The Thursday Ramble: A Few Of My Favorite Things

 There is a challenge in taking 10,000 photos a year, for a few decades, and painting 15 or 20 canvases a year, and buying a few things over 50 years - there is not enough wall space. A couple of weeks ago, John over at Going Gently asked his readers to send in photos of their art wall. Well I don't have an art wall, I have a bunch of art walls. A quick dash around the house with my phone yielded the photos above. 

All but two of the photos on the walls are one's I have taken over the years. Some of them are 50 years old, some very recent. All of the paintings are from the last 15 years. There is a watercolor and a pencil drawing bought in Italy about 20 years ago. One silhouette print that was in my parents bedroom for 60 plus years, one of a pair, my sister has the other one. Oh and a print that was a fundraiser for Channel 24, the now defunct public television station in Orlando. 

This is just a part of the wallscaping. There are other walls full. Some of it gets changed out from time to time, some of it has been in place for years. 

When I started the job in DC, I commented to my boss that I would bring in the diplomas and licenses and put up the wall of credibility. He said, "you don't need that, put up things that make you happy." And most of what is in the 6th photo was in my office for several years. Photos from my travels. 

The first photo, is the land of unhung art.  That pile keeps growing.  I need to go buy a couple of frames. 

My World of Wonders - July 22, 2026

 

Where have I been this week? A long walk along King Street in Alexandria, the treadmill at the gym, the pool, the Alexandria Farmers Market. A shopping run to Home Goods and Aldi. 

Who have I talked with this week? Karen and Sharon, two of Sweet Bear's nieces. My Sweet Bear. Rebecca. Susan, Ana, and Gillespie. 

What artsy stuff am I up to this week? A photo and a painting.

What have I been up to in the kitchen?  Chicken Marsala and saffron rice. Started a jar of dill pickles, made gazpacho. Fried chicken, macaroni salad.  Pork Tenderloin, mushrooms and onions, baked potato, and multi grain bread (made with a little of this and a little of that and see if it works - it did.) Started a batch of coffee liqueur - I haven't made that in a couple of years.  

What has the weather been like? Smokey - blocking out the sun, to an extent that the outside air is reported to be unhealthy for a few days, then it rained and cleared out.

What am I reading? A book about adults and play, titled PlayFul.  

What have I started planning? A friends and family visit to Florida, in mid-winter. 

Travel Tuesday: Ft Wayne Museum of Art - the Glass collection

 

Monday Mood: Don't Take Yourself To Seriously

Our fears and insecurities are the biggest thing that limit what we accomplish in our lives. Don't get me wrong, I knew very early on that I didn't have the physical build to be a world class runner, and no amount of work would overcome that, BUT, that didn't mean that I couldn't run, and have a great deal of fun, and I did for a decade or so. I had to overcome my fear of finishing in the middle or the back of the field, and do it because I wanted to finish. Finishing was my victory once I overcame my insecurity. I was the problem, until I let go of that fear. 

We all struggle with this. The richest people in the world, continue to mound up wealth, out of an irrational fear of going broke. They continue to work - when their time could be focused on making the world a better place. They are somehow convinced that their role in the world is to stack up riches and that somehow will make everything okay, while secretly fearing that they will screw it all up and end up with nothing. I am far from the richest man in the world, but I let the same irrational fear that I am going to somehow screw it all up, stand in the way of my enjoying what I have, and what I can do with it while I am here to make the world a better place. I am the problem. 

I am - well to be honest an aging fat man. I am fat and lumpy in ways that I fear others will judge me for. In truth, others won't notice me most of the time, and if they do, they will forget what I look like, at the next passing beefcake. And yet, unless I ignore this, I let it limit my enjoyment of life. Go to the pool, go to the beach, take that cruise. If they don't like the view, they will look away. The problem is not the judgement of others, it is me. 

One of my favorite sayings is be creative, make an ass of yourself, who  cares? Usually the only person who cares is you. We are the problem, we take ourselves far too seriously. 

Sunday Five: Zoos

1: When was the last time you visited a Zoo? 

2: What is you favorite animal at the Zoo? 

3: How close do you live to a Zoo?

4: Should we even have Zoos?

5: If you could talk to the giraffe, what would you ask him? 

My Answers:

1: When was the last time you visited a Zoo? Last Sunday, in Ft Wayne Indiana. 

2: What is you favorite animal at the Zoo? Penguins 

3: How close do you live to a Zoo? The National Zoo in Washington DC is about 15 miles from home. 

4: Should we even have Zoos? Properly designed and maintained, Zoos have played an important role in preventing extinction. 

5: If you could talk to the giraffe, what would you ask him? What could we do to improve your day?

Please share your answers in the comments. 

 

The Saturday Morning Post: Creativity is fed by the past masters

Portraits were a new endeavor for me this year. I had never really painted them before. And portraits challenged me. The masters can vary shades to create the shape of the features of the face. I am working on that, but the detail I wanted eluded me. 

Then I come across a collection of french portraits in the east building of the National Gallery of Art, from the late 1800's and early 1900's, and the answer is there. Slight outlines of the nose, eyes, chin, in a dark color, allowing the sketch to show through in the final painting. 

A creative solution, to a challenge to my creativity. Yes I should or could have learned this decades ago, but I didn't. I may be an old dog, but I am still learning to be creative.  

Friday Reflection: On visiting family

I was there to spend time with family. 

I was not there to judge, the housekeeping, the house, the food, the dog, the politeness of the kids. 

I am delighted to see you as you are, where you are, just as you are. 

I don't care if the dog barks, or the cat sheds, or the baby fusses, or there are toys are on the floor. Those are all signs of a perfectly wonderful life. 

When you come to visit me, and please do, don't expect me to make my bed, dust or clean off my desk.  I don't live like that, and you are not here to judge my home, you are here to spend time with family. 

You probably do many things differently than I do, that is just fine, do it your way, you are you. 

Travel Penguin stayed in his travel burro most of this trip. He didn't greet his distant cousins - they smelled like dead fish - but we really didn't care - we were not there to judge the housekeeping, we were there to spend time with family and friends.