Bit and Clips for July 2023
I hope you find something here that inspires, educates, motivates, reassures, or interests you:
Month: July 2023
Some Favorite Board Books (Our Niece’s Baby’s Present)
Those of you looking for great board books, those in this post are wonderful suggestions.
How to Avoid Mixing Your Metaphors (Poem by Brian Bilston)
It’s as easy as falling off a piece of cake.
Eat That Frog (Book Review)
I have heard about Eat that Frog for years, and have finally now read this classic. It focuses on practical steps for prioritizing your goals and getting you to execute them swiftly and thoroughly. It is filled great advice that is immediately actionable. Here are a few quotes: “No matter what the level of your … Read more
Finale (New Conceptual Painting in Pastel)
When you think of finale, do you think of music or fireworks?
Recent Black & White Photographs
Always interested in compositional and value studies, here are the black and white photos I’ve taken recently. I love the textures and the shapes, the shadows and reflections. I hope you are seeing something interesting wherever you are! … Read more
Riparian Soul (poem by Rosemerry Wathola Trommer)
Some people are rivers— always moving, always in flow.
The Children of Israel had PTSD
(detail of Psalm 91 painting (oil) by Polly Castor) Don’t you love when you get a new perspective on something? It happened because I was listening to someone spiraling down, hovering over a cavernous abyss. Over the time I had been praying for her, God had brought her already through an astonishing amount, in beautiful … Read more
Hike Photos from Huntington State Park (Summer 2023)
Between rain and bad air quality due to Canadian smoke, we haven’t hiked as much as I would like so far this summer. It is a delight to have our youngest working from here for a bulk of this summer, so I’ve got a nice walking buddy when it does happen. We’ve been enjoying the … Read more
Quotidian Illumination (Quote by Holly Bridges Elliot)
I remember this illumination happening to me one noontime as I stood in the kitchen…
Examples of Interesting Drawings (Sketchbook Ideas #9)
Drawings I like flaunt an abbreviated short hand that is an approximation of the artist’s experience or view, hopefully with a little creativity thrown in.
Ode to Popcorn (Poem by Peter Harris)
Ode to Popcorn I pour the shape-shifters out of the old mason jar into the pan. The color of honey, sleek in their pile of streamlined sibs, not one of them cares if they’re on top, no rivalries, no grasping, nothing falsified from skin to core, no hint about what’s pent inside their quarter inch … Read more
Are You an “Intuitive Painter” (Jane Davies Quote)
Storm Passing (mixed media) by Polly Castor Do you feel like you are an intuitive painter? “That’s a loaded question. I think everyone paints intuitively, right? But your intuition as a painter is as good as your command of the language. We speak intuitively, but when you are speaking a foreign language and you have … Read more
Reasons for Procrastination and How to Overcome Them
Surmounting (pastel) by Polly Castor There are several reasons for procrastination. Here are some and how to overcome them: We avoid tasks where we have performed poorly in the past. Instead of rationalizing, defending, or justifying your areas of weakness, make a plan to get better in that area. Take steps to gain proficiency. Feelings … Read more
Spiritual Thoughts to Support Harmonious Travel
Let’s let travel expand our thought to include more good!
