmKhNxcd_QDKpdDu4mbm2Vxx-7Af-ofOSVwwrz4ZW73AwU/s400/Ila+Rhea+Photo.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The great lady herself :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<![endif]-->Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-89372715028598677912020-07-11T16:07:00.001-07:002020-07-11T16:07:55.874-07:00"Wires", #inktober52, #inktober<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZy4ZYv7V1FCB4jGadT8z4OIKE7SNd2L-Gkc_6BUdoQeXm9kw4qpUy1p31zU08pI8JkmoFJlYF-sjuTvMvXlvLrewTrkY_o0uLWnkZppigykn_uvFl8aiLm_U77Nwov3aVaCNg7t0Bon4/s1600/Pull+Switch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="639" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZy4ZYv7V1FCB4jGadT8z4OIKE7SNd2L-Gkc_6BUdoQeXm9kw4qpUy1p31zU08pI8JkmoFJlYF-sjuTvMvXlvLrewTrkY_o0uLWnkZppigykn_uvFl8aiLm_U77Nwov3aVaCNg7t0Bon4/s400/Pull+Switch.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lamented to a couple of millennial friends a while back
that their peers don't know how to do real basic things like cook an egg or
change a light bulb. My friends were
unfazed. One idly asked, "What do
they do when a light bulb goes out?"
"They call an electrician or wait until somebody else comes over
who knows what to do", I answered.
My friend shrugged his shoulders and said, "Problem solved
then." I wanted to scream. No, what about the next bulb? Why are they wasting money on electricians?!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It seems like I should've remembered my concerned outrage
when my kitchen light started acting up.
Sometimes the pull chain worked, sometimes it didn't. Sometimes I had to climb up on my sink and
fiddle with it until the light went off.
When this happened often enough that I found myself swearing on a
regular basis, I plugged in an inadequate lamp because I'm not calling an
electrician for a stupid light. I'm
good at ignoring some problems.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I told a pal about this and he told me the light was an easy
fix, the inexpensive part easily found at the home improvement store. Okay.
I listened, but I didn't get the part.
I envisioned the store being filled with guys too tough to wear masks
during our ever-increasing Covid-19 problem.
Besides, my friend thought this was an easy part to find, but he's a
guy. Those stores are designed for
people like him. They're intended to
confuse people with ovaries. I kept
living with my inadequate lamp and washed dishes in daylight until my pal
showed up with the part and a bottle of Jack Daniels. Thanks!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'll admit I was more drawn to the whiskey than the stupid
switch, but I dutifully went to the basement and turned off the
"kitchen" breaker. This did
not turn off the kitchen light. I went
back to the basement and tried another breaker. Up the steps, down the steps, up, down, up, down... F it, I
turned off the main switch. The light
finally went off along with every other electric thing I own, including my
tetchy computer. Arg.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I climbed onto the kitchen sink and balanced precariously
next to the ceiling while dismantling the light fixture, fiberglass insulation
wafting in my face and sticking to my sweaty face on one of the hottest days of
the year. My pal had said there were 3
wires inside. He was wrong. There were 5 or 6. Despite this confusing turn of events, I successfully hooked up
the new switch, muscled the light fixture back onto the ceiling, and turned the
main breaker on again. Then, there was
light!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I put a long-life bulb in the light fixture. It's my sincere hope I never have to mess
with that light again. I turn the light
on and off for fun these days. I wonder
at myself for being willing to live with that inadequate lamp. I worry about all those millennials living
through Covid-19 seclusion in the dark with raw eggs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would you have called the electrician or do you ignore stuff
like this?</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-6801408977098937352020-07-05T10:12:00.000-07:002020-07-05T10:14:24.722-07:00#inktober52, #inktober, "Eyes"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xwp4jAVQXYBy5SjeqcvP6cJJddiobi958Z6WFqlmLESJ0DdiEGWBAJuvl69Dn-WrfRPbfjdLnqKn5bWJCCmEEppUhGvFgdIqU1mpiQZtJHpldV1fj8sCAXRKI1uXRuUH9cD6Hbr90Gk/s1600/Eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="650" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xwp4jAVQXYBy5SjeqcvP6cJJddiobi958Z6WFqlmLESJ0DdiEGWBAJuvl69Dn-WrfRPbfjdLnqKn5bWJCCmEEppUhGvFgdIqU1mpiQZtJHpldV1fj8sCAXRKI1uXRuUH9cD6Hbr90Gk/s400/Eyes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've always been a fan of N. C. Wyeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love his lusty, heroic illustrations and
the books that went with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn't
a fan of his son, Andrew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seemed
spoiled and sulky to me, self-important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That's the problem with being alive at the same time as another
artist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can judge them, not just
their work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he died and his Helga
paintings were discovered, I assumed he had an affair with her and was even
more judgmental.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn't want to like
evidence of something I consider wrong -- though as far as I know Helga never
admitted to anything other than posing for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNuGbKIoUds" target="_blank">I watched a youtube video</a> on Andrew and realized I do like his
work, and probably would've liked him personally a lot better than his
father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I need to gain some
maturity to get there?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3v4smL8ME-qaoW-k5XIdW53vO3-qnJloETUHBd2ALzcB_7k19dAfmFaMD33dOyzU7jLmum5Yuu6KKvcLn-4UmlYhSEsPqmTHTpWGR4BCOac3EME9TfQIPMB1vQKykffLKq_Hp1CmNqw/s1600/Andrew+Wyeth%2527s+Helga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="506" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3v4smL8ME-qaoW-k5XIdW53vO3-qnJloETUHBd2ALzcB_7k19dAfmFaMD33dOyzU7jLmum5Yuu6KKvcLn-4UmlYhSEsPqmTHTpWGR4BCOac3EME9TfQIPMB1vQKykffLKq_Hp1CmNqw/s400/Andrew+Wyeth%2527s+Helga.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew Wyeth's Helga</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What our eyes see is bent by the way our brains think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all make judgments despite the biblical
admonition, "Judge not lest you be judged".*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our critical minds make observations which
help us get through life, but it's like eating apples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One apple is good for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too many apples give us a stomach ache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One judgmental, critical observation may be
true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn't mean all our other
judgments and criticisms are true too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The important thing is to be able to change our minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Changing my mind about Andrew Wyeth lets me
look at his work in a new way which will change what or how I paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a national level, I'm hoping people will
change their minds about social distancing, wearing masks, and climate change
(plus who they vote into office!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Being able to change course is a sign of intelligence and humility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of us know everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I respect the people who learn and grow
through their lives.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something I didn't expect to discover during the Covid pandemic
is that I like masks because they hide fake smiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A real smile crinkles a person's eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An old person with a lot of smile crinkles is a good person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd like to draw them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to get to know them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to know what they know, and how I might
be still self-deluding myself or unfairly judging others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some day I want to be the old lady with the
crinkled eyes whom a younger person wants to know because I'll have discovered
the secrets to life and laughed through the journey.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The internet is full of false perfection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all want to look better, seem more
successful, be happier than anyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I see TV commercials about ointments that take away wrinkles and I don't
think the people really look that much better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other ads promote airbrushing your skin issues away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That isn't where true beauty is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this makes people look plastic and
unreal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody wants to paint someone
that fake, and the best art can exaggerate the flaws we see in ourselves because that's the stuff that shows our character and makes us interesting. People who love us will love us with our flaws anyway.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Observe, have an open mind, be willing to change
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You'll do better at whatever
you do and will be a much more beautiful person to be around too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did a post about drawing eyes. You can <a href="https://www.blogger.com/https://lindahensley.blogspot.com/2011/04/lesson.html" target="_blank">see it here</a>. I also did a post about painting an eyeball. I still think about painting a mess of these and putting them on the mantle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRdXz7gpI6QM2Ck248yf7jNekTExaIon8pEbrkY0piypEmUODN-15NgfsEct5DqCo68TC0k9HudZhgNLMMCZNmgo_fiG_z2NASIcJu6AQ08y4s6t8dVW65REbtMaFXZGecJYgEX0CxwY/s1600/Eyeball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRdXz7gpI6QM2Ck248yf7jNekTExaIon8pEbrkY0piypEmUODN-15NgfsEct5DqCo68TC0k9HudZhgNLMMCZNmgo_fiG_z2NASIcJu6AQ08y4s6t8dVW65REbtMaFXZGecJYgEX0CxwY/s320/Eyeball.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Matthew 7:1, and a sign that even the unwashed can quote
scripture :)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-8083052927958245852020-06-27T13:55:00.000-07:002020-06-27T13:55:44.185-07:00#inktober52, #inktober, "Half"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeiPNZHZI_Wttnb-mgVyPuSEgOeWvSwvMAwHQymsgBAYQcAPxlbJDgiKogouEKnwQ9zBOpbMe8oBuOpo3GhK1vAHtcE0b3JxABft5y0XPCEL62DicrJrPlbkKyiIfSYQETeYg__2qXEw/s1600/Half+Daisy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeiPNZHZI_Wttnb-mgVyPuSEgOeWvSwvMAwHQymsgBAYQcAPxlbJDgiKogouEKnwQ9zBOpbMe8oBuOpo3GhK1vAHtcE0b3JxABft5y0XPCEL62DicrJrPlbkKyiIfSYQETeYg__2qXEw/s400/Half+Daisy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Half" is an interesting word. We learned in math class that half means 2
equal parts, but that's not what many people actually want. They want more than equal, at least more
than that person. That's how they can
know they're better than the person who got less.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We can't give away everything donated to the food giveaway as there
might not be enough of something for everyone to get an item. Old ladies will claw each other's eyes out
if "<i>She</i> got a pineapple! <i>I</i>
want a pineapple!" So sorry, that
was the last one. I could cut it in half
so you each have some... "NO! I want <i>that</i> one! So much for Solomon's solutions to problem
resolution. An old woman's greed means
she gets less goodies but you can't tell her that. And if I were to find another pineapple for the whiner 10 other
women will screech they want pineapples too.
Nope. No pineapples for
anybody. We'll give them to the shelter
or compost them. The old ladies are
happy because they never knew we had any pineapples in the first place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think our desire for fairness is built into our DNA. Monkeys scream like old ladies at a
food giveaway if one monkey gets more treats than another. Children identify equal with laser precision
when it comes to cake. Yet there are an
awful lot of people who really think their half ought to be bigger.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've always had a hard time understanding why some think
they're losing if another gets something.
Someone else's success makes them feel bad, and the worst people try to
sabotage that success. It would be more
sensible to learn from that person's achievement. What did they do to bring about this happy result? Apply that to your own situation so you'll succeed
too. If one artist sells a lot of
paintings, that means there is an audience for your paintings, or books, or
whatever it is you do. Someone else's
success builds a road for you to ride on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Success isn't cake.
There's only so much cake.
Success is unlimited like love -- though I realize some people think if
this person loves that one then that's love they aren't getting. I can love a lot of people in different
ways. I don't have to center it all on
one person for it to count.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I watched Jordan Klepper video of a woman at a Trump rally
who said gay people wanted too much.
"You mean equal?" Jordan asked. The woman agreed, yes, equal.
"And that's just too much?"
"Yeah." Well, how do
you argue with that? Someone else told
me gay marriage hurt her marriage.
"How?", I asked nicely.
She didn't have an answer. She
just felt like someone else having what she had meant what she had was
devalued.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm not all kumbaya about this (though it would be superb if
everyone loved everyone else and helped everyone else to succeed). I'm just talking practical sense. Take your half of what you're due. Marriages work when the partners each feels
they're getting their share of the benefits and the chores. Good workers do their part and get raises
and promotions in a healthy work environment.
Helping someone may come back to you at a later time by someone helping
you. Half a slice of cheesecake with a
friend is wonderful. Call it karma or
whatever you like, equal can be great.</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-21056659320427546832020-06-21T10:33:00.000-07:002020-06-21T10:33:25.834-07:00#Inktober52, #inktober, "Lunar"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKnNMImwK0BRpvOzrlhZGuvRCHA6M4HPUHu4t9iZoXB4iJPaG1DBjRisEdwPAFZuiCIe5xpk09S1cs5RusNc3EfVrrCd-V2Z4teCFVgRAZQbOU8panAAplrk-GT6nTocik29k2iZT6W8/s1600/Luna+Moth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKnNMImwK0BRpvOzrlhZGuvRCHA6M4HPUHu4t9iZoXB4iJPaG1DBjRisEdwPAFZuiCIe5xpk09S1cs5RusNc3EfVrrCd-V2Z4teCFVgRAZQbOU8panAAplrk-GT6nTocik29k2iZT6W8/s400/Luna+Moth.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Luna Moths are named for the Roman moon goddess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wikipedia says they aren't rare, but are
seldom seen because the adults are nocturnal and only live for 7-10 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They're big and catch your attention though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was pleasantly thinking about Luna Moths when my neighbor
informed me he had a homeless guy with a vicious dog living in his yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeeks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We spent some time with the cops, who didn't shoot anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, everyone was very polite, but then
I live in suburbia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The squatter was
told to pack up his huge pile of belongings and get out or get cited for
trespassing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This obviously deterred my
impulse to go looking for Luna Moths in the night and disrupted my peaceful
thoughts about bugs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I talked myself down from all this excitement and tried to
get back to moths but a shot went off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was unwilling to go outside to see if anyone was dead,
spending my time calculating the distance and wondering if a bullet could
pierce my steel sided house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turned out
the homeless guy refused to vacate and threatened someone with the giant,
vicious dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The threatened man fired a
warning shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That seemed to finally
motivate the squatter to move his microwave and other appliances, a cockatoo,
and who knows what else he had back there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I again tried to fix my mind on moths, but thought about a
crazy bumblebee I saw instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
walking around in circles, nothing like usual bumblebee behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocephalus_borealis" target="_blank">A visit to Wikipedia</a> informed me it was
infected by a parasite which made the bee leave its hive and walk around in
circles before dying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This earns them
the name "zombees".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
parasite lays its' eggs in the bee's abdomen and about a week later the pupae
emerge from the throats and heads of the dead bees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh yuck.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How is this my life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I haven't bothered anybody.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don't deserve zombees and homeless guys with vicious dogs!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the same time, I'm not entirely surprised something
happened in that yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A week or so
ago, I called the cops on a couple who seemed to be scoping the property and
who tore off as soon as they saw me watching them (twice).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found an empty pack of cigarettes in my
yard in an unlikely place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on
high alert, and quite aware others thought I was just a hysterical female to
pacify and ignore -- but then I wasn't worried about the cops killing me so I
should just sit down and shut up, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I'm feeling very sympathetic towards the people protesting police
practices.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Watching a zombee walk around in circles may not seem
important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rather doubt those
parasites will breed in my abdomen, but just knowing stuff can be useful in
unexpected ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An observant artist is
a better artist as a general rule, and an informed person is more interesting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My point is to notice things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust your gut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it
feels wrong, it probably is wrong.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ran out of space to actually write about Luna Moths, but
if you're interested you can s<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_moth" target="_blank">ee Wikipedia's info here</a>.</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-1991762215075805352020-06-12T14:45:00.000-07:002020-06-12T14:45:02.134-07:00#inktober52, #inktober, "Puppet", "Shell"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X547pPU6gDli3YFTe4aWwqLPyTk243Kl5gTo8C3YQb8RQ08BFcC9yjtEVnTxlmaaWsgHeUwcc_vuE1WN6ZPxtuoCjigHwlUNij1tDZxXHdixgQdRe4mC8O5-0e6jxkDT0iP6qV0_q9g/s1600/JF+Barbie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X547pPU6gDli3YFTe4aWwqLPyTk243Kl5gTo8C3YQb8RQ08BFcC9yjtEVnTxlmaaWsgHeUwcc_vuE1WN6ZPxtuoCjigHwlUNij1tDZxXHdixgQdRe4mC8O5-0e6jxkDT0iP6qV0_q9g/s400/JF+Barbie.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A doll is a puppet, right?
Well, close enough. I've been
working on my Barbie paintings and haven't had any close enough words for the
week to share them. This is obviously
Equestrian Barbie.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This painting took forever and a day to create. Okay, most of that was avoidance, but I
think that's got to count into things too, right? If only people paid me for thinking and avoiding! I don't want to get into all my thoughts
about why I struggled on this. Let's
zip straight to the insight I got after the battle with myself was won. Some people bully their way through life and
other people get injured. We see the
bullying and say, "You hit me and I feel hurt!". It's much harder to recognize the problem
when the injury is caused by inaction.
A lot of my sitting around thinking and procrastinating has been spent
on this very simple idea (though Equestrian Barbie's sling has nothing to do
with someone else injuring her).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I often find the world reflects something going on within
myself. I was thinking of how others'
inaction caused me harm while US blacks have been loudly saying white people's
inaction harms them. I find this
understandable. I'm with them in
spirit. I don't want to actually go out
and march because I don't want to be tear gassed, catch Covid-19, or deal with
city parking, but I applaud on the sidelines.
I'm not alone. Surveys show most
Americans are sympathetic to black people's issues, and while quite a few
people have joined the protests, most aren't actually marching. Does our inaction injure their just
cause? On a personal level, have you
spoken up when someone else needed you to speak up?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can't deal with watching the video of George Floyd dying, but I've seen
bits of it. The cop doing the murdering
is clearly doing an evil action. The
thing that I keep thinking about though is all the other cops who allowed it to
happen. George wouldn't have died if
any one of those other cops had stopped it.
The system of protecting police misconduct allowed that cop to murder
George. The politicians that allow cops
to self-police misconduct allowed the murder.
The apathy of voters to protecting blacks' rights allowed it. Perhaps the biggest sin in all of this is
the inaction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7y9s8s7g3d5iog-n64bAxQtjIDCt270w38pgjXkB5Ebgwdenwd_SXjzsy_u9eSGThZ_ZXRkFyES_JSPEvFvAiQftzmdwdcXei8ROe2HpE6b8C3v9c5JULqLBmrhsmNR3J-th9Jh6esU/s1600/Shell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="375" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7y9s8s7g3d5iog-n64bAxQtjIDCt270w38pgjXkB5Ebgwdenwd_SXjzsy_u9eSGThZ_ZXRkFyES_JSPEvFvAiQftzmdwdcXei8ROe2HpE6b8C3v9c5JULqLBmrhsmNR3J-th9Jh6esU/s200/Shell.jpg" width="115" /></a>I'm thinking of all this on the national level and in
one-on-one interactions. Be the pebble
that knocks things out of the rut. Do
what you can.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been fighting migraines lately, so my apologies for
dropping off the net. Here's a shell
for last week's word and a larger view of the Equestrian Barbie painting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBiVVU9bJWdpS76qMDyh9VMC4RQc-43X0NHZ6TAb9Hjpwb8GkU3OXlPlVD0ZVDmIcEYdmPCbdwFzkYk7tc_MfmfGpUiPxB3-sD8B_aBnMChGlwdK1oetTuzwtyCf2tOdiQVQrshT8SDI/s1600/JF+Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="520" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBiVVU9bJWdpS76qMDyh9VMC4RQc-43X0NHZ6TAb9Hjpwb8GkU3OXlPlVD0ZVDmIcEYdmPCbdwFzkYk7tc_MfmfGpUiPxB3-sD8B_aBnMChGlwdK1oetTuzwtyCf2tOdiQVQrshT8SDI/s400/JF+Final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-70048222625212577892020-05-31T15:21:00.000-07:002020-05-31T15:21:58.047-07:00#inktober52, #inktober, "Stranded"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVOPOglo2ecLJkyqrmFo_KTDStToV6DrNR9S03oxYjlfOAwpmZI06PZeNJVFdOEG5f8MeXWR78lGqHC_kbzdyzL1zo6sF9V-wTGUk1SMHRuBES6J_PnESn-gYV2rK54lk0-0OVysNi_U/s1600/Stranded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVOPOglo2ecLJkyqrmFo_KTDStToV6DrNR9S03oxYjlfOAwpmZI06PZeNJVFdOEG5f8MeXWR78lGqHC_kbzdyzL1zo6sF9V-wTGUk1SMHRuBES6J_PnESn-gYV2rK54lk0-0OVysNi_U/s400/Stranded.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a book problem.
The library has partially reopened but in order to get a book I have to
know what I want for curbside pickup.
How am I supposed to know what books I want? I like to wander through my favorite sections of the library
until a book or subject jumps from the shelf and begs to be taken home with
me. Sometimes I wander through my less
favorite sections and learn about something else entirely. I need recommendations if any of you have
suggestions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the meantime, I've been reading books I already
have. I've found a few I hadn't read
before hiding on the shelves. They've
mostly been disappointments, past garage sale purchases that deserve to be
forgotten or given to the library to sell to some other unsuspecting reader,
but there's one unread book I've pushed around on the shelf many times. I've moved it from one house to
another. I've started it multiple times
because it was my dad's and he loved it.
I wanted to understand what he saw in it but I found it antiquated and
tedious. Every time I picked it up I
put it down again within a few pages.
I'm determined this time. Read
it or get rid of it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erewhon" target="_blank">Erewhon</a> was published in 1872 but I was confused by my copy
which has a partial copyright of 1968. I
missed the "partial" in that and thought this was a more recent book
which made me take offense at the white superiority in it. Knowing its time doesn't make the racism
okay, but it does help me take it in context while making me sympathetic to
people burning things down in Minneapolis this week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm only about halfway through Erewhon so I can't tell you
if its contemplation of machines, society, and Darwinism has much merit. So far, I hate the book as much as the
previous times I've tried to read it. Maybe I'll change my mind.
I doubt it. Thankfully, it isn't
very long. I'm just reading about a
racist blonde guy stranded in a fictional country while I'm stranded during
Covid-19 seclusion. According to Dad's
philosophy of life, this will make me a better educated and interesting
person. I hope so. I'd like to get something out of this
experience.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dad urged me to read the classics, and because I was
similarly stranded in childhood by being stuck in the woods, I dutifully read
what he had on the shelves. I learned
about Victorian men's ideas of romance while painlessly absorbing history. I read the Bible a few times, Shakespeare,
Dickens, Tarzan, nature field guides, crime investigation techniques, etc. I'm pretty sure Dad purposely put some books
on the shelf to further my education. I
also read the secret book in my parents' bedroom which I was very sure had
nothing to do with what they did behind that closed door. Hey, if you want to encourage me to read
then you have to suffer the consequences!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A friend of mine told me her parents never read to her when
she was a child. I felt her pain and
feel fortunate my dad read to me regularly and engagingly. He made up funny voices and cuddled me. Reading was a warm comfort and escape. My friend learned to love books because her
neighbor took time to read to her. It
doesn't have to be a parent who passes this love onto another. I know many of you share my pleasure of books. Let's spread that enjoyment to others.</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-5712940650204226662020-05-25T12:29:00.000-07:002020-05-25T12:29:41.051-07:00#inktober52, #inktober, "Robot"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtzq6oX7hU2JIuwIThSiAnqr6zvrBk-WWUupkpu3KMxnqZaSjgXQosaj41jl1EhO-BZl24MfNTYlrX0xVIp_dOiO9r_KQ_LlC_P4r2Hj3cBC70KUnxJ51942lD-yf85mDZje7jJ2WvkU/s1600/Robot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtzq6oX7hU2JIuwIThSiAnqr6zvrBk-WWUupkpu3KMxnqZaSjgXQosaj41jl1EhO-BZl24MfNTYlrX0xVIp_dOiO9r_KQ_LlC_P4r2Hj3cBC70KUnxJ51942lD-yf85mDZje7jJ2WvkU/s400/Robot.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bill Mumy used to buzz past my house very regularly in a
very beat up VW bug. He honked, he
waved, I smiled and waved back. My
sister growled and slammed doors. I
thought Bill was romantic and determined.
Sis thought he was a long-haired, gangly, teenaged pest. Oh well, teenagers do what teenagers do and
apparently Bill and Sis weren't meant for a happily ever after together. He got married in 1986 so I'm pretty sure he
got over his unrequited love, or maybe it was just teenaged lust. It's just one of those episodes of childhood
that invariably makes me laugh. I'm
pretty sure Sis still gets irritated at the thought of it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Years before this teenaged stalking, Sis sat on the floor with me
in front of the TV and happily watched Bill as Will in "Lost in
Space". It was an admittedly lame
show that was cheaply produced and inexplicably entertaining. There was friendly robot who exclaimed,
"Warning, warning, Will Robinson!" before they were attacked by
aliens and everything got resolved in 20 minutes or so. Wasn't even bad TV better when we were kids?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think about today's robots taking away people's jobs and
all the current uncertainties and think I could spend the day watching Lost in
Space on youtube. I'm not sure this is
the best use of my life, but it would be a pleasant diversion since nobody has
asked me to a Memorial Day picnic, not that I would go this year even if I were
invited. Whatever you're doing this
year, please do it safely.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've moved on from my ditch digging and started attacking my
house. I sat back in my easy chair and
noticed the ceiling looked kind of dingy.
I spent a day washing it. It's
sparkly white again and I'm sore again.
I sat back in my easy chair and noticed piles of projects that never got
finished (or started). I moved my
project materials to their proper homes.
On and on and I'm not finished thinking about other labor-intensive
things I could do. I think I'm just
taking out my frustrations on my surroundings, but also getting some exercise. Things look better so I feel better.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm never going to go full Marie Kondo or anything, but I
have been asking myself why I have so much stuff. I listened to a radio program this week which posed the
questions, "Are you holding onto things because you're holding onto your
past? Are you ready to make space for
new things to come into your life?"
Hmm... I think I'm ready for
something new. Clearing space sounds
like an excellent idea. Maybe I'll
paint the living room walls too. On and
on and on, there's no end to the stuff I could do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course we haul our past around with us whether or not we
keep reminders of it. The only thing it
took for me to remember Bill Mumy buzzing by my house was the word
"Robot". I don't need to keep
every gift I received from every person I've cared about to remember them. I used to, even gifts I wasn't all that
crazy about in the first place. It felt
disloyal to throw them away. I've
gotten over that. Mostly?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, I've got to get back to my projects. Now that the ceiling looks great I've
noticed the windows need washed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJNVZb2gbaNYCZua5wRgW6aHYEwTA7uSWadFmB8cFwuoDPibU0zgw48lkoX6SU0LYwsp3MiDd9XWnw8dvpXQrndZ795vdDZ0C0O80oexak0jDRhAvSgBLMlrlPiWaGPTrFLV-N_ODqag/s1600/Bill+Mumy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="576" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJNVZb2gbaNYCZua5wRgW6aHYEwTA7uSWadFmB8cFwuoDPibU0zgw48lkoX6SU0LYwsp3MiDd9XWnw8dvpXQrndZ795vdDZ0C0O80oexak0jDRhAvSgBLMlrlPiWaGPTrFLV-N_ODqag/s320/Bill+Mumy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill was adorable, wasn't he? He kind of looked like Sis' son.<br />Maybe she should've returned his affections :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-43486048047205890662020-05-17T15:00:00.000-07:002020-05-17T15:00:53.737-07:00#Inktober52, #Inktober, "Bubbles"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IM3ClIMKDbyHCt7q1GLnKCA2LlEOskhzq9v1IwJ4h-6-k05ZMkBEUVBPb1LU1P5m4xnJ4UDXxTPuh6AVRdoNtoVNoo0S_OZnS6CRhxJ44NJuIZrbBRKtBa4bj09CVUuK2E7o2PiwqVM/s1600/Bubbles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="238" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IM3ClIMKDbyHCt7q1GLnKCA2LlEOskhzq9v1IwJ4h-6-k05ZMkBEUVBPb1LU1P5m4xnJ4UDXxTPuh6AVRdoNtoVNoo0S_OZnS6CRhxJ44NJuIZrbBRKtBa4bj09CVUuK2E7o2PiwqVM/s400/Bubbles.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was hiking around to endless historical monuments on a
hot, sunny day with a friend when I said, "I need to stop for a pop" as
we walked by a convenience store. My
friend burst into merry laughter. My
face rearranged itself into absolute befuddlement. I didn't see anything funny in my declaration. I was hot and thirsty. My friend didn't have the faintest idea what
I was talking about. "A Pepsi,
Coke, something like that", I clarified, shaking my head at the
obvious. "Oh! A <i>soda!</i>" In my mind, a soda is something from the 1950's when teenyboppers
went to the soda shop for a malt, but okay.
I realize more of you out there say soda than pop, but you have to admit
pop is a better word when you open the bottle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Someone else recently reminisced with me about going to her
grandparents and getting pop from the basement. "Me too!" Happy
grandparent stories flowed back and forth and I vividly tasted Vernor's ginger
ale even though I haven't tasted it in years.
It's amazing how these things stay with us, and how much little things
matter down the road when it didn't seem to make that much difference at the
time. We just had practical
grandparents who put soda pop in the basement because the basement was cool and brought it upstairs when the grandkids were there because they loved us. It's these little moments that made us feel special and secure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other day I contemplated what to have for supper. I seem to have gotten very vegetarian during
the shutdown and I have to say I'm sick and tired of vegetables. I flashed back to dinner at Grandma's and
wished so strongly for one of her basic meals of ham, mashed potatoes, and
green beans. I wanted it so badly I
could smell the ham and hear her putting a spoon down on her stainless steel kitchen
counter. I thought of Grandpa and his perennial
assortment of Chex cereal and ever-present vanilla ice milk. Tinkling dishes, cheerful laughter, and ice
tea. Vernor's pop, full of sugar and
bubbles, in the middle of the day, for no real reason other than my
grandparents knew I liked it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://abc7news.com/6173152/?ex_cid=TA_KGO_FB&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR17ISvZ_kXU2UHW5RuAUsummOi-eSIWoYiAFzNCc5ABAV_9c1x5QyULodg" target="_blank">I saw a post</a> where a 10-year-old girl created a door screen
out of a shower curtain and plastic bags so she could hug her grandma during
the shutdown. Yay for the kid! But gee, it sucks to be separated from your
grandma! Maybe all this separation will
prove to teach more of us to appreciate people while we have them?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Happy memories keep us warm inside when faced with too many
vegetables, but it isn't all about looking back. It's about thinking about your priorities and making decisions about
what you want now and in the future. Our
thoughts create possibilities.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thinking about drinking a bubbly pop on a hot summer day may
not seem important at all. Remembering
merry laughter between friends is important.
It isn't about things, it's about people. I'm really hoping that everyone appreciates their people even
more when they can hug each other again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This art is just a TV doodle around the time I was
salivating over Grandma's ham :)</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-46936402346320585882020-05-10T10:28:00.000-07:002020-05-10T10:28:23.550-07:00#Inktober52, #Inktober, "Praying Mantis"<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_xN18AmGJ9uHenCVI8FgHybelaCSAMR9fBiYPGE2RDp6S9bt_MpnY-1mbqevo8WIds8QYH6gpqFeXA_SdLaI_MPUDUWxUjIiRrhwLyCaSUNhv9W60ciCMHOyK7xCSswppeG2otaaS6g/s1600/Praying+Mantis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="401" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_xN18AmGJ9uHenCVI8FgHybelaCSAMR9fBiYPGE2RDp6S9bt_MpnY-1mbqevo8WIds8QYH6gpqFeXA_SdLaI_MPUDUWxUjIiRrhwLyCaSUNhv9W60ciCMHOyK7xCSswppeG2otaaS6g/s320/Praying+Mantis.jpg" width="197" /></a>I was about 8 or 10 the first time I saw a praying
mantis. Who could've thought bugs could
get so big?! I ran inside to confer
with Dad and showed him the insect monstrosity in the entomology book. I was
disappointed Dad already knew all about them.
We moved the mantis to a place it wouldn't be run over by the lawn mower
and that was pretty much it. I don't
have a good story for this week's prompt.
I don't even have a good drawing.
I did this little sketch, thought to myself it looks like an alien, and
decided that's good enough. I have
another project I want to work on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes life is like that. In the past, I often spent more time on what other people might
want me to do instead of what I wanted to do.
I'm pretty sure nobody really cares if I spend a day creating a better
mantis. The painting I'm working on
will make me happier and will have a much longer shelf life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been fighting with myself about living life in balance
lately. I listen to too much news, get
upset about politicians' stupid decisions, and don't focus on my own priorities
while all this social distancing is providing plenty of opportunity to paint
and think about better things. Hence,
I'm going to paint today. I hope you find
something to do that makes you happy today too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Volunteering at the food giveaway makes me happy, and it
gives me insight into people's attitudes towards Covid-19. I'm less happy about the current attitudes. Everyone wore a face mask in April. This week, very few had on masks. People apparently believe the worst is
behind us and we don't have to worry about the disease since the state is
opening up businesses even though the numbers in Ohio are going up. We're less safe now than we were in
April. Wear your mask. Social distance. Be smart, stay safe, stay healthy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In ditch digging news, I went out to the back 80 last Sunday
and hit the ceiling when I saw the landscapers who take care of the property
behind me dumped a huge pile of weeds and dirt in my ditch, effectively
blocking the water flow. I had already
sent a nice letter to the owner of that property to get the landscaper under
control. I didn't receive a
response. I chastised the guy driving
the lawn mower around. I talked to the
owner on the phone this week and am pretty sure this recurring landscaper
problem may finally be addressed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I walked back there to check my drainage process another day
and felt stunned. There was no water at
all in the ditch. Wet mud. It took me a while to actually comprehend I
had succeeded in ditch digging. I felt
waves of joy surrounding me. I'm pretty
sure Lake Erie is flooding Canada from all the water I've drained into it. In more realistic terms, the ditch was about
2 feet of water in it when I started, with plenty of standing water in the
yards. I'll continue to demolish ditch
obstacles through the summer, but all that is window dressing. My ditch works!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My next project is cleaning up my neighbor's yard. He's old and can't do it and the younger guy
who helps out is stretched too thin. I
don't want to come off as all holy or anything about this. I'll be happier to see the yard cleaned up
but mostly I've been happy with my ditch digging exercise. I'm not disciplined about regular exercise
but I can be very diligent with projects.
It's a win/win for everybody :)</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-35149577523792622402020-05-03T14:03:00.000-07:002020-05-03T14:03:35.458-07:00#inktober52, "Train"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrDzy3XuO5RF_Tyb83JO3iHoGHf9Zje3lWqcEIHbSWgvZijxn1mjXJKuy7MptXTIgZMAQRHD9ZiFltCFbMb_AsRHFc9-w7ih7-MCyaFFsAHe4iq7ZbV1DmLcVWRM1jXhQBKOQXwTf-Es/s1600/Train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="650" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrDzy3XuO5RF_Tyb83JO3iHoGHf9Zje3lWqcEIHbSWgvZijxn1mjXJKuy7MptXTIgZMAQRHD9ZiFltCFbMb_AsRHFc9-w7ih7-MCyaFFsAHe4iq7ZbV1DmLcVWRM1jXhQBKOQXwTf-Es/s400/Train.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I used to go to a meditation group once a week. Our leader turned down the lights and in her
soothing voice told us to imagine a beautiful field of wildflowers. I internally griped, "Why is it always
a meadow?", but I complied.
I imagined pretty flowers. Eventually,
we progressed out of the meadow and my grouchy thoughts of sunburn and I found
a calm in myself. I suppose my
grouchiness and fears of sunburn were a metaphor for the crap I carried in my
head most days. I got a lot of
positives from meditating and our group became good friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The place we met was right next to train tracks. We all giggled the first time a train went
by during our meditation and rattled the windows. Our patient leader gently suggested we could put all our problems
on the train and listen to those problems being carried away. This happened many times. I dutifully put my cares on the trains. I can't see or hear a train anymore without
smiling and feeling my blood pressure drop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meditation comes in many forms. What I've described above is a guided meditation. Sometimes I sit at the river and watch the
water go by until I find inner peace. Art
and ditch digging can be meditations. Sometimes
I just pay attention to my breathing (which is probably healthy for everyone in
Covid-19 days). Some people focus on
thinking of nothing (something I find absolutely impossible). Some people do yoga or walk. Whatever works. I don't think there's one right way to go about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For myself, I start out by checking in with myself. How stressed am I in the moment? I give myself a numerical grade. A good day is a 10 or less. Often, my score is 5,000. I start counting backwards, sometimes jumping
down 100 points at a time until I can feel the stress leaving my body and my
breath evening out. I notice places
where I'm sore or tight and concentrate on relaxing those areas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I often think of meditation as an awake dream. I get myself relaxed enough to see where my
brain will go. Like a night dream,
answers to issues can be seen through a different light. Sometimes the answers are so obvious I
wonder why I didn't see them in the first place, but I doubt I'm the only one
who tells myself what I'm feeling instead of actually feeling my feelings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For example, I go about my day and think about the things
I'm doing. Everything's fine, so why do
I feel so stressed? After calming
myself I can see that I'm worried about the state of the world and
individuals I care about. In my regular
thoughts, I tell myself I can't do anything about those things so quit thinking
about them. In my meditative mind, I honor
these feelings. It isn't an issue of
fixing situations, it's finding my place in them. Maybe I can't help someone with health issues or a drug problem,
but I can go to my food giveaway and feed other drug addicts and elderly people. I feel good to do that. Those are people who want the help. I feel more peaceful which is better for
everybody because being wound like a spring about problems I can't solve just
makes me testy to be around.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, I have shown you this train before, but having had to
paint it twice for this painting it only seems fair to post it twice. You can see the whole painting <a href="https://lindahensley.blogspot.com/2018/07/camping.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I've done more Barbie paintings but haven't
seen any appropriate words to show them off yet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can hear trains at my house. They're carrying away my problems. How do you meditate?</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-12802409552132324082020-04-25T11:51:00.001-07:002020-04-25T11:51:45.011-07:00#inktober52, "Yellow"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CBaIy3Q0ZPVFnqMgdSw8yYqJKcfjprYuqn-55diMHGzra84GLyJ5-EsZYMpjf_z_z0FCfkQHCgQMZHw_xyzV_4PjL7E3SuuzYCrwAF2j7WlbygKiwt_XPSrH-6e_QKbDYxY0v_pRy3o/s1600/Corona+Virus+Pattern-Yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CBaIy3Q0ZPVFnqMgdSw8yYqJKcfjprYuqn-55diMHGzra84GLyJ5-EsZYMpjf_z_z0FCfkQHCgQMZHw_xyzV_4PjL7E3SuuzYCrwAF2j7WlbygKiwt_XPSrH-6e_QKbDYxY0v_pRy3o/s400/Corona+Virus+Pattern-Yellow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had to stop working on my ditch because I wrecked the
upper right quadrant of my body with too enthusiastic ditch digging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, going from winter sloth to
sustained hard labor is a bad idea?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even worse, I spent my convalescence watching too much news and making
face masks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd rather dig ditches than
sew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm pretty sure the mask shortage
is a Republican plot to domesticate me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Okay, I'll do it, but that doesn't mean I have to do it with grace --
though I got better at it and was happy to give the masks to some friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I finally felt better enough to attack the ditch again and started stalking out to the back 80 when I was stopped in my tracks by a varmint who hissed at me with all 50 of his needle sharp teeth
exposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mole?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A shrew?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hit it with the hoe!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except I
never actually kill varmints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just
vociferously complain about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
looked closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Possum baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aw, he went from kind of ugly varmint to
absolutely adorable in a second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't
question the logic of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAem1IAu6TrL9Pu4QTBN3Du0cMvIy1YN2Gxbm9IlLqx_nwL8_sas2NrztIhUGnpmN2tx5p5W9v83QAELkZV2Tr6UqFvTLG0nOwjPjwUra-Guo5Ezx5VBFDg9aeztc-ztts1GR2bGShgA/s1600/Opossum+Baby-650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="650" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAem1IAu6TrL9Pu4QTBN3Du0cMvIy1YN2Gxbm9IlLqx_nwL8_sas2NrztIhUGnpmN2tx5p5W9v83QAELkZV2Tr6UqFvTLG0nOwjPjwUra-Guo5Ezx5VBFDg9aeztc-ztts1GR2bGShgA/s400/Opossum+Baby-650.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grass gives you an idea of size but I actually measured for the vet.<br />This guy's body (not counting tail) is about 4" long.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When you find wild babies, the first rule is to leave them
alone so they can reunite with their mothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I went to my ditch and tried to use some restraint in my digging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped myself from overdoing it and
checked on the baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still in the same
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No longer snarling or hissing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made calls to find an animal
rescue that's still open during our Covid lockdown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, someone reluctantly answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ordered me to leave the baby alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went back to my ditch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took a break and googled opossum orphans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to get the baby to lap water from an eye dropper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was not happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reassured him that one way or another he just had to stick it
out for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd bring him inside
that evening if all else failed, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He seemed content enough.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The temperature dropped and it started to sprinkle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My reluctant advisor called and told me to
check on my baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked around and exclaimed, "It's a
murder scene!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mama opossum and 3
of her babies were dead in the midst of trampling deer tracks, but mama's belly
was wiggling with baby feet sticking out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You see, Australia isn't the only place with marsupials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opossums are America's kangaroos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sort of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They have a pouch like kangaroos at any rate and the babies crawled in
there to suck at the soured milk and warm each other up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reluctant Advisor advised me to pull them
out and put them in a box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got latex gloves and did my duty, but the
babies held on with their clever little hands with opposable thumbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a couple more babies hanging onto
Mama by her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked pretty
cold and weak, but still living.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My advisor told me how to care for my babies and my heart
fell when I learned I had to feed them every 2 hours. I went through that with a puppy once. It's miserable, but I resigned myself to the task when at the
last moment a rehabbing vet agreed to foster my babies. Halleluiah!
She even seemed happy when I asked her to give them back once they're
big enough to survive in the wild. You can see her Facebook page with cute baby animals <a href="https://www.facebook.com/borntobewildwildliferescue/" target="_blank">here</a>. So,
I'm hoping my babies survive and am looking forward to a summer with opossums. They're nocturnal though so I'm not sure I'll ever see them again once they're back in the wild.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDPaO7EzLVM99BJLHmKAMi96uw959E9n5rP9iEbdS7n7OZc5eaPY0ppS3bhRogAcAOTa8KP2sqalr-_EvU0zRGV8vopq-iTC7yroprqzxITn8mOlZfigVvSvXnopNTCPFWOMpwdTYam8/s1600/Opossum-4A-650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="650" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDPaO7EzLVM99BJLHmKAMi96uw959E9n5rP9iEbdS7n7OZc5eaPY0ppS3bhRogAcAOTa8KP2sqalr-_EvU0zRGV8vopq-iTC7yroprqzxITn8mOlZfigVvSvXnopNTCPFWOMpwdTYam8/s400/Opossum-4A-650.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 babies really glad to be in a warm box.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My apologies for infrequent, inconsistent posts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The state of the world has me turned upside
down and inside out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm hoping
everyone is well and finding creative things to do while the plague blows over
us. I made the art above for Inktober's "red" with the best intentions
of posting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It's my take on the corona virus. </span>I liked it better in red but decided to make it yellow
and pretend I'm in sync with everyone else.</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-49192778608629568322020-04-03T12:52:00.000-07:002020-04-03T16:09:06.932-07:00Ditch Digging<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xl-etN9ZxwCyQnMdSTnAOKs2IdlATB46j4lAY_CRuPnKzmlsHHhRVvsrFDyFwFMG8AiCSwnC_zWRk9gPqHKBfHrAWj4YqbwFO_yNW6pR-DArIrRN1HkFTAhyphenhyphenzoaavjk-R2WQ9mxiTMc/s1600/Stick+Pile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xl-etN9ZxwCyQnMdSTnAOKs2IdlATB46j4lAY_CRuPnKzmlsHHhRVvsrFDyFwFMG8AiCSwnC_zWRk9gPqHKBfHrAWj4YqbwFO_yNW6pR-DArIrRN1HkFTAhyphenhyphenzoaavjk-R2WQ9mxiTMc/s400/Stick+Pile.jpg" width="365" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is just a small part of a willow tree.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Illustrationfriday seems to have been hijacked for someone's
personal self promotion so I don't have weekly words anymore. The Covid 19 pandemic has upset me beyond the forced imprisonment at home. I had decided to get a dog. All the shelters are closed. World events and political idiocy gets me down. Sympathy for all the people who are or will be suffering is a bigger issue than I can fix. With all this going on I just haven't had the heart for blogging lately. I've attacked my yard instead. And my neighbors' yards.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiD-OZ2cIfP9OTU-4667T46rvlPLjUC7oa_uDogiJIEBlJNCphJncd63HDfKKhkWZYXBX4B8qanGduUE4re40YV9atGCWOJiApTq4c56uz2L_3CwmdV57vp774RnWO4FOE87ugTluoYg/s1600/Duck+Pond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="488" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiD-OZ2cIfP9OTU-4667T46rvlPLjUC7oa_uDogiJIEBlJNCphJncd63HDfKKhkWZYXBX4B8qanGduUE4re40YV9atGCWOJiApTq4c56uz2L_3CwmdV57vp774RnWO4FOE87ugTluoYg/s400/Duck+Pond.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main duck pond with the tributary ditches I've dug.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaBwIbZ88kzjYHWpi5nhOA8rIcRT0YgqBGEV7KmM4PFn9ZaA6EQIHhp21_ImlsMWi3NR-4Q9sVKOLFVrOKqYRARA2oz5owwdkra4pOpB0dATmP48W7xCBPMYMmTgoS-mYUzE1C1vNeLc/s1600/Upper+Duck+Pond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaBwIbZ88kzjYHWpi5nhOA8rIcRT0YgqBGEV7KmM4PFn9ZaA6EQIHhp21_ImlsMWi3NR-4Q9sVKOLFVrOKqYRARA2oz5owwdkra4pOpB0dATmP48W7xCBPMYMmTgoS-mYUzE1C1vNeLc/s400/Upper+Duck+Pond.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I call this the upper duck pond. If left alone, <br />
I'm pretty sure it would join the other pond.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You see, several years ago Mr. Next Door Neighbor (NDN1) had
a dead willow tree on his property. The
city made him cut it down. Mr. NDN1 had
a bad attitude about this and dropped the giant tree into the drainage
ditch. Water has been backing up in all
the yards as a result, and the pond of stagnant water that formed in his yard
invited ducks and swarms of malarial mosquitoes. I can't even scream at this jerk because he died. As I've complained previously, Mrs. NDN1
never does yard work. The neighbor 2
doors down (2DD) and I have been cutting her grass for years without a thank you or a contribution for gas. She's certainly not motivated to fix the
ditch.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2DD and I discussed burning the willow tree but we agreed
the city would probably have an issue with our plan. I also suggested dynamite.
2DD is aging and can't do ditch digging. The neighbor on my other side (NDN2) is old and housebound. He can't do ditch digging either. I decided to take my housebound frustrations
out on hydro-engineering and manual labor.
I've been at this for weeks, ever since Ohio decided I need to shelter
in place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijezdzPqHSwlMZK7yGi1rmgIqQSog06PSAVoXZCbkyTZ2HSwTfVbeFa2ce97UclK6RQUo-ydvVp4Fj6MzrQseYEgICamXH2W10rYtl6TunpXeaKA9nm1vC6wU-UqmpHNe9iTn27z9eUDk/s1600/Root.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijezdzPqHSwlMZK7yGi1rmgIqQSog06PSAVoXZCbkyTZ2HSwTfVbeFa2ce97UclK6RQUo-ydvVp4Fj6MzrQseYEgICamXH2W10rYtl6TunpXeaKA9nm1vC6wU-UqmpHNe9iTn27z9eUDk/s400/Root.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've been whittling away at this tree root with a hatchet and hammer. <br />
It may be a life-long project.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The willow tree is no longer the problem. The current issue is all the other trees and
their roots which have grown in the ditch since the jerk started this
mess. I got water to run in the ditch
again and dirt and debris blocked it up again.
I dug it out again. It got
clogged again. 3 weeks of this and the
ditch is still getting clogged up. As
the water level drops, more roots are exposed which block the water. Water from uphill poured down. It rained.
It rained again. It kept F-ing
raining. I found it hard to offer
sympathy to a friend who is living through a drought.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is how I've been managing my sequestration. Part of me moans about my sore muscles and
many minor injuries and the other part of me is thankful I have a yard unlike
people stuck in city apartments. I look
at my birds, threaten my groundhog with my hoe, and toss things in the deer's
nest. I'm determined to have a
mosquito-free summer if I'm going to be stuck at home this year. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here's some photos of my efforts. This doesn't even show the whole length of the ditches!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjNhd6h4zMRBGYPVzl8xRtym_27y2fuRcrzHVL874bkcSnCyBKFrxkqmMdrm25vLH_UIHPw7A_kott-kkxjUNo3RsbEwen2YkxuI9Xrt_vz6dtvHx7Re4F7me0bg2t52N6Vvd_ysES28/s1600/Ditch-Looking+North.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="415" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjNhd6h4zMRBGYPVzl8xRtym_27y2fuRcrzHVL874bkcSnCyBKFrxkqmMdrm25vLH_UIHPw7A_kott-kkxjUNo3RsbEwen2YkxuI9Xrt_vz6dtvHx7Re4F7me0bg2t52N6Vvd_ysES28/s400/Ditch-Looking+North.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking North</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDoPJr3Y467L8aJicb3Waq8xsAg2f2wZFVwqsglS0FRxl5IQ0JOEGZ5j803fkm0FPPK-vXful9RYAjwJUXA5Sy6UgNgIZHiR6xeAJ4w6u2gd6T_Mep9ztCWNbCxEotNR0dY07fRnv7Yk/s1600/Ditch-Looking+South.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="424" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDoPJr3Y467L8aJicb3Waq8xsAg2f2wZFVwqsglS0FRxl5IQ0JOEGZ5j803fkm0FPPK-vXful9RYAjwJUXA5Sy6UgNgIZHiR6xeAJ4w6u2gd6T_Mep9ztCWNbCxEotNR0dY07fRnv7Yk/s400/Ditch-Looking+South.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking South</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzeJJ_oERPyNfBt1lQXA1eMmok0kAyShqFTm5lQKsn1hU_lgfQ3dVsWWSrhRBN3jTBndu4sTjwK5z1bGfKh0VefpDYniMbKhQdlchrWhm8QT6620bePpckb0JIsjzv3qbxNNtQDySpu8/s1600/Ditch-Looking+East.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="488" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzeJJ_oERPyNfBt1lQXA1eMmok0kAyShqFTm5lQKsn1hU_lgfQ3dVsWWSrhRBN3jTBndu4sTjwK5z1bGfKh0VefpDYniMbKhQdlchrWhm8QT6620bePpckb0JIsjzv3qbxNNtQDySpu8/s400/Ditch-Looking+East.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking East -- and yes, that is a lot of directions!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What have you been doing? Stay well!Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-75409834717844901982020-03-15T14:50:00.000-07:002020-03-15T15:09:25.061-07:00"Dice 2"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFARGhbL29iSqdKDfj2c5XZM0YZifdPOPNPdfKLfvbNmUdpmrVoAc2-psJSUut0tATYJJES5o3oOzYEz5di-ORlGLrETJqM0Fzy1DSQYtSfuKnYdUDMT4MqLoKcYFREDltzBp12r4B1Ng/s1600/Dice-Celery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="130" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFARGhbL29iSqdKDfj2c5XZM0YZifdPOPNPdfKLfvbNmUdpmrVoAc2-psJSUut0tATYJJES5o3oOzYEz5di-ORlGLrETJqM0Fzy1DSQYtSfuKnYdUDMT4MqLoKcYFREDltzBp12r4B1Ng/s640/Dice-Celery.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My mom insists you catch cold if you go outside in winter
with wet hair. This isn't how viruses
work but she's immovable on this. Maybe
Mom caught a cold as a child, or maybe Grandma said it. It doesn't matter. If Mom wants to dry her hair she can dry it. It doesn't hurt anybody. Drinking bleach to kill Covid-19 can hurt
someone though. Don't do it. Let's severely punish the person who started
that rumor. Damned crazy people.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I went to the store and watched the Asian woman in front of
me pile a large quantity and variety of
disinfectants and bleach on the conveyor belt.
I wondered if she's paranoid or if her Asian relatives told her
something I don't know. I went home,
put away the groceries, and washed my hands.
That seemed sufficient to me?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don't know how paranoid I should feel about the corona
virus. I'm pretty dismissive of mass
panic and media scares. It's like
weather people who always predict blizzards and catastrophes. They cry wolf too often, but once in a while
it snows when they say it will. Maybe
Covid-19 is a disaster? But mostly I
think predicted blizzards will be an 1" of snow. You might skid and get in an accident, but it's more likely you
won't. You might catch the virus and
feel crappy for a few days and go about your life. You might die. We all
might be put under house arrest until the whole business dies down. It could be the apocalypse. How are we supposed to know?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, we're going to have a national and global
emergency. They're closing all the bars
and restaurants in Ohio. Young people
are going to starve to death because they don't know how to cook. Restaurants will go out of business and their
workers are going to be in a bad financial situation. Workers and businesses won't be paying taxes. Farmers won't be able to sell their food. Truckers won't be driving all that stuff
around. Multiply by all the other
businesses effected. The stock market
goes up and down because nobody knows what's going to happen. The government spends more to help people,
but with fewer taxes the national debt will go up. People's retirement savings will be wiped out. More government help, more debt. Keep multiplying. It's a mess.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something I don't hear anyone talking about though is how
this all fits in with climate change.
Animals are moving because of the warming weather. This animal talks to that one and they share
their diseases in new and frightening ways.
People eat the animals and catch their diseases then hand them off to
others who travel and spread the diseases all over the world. Antibiotics aren't working on everything,
partly because of their overuse and the oversanitation of everything. We're going to have more pandemics.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let's be sensible.
Us regular people can't solve all those problems. We can considerately cover our mouths when
we cough or sneeze. We can avoid going
to high-risk places and stay home when sick.
Eat right and exercise. Smear
lamb's blood on the door so the angel of death passes us by. I'm obviously kidding on that last
point. Lamb blood probably contains
Covid-20.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How do you feel about this pandemic? Have you changed what you're doing or how
you're doing it? Do you know anyone who
has gotten it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I said last week my only other "dice" idea was chopping up celery. Since everyone will be spending more time at home, and maybe getting sick, let me recommend making chicken soup. Here's how to dice celery. You can freeze it in a freezer baggie for later. Squish out any air in the bag and freeze flat for easier use...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipno6NCQLrBqoBVHakMwGbsjBDuxY5F71gJQtgRL1Wuj4pvX4ylhdT5KBe1DMZ6GAmHs4GCZ5KIijoRa68Tg6dzaExL6IA50qEeYKzaS2IavruhWjTK0Rww3zX2TQ8J9-aXGugMcVvPhk/s1600/Celery-Bunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="650" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipno6NCQLrBqoBVHakMwGbsjBDuxY5F71gJQtgRL1Wuj4pvX4ylhdT5KBe1DMZ6GAmHs4GCZ5KIijoRa68Tg6dzaExL6IA50qEeYKzaS2IavruhWjTK0Rww3zX2TQ8J9-aXGugMcVvPhk/s320/Celery-Bunch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVba3JeOhpMmqd0IbfVpbekAQ1k5P1_otrnmd9Nqg13NgGrtEAguv_xL82WlrOfje4QTDFQA2mEihd7nwjWC0Wyvto0eEB0rZYapVzC8pjmst40fMEB8tSgChQT6AfW6poE1JUmr4DYIo/s1600/Celery-Bad+Spot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVba3JeOhpMmqd0IbfVpbekAQ1k5P1_otrnmd9Nqg13NgGrtEAguv_xL82WlrOfje4QTDFQA2mEihd7nwjWC0Wyvto0eEB0rZYapVzC8pjmst40fMEB8tSgChQT6AfW6poE1JUmr4DYIo/s320/Celery-Bad+Spot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remove bad spots and trim off dried ends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4dyRSh8mW_Daj0R7ukyl37lcCTZoa6gzVLN2pNE2czJOUq1UrLgbYrlQv37R5q4yIbpOzzfsGAWD-xsj8gGYy3aeqUPODwon27ezYqdsMi07XcOJoPhmiQb4Q_mXfvxBtmRUE7SNCY0/s1600/Celery-Long+Cuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="650" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4dyRSh8mW_Daj0R7ukyl37lcCTZoa6gzVLN2pNE2czJOUq1UrLgbYrlQv37R5q4yIbpOzzfsGAWD-xsj8gGYy3aeqUPODwon27ezYqdsMi07XcOJoPhmiQb4Q_mXfvxBtmRUE7SNCY0/s400/Celery-Long+Cuts.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slice lengthwise. I like to keep one end intact for easier handling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC4I33PPYBQW8zncr6qFxZSPFmYXNa31NCEuZ1PbH986J-tfnOxU9BUR5iC0CTAbXeAswENWR9qbf5evoO9YMfX6TiDPuoIEaDkq8_CLGV46fxzcphODs5t9EGQqSbl4kIXX6hnFhBYU/s1600/Celery-Diced+w+Tops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC4I33PPYBQW8zncr6qFxZSPFmYXNa31NCEuZ1PbH986J-tfnOxU9BUR5iC0CTAbXeAswENWR9qbf5evoO9YMfX6TiDPuoIEaDkq8_CLGV46fxzcphODs5t9EGQqSbl4kIXX6hnFhBYU/s320/Celery-Diced+w+Tops.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slice across stalks to dice. Keep the tops. They're tender and taste good.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-32850173940283582492020-03-08T13:14:00.000-07:002020-03-08T13:14:08.357-07:00"Dice"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIYbNEhj4eqTamihbj8MvHiAe6qRX2VfILre11vM-xyPyU_HFlpTkehNP3mcctz9jbYNd64QQ3nSLqLl-YmuBiGU15D-nBxSWNF6VM2qpED8_zw5vy9RDSXusY-5u-VikQ_oB0HA6j9w/s1600/Dice3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIYbNEhj4eqTamihbj8MvHiAe6qRX2VfILre11vM-xyPyU_HFlpTkehNP3mcctz9jbYNd64QQ3nSLqLl-YmuBiGU15D-nBxSWNF6VM2qpED8_zw5vy9RDSXusY-5u-VikQ_oB0HA6j9w/s400/Dice3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had to take "Color Concept" in college. This was a mandatory, multi-year course on
color theory designed by the college president. It was incomprehensible.
To this day I have no idea what I was supposed to be learning other than
humility since my roommate got consistent As in the course and even went back
to the college to teach it. I also
learned Color-Aid sheets of color were persnickety sources of obscenities since
they chipped easily when I cut them into 1" squares and they were permanently
marred by rubber cement. At least I
didn't set myself on fire doing Color Concept homework like one of my
classmates when her propane heater set her messy hands alight. She survived, but I bet her pain made her
hate the course even more than I did. At least she got out of doing Color Concept homework while her injured paws healed after a midnight trip to the hospital.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I complained about all this to other classmates as we took a
break from our never-ending homework.
My pals waxed enthusiastic about Color Concept. One even brought out a color theory book
he'd been studying in his own time. The
conversation devolved from there, definitely not helped by drinking heavily
while they talked about stuff I couldn't wrap my mind around. Yeah, I learned humility, but it still seems
to me some people try to mystify others with their brilliance by spreading an
impenetrable order on things. Or maybe
I just have a blind spot on the science of the subject?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, there are certain usual rules about color I do
understand. Red and green are opposites
on the color wheel and stands for Christmas.
Two adjacent colors are often contrasted with their opposing color. On and on and on. If you paint a purple iris with green leaves, well, nature
naturally gives us nice combinations.
Yellow and black wasps scream a warning about their stingers. I think we all intuitively get the obvious
rules.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Novice artists are often afraid of color (though some
embrace it from the start). Many doodle
and sketch in pencil or pen to develop skills.
When they start dabbling in color they often dislike the messiness of it
all. They're timid in their approach. They can make some unpleasant choices. Push on!
Keep trying! It will eventually
start coming together, whether or not you take expensive and incomprehensible
college courses on color theory.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Computers make a lot of this kind of thing so much easier these
days. Create something, change your
mind, try different combinations.
Roll the dice and see what happens.
Yeah, that's a stretch for "dice", but contemplating dice made
me think of color charts. Hey, don't
stifle my creativity! It was this or chopping
celery :)</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-80870606025001637092020-02-22T12:36:00.000-08:002020-02-22T12:36:01.805-08:00"Princess"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUjosPstbxl6FCoCcmchmNq6ps6wb7so_awAOqYm8soC30U696540vPxmNw8sxFe4Sh0LtNN800u9TxeQmA0Q421LFpq3oX_yuI9La9B-v7I7GC1dked3nXxPFD4xogkbGlGR38mA2sA/s1600/BB-Barbie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUjosPstbxl6FCoCcmchmNq6ps6wb7so_awAOqYm8soC30U696540vPxmNw8sxFe4Sh0LtNN800u9TxeQmA0Q421LFpq3oX_yuI9La9B-v7I7GC1dked3nXxPFD4xogkbGlGR38mA2sA/s400/BB-Barbie.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been playing with Barbies lately. I know, it doesn't seem like me. Maybe it's time to get in touch with my
inner child and move past my disdain for dolls? Well, I'm not actually playing with dolls. I'm just painting 2-D Barbies, and the more
I paint them, the more ideas I have for them.
Maybe this is the point of play?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recently started a painting (not this one), knowing that most of an object I
labored over creating was going to eventually be painted over with something
else. This was an irritating decision,
but I decided it's unavoidable. Enjoy
the process. Experiment. Be curious.
See where things go. If it turns
out badly, paint over it. Talk to Barbie.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You
can't learn anything new if you insist you already know everything or if you're afraid to try. If every painting is a masterpiece, it
devalues the path to your actual achievements. Be willing to fail. Learn. Grow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Barbie is a lot like fairy tale princesses. Pretty and special with her handsome
Ken. She has an endless happily ever
after where nobody gets sick or old.
Being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be if Meghan Markle is any
indication though. Good for her for
deciding what she wants her life to be, and good for her to pick a husband who
supports her choices. Live long and
prosper.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think a lot of us are invested in the princess
fantasy. Having a foot small enough for
a glass slipper can get you out of scrubbing floors forever. Who wouldn't want that? Sounds great. I hate washing floors.
It's too bad I have average sized feet and I've never met a handsome
prince who wants to measure them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fantasy is a plus and a minus. Creativity leads to many wonderful things. If we can dream of something, we can work
towards making it a reality. If we get
mired in our dreams without doing anything, we live in poverty with dirty floors. We marry the guy who turns into a beast instead of turning into Prince Charming. We whine it's unfair we weren't born
princesses.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Play is important.
Kids have to play to learn. The
more fun the learning, the more they learn.
Who decides when a kid is too old for that kind of thing? Probably somebody who wants the kid to be
quiet or live out the aspirations of the person banning the playing. Evil step-mothers who envy youth and beauty
aren't the only ones who squash the joy in kids. Sometimes even the best intentioned people take away others' joy because
that's the way they think it has to be.
Give those people Barbies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been keeping my thoughts to myself lately because I've
been bouncing between outrage and depression as I watch the destruction of
democracy in the US amidst others' apathy and misinformation. It didn't seem very useful to spread those kinds of feeling
around. I've been reading in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Robin-Hobb/e/B000AP7LIY" target="_blank">Robin Hobbs' books</a> instead, in other words, escaping into fantasy. Kings, queens, princes, and princesses --
they're all great if they're fictional in a fictional world and all the blood
is red paint. Maybe I should paint a
Farseer assassin Barbie?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9hQSift3ci8V65Li3VnVZ89jCzPGxiQGPZiA6s0aREIUs-IGC-uGErp5GJ5f3_YAKTSrVaiqLKCCZ6ONh65OPlzkxkur5YijStoM2GHgtZMfZi8E-jz4QPZ7oJ3nuZpU4O4NcunEBzo/s1600/BB+Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="520" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9hQSift3ci8V65Li3VnVZ89jCzPGxiQGPZiA6s0aREIUs-IGC-uGErp5GJ5f3_YAKTSrVaiqLKCCZ6ONh65OPlzkxkur5YijStoM2GHgtZMfZi8E-jz4QPZ7oJ3nuZpU4O4NcunEBzo/s400/BB+Final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-6221166291966244472020-01-31T09:04:00.000-08:002020-01-31T09:04:06.919-08:00"Trial"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZjVVfo63vYhOUP-XwBENvJnoYhLFC3h2ZCRcPOvuuNZubSdHsFGPHjwLJNFGHYwcIFPjfKoxT3UKGOcFh_uvoUDxdO-xDgw4IW1s_lWpUukZKyPS6yQNnUI1IRqUS8Ftlu4uqWwrick/s1600/NH-Law+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="493" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZjVVfo63vYhOUP-XwBENvJnoYhLFC3h2ZCRcPOvuuNZubSdHsFGPHjwLJNFGHYwcIFPjfKoxT3UKGOcFh_uvoUDxdO-xDgw4IW1s_lWpUukZKyPS6yQNnUI1IRqUS8Ftlu4uqWwrick/s400/NH-Law+Day.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A wise woman once told me, "The law doesn't guarantee
justice; it gives you a chance for justice." I was young, angry, and idealistic then. I didn't just want justice, I <i>needed</i>
it. I didn't get it. Others with more power, influence, and money
won despite a boxful of documented proof and a signed confession. I'll admit to some lasting bitterness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My wise friend was right.
We only get a chance for justice.
That doesn't mean we'll get it.
OJ Simpson got off. Kobe Bryant
was hailed as a fallen hero this week despite admitting his behavior was
nonconsensual when a teenager accused him of a violent rape. Kobe paid her off like so many other
powerful men paid their rape victims to keep them silent. The reporter who dared mention this after
his sudden death was suspended.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, even while hope springs eternal, I have a jaded view of
45's current trial in the US Senate.
Everyone knows he's guilty. He's
admitted it, his chief of staff admitted it, on and on and on. It takes a 2/3 majority to convict and it's
a foregone conclusion the Republican senators will let him off. Too many Americans don't know the facts and
don't care to learn them. I'm afraid
this criminal will not only get acquitted, but get reelected and/or tank the
economy and/or get us into more wars, not to mention setting a legal standard
which destroys the principles upon which the US was founded.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been through this before. As a child, I watched the Watergate hearings. Guilty, guilty, guilty -- yet the
Republicans defended the indefensible.
I couldn't believe they supported criminal behavior. When Nixon resigned, I was elated to see
some sort of justice. When Ford
pardoned him, I felt betrayed. Reagan
and Bush got off on the Iran-Contra proceedings. Clinton got off for his actions with his intern. Let's face it, perps get off all the time,
and the more money and power they've got, the more likely they'll get off even
if everyone knows they're guilty. I
feel like going to DC and yelling "For shame!" at all of them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A pal and I bashed the Washington idiots over lunch this
week. My friend had worked up a head of
steam when our pretty, young waitress showed up with our bill. I said, "If you agree with us about the
trial it'll be good for your tip!"
She looked surprised and I felt a little abashed for putting her on the
spot -- then she launched into an impassioned, impromptu speech about how no
young person could support the president, no woman should support him. Her hand on her heart, she didn't bother to
lower her voice as she poured out her feelings in an educated lecture of the
state of things.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She looked like a heroine from another era. Get that girl a soapbox! Let's take her on tour! She is everything good and wonderful and she
did my heart a lot of good. She gives
me hope for the future no matter how messed up the current state of things
might be. (She got a healthy tip too.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So yeah, hope springs eternal even while I expect to be
angry and disappointed by the Senate trial.
This too shall pass, yet this disappointment is motivating people. I have hope that the current Senate cowards
will be replaced in November. Maybe
we'll get another trial next year with a more just outcome?</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-72991041490906681672020-01-25T12:41:00.000-08:002020-01-25T12:41:51.889-08:00"Selling Art (or anything else)"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a72RUnOsvVej5Mmag1iHxlqmiki9gm-7v8OPY9_ElTocEapnJVTWN_rQZKtCTpdatWucI2uQX70dw7EKJY1XhWOYEmYGstJCYCpxrHnx9tw6NqTYjEMMTxCjJ_Si42gonI8lrWgjxVQ/s1600/BB-Wedding+Negative.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="650" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a72RUnOsvVej5Mmag1iHxlqmiki9gm-7v8OPY9_ElTocEapnJVTWN_rQZKtCTpdatWucI2uQX70dw7EKJY1XhWOYEmYGstJCYCpxrHnx9tw6NqTYjEMMTxCjJ_Si42gonI8lrWgjxVQ/s400/BB-Wedding+Negative.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I met a fellow painter not so long ago. She wants to sell more art. Yeah, we all want that. She thinks the answer is Instagram. Okay.
Do that then. She did, but her
art didn't sell even though her art is good enough to be marketable. I got to know this woman a bit more and
recognized she lacks empathy. The only
thing she cares about her customers is that they give her money for painting whatever
she wants to paint. She talks non-stop
about herself. She's taxing to be
around so I quit talking with her. I'm
pretty sure her customers feel the same way and don't like being treated like
ATMs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Art is a collaboration between the artist and the
viewer. If you want money from someone
(in any field), you have to give them something they want in return. You need to be empathetic to what their
wants might be, not just to manipulate them into one-time purchases, but to
honestly care about what they want to build relationships.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe they want cat art because they like cats. Maybe they want to feel like they're part of
the creative process and their support is a contribution that makes them feel
good about themselves. Maybe they want
to be friends with the artist. There
are loads of reasons for people to buy art that doesn't have anything to do
with what's on the canvas. We need to
figure out what customers are actually seeking and match efforts to the
buyer. If you create only to suit
yourself, then don't be surprised nobody is buying it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been having art flashbacks since <a href="https://lindahensley.blogspot.com/2019/12/family-3.html" target="_blank">visiting the National Gallery in Washington</a>, marveling at the technical skills of the masters, but
also trying to define the magic they captured.
In contrast, I've thought about people online. Most show the world their ideal selves, not the sweat pants torn
t-shirt version of themselves eating ice cream. Some people relentlessly put all their insecurities and
vulnerabilities out there. It's too
much either way. I've got my own
problems. Don't dump your perfection or
garbage on me. Don't get me wrong, I'm
happy when other people are happy. I'm
sad when others live hard times. It's just that there has to be some balance
and honesty in our relationship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaGR_C6XmkqmYlPr3x57IdIlJhFhmZB45qt0Hb7hItNZxJdvfl7_Z7y5FiKLMeI6mWAiUt4UYBggdWYvfYnbFzojk5O1YV671t2jqwpSYzS79Tp1EkhQ0E-xiR6VIGx-alAPxE8QPXkk/s1600/Rembrandt+Self+Portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="503" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaGR_C6XmkqmYlPr3x57IdIlJhFhmZB45qt0Hb7hItNZxJdvfl7_Z7y5FiKLMeI6mWAiUt4UYBggdWYvfYnbFzojk5O1YV671t2jqwpSYzS79Tp1EkhQ0E-xiR6VIGx-alAPxE8QPXkk/s200/Rembrandt+Self+Portrait.jpg" width="154" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rembrandt was hugely successful and made tons of money when
he was young. He lost it all and died
poor. Somewhere in the course of his
mistakes and tragedies he learned humility.
His honesty comes across in his later work. His self portrait is vulnerable.
He was certainly capable of painting himself in Photoshopped Facebook
perfection, but he painted himself with flaws.
My heart aches for him across the centuries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rembrandt is speaking to his viewers. He trusted them with his truth because he
had the empathy to know others wanted to see that honesty. That takes bravery, and I think all the
masters share that kind of trust and courage.
I think we're missing that today, or maybe it was rare even in
Rembrandt's day?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many people can learn to paint well (or write, program, or whatever). Technical mastery is a skill. Put in enough
time and effort and you'll master just about anything you aim to do. Getting someone else to care about your
mastery requires more. You have to have
the courage to let people see your flaws for them to actually care about you
and what you do. Relationships and
money follow truth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The above art is from my current painting. I'll admit it was an itchy, difficult effort
to paint a negative. I took a photo and
reversed it to see how well I'd done it.
I'm rather pleased at the results considering the faces are only
1/2" high on rough canvas, and I'm also pleased at the imperfections since
it's of my wedding photo. My ex looks
like a zombie and that seems appropriate.
I've made mistakes. I kind of
like seeing that reflected in the art :)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJ1qB-R6DJELLJ_Oq8v2kqDSXvAlhe1K4RKrymfPY7qMdMO648oFDSwxF2csRwK9k-_bTyZsjgLspq20TlH7IjdnVskWJ3sJ5r1Xl4Wv0HmI8SZ4Za4KW2xm6Zwu5IblgItuBcR9yt_k/s1600/BB-Wedding+Negative+Positive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="650" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJ1qB-R6DJELLJ_Oq8v2kqDSXvAlhe1K4RKrymfPY7qMdMO648oFDSwxF2csRwK9k-_bTyZsjgLspq20TlH7IjdnVskWJ3sJ5r1Xl4Wv0HmI8SZ4Za4KW2xm6Zwu5IblgItuBcR9yt_k/s400/BB-Wedding+Negative+Positive.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-70350575567628607262020-01-19T13:47:00.000-08:002020-01-19T13:47:37.621-08:00"Red Panda"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOPZfqiV5p5UYMc8uWAN7_LzHNllqeyG240Sz3iUKlXBPGKFDLoTW2xCYeZAA27mb9gDaa74Kpr7PkR3EyQKo9-XMMeyVs_v-gGL0kVzYVCsQNM4DcgZfF_voTwtg3OZ1b3-dCaJc4hQ/s1600/BB+Details-Butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="650" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOPZfqiV5p5UYMc8uWAN7_LzHNllqeyG240Sz3iUKlXBPGKFDLoTW2xCYeZAA27mb9gDaa74Kpr7PkR3EyQKo9-XMMeyVs_v-gGL0kVzYVCsQNM4DcgZfF_voTwtg3OZ1b3-dCaJc4hQ/s400/BB+Details-Butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was only dimly aware red pandas exist before IF inspired
me to look them up. Now I know they
look kind of like raccoons and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda" target="_blank">Wikipedia says</a> there are fewer than 10,000 of
them in the Eastern Himalayas and South Western China due to habitat loss and
fragmentation, poaching, and inbreeding.
Sad pandas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don't know what I can do for them. The extinction of plants and animals around
the world worries me, and I hope somebody can save them, but it is just too big
an issue for me to handle. I suspect
most of us feel this way. Maybe we
donate to a charity and then just go about our lives. There's probably something I should start or stop doing to save
the pandas, but I don't know what it is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ignoring problems or getting depressed about them don't
solve those issues. What <i>can </i>we
do?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I read about the decline of Monarch Butterflies. Around 1 billion of them have disappeared
since 1990. I like butterflies. They're pretty. They pollinate things.
They eat milkweed. I'll plant
some milkweed. This may not solve the
larger issues of big agriculture's chemical use, but it's at least something
within my abilities. One positive
action off my to do list.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The point is to do something, anything that helps. I have a little landscape pond in my back yard
for the wildlife. I enjoy watching the
song birds splashing around in it. I
keep goldfish in it to eat bugs. More
people need to have ponds and bird baths because the birds need water.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don't use chemicals in my yard. It only makes sense to me that a product designed to kill one
thing will probably kill more than the intended targets and isn't healthy for
anyone. Other people's lawn chemicals
get washed off and leak into the water supply which poisons all of us,
including the plants and animals.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I compost. Healthier
soil makes healthier plants which are stronger in their fight against the
things that attack them. Healthier
plants also make for healthier animals.
I've shown you how glossy and healthy my groundhogs are.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I take my own bags to the store. There's no reason for me to get plastic bags every time I
shop. I try to avoid buying plastic or
things packaged in it. After I wash
clothes, I hang them up to dry instead of running the dryer. I wash my dishes by hand because it takes
less hot water (and I don't have a family to clean up after). I use cruise control on the freeway (mostly
to stop myself from speeding too much, but it takes less energy too). I turn off lights and use energy-efficient
bulbs (except for where I read). I recycle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a lot of ways we can help the planet. I welcome your suggestions. Let's do what we can to live in a world with
butterflies and pandas.</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-79928404781760926332020-01-11T10:56:00.000-08:002020-01-11T10:57:45.722-08:00"Technology"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpQBDQZJReBAetOatVw22RbX1ySwn1NjmqIUyxh4Q7I_4dQUAGlIJJBUDEwtuHodzgEW8p4SkaA8IimymRhcRHdVIQISLaAwD3x2A6uIrqoEkw4j4F1fp-wxKBK7mB-x87PgCaB-RLiI/s1600/Computer+Mouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="650" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpQBDQZJReBAetOatVw22RbX1ySwn1NjmqIUyxh4Q7I_4dQUAGlIJJBUDEwtuHodzgEW8p4SkaA8IimymRhcRHdVIQISLaAwD3x2A6uIrqoEkw4j4F1fp-wxKBK7mB-x87PgCaB-RLiI/s400/Computer+Mouse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey, whaddaya know!
IF finally gave us "technology" for a new word and I just painted a computer mouse. It's a sign 2020 is going to be an excellent
blogging year, right? Right? Hope springs eternal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every January I look at my previous year of blog posts to
remind myself of life's journey. I've
felt like I was very internally focused in 2019 but looking through my posts I
did a lot of people things.
Volunteering at the food giveaway has been interesting. I've been repeatedly annoyed IF forgets to
give us new words on Fridays. I worried
about 45 starting a war with Iran last summer.
I participated in Inktober and took some trips.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XPfh3zr96p_htvaz9nURz2w4Lar4y5L6TPEcqFYFOX72HfOySdJF3v-93jGuUAIC5Yy9dykgxETqb01pAZ9eU0QbNS9zoWId8HboSCmfbTkzZ4Crk7J-KUPc4kkQusdtqkuMqKok18c/s1600/Year+of+Thumbnails-2020+for+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="650" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XPfh3zr96p_htvaz9nURz2w4Lar4y5L6TPEcqFYFOX72HfOySdJF3v-93jGuUAIC5Yy9dykgxETqb01pAZ9eU0QbNS9zoWId8HboSCmfbTkzZ4Crk7J-KUPc4kkQusdtqkuMqKok18c/s400/Year+of+Thumbnails-2020+for+Blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My dog died last fall.
I still "see" her all the time, and I'm not ready for a new
pup -- but I keep thinking about one. Every
time I see a dog I think about the breed's pros and cons. I'm leaning towards finding a beagle mutt,
maybe in the spring. I'm not looking
forward to house breaking, puppy feet on art projects, or furniture
chewing. I'm certain I've mentioned how
much I like old dogs who understand how to share a peaceful coexistence. Bro2 says my new dog will find me when we're
both ready. We'll see, and see what
else happens this year.</div>
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I'm not much for New Year's resolutions, but I have some
goals for the year. I feel kind of
superstitious talking about them like revealing your wish when blowing out the
birthday candles. Hopefully, good
things will happen without too many bad things to balance the scales. I tried to cut back on my caffeine and
immediately abandoned that when I got a screaming headache.</div>
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I usually try to avoid talking about politics on this blog,
but I don't know how successful I'll be at that this year. The US presidential election will happen in
November. The current president is
impeached and his trial in the Senate will probably happen soon. How am I supposed to be quiet about
that? If he starts a war with Iran I'm
pretty sure I'll have to say my piece about it.</div>
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It's January in Ohio and my neighbor's magnolia tree is
budding. I have my window open because
it's 60F degrees outside. In other
words, I'm pretty sure I'll be thinking about climate change this year. That's nothing new. I've been thinking about the environment
since I was a child and the Cuyahoga River caught fire, spawning Earth Day and
motivating Nixon to create the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To this end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGF3ObOBbac" target="_blank">here's a video about the toll fashion takes out on the world by comedian Hasan Minhaj</a>. Currently, I extend my deepest sympathies to
Australians and scorched koala bears.</div>
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The mouse above is from my latest painting. I wasn't happy with the painting, but I
didn't want to toss it out or repaint parts of it. I finally came to terms with my artistic angst and revised the
canvas. I'm much happier. I don't know why I fought myself so hard
about it. It took much more effort to
fight myself about it than to actually make the revisions. I'm still working on it, and will show you
when it's finished, but I'm going to set it aside and work on something else for
a while.</div>
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I hope 2020 is going great for you so far!</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639676523379057364.post-45320411335014204202019-12-31T13:14:00.000-08:002019-12-31T13:14:47.205-08:00"Family 3"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzx6SqxCrqWA08-dDKA2_csWmTWUOJ6ETcIXlEjT01LNyuF5YzI5Ml82R3vJlSCgzF1UQJ49kNRu1i2Wo6A6Uaa6RJXwbVKAh3-Tg2jxs0x38VPw3kGZSQHHaEz7hEtA4QBSKHBWgoyE/s1600/ML+WIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="470" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzx6SqxCrqWA08-dDKA2_csWmTWUOJ6ETcIXlEjT01LNyuF5YzI5Ml82R3vJlSCgzF1UQJ49kNRu1i2Wo6A6Uaa6RJXwbVKAh3-Tg2jxs0x38VPw3kGZSQHHaEz7hEtA4QBSKHBWgoyE/s400/ML+WIP.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday and miraculously lost
10 pounds eating cookies. Now that I
think of it, I didn't get a single cookie.
This seems like a serious oversight since I'm pretty sure fortune
cookies don't count.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWpMM5kfROSWY0Q-CRUdeEX1FnfXd9rqzSLEyVXogDlKMMFJw4G5rl8g9hyphenhyphenJk_jYFrr5DTRKBuGsuTvAUX9F4XkrTGtwqxdPhKPtNUFnkSSWvxiU5FNF66Oxk0e29Z_3DzY7QzjHUYRI/s1600/Capitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="650" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWpMM5kfROSWY0Q-CRUdeEX1FnfXd9rqzSLEyVXogDlKMMFJw4G5rl8g9hyphenhyphenJk_jYFrr5DTRKBuGsuTvAUX9F4XkrTGtwqxdPhKPtNUFnkSSWvxiU5FNF66Oxk0e29Z_3DzY7QzjHUYRI/s400/Capitol.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view on the way into the National Gallery of Art</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I went to Washington, DC to visit a friend. I suggested going to the White House and
protesting, but 45 Christmased in Florida and there didn't seem much point to
making signs if he wasn't going to see them.
My friend and I went to the <a href="https://www.nga.gov/" target="_blank">National Gallery of Art</a> instead. Great art.
I highly recommend going if you're ever in DC. Even if you don't travel there, the museum has art lectures on
youtube. Look them up and learn
stuff. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99w6YjelV5ies9UPMSK4Sj-dQm9DTO4FgF8M3XP0cUa-_6uRInJwC2lIEE9tyeGk9KFnwtwps_LSoGPZVdt7MnXcC8r4_mYdwbfheV4v5lesiajDUYlGyihv24XqIka2H3l55jgTpx8U/s1600/Vermeer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99w6YjelV5ies9UPMSK4Sj-dQm9DTO4FgF8M3XP0cUa-_6uRInJwC2lIEE9tyeGk9KFnwtwps_LSoGPZVdt7MnXcC8r4_mYdwbfheV4v5lesiajDUYlGyihv24XqIka2H3l55jgTpx8U/s400/Vermeer.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
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I inquired where to find specific paintings I wanted to see
and the nice lady made a point of telling me not to miss a little room with
Vermeers in it. I was distracted when
she told me this and almost missed the significance of her recommendation. I peeked around a corner and woo! Vermeer!
Little gems that I really did need to see, and nobody else in the room
to bother my intense examination of them.
Lovely.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIA-66J6ms5tPQxEN8XP_hr4n6kbuRqgL6YcBSpIewsrEpDvHKSpu90NumIulHkWVSCHJFnAO-CHhePG7zt1aRfEhojeFHl843L-DMKSv-1ZJjSYuOQv0ZokEJpi6Yz2LM_k0m_jiF0pg/s1600/David-Napoleon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="397" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIA-66J6ms5tPQxEN8XP_hr4n6kbuRqgL6YcBSpIewsrEpDvHKSpu90NumIulHkWVSCHJFnAO-CHhePG7zt1aRfEhojeFHl843L-DMKSv-1ZJjSYuOQv0ZokEJpi6Yz2LM_k0m_jiF0pg/s400/David-Napoleon.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVt7oNXECdyyBr5qZKwmME4Ub7y7QKB0sAriIwWvDU21DYVsI6Onu9Pb0kruIL-q6t_XdQj5r56_1hzyZFQiCsudNhFA_W-zjQsX1ycJ9IODk78maHrfhNUitTu5wJWRgASoTmJcAOFKA/s1600/David-Cupid+and+Psyche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="650" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVt7oNXECdyyBr5qZKwmME4Ub7y7QKB0sAriIwWvDU21DYVsI6Onu9Pb0kruIL-q6t_XdQj5r56_1hzyZFQiCsudNhFA_W-zjQsX1ycJ9IODk78maHrfhNUitTu5wJWRgASoTmJcAOFKA/s400/David-Cupid+and+Psyche.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David's Cupid and Psyche in Cleveland beats Napoleon any day!</td></tr>
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I spent some happy time with Titian, Rubens, on and on and
on. My only disappointment was their
only Jacques Louis David painting is of Napoleon. I mean, it's really well painted, but who wants to look at
Napoleon? The Cleveland Museum of Art
has Cupid and Psyche. Cleveland wins!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2sJ9HPiJOOaiEh34N-4iP8Hu6KR-x0yspRxdO49HyS-DNi0OtEvuBDv9gq7HKT615HcnJP0-2TJ4-dsSosnLB5CEvj4tuixW6pVsTnnjpvXkLZtqb_Gnus8Vy6TC2valqqJMUPjsrss/s1600/Rembrandt.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="503" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2sJ9HPiJOOaiEh34N-4iP8Hu6KR-x0yspRxdO49HyS-DNi0OtEvuBDv9gq7HKT615HcnJP0-2TJ4-dsSosnLB5CEvj4tuixW6pVsTnnjpvXkLZtqb_Gnus8Vy6TC2valqqJMUPjsrss/s320/Rembrandt.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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The museum has a number of Rembrandts, but I'm kind of
specific in my love of his work. I was
thrilled to see his self portrait.
Nothing I can show on the web can compare to standing in front of the
reality. Imagine my little heart going
pitty pat at the texture and details.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKAKcq7ywfPZe2m35raYyHMvVzPuCmPLU1MFmgLbpfL9tIhPGQxh0DrNggbZg0Kytvtq40blzMI10oWDrVDQRh5lmCjhyHJnRLmXpGhMvCe_MKTeqNd2zQ09BwEtP-BgL_yvUR9gAmF4/s1600/Rembrandt-Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="650" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKAKcq7ywfPZe2m35raYyHMvVzPuCmPLU1MFmgLbpfL9tIhPGQxh0DrNggbZg0Kytvtq40blzMI10oWDrVDQRh5lmCjhyHJnRLmXpGhMvCe_MKTeqNd2zQ09BwEtP-BgL_yvUR9gAmF4/s400/Rembrandt-Detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of Rembrandt's self portrait, but this doesn't do the original justice.<br />The paint is caked on and has a fabulous texture.</td></tr>
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I don't think it's possible to fully appreciate the whole
museum in one day so I'll have to go back sometime. I got online to find these photos of paintings for this post and
realize how many things I still need to see there. It may take me a while to forget how much I hate driving in DC
first though. Once again, I got turned
around and frantic driving on illogical freeways. At one point I had to cross 4 lanes of traffic because they put
the exit ramp on the left side. Who
does freeway planning?!! I was busy
hyperventilating after this driving feat and missed my next exit which led me
in all sorts of other places I didn't want to go, and they charged me tolls for
the privilege.</div>
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My friend had to work some of the days I visited so I worked
on a new painting. It was pleasant to
have an art retreat for the holidays.
The image at the top is just a part of my latest piece. I'm rethinking a big chunk of the rest of it and may end up
painting over some of it. I hate it
when that happens, but it's my own fault for not starting with a better plan.</div>
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I hope you had a wonderful holiday doing what you like most
with the people you like best. Wishing
everyone a happy, healthy, successful New Year!!!</div>
Linda Hensleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929626735450807904noreply@blogger.com15