Friday, October 24, 2025

misc pics, some good news among the bad, more art stuff, more October skies


A few miscellaneous pics that have been piling up to start. Cat draped across my leg while we watch tv in the hour before bed.

Goldenrod.

Leopard frog rescued from the probing paws and nose of Cat. This one was in the house, stunned but unharmed.


Once again my inbox is overflowing with no desire to wade through all the horror. Delete, delete, delete. I don’t need to read ten essays on something I’m aware of and have no control over. And speaking of that continuing horror, Trump, not satisfied with destroying the economy, terrorizing the undocumented population we rely on for so many things, punishing blue cities and states for not voting for him by withholding federal funds, punishing his outspoken critics by having the DOJ file frivolous lawsuits against them, ending scientific research, trashing relationships with our allies, slashing access to healthcare and the social safety net, refusing federal aid for disaster relief, and destroying overseas markets for our farmers has bulldozed the East Wing of the White House without going through the lengthy process of making changes to the People’s House to replace it with an enormous garish fake gold plated unnecessary unwanted ballroom because he’s jealous of the one Putin has at the Winter Palace. Turning the Oval Office into a bordello and paving over what used to be the Rose Garden just didn’t do it for him. I did read one analysis yesterday that this ‘movement’ will all collapse within months of Trump’s death. I just hope I outlive him and am here to see it.


So on to better news, fellow blogger Joanne of Cup On The Bus, that wonderful weaver of kitchen towels, my friend who has suffered trauma after trauma after trauma and who resiliently always perseveres, who last posted August 1st is accounted for. Her long absence from blogging had me concerned and I emailed her October 13th. When she didn’t reply within the next day or two as she usually does I began to think maybe the worst had happened. Those of you who also follow Joanne will be relieved to hear the worst did not happen, just more trauma from which she is stubbornly working her way through. She replied to my email Tuesday. She resolved the pain in her leg issue with a minor (as these things go) vascular surgery and two weeks of rehab. However, four days after getting home she fell and broke her hip so is currently back in rehab flat on her back with weeks still to go. “Not wonderful but I can get through it”, she wrote.


Very busy yesterday at SHARE and I expect next week to be just as and next month more so when the cuts to SNAP take effect. No money to feed American citizens who are suffering from Trump’s ‘economy’ but $20 billion to bail out Argentina because their president is a wannabe Trump.


Ok, ok. Enough. After finishing Paisleigh’s skirt sans hem I got my mending done, patching two bottom fitted sheets which had tears and worn through spots. The first time this happened I consigned the fitted sheet to garden use covering plants and kept the top sheet (remember the extra top sheet from when I cleaned out the linen closet? Yeah, that one) but since then two more sheet sets tore. I know my heels are calloused from the cheap outdoor gardening sandals I wear but really? So I used the extra sheet for the patches. Now my tan and maroon fitted sheets have big blue patches because I wasn’t tossing them. Good sheets are expensive.


I’ve also finished the fourth page in the art journal, the one with the background done by transferring the color from foil. Can’t decide if I want to add watercolor over the marker leaves or leave it as is. Probably as is and can try that on another page. 


And I’m starting another art card of red bud tree leaves and I think I want to do one more bird, a wren or maybe a tufted titmouse and then I think I’ll be done. I got all the previous ones packaged.


And more October skies, 16th - 18th.




13 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for the news about Joanne. I've been checking her blog from time to time to see if she had posted. Sorry to hear about her hip but glad she is on the mend and is still determined!
    I love those cards of yours. They sure are beautiful and you and so talented, Ellen. Thanks also for the lovely sky photos! That brightens my day!

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  2. Your cards are gorgeous! Keep doing art- resist- don't take any bullshit! It is out of our control so ART and mock!

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  3. The paragraph after the frog covers what’s going on in my brain. Thank you for that. And thank you for all the beauty you share. I could just snuggle that cat!

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  4. I think that Premier Ford of Ontario really got under Trump’s skin with an ad on TV. Hooray. Thanks for the picture of the Southern Leopard Frog, quite different from its northern cousin here.

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  5. Codex: put together like that your cards are wonderful.
    I'm not familiar with the last technique. Transfer foil? The detail of the ginkgo is remarkable. Can you explain it?

    I'd leave it as is.
    If it was an art journal I would have placed three and then written something.
    Left a previous comment if you want a materials list.

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  6. Codex: they're not overseas markets. They are global markets. Much worse. It's like dominoes. If those markets crash they're all affected.

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  7. You may have had some thunderstorms tonight. I'm up and trying to get a little caught up on the computer before the line of storms hits us. There are a couple of tornado warnings, and a marine warning for all of the offshore waters. I hope some real rain comes with it. I love that page with the ginko leaves in your art journal. I think it's perfect as is, but I'm always impressed by your work. For some reason, all of the leaves you've done on your cards really appeal. Seeing them together, I decided it's partly that variety in their shapes.

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  8. Thanks so much for the Joanne news. Like you, I was thinking the worst, not that what she’s dealing with now is all that great.
    Had to let you know - with twin 7 year old twin granddaughters visiting I was I inspired by your art books and have assembled spiral journals, scissors, markers, and old magazines for some craft time.

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  9. Thank you so much for the update about Joanne! I was so worried. That is (sorta) good news that she is still with us, albeit with dealing with more health issues. Take care, Kris in Ohio

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  10. With just the one exception (even the national media here calls it, in an attempt of cynicsm, the Epstein Ballroom) I like everything you shared here.

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  11. Thank you SO much for reporting on Joanne, Cup on The Bus weaver extraordinaire. I'm not surprised to hear that her attitude is good and she'll get through this just as she has in the past. We do get attached to our blogger friends don't we?

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  12. I'm sorry to hear about Joanne's misfortune, but glad she's recuperating. I haven't read her blog but I'm used to seeing her in your comments!

    I'm with you on the ballroom. Such a ridiculous waste of money, whether funded by donations or not. The fact that Trump is able to drum up contributions for such projects (and apparently for paying the military, never mind that it may be illegal) shows how skewed our economy has become.

    Your cards look amazing! And thanks for rescuing the frog.

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  13. I love the art cards! I'm doing the same thing as you with newsletters. I have a few that I read regularly, and the rest just get deleted. I can't handle it.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.