Farmer’s Market Flowers and Produce (Photos)
Going to the farmer’s market is a highlight of our week and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Polly Castor
Huntington Hike Photos (Late Summer 2026)
I continue to traipse this land most days. Here it is in it’s late summer mood, yellowing tinges coming into the green.
The Salt Stones (Book Review)
This lyrical, but grounded, literary nonfiction about shepherding is about being in relation to the land, but also to a daughter and a mother.
Rearranging my Plein Air Pastel Box
I have just rearranged my plein air pastel box for my painting trip to Monhegan Island in Maine.
Grace Notes (#64 with Photos)
I am furthering my ongoing goal of appreciating such a continuous, overflowing abundance of random good.
Beauty Right out My Front Door (New Poem by Polly Castor)
Beauty is an abstract concept found the world over, but it is especially present on one’s home turf if you only will pay attention.
The Divine Will (Short Poem by Jean Pierre de Caussade)
The divine will is a deep abyss of which the present moment is the entrance.
A Perfect Hand (Book Review)
It is sheer fun to to read on the one level, and meaningful backstory on the suffragist movement on the other.
I Finally saw the IAPS Pastel World Show
Above you can see my work that was in that show, and my favorites from the show below, in no particular order.
Black Lentil Salad with Peaches, Tomatoes, and Basil (Recipe)
This is a fresh and unusual vegetarian salad to make when your peaches, tomatoes, and basil are at at their peak.
Limelight Hydrangeas (Poem by Polly Castor)
The superabundant greenish white blooms of the limelight hydrangeas languidly reach over the fence in the hazy sun, yearning to cheer you on in your day.
Bits and Clips for August 2026
I hope you find something among all this artwork, photography, memes, links, and quotes that spurs you on, informs, inspires, supports, educates, encourages or motivates you.
The Arts are not for the Privileged Few (quote by John D Rockefeller II)
Their place is not on the periphery of daily life, but at its center.
Paintings By Yayoi Kusama (Featured Artist)
Most people know of Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama because of her famed infinity rooms or her large spotted pumpkin sculptures.
Weeklong Gluten-free and Dairy-free Menu for Guests (with Recipe Links)
It sure does work great to have a plan and work your plan, so you can spend your mental energy on being present for your company, knowing their needs will be met.
Extended Family Visits for a Week
A great time was had by all, and I’m so grateful for this we could all be together.
Being a Guest is an Art Form (New Poem by Polly Castor)
Why does that feel so rare when unabashedly genuine?