Been sky watching.
I remember how desperately I missed the trees, birds, and squirrels when I moved here.
But, I do believe, that over the last six years...
...I have turned into a regular sky worshipper--LOL!
Now I'd probably miss the horizon. Must be how the pioneers felt who loved the prairieland. This is the edge of the west. Minnesota has the prairie, lakes, hills, woodlands, and the pine forest. Since the love of variety is in my bones, no better place to be born than Minnesota, eh? Frigid winters to sweltering summers--Minnesota is a part of me. True, I have lived in Wisconsin and now in North Dakota...but I will always be a Minnesotan no matter where life takes me. (And I am right across the Red River from my rightful homeland--ROFL!)
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Look at that sunrise. Heat in motion.
When it stopped raining--well, it has been sticky, sticky, I-may-as-well-be-standing-in-an-oven hot! Almost 100 degrees for us up here yesterday...and about as humid. Like being hit with a wet, dense, heavy wall when I open the door--porch or hallway. (Dumb folks leave all the windows open in the building.)
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I know many of you have been suffering with this terrible heat for a long time now and have no pity for those of us up in the North who just get a taste of it during our brief summer, but I am acquainted with it well enough that I could relate to your suffering all along. I just joined you again the past few days. ;)
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I am inside with the AC, thank goodness.
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Miss Karma? She loves the heat and has been spending hours upon hours snoozing out there where I can hardly breathe. We are soooo obviously not related. ;)
Meanwhile...besides all the usual day to day stuff, I ordered a few paper samples from Neenah Paper. Cut them in half, penciled the identification on the back, and played around with all my fountain pens with all their delightful colors on each of the four types of paper.
Yes. I have endless patience for tedious things like this. Here's the first two...
...and the backsides. These were the best two: a Crane 24 lb. and a vellum by Eames.
Don't ask me why these other two showed up with a greenish tint? Probably because they were more under the light in the middle of the night when I took the pictures?
And here's the backsides.
Why have I done all that you may ask? You can click on the photos of the backs to see the bleed-through and shadowing. Some paper is better than other paper. I am on a quest to find some really good quality paper to use for my bookcards.
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All the paper I bought up, must be about three years ago now, is finally dwindling down. Since I am due to buy more, I want to find a more suitable fountain pen paper. Face it. I want to find some truly awesome fountain pen paper. Some that won't bleed even when I use the parallel pens! That you can read more clearly without seeing the shadows of the writing on the other side and other page beneath it. And yet, picky-picky me, I want to be able to see my writing guide (made with black sharpie markers) through the paper, too. Wish me luck!
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I had heard of Neenah Paper before and of the Crane brand. (I'm not sure, but they might be the paper company that makes the paper for our currency bills?) Anyways, I am on the trail--had already done some research--now I need to order some more samples (can only order four at a time) and I think I may have a winner. TaDa!! Paper is an investment. Quality paper is not cheap. I'm on the scent.
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I haven't posted for so long. I just get so thrown off my game when my days and nights are flipped, as you know. All is well, tho. I'm going to be checking on Sammy and Annie and the deck plants this weekend for Dagan and Leah as they will be out of town for the holiday. (This sky lover can get her tree fix--LOL!) Oh, and you can feel more sorry for me then, okay--because the 1992 Paseo has no AC--ROFL!
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I am going to hopefully connect with a guy from freecycle who wants to take the old HP G55 printer this weekend. *sniff-sniff* Am I ridiculously sentimental or what? It has taken me all this time to finally post her on freecycle. Truth! So, if all works out, she will have a new home for her final days.
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Karma watched the Goulets weekly stream video with me. (Recorded--as I slept thru it, of course, with my goofy hours.) Karma likes them because they talk with their hands and put things up close to the camera...like pens and ink bottles...ROFL!
Still working my way around the clock. Going to bed early afternoon and sleeping till late evening. Hard to keep track of what day it is--hehe! But we're doing fine. Staying cool inside. Well, I am. Sillyhead can roast herself all she wants.
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Have a nice weekend! In the US--have a great 4th of July weekend! :):)
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"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it happened or not."
Mark Twain
20 comments:
I love those sky pictures! And that is one awesome sunrise shot! Be-u-ti-ful!
I thought it was pretty cool seeing your penmanship on the sheets of paper. I can understand you wanting to find paper that won't bleed thru. Good luck on the hunt.
Loved that last picture, too. When I saw Karma's ears, I laughed out loud. It's such a great shot! LOL
Today is supposed to be another nice day with temps in the low 80s and lower humidity. It's supposed to heat up near 90 the next few days, tho, with high humidity. That's the kind of weather you "wear" and I don't like it.
Have a great weekend and pet Sammy and Annie for me. :)
What an interesting post! When I lived in Colorado, before I learned about living in the lush PNW, I loved the sky and vast horizons, just as you are doing now. Those pictures show why it's such a gift.
The paper quest is also very interesting. I use my computer so much of the time, I have almost forgotten what it felt like to write with a pen. And I never had such great penmanship in the first place. Good luck in being able to make a choice!
And as you know, we have only reached the seventies here a couple of times this season and now that it's July, I'm thinking we will be feeling the heat and the rain will stop soon! Your temps and humidity don't sound like fun to me, though.
I really enjoyed this post, and learning more about you, Rita. :-)
Some of the wide open spaces of the west do have a different kind of beauty. Not everyone appreciates it, but I do and I'm glad you do too.
I love your idea of paper testing! I think that's worth my doing too! I hate it when my pens bleed through the backside.
We love sky watching too, especially the cloud sailing...and the stars. Our neighbors like to put on their outside lights at night, and they shine into our eyes as we sit on our front porch. We sometimes joke that we'd like to go over and unscrew their bulbs! Who needs 4 (yes FOUR) front lights lit?
LOVE Mark Twain!!!!
I know you don't do awards, but you've got one anyway! See it on the blog LOL
Love all your photos. Your writing is amazing.
I always loved sunsets and sunrises, plus cloud watching... So relaxing, and never exactly the same!
Silly Karma... She should stay inside with the AC with you!
Megan used to love shows like that where they used their hands a lot and put stuff up to the screen. She'd sit in front of the TV screen - blocking the view for the rest of us - pouncing on the screen whenever quick movement happened, and not understanding why she never managed to do anything other than crash in to the screen. Mind you, this was the same cat who would keep trying to get through a closed window until she was physically removed from the area. Daft cat! But Chance and Sakura used to enjoy shows with a lot of movement too. Just not as much as Megan.
Love the quote!
Hey wait a second!!!! if you and Karma aren't related this whole wedding thing is off....
:)
That endless parade of clouds is transfixing I bet...
I think my memory of Mini-soda is of the mosquitoes more than anything else... the only place I've ever seen the worse is in Manitoba.
Have a great fourth too Rita! :D
Im so sorry your sleeping schedule is off, I dont sleep well these days myself and mine is just crazy dreams, I really dread going to bed lately just because of those. Loved the pictures that sure is some beautiful sky there and wow at all the clouds. I have that same kind of plant that you have on your deck out on my screen porch, I did have it inside but since moving it out on the porch the thing is thriving like crazy it loves the heat it seems. Happy weekend to you and Karma :o)
I love the sky photos! We took a road trip this spring to the midwest and I got to see some of them for myself.
I wish it were warmer here in Washington State!
Those sure are some lovely sky pics, Rita. I love to sky-watch also!
Your hanging plant looks to be enjoying the warmth alongside Karma. :)
I hate pens that bleed through paper...a definite pet peeve of mine! lol Your handwriting is beautiful!
Sorry to hear your days and nights are flipped again. I'll try to send you some of our winter coolness whilst you're out and about in your Paseo. ;)
I hope the person who takes your HP G55 printer appreciates her like you did.
Are the Goulet weekly stream videos LIVE feed or can they be watched at any time?
Aaron is on school holidays at the moment which is the time I'm worst at for losing track of what day it is. lol
Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend, Rita!!!
Love,
Serena xo
AliceKay--LOL! Karma will sit with me and watch videos on the McLap, but only particular ones interest her--hehe!
Weather you wear!!! I can't believe I've never heard that before. Cracked me up! Totally know what you mean. :)
Djan--I miss the woods and the leaves on the ground, too. Probably why I love you sharing your hikes so much. It is "lush" there!! :)
It's been cooler than normal here, too. All along the upper states from you guys to the great lakes has been cooler than normal and wet on the whole. But it's a shock to go from 50s during the night to 80s in a day. Everybody has has kind of extreme weather this year, it seems. Your hot days are probably coming. ;)
Barb--Yes! I love being able to see for miles and the wide sky!! I guess I was just thinking how I am used to being able to have it all. Well, except mountains--hehe! We have prairie--tons of lakes. Want a pine forest...just take a drive up north. Deep woods and hills--just take a drive over along the Mississippi. I think I love them all! :)
Kathleen--Me, too! I think bleeding, feathering paper is one of my pet peeves. Well, and I'd probably want to go unscrew their light bulbs, too! LOL! ;)
Alice--You are so funny! I don't even know how to put and award on my blog, but it is really so cute I might have to try.
Thanks so much, lady! :):)
Tori--I've had a couple of cats who tried to catch things on the TV--LOL! Karma just sits there all comfy like a little old lady and watches. She always loses interest after a while. The only thing she used to watch from start to finish a few years ago...and more than once at a sitting...was that cartoon that went around of Santa and his reindeer singing White Christmas! ??? No clue why it fascinated her to no end. It has lost its appeal now, tho. Cats! Gotta love'em! :)
Iggy--I'm so sorry! Didn't you know that she was adopted?! It's a good thing I hadn't approached the subject with her yet so her heart won't be broken because the wedding is off. ;)
Yes! The mosquitoes can be so bad here. But then they spray and spray--and how good can that be for us--people, plants, animals? With all the wet-wet weather we've had I imagine they are hatching like crazy everywhere. There are times it's not so bad being housebound--ROFL!
Desi--You, too!! :):)
Lynn--I hate when I have bad dreams. You wake up and don't want to go back to sleep. You know how you can incorporate something that's happening into a dream--like the phone ringing or rain, etc? Well, I incorporate the pain sometimes--and have dreams of people slicing me with knives, or jabbing me with needles. Waking up isn't much better--ROFL!! Sorry you are having crazy dreams. :(
My philodendron has loved it since I hung it outside, too! It seems to enjoy the heat and humidity, but it only gets the morning sun so it doesn't bake in the sun out there all day, either.
Have a good weekend--with happy dreams or no dreams at all. ;)
Linda--I think we have as much "big sky country" in the Dakotas and parts of Minnesota as they do in Montana. I'm so used to having that available that I think if I lived in the woods ALL the time I'd probably get claustrophobic--hehe! Just like when I am here with my big sky I get to missing the woods. Yup--variety girl here. Spoiled. ;)
We've been cooler here, too, like you. And wet. But the couple of times it decided to warm up--whew!! I'd prefer the cooler! ;)
Serena--Leah is going to help me transplant the philodendron this coming week if all goes well. Or, I am going to be assisting her--hehe! She used to work at a nursery and knows her stuff when it comes to transplanting. ;)
The printer guy will be coming this afternoon to pick her up. Bye to G55.
The weekly stream is live, but afterwards you can watch the recording. I don't always get to see them at the time.
I hope you and Arron are feeling better!!
Have a peaceful, healing weekend. :)
Hi thanks for commenting. I don't know why you can't do awards - they're just like posting photos! - nothing beyond your skills! LOL
I love cloud photos. Do you know about the cloudappreciationsociety - I'm a member and you can buy a fabulous book all about clouds, with both simple and more technical details all wrapped up in stories.
LOL! Yep, gotta love them!
If nothing else, cats provide entertainment!
Wow Rita, you aren't asking for much, are you... thick enough for no bleed and yet see through! Can't wait to see what you find... and I'm pretty sure you will find it!
Nice sky pictures. We learn to appreciate what we have,don't we.
Hope Karma slips back inside for a sip of water occasionally. I'm with you. I don't do heat!
Deanna
Alice--I thought people posted those awards permanently on the side somehow? I'll have to check out the cloud group! :)
Tori--;)
Deanna--Yup! It's a tall order--hehe!
Karma has both food and water out on the porch under a chair away from the sun (and rain). The only thing she doesn't have is a cat box. If she had one of those out there I bet she wouldn't come in all day--LOL!
You might want to try papers that work well with Copics. They don't bleed through (good ones, anyway) and then you'll have it for those as well! Try The Paper Temptress!! Good stuff and she sends samples of other types as well!
Sorry your days and nights are messed up! At least you have your Karma there for company!!
Jeannie--The copic marker paper I have is cardstock not writing paper? Writing paper is usually 32lb or less. I'll try to find the Paper Temptress and see what she sells. Thanks.
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