A New Year's Blessing

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Wings. I made it loosely based on an older image, but with a twist of its own. The result is this image that looks like a cross between an angel and a butterfly.

I wasn't going to say anything else about New Year's Eve, or New Year's Day. But this morning in my correspondence, I found a blessing written by a gentleman known to some as Waycyber that I think is well worth sharing.

"As the old year passes,
May it take with it pain from harsh words said and received, disappointments, failures, sicknesses and injuries.
But may it leave the memories of loved ones, living and passed on, of laughter, and beauty, and mountains conquered.

As the new year begins.
May it bring hope, and courage, reconciliation, and forgiveness.
May old friendships be renewed and new ones forged.
May it be a time of health, and strength.
May you boldly face each challenge and leave it it conquered in your wake.

Happy New Year to you all."

Happy New Year, Gentle Readers!

Until We Meet...

More New Year's Thoughts

Good Evening, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Circle Of Sunshine. I was going to try to use a deformation to make the lines curve up like wings, but of course it didn't quite do as planned. Still, I did like what happened and so saved it.

Have any of you considered thoughts for the new year? Personally, I really think New Year's Resolutions are silly and a waste of time- at least, as a lot of people handle them. But perhaps a list of goals and a plan are good ideas, rather than a a huge list of promises which probably won't be kept. After the past year or so in college, I'm now wondering if maybe I should create a kind of 'New Year's Syllabus'- a list of tasks to do and preparations to make. It's pretty clear that a regular chart isn't going to cut it for me; It would be far too easy for me to forget to check that chart. Certainly, the syllabuses that came with the college courses did keep me on track!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Warming Up?

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Lit From Within. This picture was partly planned, and partly an experiment. I was thinking of trying to put angel wings in here somewhere, but decided against it; I used those in another picture instead.

It's nowhere near as bitterly cold outside right now as it had been- but the melting ice is slick, so I still advise against trying to move too quickly on it. While I was outside, I found we had had a couple of four-footed visitors recently: One a dog, I'm pretty sure. And I'm equally certain and just a bit surprised to see that a deer had been through. At least, I think it was a deer; Whatever it was looked like it had cloven hooves. I now wonder if that's what had the cats watching out the windows so intently.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

New Year's thoughts

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Water. I used a starburst floodfill for the base background, then a radial floodfill and a circle deformation for the second. It's not often that I do this because I do worry that one will overpower the other. As you can see, that didn't happen this time.

The countdown to New Year's day has begun. More importantly for me, the count-down to back-to-school has started. I did make sure to examine the text at the college site yet again- and as I expected, didn't really see anything new. At least the first few assignments outside the big project should be easy. What the big project is I don't know, so I'll have to refrain from saying more about that.

It's still very cold outside- but oddly enough, it is warmer than it had been during the past week. Snow is starting to melt, though it did try to refreeze as ice over the door; I had to kick the door open this morning to take the garbage can down to the road. I don't think I'll have to do that again today; Later on I threw the last bit of a peanut-butter sandwich out for the birds and squirrels, and shattered the ice that had been trying to hold the door closed.

Happy New Year to you, Gentle Readers!

Until We Meet...

Snowstorm's Aftermath

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Guppies. I made it last night while generally toying with my programs, and noticed that the entire image seemed to be underwater and that the last piece of it looked something like a tadpole. Since I was at a loss for any other name, the one I chose stuck.

I haven't checked the reports yet- but last night and the night before we had about 10 inches or so of snow dropped on us. At least, that is my best guestimate. Right now, though, the sun is shining and the wind is blowing the snow off the trees. It really is quite a sight. Sometimes chunks of ice will blow off the trees too. The cats and I spend a lot of time glancing up when something hits. Boy am I glad I got my coveralls out of the closet so they would be reasonably warm! I didn't need them to try to sweep off the steps a bit better, but my husband used them last night while trying to clear our driveway.

The break from my studies has been nice- But I will have to take them up again next week. Perhaps it's a good thing; I don't want any further chance to forget what I've learned already. I'll be checking in to school to see if any more material has been made available; What I saw already was awfully sparse, as well as a repetition of what I had seen in earlier courses and workshops. I suppose the professor is waiting to see how many students will be in attendance, to be divided into project groups. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to that; I'm more used to being a solo worker, after all. It doesn't help to think of the number of times I've taken up slack for fellow 'workers' in the past who didn't want to work. But that's the breaks. It will be good practice for getting my business up and running, after all.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Snow!

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is simply titled Opposites. I divided my canvas with a bezier line, then flood-filled each half with colors that were roughly- not exactly- opposite each other in the color wheel. After I shaped it into a circle, I added a background that would make it show well. Thus, what you see.

Some of you may have experienced something you've never seen before: A white Christmas. Certainly the snow has started falling here. It started yesterday, shortly after my husband and I got to my parents' place for dinner. It has continued since then, for an accumulation of at least six inches. It's still coming down quite heavily too! I've got a feeling that no one will want to go to work tomorrow. As it is, the road crews will be very busy and probably reminiscing about a blizzard we had some twenty or so years ago.

Stay Warm, Gentle Readers!

Until We Meet....

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

And Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year from The Tigger's Lair! May you have many bright holidays.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Christmas Eve

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Bisected Globe. As usual, it didn't quite come out as planned: I had wanted a stained glass effect from the dark blue. But I did notice how it resembled depictions of spheres cut in half to show what was in the middle, so I ran with this instead.

You may remember that a couple of weeks ago, I went Christmas shopping. A couple of days ago, one of my intended presents came up missing- so that threw me into a minor panic! All is well, though; I found the item in a place that I usually don't use to store things- which may be why I thought it would be safe to store there! Silly me. It is now packed and ready to present. I now have just one item left to wrap, then I should be good to go.

Happy Holidays, whatever you celebrate!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Last Minutes Before...

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Green Reflections. I used a couple of different flood-fill filters with this, but the same colors in each layer. I might try this again with red and gold; The image itself has demonstrated possibilities.

By now, I'm sure most of you are experiencing the last-minute crunch before the holiday hits. That is true of me as well, though thankfully the vast majority of what I have to do is done. I've come to the conclusion that there really isn't enough time to find a box for one of the items I got as a present for my nephew- So I'll see if I have a bag left from Christmases past. There are times when being a packrat pays off!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Year's End, Year's Beginning...

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Focused. I made several slightly-overlapping fields, then flood-filled them with colors that could contrast without really screaming. On the next layer, I added my focusing-lens effect, for what you now see.

I've been fortunate this year, really. Despite the deaths in the family and the decidedly annoying problems associated with them, I've managed to accomplish one of my goals- which is to get the Associate's Degree and move on to the next part of my education. I haven't done much writing lately, other than in my blog- But I think I now know how to approach parts of the situations my assorted characters now find themselves in. I just need to figure out what kinds of villains to throw at my heroes! I've notions about that, though...

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Random Acts of Kindness

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is simply titled Flecks. I used a filter in the second layer to let bits of the first show through, similar to what I use for glitter. I then used an overlay filter for the last two layers, rather than the hard light I had been using. I was considering making a picture similar to one I had made some time ago titled Scarves, but decided to run with this instead.

I was just over at Ancestry.com looking over a few items, and I came across a marvelous story that I felt was entirely appropriate for the season.

This tale is set back during the depression. A gentleman using an alias took out a small ad in a local newspaper informing people that if they wrote him asking for help, he would give them five dollars to buy things for their families. One of the families had a mother who wrote in, telling a heart-breaking story about a six-year-old boy whose shoes were more hole than shoe, a four-year-old girl who had just had a birthday, and an 18 month old baby.

The girl was given a little wooden pony with a pull string that she adored- but she wondered how her parents could afford such a luxury; Even at her tender age, she knew that times were hard. She grew up to raise miniature horses later on. When she was about 80 years old, she met the son of her family's benefactor.

In the story's simplicity, there is a kind of warmth and beauty that I would now wish we can all hold in our hearts throughout the year.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Seasonal Stuff

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Spinning Brightness. I really was looking for a point at the bottom- but that wasn't going to happen with everything else I was doing. So I took what I had and ran with it. This is the result.

I had been thinking hard about one last present for my husband-and finally I had a bit of inspiration and grabbed a skein of yarn and a hook. I should be able to get it done tonight or tomorrow. Pardon me if I don't say what I'm making- but he does sometimes read here too!

Last night, too, I broke out a kind of cake I had bought for the holidays. It's a rather unusual confection, in texture somewhere between shortbread, coffee cake, and a very dense regular cake. It was made with raisins and coated with powdered sugar. I don't really know what exactly to call it, but it is incredibly rich- so don't try to eat too much at once!

Until We meet, Gentle Readers...

The End of an Era

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

A few weeks ago, you may remember that a friend asked me to clean up an image of a coat of arms for her. This is the result. The image still isn't as clear as I would like it, but now one can tell what is what! I really would like to blow it up a bit so I can clarify it some more.

Now that I think about it, I know how that can be done- but that is a project for another time.

It's another chilly day before Christmas, with the temperatures just barely warm enough to melt off a bit of the ice from yesterday. I'm not betting on it staying that way overnight- but according to the forecast that is about where it will hover for a few days at least.

It was a rather odd experience over on my student site when I went to check the last-minute things and attend to my degree. I won't go so far as to call it grand like a whole graduation ceremony- but there was the feeling of the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one. The site did offer an option for a rush delivery- but that was for a sizable fee. While I would like to have the degree in my hands, a little wait will harm nothing. In the meanwhile, I have plenty of projects to keep my busy.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Cool School?

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is a rerun from about a year ago titled Christmas Circles. I named it that because of the color scheme: Red, white, blue, and green. Since it doesn't have snow or trees in it, I didn't relegate it to the holiday-only file. But I thought it was seasonal.

Believe it not, it has warmed up just a hair today- Just enough to melt a little bit more of the ice off. I'm not betting on it lasting too long, though; There is supposed to be a chance of snow-showers tonight. I can believe it; The clouds are hanging low overhead, though they're not positively black like some of the storm clouds I did see during the spring and summer.

I got a call from the college yesterday. For once, it wasn't about a new monkey wrench in the financial aid; It was to inform me that I had succeeded in earning my associate's degree! I'm sitting here panting; A couple of those courses, especially the last ones, were scary.

The courses from here on out are going to be compressed a bit, which does concern me somewhat. But it will be based on courses I had taken before, only a practical application of them instead of just the theory. We shall see what happens.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Watch that first step!

Good Evening, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Goblet. It's not often that I attempt to make a picture of an object, even a highly-stylized object like this. I probably would have done better to use a golden sparkle instead of the 'silverish' that I did. Still, this was an interesting test.

Very little happened today that I consider worthy of news or even gossip. However, when I stepped outside this morning to take care of a chore, I found that the porch and steps were dangerously slick with ice that had a very thin melted layer on it. Perhaps it is fortunate that I was not in a hurry! I think next time I'll lay something like an old sheet over it for a bit of traction. There was none to be had now!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Cold Weather Survival

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Sunny Ball. I made it last night because I thought that a few more nice warm images were in order.

Talk about prophetic! It was cloudy when I got up this morning, and less than an hour later it was snowing- a fine snow that nonetheless came down thick, and I've a feeling that will stick around a bit because the chill of the week before would have taken some of the heat from the ground!

Since the snow and chill are going to stay around for a while, some cold-weather survival tips are in order.

1) Wear layers. Several thinner layers will, in most cases, keep you warmer than one thick one. Not only that, if you get too warm you can take a layer off without sacrificing all of your protection.
2) Keep hot drinks on hand. Not only will that keep you warm, it will keep you from dehydrating. Believe it or not, dehydrating is a problem in winter because people are less likely to notice that they need liquid.
3) Keep your head and feet dry if you must go outside. Most heat in the human body is lost through the head. This is the same principle that makes icepacks on the head effective for keeping one from overheating.
4) If you must drive, SLOW DOWN! Snow and ice make roads hazardous. Some years ago I remember crossing a bridge on my way to work and I looked back down at the intersection behind me- and some fool was barreling out of there like he was on the Indiana race track, even though the snow and ice were up to my knees.
5) Invest in a good pair of gloves. Your hands will thank you for it.
6) If you're prone to cold feet- and I am- Wear socks to bed. You'll sleep better.

Stay warm, Gentle Readers!

Until We Meet...

Chilly and School Stuff

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Tree In Waves. As you probably can tell, I made the wave part first with a series of flood-fills before I put the tree on top of it. I meant for the areas between a couple of the branches to be a bit more pink than they are, but looking at it I'm just as glad it didn't work that way; Something too vivid would have screamed at the rest of the picture.

As predicted, this morning was COLD! In fact, there was ice on the inside of the windows on the west side of my abode when I finally crawled out of my nice warm nest this morning. The morning sun had already melted that on the east side. I don't expect it to get much warmer than it already is today.

I took a look at my next course last night, though I really don't have to do anything with it for a couple of weeks. It pretty much looks like a repeat of an earlier course, but slightly compressed: five weeks instead of nine. I ought to get a hard-copy of the text, too; The student site didn't offer any PDF files, which I had grown rather fond of. Instead, the text was restricted to the student site. I don't like that because the site will log a person out that it doesn't detect activity from- and that will put a cramp in my note-taking. I'm glad I found out about it now instead of waiting!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Thanks Amid the Cold

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Intertwining. I intended the vining to be a bit closer to lime green than the color it is, but this works better because it doesn't compete so much with the rest of the picture- though it does hold its own.

Last night was incredibly cold! In fact, I didn't want to get out of my nice warm nest this morning- Though I had to before I got too groggy to be of use to anyone- including me. As predicted, little of the snow I saw yesterday stuck. But what's left is stuck hard. I've not checked the forecast yet, but I doubt it will melt off for at least the next three days. If it does anything, it will probably sublimate.

The place I live- a trailer- doesn't keep out the drafts as well as could be desired. But I give thanks that I have it; There are people and creatures who have no shelter at all from the bitter chill that has started to settle in. I also give thanks for my nice warm blankets that help even more, and for the dryer that can warm the blankets up when I start feeling really cold.

I probably ought to look into insulations for this place. But all in all, it's not that bad.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

The End, and a Short Break

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Snowfield. I thought it appropriate for today; I am presently watching the second snowfall of the winter season where I live. I don't think it will stick for long- but with the bitter temperatures heading this way, it will leave an icy mess for anyone who has to go out in it! Lucky me, I get to hole up inside with a nice hot mug of cocoa if I want to!

I hope you can forgive my absence during the past couple of days, Gentle Readers; I had a number of finishing touches to put on a project, and there were a number of elements that simply were not coming together until I invoked The Power of the Yellow Pad. By the time I finished up late last night, my brain was squawking in protest at the thought of doing any more heavy thinking for the night, so I hit the sack. I'm feeling a lot better now!

I even have a short break before I hit the studies again- which suits me no end! As it is, I'll have to download material- but I'll have only one course at a time, unlike the past several blocks when I had two. That may not be much of an advantage, considering how demanding some of my past courses were. But bring it on!

Until we meet, Gentle Readers...

Mishandled Changes

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Almost A Bell. I was really trying to create a festive bell for the season, but the one side simply would not curve the way I wanted it. I eventually decided to run with what you see now.

Somehow I don't think we'll see close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit today. Last night, a gentleman reminded me with a bit of gentle humor that not everyone uses the old English system of measurements- so now I shall attempt to remember to tell you, my readers, which system I am using to avoid confusion in the future!

Yesterday at a comic strip I read frequently, I and the other fans got a very unpleasant surprise; The comment section got closed down without warning. I imagine that the artist was going to try to give us a heads-up, but his computer went bonkers before he could. Nonetheless, there are a lot of hard feelings about how the closing was handled- or mishandled, as it were.

As a business student and a reader, I can tell what exactly went wrong;

1) The strip's host did not give the readers any notice that anything was going down.

2) The strip's host then proceeded to write an 'explanation' that came across as extremely condescending, and frankly as full of holes as a block of Swiss cheese.

3) The strip's writer also knew what was happening- at his request- but he also failed to give us any notice of what was happening. I can respect his wish to not have a comment section, but the entire issue was handled badly.

As a result, both host and writer will find that their customer base is at best shaken, and will have to work very hard to get it all back. It's too bad, really; The loyal readers of the strip were also among some of the best troll and spammer hunters the host had.

Most of us have recovered from the first shock and are trying to best recover what the community lost. A number of ideas have been presented. Fortunately, we even had a couple of contingency plans in case the strip's comment page became unusable for whatever reason. We shall see what happens.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Cold with and Attittude!

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Snowdrifts and Tree. I didn't quite get what I was looking for when I made this- But it is close, so I won't complain.

When I made today's image, I wasn't thinking of the weather forecast. I looked at it a few minutes ago, and saw that the nights were going to be quite chilly though the days were supposed to warm up just a little.

When I looked at the ten-day forecast though- YIKES! Methinks I had better bring my parka out of retirement! I've a feeling my husband will need it! No doubt my Canadian friends will view what I'm looking at as down-right balmy- But where I live very seldom sees temperatures in the teens.

I'm going to ask my husband to bring home some hot chocolate tonight- We'll need it!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers- Stay warm!

BRRRRRR!

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

This is another old image, first seen about this time last year. It is titled Christmas Circles. With the holiday fast approaching, I thought it was appropriate.

One word for the temperatures this morning: BRRRRRR! The bottom has dropped out, and it seems will stay out for the rest of the week! When I step out, I had better make sure to bundle up.

There is one advantage, though: It will be a good day for baking. If I can find time between my school work, I intend to make that cake. Randy brought home some holiday M & M's, so I'll be using those too.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers!

Mistletoe Musings

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is a truly ancient one that I made in basic Paint called Christmas Cocoa. While the holiday itself is still a little way away, there is enough of a chill in the air to remind one that winter has arrived- even if no more snow comes!

I still have a couple of items I want to get for the holidays- and I think I will see to it tomorrow; While the chill will be bitter, it will be sunny and I really do want to try to get something else for my husband as well as my parents. I suppose I ought to see about boxes too; A number of the things I got didn't have any.

On the other hand, I did find a few nice festive decorations that the cats can't get their paws on too easily- And for that, I am most grateful!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Work and puppies

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Fish. The top one doesn't have as strong a contrast against its background as I could wish for, but the image did come out well for all that.

I meant to finish my accounting end-of-term project last night- but my parents tendered an invitation for dinner. Since we didn't have Thanksgiving with them this year, we went. Their little beagle Reggie is still quite a handful at nine months old, but he's finally getting the hang on this behave-himself business. July- the older dog- is finally recovering from a very nasty allergic reaction from earlier in the year. I now think it's a seasonal thing, and that spring and summer will always be miserable times for her. Poor pooch.

The light dusting of snow we got did melt off- but the frigid temperatures we got last night would have frozen anything that was left. Once I finish my work for the day, I may crawl back into my nice warm nest!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Random Bits

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Winter Star. Those of you who have been following me a while will recognize it as one of my 'star' series.

I thought the image appropriate for today; We now have snow on the ground, a light dusting that looks like powdered sugar. It won't stick for very long, but then it is unusual for snow to come before late December anyway, at least where I live. Still, I think it can be taken as a sign of things to come and that we will have a chilly winter.

One assignment down for next week, two big ones to go! I'm not even really counting the daily question for accounting, though I probably ought to. Speaking of that, that is the project I will tackle today.

I do have a word of warning to pass on, if you are a member of Facebook; Apparently some one has devised a nasty little gremlin as a 'test' that, if you take it, it will close down your account. At least one of my friends got bitten by it. I don't think I have, but I am running an anti-virus scan just to be sure. Be careful out there, my friends!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Back To The Old Grind

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Future Gazing. I thought it appropriate for the kind of focused-lens effect I managed to get here, though I didn't get the flames as I wanted them. Still, I did get sparks where I didn't really expect them, and that makes up for it.

I was presented with an interesting challenge last night. A friend found a coat of arms for her husband's family but the lines were too blurred to really be presentable, and the text was worse. She couldn't do anything with it in Basic Paint, so she asked me to see what I could do, since I do toy with Paint Shop Pro. Ideally, she would have talked with someone with access to a program like Photoshop, but neither of us know anyone like that. One thing I did that seemed to help was use the sharpen and enhance tools. However, when I tried just one too many applications of that, the image started looking like a soap-bubble rainbow- so I had to back up just a hair.

The sharpening and enhancing didn't help with the text at all. Worse still, when I tried to erase it, I found a bright blue background behind the surface that didn't belong in the image at all! Again, I had to back up. I then tried using the dropper to pick up the color I did want, and used that as a kind of digital white-out. That was much more effective, and I was able to re-create the text far more legibly.

In the middle of that, I was looking at one of my end-of-term projects, and found I could use work I had done in a previous assignment to help with it. Of course, the first thing I did was look for the document in question. Oops! It wasn't where it should be, though I could have sworn I had done it! I laughed when I realized what had happened; I had indeed done the assignment while on vacation, so the document I want was on my flash drive rather than my main computer. What a relief! What's even better is that the assignment took care of the item that I would have had trouble with in the project.

Well, folks- It's back to the old grind for another week.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

End of the Trail

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Threaded Ball. As you can see, I included a little bit of a glitter effect- though not quite as much as I think would be good for it. It has been a while since I added truly random lines to my works, but I decided that that was exactly what I needed here. I think I'll try it again with a silver glitter instead of one of the other colors.

Like most journeys, the one my husband and I took to Greenwood had to come to an end. The drive was longer than the Mapquest directions indicated- but that was because we stopped on the way. The funny thing is that while it was still light, I found myself continually dozing off- but as it got dark, I woke up a whole lot better. Considering how the human species is mostly diurnal, that is decidedly backwards. My husband, on the other hand, was quite ready to go to sleep when we got home!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

A Memorial

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Spotlights. I didn't quite get what I wanted with this- Like that's new. But I thought it would be nice and warming on this chilly morning.

And I do mean chilly! We have experienced the first frost of the season; I could still see a few crystals of it on items that were in the shade. Other than that, it's beautifully sunny outside. I think that soon I'll step out and see what I can do about my Christmas shopping; By now, the Black Friday madness should have passed.

Over all, I did enjoy my stay in Greenwood.

Not all was happiness, though. We had to lay Pop and his wife to rest. Pop didn't want a funeral; He simply wanted his ashes and hers spread together. A pastor from a local church came to offer prayers with us, before and after the spreading. Pop had a low-growing palm tree in the back yard of the last place he lived, and there was a lighthouse ornament where it could be seen from that tree. That was where we left him, and her. It was a bittersweet experience.

After that, we stayed in his house for a while trading a few stories and memories. The thing that stayed with us was that Pop lived until the very end.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

The Town of Greenwood

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Lens. I really wanted to have a bunch of golden-red and violet dancing flames- but that didn't exactly happen. So I decided to dress it up a bit. What you see is the results.

Greenwood, South Carolina is a very pretty little town. It has quite a few churches, a number of picturesque neighborhoods, and a few Mom-and-Pop style restaurants as well as franchises for some of the larger chains. One restaurant that sells fantastic pizza is Mig's, which is owned by a gentleman who lives in the area. If you get hungry, by all means go there!

Greenwood does have a problem that is both amusing and annoying; Many of the streets aren't really well labeled, and a lot of the signs that are up tend to be blocked from view by other sign posts and light poles. I imagine that if anyone came there with ill-will in mind, that person would be lost in a very large hurry! However, it doesn't seem to be an issue for anyone who lives there.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Kitties, Geeks, and Books

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Snowdrifts and Tree. I made it last night while attempting to create an illusion of falling snow. It worked rather well, and it seems appropriate for the last day of November.

On to our traveler's tales...

Once we reached our destination, we were greeted by a pair of Sheltie dogs: Brogan, a old dog, and the much younger Natchez. My husband and I had met Brogan before; It was funny how he tried to herd us around when one of us strayed away from the others. But he doesn't do that now, between age and hip dysplasia. The problem with his hips looks painful- but he never complained.

We also met an extremely talkative feline named Megan. Later on, even her much shyer brother Shawn made himself known.

I said Megan was extremely talkative. The truth is that she is far more vocal than both of mine put together- especially when she wants attention. Which happens to be a lot. She was very much pleased when our hostess' parents arrived; This charming couple is just crazy about cats.

It also impressed and amused me to see that the gentleman could out-geek some geeks. He, my husband, and my husband's brother spent quite a lot of time huddling over old malfunctioning computers, and having the time of their lives.

For myself, I got to sink my teeth into some of my brother-in-law's literature. He used to work in microbiology and genetic sciences. While I never did as such, biology was one of my first loves. Needless to say, I never got bored!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Travels of the Tigger

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Blowing Bubbles. As you might guess, I was experimenting with blurring the lines as well as overlays. The name is really more of a placeholder than anything else.

I promised to tell a few more traveler's tales, so here goes.

The night before we were supposed to hit the road, my husband tried to get some directions from Googlemaps. Note I said tried; A number of key elements were missing especially toward the destination, and nothing was mentioned about the detours. Of course, the map makers can't be expected to keep track of road construction, so that was no big deal.

However, they did suffice to get us most of the way to our destination. I was interested to see that some of the traditional billboards had been replaced by computerized boards that could switch out ads. I see both an advantage and a disadvantage to this; On the one hand, fewer billboards will be needed for the same amount of advertising space. On the other, people may find it hard to gather the pertinent information from the ads before the next one rotates in.

I-85 was the worst part of the trip; It tended to split a lot, and not give any indication of which was the right 85 for the traveler to follow. In fact, my husband and I refer to that as the schizophrenic road. Fortunately, it wasn't as bad coming back- though I will never really like it.

We didn't quite make it to our destination on the first day, both because of the road and because we got a later start than we planned. Other than our minor adventure with the motel that I spoke of yesterday, though, there was little in the way of adventure.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

America's Best Inn isn't.

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is a fractal by Ron Venable that he titled Enjoy Thanksgiving. He used to share these and other fractal images a lot before his previous computer died. These days, we keep what we can for him.

I mentioned yesterday that I would talk about a motel we stayed at on the way down to South Carolina. I should say that I'm not going to detail all the problems I saw there- But I will say that if I had tried to get away with as shoddy a cleaning job as was done there, I would have been chewed out- and rightly so.

If you are near the border between North and South Carolina, don't stay at this place if you have a choice. One of the first thing I personally noticed was the rule list.

There was nothing wrong with the list in itself, but a number of the rules were quite unnecessary- unless there had been trouble at the place in the past.

I also noticed a hand-written sign proclaiming a 90% sanitation rating and a no refund notice. In themselves, these would have been nothing to worry about either, though they do raise questions.

However, whoever wrote the sanitation rating sign didn't look at the rooms. There were used grounds in the coffee maker, the towels had stains on them, the toilet was running- which is a pretty good indication that something needs to be looked at, and the microwave oven was sitting on the floor rather than at least on a table where the client could use it easily.

There was also a problem with the curtains; They weren't quite wide enough to cover the windows. The front grill on the air conditioning unit had been broken in the past, and it could be seen where the plate to a chain lock had been removed from the door.

I do have to say that these people did give a small room safe and card key locks on the door. However, considering everything else I saw, I'm not sure I would store valuables in the said safe.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

The Return of the Tigger!

Good Evening, Gentle Readers!

In honor of the recent holiday, I decided to dig this picture up from the depths of my archives. It is one that I used for inspiration some years ago when I decided to start collecting family recipes into a cookbook for those without ready access to some of the gourmet foods that are often featured on the cooking shows.

Other than a couple of slow-traffic areas, and once getting very lost near our destination, our trip was fairly uneventful. However, the police were quite active during the week, starting last Saturday, when several vehicles blockaded a local bank! I've not found out what the story behind that was, but it wouldn't be the first time that an area bank was robbed. We also saw at least one accident on our way down to South Carolina, and legions of people sitting in front of those flashing blue lights. I can only say Wow!

This is the first in a small series of traveler's tales, and will include even a motel review. Sadly, I can't honestly say many good things about the place. But that is a post for another time.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Just a note before I go

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is simply titled Hot. I was going to try to have a yellow inclusion in the main image, but the color simply wouldn't come out the way I wanted it to so I took it out. The pink wings work better without it anyway.

I have very little news this early in the morning, but I did want to leave a note before I disappeared for possibly a week.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Tying up loose ends...

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Split Circles. I wasn't going for this specific effect at all when I made this picture: I was hoping more for a spectrum effect in the circle. However, the image does have a certain energy. Thus, it got saves. Perhaps I'll get my spectrums in another attempt.

Boy do I have my work cut out for me today! I've got an assignment or two two try to get turned in, and a cake to bake so my husband and I can take it with us to share with my brother and sister in law, and her parents. I've been wanting to bake that cake for some time, but it wasn't a good idea with all the candy laying around the house. Too, there is the fact that Randy and I couldn't hope to eat it by ourselves in a reasonably amount of time. It would be much better to share it, I think. We'll be down for about a week, so that'll give us all the time we need.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

New Lock

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Pyramid. This is a first venture into the world of three dimensions via a computer graphics program. Eventually, I will try something more elaborate- but I suspect that if I want curves I'll have to use a program I'm not really familiar with.

Last night, I finally went ahead and called a locksmith to install a new lock on our back door. The people that sold me my present abode never did give me the keys to the old lock- and that really should have been a simple matter. Like many things, though, the simple matter was made far more complicated than it needed to be. Since my husband and I are going to be out of town next week, we really did need to do something so my parents could get in to take care of the cats but we meanwhile could still keep the place reasonably secure.

I was quite impressed with the locksmith; The previous door latch had been hammered into an opening too small for it, but he wrestled it out again. No wonder my husband and I couldn't get the thing out ourselves! Anyway the gentleman from Entry Solutions and I both tested the new lock and pronounced it satisfactory, and he offered a reasonable price for it. I highly recommend him if you need assistance in matters concerning locks.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

What Was the School Thinking?

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Unexpected- Largely because it is. I forget exactly what I was trying for, but the circles anchoring the corners weren't quite what I wanted. Still, it does have a certain glow. I'm going to try to reproduce that with this year's series of winter images.

Last night, I made quite a lot of progress with my note-taking. But when I opened that last chapter to see what I would have to do with it, I got a surprise that I'm not sure I like; It's even bigger than the ones I had already noted! What was the school thinking, wanting us to read and note all of that in less than a week?! I'll probably be burning a lot of midnight oil again. Fortunately, I seem to have the hydrological cycles down, though I did need to make notes of specific terms just in case the professor was looking for certain words rather than layman's descriptions.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Where did THAT come from?

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Spotlights. As usual, it didn't quite come out as planned. I think I know what went wrong and how to fix it, though. Meanwhile, I thought something cheerful was in order.

I took a look at the rest of my required reading for the week for Geology- and I gawked! Three more chapters to go! Still, the geology chapters tend to be shorter than those for accounting, so that won't be too painful. It's even possible that a couple of them are required for next week; That has happened a lot during this block of classes. Time to invoke the Power of the Pad!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Busy Busy!

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is Silver Glitter 2. I intended to display this sooner, but I had saved it in the wrong format for the blog- so I had to tweak it so you could see it.

What a busy morning! I had my normal Monday chores, of course. And now, I'll have homework, a nice big cake to bake that I had intended to make a couple of weeks ago, and other nefarious plans to lay!

One thing I need to do is lay out an exercise program of some sort; My space is limited, but I'm getting way flabbier than I like. Given where I want to go, I'm going to have to change that. Perhaps I'll break out the CDs; I've not played them in a while. I also need to finish assembling my web site and start getting some income there; I think that represents the best chance I've got of getting Randy and me to our location of choice in a hurry. That means that I'll have to start learning about HTML; The last time I tried using it, I had no luck at all. I guess that means I'll have to study that as well as my courses! Fortunately, my husband brought a bunch of books about that with him when we got married.

Never a dull moment!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Catching up?

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Encased Gold- though, as you can see, there is really very little gold in it. I made my original line diagonally and applied the first flood fills, then applied a series of deformations and yet more fills until I was satisfied with the results. I may change the name later, but right now I think I'll just keep it as it is.

One more week to vacation! I still haven't really got things caught up as I want them, but I'm enough ahead that I'm reasonably comfortable. I still am not happy with the accounting course; I thought I understood somewhat about keeping track of money, then I started trying to learn the rules. Eww! Learning rules by rote just doesn't work, whatever textbook writers might think. It's not even their fault; They have to get down what they know somehow. Still, all I can do is keep on plugging. I've said it before: The work isn't going to go away by itself!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Accounting Up The Wall!

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Starlit. The sparks aren't quite as large as I had hoped for at first, but in all it does give a good impression of a night sky with a contrail across it.

Well, last night I finally used a tool in my Open Office file that I hadn't touched before, except in the worksheets that were already set up: The one set up for ledgers and accounting journals. I still am not certain that what I did was what the professor wanted, but it was an interesting experiment to say the least. I also am not sure I did that last item of homework correctly. Fortunately, I haven't turned it in yet. I do have one more thought to try out with it, after I look the text over one more time. But that new starting trial balance is driving me up the wall!

Until We meet, Gentle Readers...

Holidays

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Silver Glitter. I have a second, far more dramatic silver glitter image as well- but it needs a little work before I publish it.

Yesterday was a solemn occasion as we thought of the soldiers, many of whom didn't get to come home to their families. Today, we can turn our thoughts to more cheerful matters; The upcoming holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.

Any more, Thanksgiving is pretty much a forgotten holiday, except by retailers who are ramping up the sales of food and gift items. At one time, it was considered important. It still should be, as it is a celebration of a good harvest, though many of us don't farm like those who created the holiday did. It is still considered a time to gather, though, and maybe even watch football or whatever the family does. While I personally don't enjoy the sport, I can appreciate a good play.

The modern version of Christmas is a wild conglomeration of many winter solstice holidays, with a little spice of Christianity even though reliable scholars don't think the event it was supposed to celebrate happened until spring. Still, I have spent hours watching the lights and decorations.

New Year's Eve is yet another hodgepodge of traditions. Many cultures believe that it is lucky to bring in the New Year with love and laughter, though. Certainly, it is a very good way to make a new start of any sort!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Veteran's Day

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Red, White, and Blue. This isn't what I originally intended to display today. However, this day has been set aside in honor of our veterans. In light of that, I believe this is a far better choice than what I was originally considering showing.

I'm sure many of you have veterans in your family. My grandfather was one such, though he seldom talked about World War II. He was a mechanic, and even after he left the service to start a family, the love of tinkering followed him. When I was growing up, he had whole sheds and even barns full of projects. I was forever poking around in them to see what he was doing.

During the Vietnam War, my husband went out for the draft. He was one of the fortunate ones; A health problem kept him out of the service, so he wasn't one of the soldiers protested against by the generation of young people who stayed at home. His father, however, was a vet in World War II as well.

There are others, of course. But these are the ones that stick in my mind the most. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Armed Forces, I Salute You.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Eek!

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Swirling Drops. For those of you familiar with my work, the twisting effects tend to appear with certain deformations. I've pretty much given up on most manually-controlled curves, but I can do a lot with the tools.

Right now, one of my accounting assignments is driving me up the wall! I've got the numbers all in the right places I know, but they simply aren't adding up as they should! I may want to clear everything out and try it again from the start- but it is driving me bonkers. Wish me luck!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Random Holiday Thoughts

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Sparkle Ball. And yes, I finally did figure out how that worked! I'll need to repeat this in silver too, and I may try other things with it. But I call this a success!

Boy, yesterday was I ever feeling icky- especially toward evening! I did manage to get part of my homework done, though, and to uncover a few places where I need to pay a bit more attention. Over all, it was a productive night in spite of the headache and unhappy insides.

My husband, bless his heart, brought home a dozen roses and a box of chocolates for our anniversary! The flowers now grace a counter where (hopefully) Galahad the oversized kitten will leave them alone. We'll be going out of town, so I'll consider that our 'present'. Meanwhile, I ought to think about what to do about the gift-giving season; Money is tight, like it is for most of us, and so is space. I'll think of something; I always do.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Finding Knowledge

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Cats' Eyes. It's not exactly a cat's eye marble, there being several inclusions in the main figure But the shape of the inclusions is the same, and I did use a disolve figure to give a bit of a speckled effect.

Last night while I was taking notes, I noticed that a lot of the stuff I was noting was already included in previous reading. That doesn't mean I stinted, of course; I was very careful not to just in case I missed something earlier! But it does mean that the language isn't quite as alien as it used to be.

I am going to have to find out about the rocks where I live; I need it both for a project and for an assignment. I've been finding it very difficult to find what I want, though I can find all kinds of stuff that dances around the issue!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Time Change and Studies

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Time On My Hands. I may remake it later. I did assemble it as a reminder for those who haven't already done so to turn back their clocks.

When I looked at the reading for next week's accounting class, I found that a large part of it was done last week! Not that re-reading it will hurt anything, of course. But that will save a lot of the note-taking that I otherwise would have to do. I'll have to go back over those notes, of course. I've lost track of how much stuff I could have sworn I wrote down that I wasn't able to re-locate- at least, not until well after I no longer needed it.

I also need to go back over references to Pangaea and tectonic plate tracks; Some time ago, I read an item about Africa crashing into North America and pushing up the eastern mountain ranges. But if I want to write a report on this stuff, I need more than a vague recollection. Wish me luck!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers....

Details, Details...

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Reaching. I wasn't really sure what would happen when I made this using a dissolve filter- but this is one thing I found that can make sparkles, and indeed the picture is why I thought it would work. Thinking about it, I do have a couple of ideas that I will try later on today.

I thought yesterday that narrowing down my base for my end-of-term project would simplify matters. But last night, I came to the realization that it didn't do quite that- though it did give me an honest-to-goodness starting point! I need to go back to the first web site I found, I think. I'm sure I can find what I want there. Wish me luck!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

There's The Sunshine...

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Angel-Winged. When I made this image, I wasn't pleased with the huge fields of pale washed-out gold. A number of flood-fills fixed that, though!

Yesterday and the day before were down-right gloomy. I didn't want to do anything but sleep! In light of what I had to accomplish, though, that was not a complete option.

I did manage to get that final essay for my accounting class turned in- after I plowed through well over 150 pages of textbook to find some of the notes that I needed, including a few items that I could have sworn I had taken notes on, but couldn't find. Still, after I found that, I was quite pleased. And the cats swore I was nuts with the way I was dancing around! Needless to say, I did yet more note-taking. I now have three days to finish that, along with starting notes and assignments for next week. I also have two weeks to try to get stuff turned in so I'll have a relatively easy time while my husband and I are away on vacation.

Things are looking very good!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...