tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112518422024-03-06T23:11:33.821-06:00Get A Grip On ItJust trying to make sense of it all.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.comBlogger534125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-72669390801800939692017-09-04T21:50:00.000-05:002017-09-04T21:50:17.328-05:00Lost and found<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/36863719712/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Found camera"><img alt="Found camera" height="281" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4369/36863719712_9a86f86964.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> <br />
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Because today was a holiday, I do what all Americans do on Labor Day. I cleaned the bathroom drawers. You know, the ones where razor blades and cotton balls and the toothpaste samples from the dentist go, and never come out again.<br />
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When I got to the back of the bottom drawer, I found a little zipper bag. I expected to find a electric shaver, but when I opened it, I found a camera. I think it belonged to my parents - both of whom have been gone.<br />
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The batteries were corroded, so I removed them and cleaned the contacts. T found some new batteries, I installed them, and I figured out how to take a picture. The shutter, film advance, and display all worked. The flash did not. After the photo I took, there are still 14 frames left - if the display can be trusted.<br />
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So I guess I'm going to take some outdoor photos and then get the film developed. T said, "The film is probably already ruined."<br />
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"I know," I said, "but I have to try."Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-33538225282921197702017-08-22T16:53:00.000-05:002017-08-22T16:53:53.720-05:00Eclipse adventureSo, the eclipse.<br />
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Seeing a total solar eclipse is one of the few achievable items on my bucket list, and I've known for awhile that there would be one just a couple of hours away on August 21, 2017. <br />
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We purchased a camping spot in Lathrop, Missouri, a couple of hours from home, and very near the center line of totality. Lathrop is a small town, and we thought we might enjoy that more than the huge event that was planned in St. Joseph. Also, we were able to get a camping spot with electricity, which is always a plus.<br />
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In the days before the eclipse, we watched the weather forecast - maybe clouds and rain, maybe not. Over the weekend, we mentioned our concerns to someone at the astronomy club. "You already have a spot?" he said. "Then go. You will still have fun."<br /><br />Even on the drive down Sunday afternoon, watching heavy clouds, we pondered switching and heading towards Saint Louis, where my aunt's backyard was also in the path of totality. But we had left the cat home alone, and STL would be a longer drive home for us. We decided to stick with Lathrop, reminding ourselves of our friend's admonition - "You will still have fun."<br /><br />We camped at the Antique Show Grounds, which appeared to be a cross between a normal county fairground, and one of those old town reconstructions. It wasn't too crowded where we camped, and we had a nice southern view.<br /><br />Monday morning, we got up, found the coffee truck, drove into town for a couple of errands, and came back to the camper. Then it started rain. Thunderstorm, actually - for an hour and a half. I dared to hope that it would clear things out for later in the day. After the rain stopped, we walked around and looked at some of the antique doodads. My favorite was an honest-to-goodness Burma Shave sign.<br />
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Our friend Kim drove down from Des Moines and arrived in time to watch the eclipse with us. The clouds were still thick, but occasionally there would be a "sucker hole" where we could see the sun. I used my straw hat as a pinhole viewer. We could see the growing eclipse until just before totality. We could definitely feel it getting cooler, and darker, although that didn't seem much different than when thick storm clouds roll in. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/36695741266/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="IMG_20170821_130446457"><img alt="IMG_20170821_130446457" height="281" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4423/36695741266_987799b228.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br /><br />I am fairly sure I saw the "diamond ring" just before totality. Then, suddenly, it got dramatically darker. There were enough clouds that we could not see the corona, but we definitely knew that something different had happened. It was much darker than could be explained by clouds. There were still lots of ooh and ahs from folks nearby. We could see the 360 degrees of dusk, but never did see the eclipsed sun.<br /><br /> <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/36695738616/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="IMG_20170821_130829152"><img alt="IMG_20170821_130829152" height="500" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4338/36695738616_bbc2572796.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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After a couple of minutes, it lightened up again, and totality was over. I told Terry and Kim, "Even though we didn't SEE the total eclipse, we can absolutely say we EXPERIENCED it."<br /><br />We found out later that, had we hopped in the car and driven five or ten miles to the south, we could have seen totality. But who knew?<br /><br />The good news is, <a href="https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2024Apr08Tgoogle.html" target="_blank">the next eclipse in the US</a> in only seven years away - April 8, 2024 - and my niece and sister-in-law both live in the path of totality. Clear a spot, ladies, because we plan to be there.<br />
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But in 2017? We DID have fun.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0Lathrop, MO 64465, USA39.5483354 -94.32994610000002939.5238484 -94.370286600000028 39.5728224 -94.28960560000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-348447610489387792016-01-12T19:30:00.001-06:002016-01-12T19:31:20.537-06:00So. Many. Words.<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/24044033370/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Up close with Robert Browning"><img alt="Up close with Robert Browning" height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1505/24044033370_d57f136242.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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A page from the <a href="http://getagriponit.blogspot.com/2016/01/brownings-complete-poetical-works.html">Browning volume</a>, with pencil for scale. Now multiply that by two and a half inches. Wow.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-58199850674320508032016-01-11T21:13:00.000-06:002016-01-11T21:14:20.387-06:00Bowie and BingFor the most part, I am a fan of modern times. I'm not one to get nostalgic for the good old days. Even things I miss from the past, like being able to see the Milky Way from my backyard, I would only want to regain if we can keep our modern medical advances, digital photography, and wi-fi.<br />
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One of the most brilliant parts of the internet, and specifically YouTube, is being able to find one-off tidbits from the past that you never expected to see again. The first time I gave YouTube a mental high five was after I Googled "bowie crosby drummer boy".<br />
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I grew up watching Bing's hokey Christmas special every year, and when I was in college, I was naturally intrigued when I heard <a href="http://www.people.com/article/david-bowie-bing-crosby-christmas-little-drummer-boy">Bowie was going to be a guest</a>. Seriously, Der Bingle and Ziggy Stardust? How was THAT going to work? Beautifully, as it turned out, and for 30+ years I wished I could see that performance again.<br />
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Nowadays, I can pull up this video any time I want, which usually means every December, but with David Bowie's passing, I need an encore in January. Thanks, fellas, for taking this chance.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n9kfdEyV3RQ" width="420"></iframe><br />Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-28601217646208614852016-01-10T16:49:00.003-06:002016-01-10T16:52:44.862-06:00Pancakes and Beer BelliesThis caught my eye at the grocery store last week.<br />
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Whaaat? How did they make beer-flavored Jelly Bellys? What would that even taste like? I just had to find out.<br />
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When I opened the package, there was a definite beeraroma, but it was not so much the scent of a freshly-pulled lager, as the funk of a low-end tavern on Sunday morning. As far as taste, I only noticed the slightest hint any discernable beer taste, but T (not a beer drinker) described the taste as "nasty", so there must have been something to it. They do have a sort of stale-beer aftertaste.<br />
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On the plus side, they are gorgeous - shiny and iridescent, like little amber jewels. They are possibly the prettiest Jelly Bellys I've ever seen. Just don't eat them.<br />
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Fortunately, these were also on the display.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/24272564646/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="IMG_20160110_121134"><img alt="IMG_20160110_121134" height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1548/24272564646_0115edee90.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Forget the pancakes. This is all about the maple syrup, and why wouldn't that be a logical Jelly Belly flavor? They have a solid "candy constructed to taste like pancake syrup" flavor, which T declared "better than those other ones." If you want your sugar to taste like something sugary, this is the way to go.<br />
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But don't chase them with a beer.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-38940600149857792332016-01-09T19:14:00.000-06:002016-01-09T19:14:21.849-06:00Browning's Complete Poetical Works<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/24172132111/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Browning's Complete Poetical Works."><img alt="Browning's Complete Poetical Works." height="281" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1498/24172132111_2e3ed95131.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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My fabulous coworker Terri returned from an out-of-office excursion the other day, and dropped this book on my desk. She had been to one of our thrift stores, and as an avid reader, she always checks the books to see if there is anything she must have.<br />
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On this occasion, she did not so much want the book herself, as she wanted <i>someone</i> to want it. Maybe someone who likes poetry, and can appreciate a 120-year-old book, and the handwritten notes therein.<br />
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I know nothing about Browning, except that Elizabeth Barrett fell in love with him and wrote the heck out of sonnets because of it. My first comment after thumbing through the pages was, "There are a LOT of words." In order to pack all of the words into one volume, they used tiny print and two columns, so each page is crammed full of Victorian verse. What little I've read, I've found to be slow going, and not particularly engaging, although there were occasional moments of what appeared to be poetical smart mouth.<br />
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So, I consulted with the oracle, Wikipedia, which assured me, "His poems are known for their irony, characterization, dark humor, social commentary, historical settings, and challenging vocabulary and syntax." I should be able to get behind that. It also noted that even Browning's fans were sometimes vexed when his poems were too long or too dense.<br />
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Still, it's lovely having a bit of the 19th century sitting on my desk in a 21st century office. Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-69038561377713357272016-01-08T21:52:00.000-06:002016-01-08T21:53:52.706-06:00Wooly worm<span id="goog_1166669730"><span id="goog_1364322772"></span><span id="goog_1364322773"></span></span><span id="goog_1166669731"></span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/23959111550/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Wooly worm."><img alt="Wooly worm." height="400" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1642/23959111550_15b71f6fb0_z.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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This little guy was hanging around under our side door earlier this week, when the weather was unseasonably <i>not</i> miserably frigid.<br />
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Tonight, after a day of fog, rain, frozen stuff, snow, and now declining temperatures, he is gone. I trust his instinct has led him to a safe place where he can ride out the next few days.<br />
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As for me, I will be making a double batch of beef stew tomorrow. Mmm.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-31849025942067268172016-01-02T10:47:00.000-06:002016-01-02T10:47:47.550-06:00Christmas and beyondLike my parents before us, T and I have pretty much given up on surprising each other at Christmas. This year, we bought both of our presents at Barnes & Noble while we were together. On sale, too! We did have to wait until Christmas to open them, though. In fact, T waited until after Christmas, since his was too big to tote on our trip - and he couldn't have played with it, anyway.<br />
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I got a new <a href="http://nook.barnesandnoble.com/u/nook-glowlight-ereader/379004122">Nook GlowLight Plus</a> e-reader. I had the previous model, but it was getting tatty. Even though I have a tablet, I find that I read more on the Nook. It's smaller, lighter, and can be dimmed so I can read in bed after lights out.<br /><br />T got a small 3D printer. Its a <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toys-games-xyzprinting-da-vinci-jr-10-wifi-3d-printer/29341244?ean=4715872746821">da Vinci Jr.</a>, and it appears to be the gateway drug of 3D printing. He's had some start-up woes with it. The software isn't working with Linux, and he couldn't even make it work with my half-Windows laptop.<br /><br />Still, when I came home from work on New Year's Eve, he handed me this pendant.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI5fX6ixmBihvcXO1JVWULi6E1dFmGNucHlwzrV5fiBg1yRIL3lxj-DSWALuYe3s0TCBZeNI1JjqcxqTLs0uyNsnMfwjP-p2sGsmL-OUSzHh5LLV4EK0CVrCVOxJjT-BlXI92/s1600/IMG_20160102_084007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI5fX6ixmBihvcXO1JVWULi6E1dFmGNucHlwzrV5fiBg1yRIL3lxj-DSWALuYe3s0TCBZeNI1JjqcxqTLs0uyNsnMfwjP-p2sGsmL-OUSzHh5LLV4EK0CVrCVOxJjT-BlXI92/s320/IMG_20160102_084007.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My man made me jewelry!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Apparently there is an auto-print function that lets you print something without going through all of the set-up. <a href="http://us.xyzprinting.com/">XYZPrinting</a> cagily realized that anyone who got this printer probably had a mom or wife who okayed it, and it would be smart to make your first print something you could give to her.<br /><br />T thinks I should paint the pendant. I haven't decided. For starters. I need to find out what sort of paint to use. If I have to invest in model car paint or something, I really don't see that happening. But if the $1.50 craft paints from Michael's will do it, I'm game.<br />
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Also this week, his telescope finally came back from the repair facility in Mexico. It broke at the star party in July, and has been getting repaired for months. But now it is home. Between the scope and the printer, T has nerdy fun waiting no matter what the weather.<br />
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And I have books.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-52558570768817690242015-07-19T22:00:00.000-05:002015-07-19T22:00:49.676-05:00Learn by campingMy family camped when I was a kid. We had a fold-down camper - not one of those fancy pop-ups like we have now, with a roof and all, but basically a big ol' tent covering a trailer base and a couple of bed extensions.<br />
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You had to plan ahead for your camp outs back then. The canvas tent top was barely water-resistant, and certainly not waterproof, especially if you touched it during a rain event. To achieve waterproofing, it was necessary to paint the entire canvas with a waterproofing substance, AND give it ample time to dry before allowing rain to fall upon it. When I was about nine, my parents traded up to a new camper shortly before we were planning to go camping, and there was not time to waterproof the tent. No worries! It was July, it was Kansas, and it was hot as a pistol.<br />
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You know where this is going, right?<br />
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At two o'clock in the morning, I woke up, sweltering, to find Mom covering the bed, and me, with a plastic drop cloth. A storm had blown in out of nowhere, and she and Dad were doing the best they could to keep things dry.<br />
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This was also the first trip when I have a distinct memory of campsite shower houses. This particular spot pumped in lake water, which allowed them to have constantly running showers - cold showers. And we took those cold showers, and enjoyed them, after the initial shock. As one of my friends says, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."<br />
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Now, Knightstar and I have a modern pop-up camper with a roof, leakproof canvas, electric lights and refrigerator, and a gas stove. Still, when we took it out for the first time last week, we had to be prepared to be unprepared. Is it raining when you arrive? Expect to spend a lot of time sitting in the car, and dash out to do a few things whenever the rain slacks off. No electric sites available? We travel with a battery and a small solar system. The showers cost 25 cents for every minute and a half, so open your soap dish and squeeze out some shampoo before you drop the coins in the slot.<br />
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And always, always, expect the unexpected.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-14114651534667725102014-11-02T14:39:00.000-06:002014-11-02T14:39:27.177-06:00Not NaNoWriMo, Not NaBloPoMoAh, November. <a href="http://www.chrisbaty.com/">Chris Baty</a> has ruined you for me. After one <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/dashboard">NaNoWriMo</a>, then another, and another, and another, I've come to believe that November is THE time for slightly crazy personal challenges.<br />
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I'm not alone. Go do a Goggle Image search for "<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=november+challenge&biw=1598&bih=759&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=to9WVIHeF4WvyQS5-oDIAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CB0QsAQ">November challenge</a>" or "<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=november+challenge&biw=1598&bih=759&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=to9WVIHeF4WvyQS5-oDIAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CB0QsAQ#tbm=isch&q=30+day+challenge">30 day challenge</a>". You'll find plenty of ideas. Blog posting every day in November has been around for awhile, as has the thankfulness challenge. You can post a photo every day, or increase the number of squats you can do.<br />
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This year, for reasons I can't pin down, I felt the urge to do NaNoWriMo. Fortunately, I only took me 123 words to remember why I quit doing it a few years. ago.<br />
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Then, a Facebook conversation about "what I'm doing instead of NaNo" pointed me to the <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2014-november-pad-chapbook-challenge-guidelines">2014 November PAD (Poem-A-Day) Chapbook Challenge</a>. <i>Oh, yes</i>, I thought, <i>this is something I can do</i>.<br />
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There is no registration to speak of, so I e-mailed a few on-the-fence friends and announced my intentions.And after two days of poetry writing, I'm announcing it here.<br />
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I thought about adding the blog posting and/or thankfulness challenges, but let's not get carried away. I also thought about learning how to use another well-known blogging platform (rhymes with Nerd Chess), about which, ditto.<br />
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As you can see, though, I did post to my blog. I'll even throw in something I am thankful for, today and every day:<br />
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<b>I have everything I need, and a few of the things I want.</b><br />
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Life is good.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-29703569075914010352014-04-19T17:40:00.000-05:002014-04-19T17:40:25.785-05:00Salt<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" nbsp="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/13073221094/player/382cff165e" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Here's another of our gifts from Israel. K, my co-worker, brought a bag full of salt crystal chunks from the Dead Sea, and invited anyone who passed through the office to take some. A day later, when most folks had already had their chance, she told me, "Take more. Take as much as you want." So I did. I even searched through the bag to find the nice pieces.<br />
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The crystals are fascinating to look at, with their jagged edges and indentations and the occasional grain of sand stowing away. (If you look carefully, you can see some sand embedded in the piece on the left.) They are also fragile. Every time I pick one up, I feel little crystals flaking off in my hand. K said they actually put a large slab of salt in the bag, but intercontinental travel took care of making it more share-able.<br />
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True confessions: My first instinct when I held this was to lick it. I mean, Salt, right? Then my second instinct quickly countered with, "You don't drink lake water, and you darn sure don't lick lake water from halfway around the world." Eventually, I did a little Googling, and found that Dead Sea salt is low in sodium and high in other minerals, making it largely not tasty. Whew! Flavor disappointment averted. Thanks, second instinct.<br />
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So the Key Points so far are, Don't put things in your mouth unless you are sure they are okay, and Google To the Rescue. On to Item 2...<br />
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I have spent years and years pestering readers and writers, trying to track down a short story I read in junior high. I think it was eighth grade, and I'm sure the story was in our lit textbook. It took place in the old West, or a frontier town, and a major plot point had to do with the difference between wood alcohol and grain alcohol. I don't want to spoil the plot too much, but suffice it to say that this story took away a lot of the allure of feel-good substances for this thirteen-year-old.<br />
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It was only today that it occurred to me that I could consult the Great and Powerful Goog for help. Frankly, I'm embarrassed that it took me this long to think of it. Anyway, I typed in "short story wood alcohol" and BAM! Wikipedia told me all about A. B. Guthrie, Jr., and just enough about his short story, Bargain. A second search for "bargain a b guthrie" hit pay dirt - a <a href="http://205.186.130.127/images/uploads/Bargain%20-%20AB%20Guthrie.pdf">pdf document of the story</a>, annotated and reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company.<br />
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Item 3... There is no Item 3. It's finally spring! I'm going to see how long I can wear my sandals outdoors without craving socks. Later!Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-9203128756630592952014-03-10T21:01:00.000-05:002014-03-10T21:01:52.341-05:00Tchotchke<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" nbsp="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/13073213644/player/82e1cda20e" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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One of my co-workers once lived in Israel for a couple of years. She recently made a return visit. Because she knew T was interested in Judaism and Israel, she asked me if she could bring him a little something from the trip. "Sure!" I said. "Anything at all!"<br />
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When she came back last week, she handed me a bag of goodies. There were tourist brochures and maps, a couple of coins ("Don't get too excited," she said, "because they aren't worth much."), and a few other doodads. The next day, she brought another bag full of memorabilia.<br />
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One of the gifts was this little oil lamp. I believe she said it is from Nazareth Village. It's tiny, only about three inches across. She said cheap olive oil is perfectly fine to burn in it. (T calls it the slutty oil, as opposed to the extra-virgin.) Traditionally, the first pressing of the olives is for God, the second is for cooking, and the third is for lamps.<br />
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I have olive oil, and it won't take too much to fill up this little guy. As soon as I figure out where to buy, or how to make, wicks, we're going to have us a working lamp.<br />
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When one has a lamp, of course, one must keep it trimmed and burning.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2G6LbJrYB4o" width="420"></iframe><br />Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-59880252849071910502014-03-05T22:47:00.002-06:002014-03-05T22:47:54.001-06:00Sorry about this, chiefI found a Flickr photo and said, Share It via Blogger. Then I wrote a nice thoughtful post to go with it.<br />
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And then Flickr said, "Your credentials are invalid" and ate the post.<br />
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Grrr. You would think I would have learned to work offline, but no.<br />
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And now it is too late to start over. You get no picture, and you get no sensitive story from Ash Wednesday service.<br />
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All you have is my sputtering attempt to get something posted, thus fulfilling my "What was I thinking?" declaration to Sand that I would blog more during Lent.<br />
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And just for the record, I started this blog nine years ago today. Huzzah. It's also too late to find another picture of my brother to post for his birthday, so just go look at <a href="http://getagriponit.blogspot.com/2005/03/happy-birthday-bubba-ive-always-looked.html">the one I posted then</a>.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-71571957446219853232013-09-22T21:18:00.000-05:002013-09-22T21:18:42.225-05:00Fly like an eagleAs usual, we went to the <a href="http://www.iowastarparty.com/">Iowa Star Party</a> over Labor Day Weekend. It was too hot, and then it was too cloudy, and then it was too rainy and windy, but after that, it was perfect. While we were at <a href="http://www.whiterockconservancy.org/">Whiterock</a>, <a href="http://www.soarraptors.org/">SOAR</a> released several injured and rehabilitated raptors - two kestrels, two hawks, and an eagle. They took each bird on a walkabout before releasing it. They all passed maybe four feet away from where I stood. Even with just my cell phone camera, I was able to take really sharp pictures.<br />
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Brother Eagle was very well behaved, but I could see in his eyes that he was ready to get out of there.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/9883397396/" title="2013-09-01%2015.24.51 by chaimann, on Flickr"><img alt="2013-09-01%2015.24.51" height="282" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/9883397396_2c81306e73.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The obvious musical bibelot at this point would be "Fly Like An Eagle", but this song is prettier and more eagle-ish, in my considered opinion. Once again, there is no video to it, so just make your own video with your imagination.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2NRJHXNHre4" width="420"></iframe><br />Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-13995179389931885612013-09-21T21:18:00.000-05:002013-09-21T21:18:44.197-05:00Romance in the airToday, I got to do something I have never done before. I went to a book launch party. Author <a href="http://www.melissatagg.com/">Melissa Tagg</a>'s first romantic comedy, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Made-Last-Melissa-Tagg/dp/0764211323/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1379815670&sr=8-1&keywords=made+to+last">Made To Last</a>, debuted last weekend, and there was a big shindig in her hometown today. It was a perfect almost-autumn day, so of course I was game for a road trip.<br />
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I'm impressed by people who can put together good parties, and this one was a corker. The book centers around a home-repair TV show, and the decorations included ladders, saws, hazard tape, and other Tool Time paraphernalia. There was popcorn, and wheelbarrow full of soft drinks, and an amazing cookie buffet, courtesy of the church ladies who rallied to the call. Of course, fancy lighting always helps with the ambiance.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/9865238703/" title="Melissa's book launch party by chaimann, on Flickr"><img alt="Melissa's book launch party" height="282" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/9865238703_7372c1cbb3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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On the subject of romance, this song has been in heavy rotation on Sirius Broadway. It's catchy, and has become quite an earworm for me this week. The video ain't much, so just close your eyes and enjoy.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cqqHzKG2CCo" width="420"></iframe><br />Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-628884137389270702013-09-17T19:48:00.000-05:002013-09-17T19:48:45.276-05:00When genres collideI should write something witty to support what follows, but words escape me. Is it hilarious? Vulgar? Desperate? Brilliant? You be the judge. But hear it from me, the horn arrangement is smoking hot.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZK8gEat1Ni0" width="420"></iframe><br />
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C'mon!Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-36124272160865270972013-09-15T23:00:00.000-05:002013-09-15T23:00:16.517-05:00There she isMadam Senior Editor <strike>advised</strike> commanded us in our weekly chat, "Update your blogs this week." So with minutes to spare, I am doing so.<br />
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I'm taken aback at how long it has been. Eep. Since then, I have started a new job, working in the administration office for a non-profit. I enjoy the work, the office is clean, comfortable, and younger than me. My co-workers are kind-hearted and fun. The last few months at BigCorpInc were dramatically stressful, and it has been very therapeutic to be in a kinder, gentler, and more local environment.<br />
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Tonight, I used blogging as my justification for keeping the TV on and watching Miss America. Don't judge me. I grew up in a state pageant town. Most of the parades I saw as a kid were pageant parades. Even when I was grown, I often watched Miss America with my mother, since it usually occurred during my September visit.<br />
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After having been away for a few unmemorable years, Miss America is back in Atlantic City, as it should be, and back on prime time. By the time it got to the final five, I was able to call the winner. Why would you not want to pick the Bollywood dancer? The ginger-haired step dancer would have worked for me, as well, but she did not make it to the finals.<br />
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And so, to bed.<br />
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I'll try not to stay away so long next time. I even have reasons.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-24937335969280584442013-04-18T20:28:00.000-05:002013-04-18T20:28:37.180-05:00Poem In Your Pocket DayLet's see if this works.<br />
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<div class="ab-player" data-boourl="http://audioboo.fm/boos/1340092-poem-in-your-audio-pocket/embed">
<a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/1340092-poem-in-your-audio-pocket">listen to ‘Poem In Your (audio) Pocket’ on Audioboo</a></div>
<script type="text/javascript">(function() { var po = document.createElement("script"); po.type = "text/javascript"; po.async = true; po.src = "http://d15mj6e6qmt1na.cloudfront.net/assets/embed.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();</script>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-53850321705417778272013-01-28T12:43:00.001-06:002013-01-28T12:43:52.910-06:00Abstracted Minutia<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8424642600/" title="DRAW! Day 19: Abstracted Minutia"><img alt="DRAW! Day 19: Abstracted Minutia by chaimann" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8091/8424642600_9bb32762ef.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8424642600/">DRAW! Day 19: Abstracted Minutia</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/">chaimann</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
This was a fun exercise. Collect a bunch of little doodads, arrange them, and draw them using different media.<br /><br />Moving the sofa yielded several of the knickknacks, and it also facilitated a much-needed vacuuming.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-47090155829391064502013-01-27T21:07:00.001-06:002013-01-27T21:09:56.825-06:00Variety<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8421534055/" title="DRAW! Day 18: Abstracted Drawings"><img alt="DRAW! Day 18: Abstracted Drawings by chaimann" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8421534055_1a5b4e7d5a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8421534055/">DRAW! Day 18: Abstracted Drawings</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/">chaimann</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
Believe it or not, these were all drawn from the same reference photo. Today's theme was "abstracted drawings", and the variation among these proves that point. Pop over to my Flickr to see some other drawings of the same picture, done with stick graphite. (There are also some more figure drawings from yesterday, artfully NSFW,)<br /><br />We had an "ice day" today. That's like a snow day without snow. Rain falling on cold streets makes a slippery mess. Many churches, including ours, cancelled services, so we hung out at the house. I made pasta, and then kicked it up a notch with chocolate chip cookies. Then I drew. That makes a good day all around.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-82023164318931754252013-01-25T15:54:00.001-06:002013-01-25T17:17:27.511-06:00Feel the fear<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8414124663/" title="DRAW! Day 16: Ten Minute Figure"><img alt="DRAW! Day 16: Ten Minute Figure by chaimann" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8076/8414124663_450c17f46b.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8414124663/">DRAW! Day 16: Ten Minute Figure</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/">chaimann</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
You've heard the saying, "Feel the fear, and do it anyway"? Yeah, that.<br />
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Today's art assignment was ten-minute figure drawing. Even though I'm a prude at heart, I wanted to have the full artist experience, so I browsed both clothed and unclothed models <a href="http://artists.pixelovely.com/">here</a>.<br />
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The first picture that said, "Draw me!" appears to be a vintage photo from the flapper era, with the Louise Brooks hair and all. Heck, it may BE Louise Brooks, for all I know. A quick Google search just now indicates that she was not unfamiliar with posing <i>au naturel</i>.<br />
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I decided if she could pose it, I could darned well draw it, and I did. Parts of it are a mess (pay no attention to the calves), but parts of it are impressive.<br />
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Luckily, I am more enchanted by the good lines than I am annoyed by the bad ones. I was nervous about doing the exercise at all. Just finishing it was a victory, and liking some of it is a wonderful bonus<br />
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Even better, it was fun, and I can't wait to do it again. <br />
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(Don't know who Louise Brooks was? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Brooks">Look here</a>, and <a href="http://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/louise-brooks/16686">here</a>, and below.)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pWlICTLJFvY" width="560"></iframe><br />Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-7934073000775219832013-01-24T16:06:00.001-06:002013-01-24T16:09:02.871-06:00Almost like life<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8411507827/" title="DRAW! Day 15: Figure Drawing - Gesture"><img alt="DRAW! Day 15: Figure Drawing - Gesture by chaimann" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8354/8411507827_699a09edd0.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8411507827/">DRAW! Day 15: Figure Drawing - Gesture</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/">chaimann</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
Today I did some 10-second and 30-second gesture drawings of figures. "Figures" is art speak for NEKKID HUMAN BODIES ZOMG!!!<br /><br />I didn't have any actual nekkid bodies on hand, though, so I used the figures at <a href="http://www.posemaniacs.com/thirtysecond">Posemaniacs</a>. That site uses muscle figures, for lack of a better term, so it's somewhat less shocking to my delicate sensibilities than real people with skin and everything.<br /><br />This was actually a lot of fun, once I got started. If not for the annoyance of turning the pages in the sketch pad, I'd probably still be doing them.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-73902787892109150552013-01-20T20:42:00.001-06:002013-01-20T20:46:29.931-06:00The weather outside was frightful<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8400253722/" title="DRAW! Day 11: Pencil sketch"><img alt="DRAW! Day 11: Pencil sketch by chaimann" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8098/8400253722_b4c7f7f635.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8400253722/">DRAW! Day 11: Pencil sketch</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/">chaimann</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
So I had plenty of indoor time to work on today's drawing. I wanted something that had irregular lines and shadows, and boy, did this crumpled cap meet that requirement.<br /><br />Parts of it I like, and parts of it remind me that there is still a lot I don't know. I'm cool with that.<br /><br />And the part over at the far left, the line sticking out from the bill, all crazy-like? That reminds me to check the scanner for cat hair.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-14966929127406610992013-01-17T19:33:00.001-06:002013-01-17T19:34:03.173-06:00Don't look back<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8390683460/" title="DRAW! Day 8: Blob Animal"><img alt="DRAW! Day 8: Blob Animal by chaimann" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8194/8390683460_2a35b4874e.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8390683460/">DRAW! Day 8: Blob Animal</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/">chaimann</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
This dude, today's drawing project, appears not to have like whatever he saw when HE looked back.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251842.post-12548734592802054632013-01-15T22:06:00.001-06:002013-01-15T22:07:13.542-06:00Who???<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8385902958/" title="DRAW! Day 6: Cheater Blind"><img alt="DRAW! Day 6: Cheater Blind by chaimann" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8385902958_d4e7b0cfbd.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/8385902958/">DRAW! Day 6: Cheater Blind</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaimann/">chaimann</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
Today is Day 6 of the three weeks of drawing adventures. For this project, I could draw a person or an animal. Once I thought of owls, I spent more time than I should have, just looking at owl pictures online. This one was titled "Mad Owl", but trust me, there are some that look way scarier.Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13173038514201133707noreply@blogger.com2