I'm starting in on my next book: Birds & Birding.
As I decide what to cover in the book, it occurred to me a mind map would be a good idea. I'd love to know what you'd like to see in a book about birds and birding. Send an email, or post a comment and let me know. And what about you? Do you create bird art, go birding, or have some other bird related activity you might share? I'd love to hear about it.
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A different way to connect We won't be visiting in person this Thanksgiving, so I'm serving up a side of snail mail. I've decided to make a small batch of handmade collage cards to send and give thanks (there's still plenty to be thankful for, even if we're apart). Now that I have the design figured out, it's a matter of cut and paste. The process is a meditation of sorts. Cutting and arranging, cutting and arranging some more. It's the mindless act of doing that's relaxing. I sometimes work with no background sound, other times there's the television in the background, or music, and sometimes there's a conversation happening.
These patterns happened by chance. Well, at least the first set. I was trying to keep count of how many pomegranates I'd cut, so I started lining them up. I liked the pattern and took a photo. The first image was so compelling, I decided to do it with the next batch. The green leaves were all a jumble until I thought to arrange them in a sunburst pattern. Much better. This is interesting ... creating parallel designs as I work. It's also a good way to visualize my progress. Are you a pattern maker? Do you have ways to track your progress on projects? A Nat Geo moment ...
The squirrel was wedged between the branches, munching on berries like it was seated at a buffet table. We stopped to watch and at first the squirrel didn't seem to notice us. When it did, it took one last nibble and scurried away. We may have interrupted him, but I'm guessing there was a second seating once we were out of sight. On our walks around the neighborhood, we see fewer people these days. No wonder. It's colder now and the days are shorter. We have to push ourselves to leave the warmth and comfort of inside. To go outside for the fresh air, sunlight, and the occasional squirrel sighting we so desperately need. Well, actually, squirrel sightings are not so occasional, there are a lot of squirrels in the neighborhood. Just not so many of them chomping berries. A Nat Geo moment close to home. For the next few days, my computer will be in the repair shop.
In the meantime, I'll be outlining my new book: Birds & Birding. There will be a call for entries (for bird related artwork, crafts, photography, and writing). If you have any ideas to share, I'd love to hear them! A less intimidating approach to journaling This is my second hand-made journal. The first was the October journal - 10 pages folded in half to make 40 pages. At least one page for every day of the month. I decided to create my own journal book because big, blank journal books are intimidating. So many pages to fill compounded with the idea that the pages should look good, my handwriting should be at it's best, and what I write should matter. But I've discovered those things don't matter. With a small, monthly journal, the pressure is off. Why have a journal? My goal is to write once a day. To mull over what I'm trying to get done, how it's going, and what I need to do next. To ask questions of myself. Writing helps me work through the tough stuff, make sense of what's baffling, and record my progress...and success. However small. And I get to create a new cover design each month. Steady progress
In the front of last month's journal I wrote two goals for the month. To finish my letter writing book and a book about birds and birding. I accomplished the first. Still working on the second. To be honest, I forgot that I wrote my goals in the front of the book. When I flipped through the book at the end of the month, it caught me by surprise. The other thing that caught me by surprise was that I wasn't disappointed that I hadn't completed both. I'm thrilled that I completed my first goal (I'm waiting for the final proof of A Snail Mail Guide to Cursive Writing Practice to arrive in the mail today), and I'm working on the second. The second book is underway, but far from complete. I think the reason I felt okay about it all was that I've been working on it. Making steady progress. It's hard to know exactly how long it will take, but I do want to push myself and try to finish it by the end of the month. What I'm discovering, though, is that working toward something is just as important as finishing it by a certain date. The work is the reward. It makes me feel productive, engaged, and ... just better. And that's why I wrote, "Just the beginning..." on the cover of this month's journal. Because after I finish the birds and birding book, I've got another idea, and another. And that means beginning ... all over again. Every day is the beginning of something. Maybe it's because something ended yesterday, maybe it's because we discover a new approach, trick, or method, and we're starting in a new direction. The key is to keep going. Plugging away at things. It's amazing what can get done. Every day we begin. We can toss aside a bad habit or distraction and focus on something we deem more important. Or not. If it doesn't work today because you're tired, or not feeling well, or someone needs something you can't put off, you can begin again tomorrow. It's up to us to do what we tell ourselves we're going to do. Because in the end that's what matters most. I don't want to disappoint anyone ... but most of all, I don't want to disappoint myself. What are you beginning? An abomination The dreaded pen cancel. How many of you have received an envelope with an ugly mark scribbled across the stamp instead of a classic cancellation ... like the "Thinking of You" one pictured above? If you're not familiar with pen cancels, I've recreated the look below. Don't worry, I didn't use a real marker, it's computer generated. Graham Beck of Exploring Stamps has a name for it, and it's perfect for sharing on Halloween:
PG | Philatelic Gore October is Stamp Collecting Month and before it ends, a good time to share Graham's Exploring Stamps website and YouTube channel ... where you'll find his video on pen cancellations (go to the 2:14 minute mark to see PG | Philatelic Gore, it's funny). Graham is a stamp collector who (in pre-pandemic times) will pull a stamp from his collection and travel to the country of origin to get the story behind the stamp. It's a great way to learn more about the world ... and a great example of how finding inspiration in one thing can lead to so much more. I hope you'll watch the video to get the full story of what he does. Give them something to hold on to
It's hard being apart from the people you love and like best. Texts, phone calls, and social media are great, but sometimes it's just not enough. What can you do? Write a letter. Yes, an old-fashioned pen on paper letter. And mail it. Write to a friend or family member. Tell them you're thinking about them. Write about what's happening in the neighborhood, that disaster of a recipe you cooked last night. Or the yummy cookies you baked today. No, it won't replace a hug or having a conversation across the kitchen table, but it will give them something to hold onto. And people love getting mail. They really do. Embarrassed by your handwriting? A Snail Mail Guide to Cursive Writing Practice will help. Was you school one of the schools that dropped cursive writing from the curriculum? Has it been a while since you've handwritten ... well, anything? A Snail Mail Guide to Cursive Writing Practice has instructions for writing each letter of the alphabet, tips for improving your handwriting, and all you need to get started writing letters: - ideas for who to write to and what to write about - how to address an envelope - where to the stamp - how to set up your letter This time of year, I'm distracted by the slap, dash, crack of acorns zipping through the trees and the rat-a-tat-tat of still more dropping on the neighbor's metal roof. They land with a startling pop, rattle, and roll.
But the acorns are just one sign that change is in the air. The apples down the street are turning red, the grapes two blocks over are turning deep blue (they've been green all summer), and the leaves on the maple tree three blocks up are starting to change. Really. It seems early, but September is just two days away. Last night we saw fireflies in the corner lot where the grass grows tall.
We stopped so we could watch for a bit. Again and again, we pointed and said, "There's one. Over there." And, "Wow!" Now I want to go back and see them again. At the end of the block on the corner there's a garden planted on the edge of the road. It's tucked between the street and a stockade fence. It's so small, and jammed into such a small space, it seems more than a garden. It's a declaration. A fertile sign of determination and grit.
Someone wanted a garden and they were not to be deterred. They wanted to grow peas, and tomatoes, and peppers. We know that's what's growing because they impaled the empty seed packets on sticks to mark what was in the ground. And we've watch them grow for weeks now. There's a tradition in New England ... peas and salmon on the Fourth of July. Why? The salmon swim upstream this time of year, just when the peas begin to sprout. I'm not sure the neighbors will pair salmon with their peas, but the garden's bounty is proof there's plenty to be savored when the seed of determination is planted. This month there will be no excuses.
It's Anti-boredom Month and we've got adventures to find and things to do. Are you a chess player, a model boat builder, Scrabble star, space explorer? Yes? Good for you. I'm not, but by the end of the month, they may be hobbies I can call my own. It can be scary to start something new, but really, doing little more than binge watching your favorite streaming service or scrolling through your phone for hours gets boring. And boring is, well boring. And a bit depressing. So how can we approach Anti-boredom Month? Nothing beats boredom like doing something. And, as I've learned over and over again, it's taking action that makes all the difference. Yes, it's hard to get started. And yes, it takes effort, even a bit of gumption. That can of gumption up above was inspired by Popeye. Open a can of spinach, gobble it up, and find renewed courage and strength. Was it really the spinach that gave him strength? I'm not so sure. Have you tasted canned spinach? I think it's something else. I think it's more about stepping up, gathering gumption, and giving it a go. Saying, "OK, I'll try." Or, "Hey, it's my turn." So this month, I'm going to try new things. And, because it's also Baked Bean Month and I'm inspired by canned goodness, I'm going to try something out of the can. I'm going to make baked beans from scratch. I’m looking for a recipe. If you’ve got one, would you be willing to share it? Or, if you’re like me and have never made your own baked beans, let's try it together. Here are more things happening in July. I'll post what I'm doing, and would love to hear what you're up to, too. International Zine Month A whole book from one sheet of paper. National Anti-Boredom Month We’ve got that covered. Etch-a-Sketch Day It’s knob easy. National Baked Bean Month Cook ‘em low and slow. Ice Cream Month Are they sprinkles or jimmies? National Picnic Month Take it out to the park. Watermelon Month A wedge will do. International Cherry Pit Spitting Day Watch where it lands. Chocolate Day How many ways are there to make this happen? Embrace Your Geekness Day Finally! Space Exploration Day What’s a light year? Paperback Book Day A real page turner. National Avocado Day Got pudding? Check in throughout the month to see what we find. And if you’ve got ideas, share them with us. After all, it’s Anti-boredom Month and you've got a can of gumption waiting to be opened. Figuring out what works Collage work has become my go-to art form. After trying a bit of watercolor, line drawing, pencil, and more, collage is it. It's the perfectly imperfect nature of collage that works for me. It's not that things are sloppy or unfinished. No, I pay attention to detail and form, but its more conceptual than precise. Finding the rhythm All of my collage work is done with painted sheet music. No other papers: no book pages, receipts, or found paper. Just sheet music. That, too, took a while to figure out. There are no distracting words on the page and I like how the music adds texture to the pieces I cut. And I've learned it best to keep a supply on hand. A stack of painted sheets. An assortment of reds and yellows, blacks, grays, and greens. Blues, purples, and pinks. Each with varied amounts of paint, rough edges, and dry brush strokes. Ready when the ideas are If I have an idea, I like to sit down and start in. If I have to begin from scratch, to paint the colors I want or need, I risk losing some of my enthusiasm, some of the spark that comes with having a new idea. Having an assortment of colors on hand helps me stay with the idea, to keep my momentum. I've been running on scraps for a few weeks now and I can feel it holding me back. Little bits of paper cut from larger sheets. Yesterday I ran out of the green I wanted. Lots of scraps, but not enough to finish what I started. It's time to take stock ... and restock. Painting the sheets has become part of the process. Part of the preparation. Be sure you've got what you need to get started. It could make all the difference. Qwirky, QWERTY Love: It’s Typewriter Day!
Last year I wrote a love letter to my typewriter and I want to share it with you. When I composed the letter, I included as many typewriter terms and sounds as possible: - keystroke - typebar - tap - bing! - bell - return - click - carriage - ribbon - spooling - shifting - cap lock - margin - royal (Royal) - space bar Each typewriter has a different touch on the keyboard and unique bell tone. I typed the love letter on my Olivetti Lettera 35 (with great care ... nearly holding my breath, straight through, with no mistakes...whew!). Do you have a typewriter? What do you write on your typewriter? The manuscript for a book? Poetry? Love letters? I write lots of letters ... and sometimes, love letters. p.s. What is QWERTY love? QWERTY comes from the first five letters on the upper left of the keyboard. The term is used to identify the standard layout on an English language keyboard. I do love my typewriter(s)! Three words on a signboard in front of a local church. Hope was at the top, coming soon sat at the bottom of the sign, referring I’m sure to the day they might welcome parishioners inside. The words weren’t meant to be one phrase, but that’s how I saw it. I like to think hope is all around us ... it’s good to know more is on the way.
Yesterday I became the reluctant fixer when the hose on the back of the dryer disconnected. I couldn’t get it reconnected and it started a string of lefty-loosey, righty-tighty missteps, YouTube videos, and a trip to the hardware store where a patient and far-more knowledgeable expert put and end to my cycle of frustration.
Are you handy? Most of the time I would say I am. But truth be told, it depends when you ask. Yesterday when I was in the middle of trying to attach that hose, I would have answered with a resounding no. Today, basking in the satisfaction of a job well-done (well, done anyway), I’m more likely to say yes. It’s a truth most of us can relate to. Doing something for the first time comes with unique challenges:
The key of course of course is pushing through. Though I wanted to give up, and nearly did, I knew it wasn’t an impossible task. Connecting a vent hose requires minimal tools and supplies ... there’s no rewiring of electricity or other element involved that would best be left to a professional. But I couldn't do it alone. It took seven YouTube videos, two hours of trial and error, and two trips to two different hardware stores before I figured out what was missing and found what I needed: A missing element and some guidance. It also meant letting go. Of a quick fix, of all I had planned for the morning, of perfection, and frustration. Though I won’t been installing dryer vent hoses on a regular basis, it’s a good, and constant, reminder that while there can be a quick fix here and there, it’s not the rule. We’re better served, it seems, to recognize things will take more time and effort than expected. That frustration is part of the deal, and a little help from an expert goes a long way. That even though what we’re trying to accomplish may not always be easy or fun, what we’re left is increased confidence, a bit more know-how, and a deep sigh of satisfaction. What to do when your thumb is less than green
Gardening takes time, a lot of time. There's the weeding and watering, pinching and pruning, bug patrol, and more weeding and watering. I like the idea of a garden, just not all the work that comes with it. I'm not sure if I want a garden or just what comes from the garden. The plump tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and striking magenta-colored potato skin on just-rinsed red potatoes. And flowers. Seeing what others do with flowers nearly makes me weep. It’s stunning. I don’t want to do the work, but I yearn for the look and the bounty of it all. Last year I found a solution: container gardens. Well, window boxes that sit on the porch railing. There’s a cut-out on the bottom of the box that fits the railing and holds it in place. It is, for me, the perfect solution. With container gardens, I satisfy an itchy, but less than green thumb. And having the boxes on the porches where I see them as I come and go ensures I won’t forget to prune and water, and water and prune what I've planted. But still, I keep it simple. Marigolds, some geraniums, and a small kitchen garden. Just herbs, really. Four plants: parsley and mint for one of my favorite summer recipes, quinoa tabouleh, along with thyme and oregano for good measure. Container gardens are the answer to small spaces, and small ambitions ... in gardening. Do you have a flower or kitchen garden? A more ambitious spread with rows of peas, potatoes, and varieties of this and that? If gardening is not happening in your world, remember, there’s always the farmers’ market. Green thumbs all around and plenty of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Much of my work revolves around words: arranging words, writing words, and editing words.
Last week I considered the word racism. And then the opposite, respect: to show regard or consideration for. As I considered the words, I imagined editing them, replacing one with the other. Then illustrating the idea with red line editing; crossing out the unwanted word, writing in the new one. Spell-check and track changes in word processing documents have replaced red line edits done by hand. A hand-drawn line through a word with a loop at the end indicates the word should be taken out. Removed. The arrow indicates what it should be replaced with. If only it were that easy to edit and change behavior. To replace racism with respect and acknowledge that Black Lives Matter. This post was originally published on my site, Composition1206, where I write about graphic design, writing, and editing. Sundials: fighting time and finding patience On our morning walk we passed a sundial and the urge to check the time was irresitible. The arrow (or the gnomon as the shadow-casting feature on a sundial is called) indicated it was just after 7:00. We were confused. It was, we knew, just after 8:00. It took us a split second(!) to realize sundials, of course, don’t recognize Daylight Savings Time. The sundial moved more than time Seeing the sundial made me think more about time. How we spend it, how we fight with it, and how it teases us. When I got home, I was reminded once again, that I need to be patient. That whatever hobbies, passions, and pastimes we choose, they need time to build and develop. Just a week after I started my illustrated journal, I decided to go with the sundial for a new page and collage. But I struggled. I sketched the idea and started cutting bits of paper, but it wasn’t working. The proportions were off and even though one of the things I like most about collage is that it’s perfectly imperfect, it still needs to look like something close to what it represents. I wanted to give up and walk away because things weren’t going my way. But I didn’t. I stayed with it, and the more I worked on it, things began to shift. The idea of the sun as a background element came, then adding the minute and hour hands seemed like a good idea. It was slow going, but with each idea, my confidence grew and I forgot about the time, and the struggle. Lesson learned When I was done, I knew there was a lesson somewhere, and it seems, the lesson is: things take time. When I sat down I was frustrated and wanted my collage to come together quickly. Clearly, that wasn’t going to happen. My mind needed time to process the concept and figure things out. But that’s not all. The sundial set me on a course of unexpected curiosity, offering a couple of other lessons: You never know where something may lead When we got home, we were curious about sundials. We learned that sundials are the “earliest timekeeping device” and the element that casts a shadow is the gnomon. It gave us renewed appreciation for sculpture, the stars, the sun, and the moon. Hang in there When I started the collage I was impatient. Things were taking longer than expected and I wanted to give up. But when I finished, nearly two hours later, I felt better. More relaxed and (really) happy that I stayed with it. How often do you fight with time? Are there lessons you’ve learned from sticking with something? Tell me about it. Won't you be my neighbor?
We weren't part of the conversation, but heard the exchange. One neighbor talking to another, over a white picket fence. "Would you like a red dahlia?" the woman with the black dog on a leash asked over the white picket fence. "Yes," the woman on the other side of the picket fence said. "I'll pot it and bring it over in the morning," the woman with the dog said. Spring planting So many people are looking for ways to get outside, but stay close to home. There are flower gardens and vegetable gardens sprouting up, one block after another. Gardening is a hobby I tussle with. I like the idea of having one, but the work involved keeps me from digging in. After I heard the conversation, I wanted a red dahlia. So I made one. And because I'm partial to them, I modeled my collage after a botanical print. Are you a gardener? Got dahlias? For the love of books There is a brick and mortar library in the neighborhood, but still, just five blocks away, there is a Little Free Library, a “take a book, return a book” exchange. As part of our stay-at-home routine we walk around the neighborhood and every day we pass the Little Free Library box. Two weeks ago we put three books in the box and watched and waited to see how long they'd last. The day after we put them in the box, one of them was gone. But then it took over a week for the second, and today, two weeks later, the third book was gone. People love to read Started in 2009 by Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, the Little Free Library network has spread. In 2020, there are "100,000 registered libraries in more than 100 countries worldwide." People like to read. Though book exchanges are not a new idea, the Little Free Library keeps a registry of each through a community website. Build your own The project has inspired readers and carpenters alike. If you're interested in having a book sharing box in your neighborhood, the Little Free Library site has plans and tips for building and installing your library. Not sure? There is a delightful gallery of images on their Instagram site. Wondering if there's a book box in your neighborhood? The Little Free Library website includes a map page where you can look up your location. That’s where I discovered there are three within just a couple of miles of where I live. Maybe there's one in your neighborhood? |
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