Monday, February 17, 2025

Variegated Snow

We had a fresh 10 inches of snow a week ago - thank goodness it was light and airy, making it easy to lift and throw. 

Whilst clearing up, I noticed how varied the crystals were this time around, not uniform at all. Some were densely packed, looking like small, solid white balls, and other crystals were spread out with lots of air spaces in and around them.


Quite a mix!





Sunday, February 16, 2025

Adieu

These little sweeties' sojourn with us has come to end. Initially shy, reserved and polite, 



these two rascals quickly endeared themselves to our family and every visitor that crossed our threshold (even inspiring their art!),

and became full-on, adored members of our household, making themselves chief supervisors on every project, and insisting on having THE most comfortable spot in the house.

We have now experienced EVERYTHING (and more!) of the detailed introduction that was written about them in advance of their arrival. We have a treasure trove of photos and memories💓 written into our hearts, and we wish them a stress-free flight to their new home.










Saturday, February 15, 2025

Lines and Patterns

Snow melting into chocolate éclair shapes 😃 - well, that's what I thought of when I saw them

I'm fascinated by this array of intersecting lines, shadows and differing spacings; can't explain why.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Snowbound

 



No, not a Snow goose, nor a real duck - it's the duck decoy that's been in my yard for ages, up to its neck in snow. We've had multiple small and light snowfalls up until now, making cleanup easy and manageable, but enough cumulatively to leave a snowpack on the ground.









Thursday, February 13, 2025

Fractures

Fractures or branches embedded in ice create unique 'landscapes' and patterns everywhere I look.





Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Ice Glyphs

 Beauty is in the details


The ice crystals forming on flat surfaces made me think of ancient writing symbols - glyphs - messages from nature.




Monday, February 10, 2025

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Comfort Zone

Black history month invites us to acknowledge the humanity of people who have historically been relegated to "other" in Western societies, but who love, doubt, joke, grouch, suffer, laugh, think, and feel as we all do. It's time we learn to embrace all of humanity.

If you're not into history, watch or read a film that broadens your understanding of what it is to be human. I watched a beautiful and riveting film, called Queen and Slim, which depicts a tragic love story fashioned by events that many of us never have to contemplate. It's intriguing how quickly circumstances change and how easily things can go wrong. I'm not saying it's perfect, but the protagonists' story is very relatable and moving. The acting is superb and the screenplay is awesome.

Step out of your comfort zone, and watch or read something different from your usual experience. It's how we learn ...


Saturday, February 8, 2025

Beauty of Sunset

 

These scenes are posted to remind me to get outside more and leave the warmth and comfort of my home - you never know how much you're missing out on.



Friday, February 7, 2025

Apricity

Another new word for me - apricity. It describes "the warmth of the sun in winter," an old English word that has fallen into disuse, forgotten about. I think it's worth reviving; diversity in language adds depth, nuanced meaning and richness to its existence.


The Oxford English Dictionary lists its etymology as coming from the Latin aprīcitāt-em. To me, that sounds like appreciative, of which I most certainly am when I experience sun in winter.

In their Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin, the Missouri Botanical Garden gives "apricus" to mean 'being exposed to the sun.' 


Oh, what a glorious thing our star is!

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Smooth and Glabrous

What a stunning display of color to encounter on a winter's day - the hairy berries of the smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), a thicket-forming native, are a cheery sight in an otherwise drab color palette.


Its leaf stems are smooth, lacking 'wings' or hairs that other species might have, hence its name.

According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, this is "The only shrub or tree species native to all 48 contiguous states".


Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Fun on the Ice

We had a Fire and Ice party for our PALZ team - the lake is frozen and safe to walk on, so we got together for a fun afternoon, using the fire pit that was welded for an art exhibit. We wanted to see how it behaved in ice.

These gorgeous, home-made ice luminaries added to our enjoyment of the event, making it very special.




The bloody-minded "Cargo shorts of Maine" society was represented too.


Some ice was cleared for skating (under supervision, of course).







Monday, February 3, 2025

The Reveal

 Ta-dah!

Yesterday's photo was of the removable metal handle (and its shadow), that fits onto the bottom of this set of glasses, like so:




Sunday, February 2, 2025

What is This?

 Any ideas about what this strange object might be?

 



I was initially fascinated by the shadow it created, and then realized that the whole structure is rather 'mysterious' looking, so thought I'd throw this out there to see what it appears to be to you?
















This is a close up of just one end of it




All shall be revealed tomorrow ...

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Eremitic

I've recently learned a new word that I thought might explain how I sometimes feel - eremitical. It can be the "The act of gradually fading from the lives of others, not out of malice but of a desire for solitude and renewal," or more strictly a hermit, especially a religious recluse Merriam-webster.

For me, it's when I choose to enjoy restorative alone time. It's not that I choose to be permanently reclusive, but it's a necessary (and temporary) time to decompress. Or maybe I'm interpreting and using the word incorrectly ... I do not live in seclusion, nor shun the world, but I value my alone time, something I have learned about myself since COVID. Perhaps it's plain and simply introversion! Still, I liked learning a new word.