Catching Up

Aerial Footage of Antarctica Shot by Kalle Ljung

9 Squares: A Collaborative GIF Project for Nine Designers Using Four Colors in Three Seconds

A Global Art Project Brings Paintings of Anonymous Figures out of Museums and onto the Streets

Just a few of the things that I have been enjoying recently over on Colossal.com. 

The Vimeo video of Antarctica is definitely worth 10 minutes of your time.

Anna's Promise Rose

Before I found out that I was going to have to move I ordered a rose bush online. It's named Anna's Promise in honor of the fictional character Anna Bates from Downton Abbey.

When I first saw the picture of the rose I didn't know what it was named for,  I just thought the color was very beautiful. When I did some research to find out more information,  like whether or not it has a strong scent,  I found out about the name and that clinched my decision. And yes,  it's supposed to have a nice fragrance.

Fast forward a few weeks - I find out I'll be moving,  and I didn't know what to do. I knew it was going in a planter instead of the ground,  because I'm going to take it with me come hell or high water, but I was afraid to put it out on either the back deck or the front porch for fear of the deer eating it. Now we all know how much I love the deer,  but I'm not about to let them destroy that plant!

So the resolution for now is that it's in my kitchen, safe from nibbling critters and getting apparently enough sunlight that the two buds that were on it are starting to open. ...I'm getting excited!  Let's hope they are telling the truth about the scent-

Changes Are Afoot

The Lilac

I know I've been lax in my posting's on the blog recently, that's partly because I finally caved and created an Instagram account. It was more so to make it easier for me to keep up on the folks that I like to follow, but I've posted a couple things as well.

Just like when I created my G-Mail account, the nickname I wanted for my user name was already taken; and my back-up nickname? Ditto. So I decided to try the name that my friend Steve Stimson gave a canoe that I got from my brother: "Our Lady of Subdued Excitement". (Not too long after that I ended up giving the canoe to Steve. Then Steve gave it to a guy that I can't remember his name, but Steve's description of him was hilarious, something along the lines of looking like Steve McQueen...after he went through the ringer).

Steve for those who may not know this, painted the mural in downtown Bellingham called "City of Subdued Excitement". The name stuck as a new nickname for Bellingham, even though sadly most of the time he doesn't get proper credit for that. He eventually renamed his antique store from "Lone Wolf" to that, eventually he closed it after he & Naomi remodeled the space into their home. You may have seen him around town playing his sax in his Mr. Peanut costume if you were lucky.

Naomi & Steve

So anyways, the link is in my website favorites if you want to catch up with me there. I've also been meaning to write about all of the police shootings, which I feel very strongly about, but that will have to wait for another day. 

The main thing keeping me busy is that I am starting to go through my possessions and weeding out the deadwood, because at some point by next spring I have to move. My sister in law Cindy called me several weeks back saying she wants to sell the house. This July will be 17 years since I moved in and I've collected a lot of stuff. I'm having to be brutally honest about some things and getting rid of what I don't really need. Some of it has been easier than I thought.

So wish me luck. I am trying to think positive every single day that this is for the best and that I will land in a better place.