"We all Live Downstream" on CREATIVE ARTS GROUP 3-DAY WEEKEND
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“We all live downstream.”
A Metaphor
What we do to our waterways can affect people, plants, and animals that live downstream . If someone upstream from us pollutes a river, the pollution affects us.
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© A. Mac/A.G.
Article is LOCKED by moderator [A. Macarthur]
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Welcome back; it's that time again.
looking forward to this week's submissions...
Great reminder of the results of pollution to our rivers, lakes and streams on not only the wildlife and plants, but, those who also suffer from the polluted waters downstream.
And thank you.
Me too!
Tonight's sunset at Stone Creek, Ocala FL
Maybe Ocala should be renamed "Sunset City" because it sure excels in them.
It is the Horse Capital of the World so adding another title might just be perfect.
The setting sun in the Horse Capital of the World, Ocala, FL.
Looks like you've been horsing around again. (grin)
The silhouette of the horse against the setting sun is really awesome.
I like that picture.
That one gets an award!
Strikingly powerful!
Very nice
Wow!!! Nice one, Kavika.
That's a really awesome sunset, Kavika. I live too far inland to be able to enjoy seeing the beautiful sunsets on the Pacific ocean like I once could. So I really do enjoy seeing your beautiful sunset photos.
I'm going to POLLUTE this article with some phoolish photo phun.
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Those are really very different, but, very interesting. The top one is awesome.
These are from a recent flight home from Florida.
Those are very impressive photos, and the mirror editing is awesome.
Okay, I see the wing, so where's the prayer? That last photo - did you hold up a mirror in the middle?
It’s a mirror editing feature in the PicsArt app that I used on the second photo. I like how seamless and flexible the mirroring function is.
Meet the new evil princess...
Beautiful, congratulations to EG and Mrs EG.
Thanks. Too bad the kids live too far away. They are coming up here the beginning of Dec though.
Aww. Congrats!
Congrats and best wishes from the Land Down Under..🐨🐨🐨
Very cute, EG.
Totally adorable, EG. Nothing more exciting than a new baby in the Family. You and Mrs EG must be very proud. Good that you will be able to see and hold her very soon.
My congratulations. Your first?
Well done and Best Wishes!
Please try to remember that she does NOT belong in an aquarium.
Covered Bridge on a Rainy, Misty Day at the Humble Administrator's Garden, Suzhou
Very lovely photo, G. Lots of bright colors and a great reflection on the water below. Well done!
Thank you, Raven Wing. It was a misty, rainy day and lots of people had their umbrellas open.
Although I was there with my camera, you took much better photos of those gardens than I did. Most of my Suzhou photos are of the night cruise through the canals.
Ok, thanks.
A happy Friday to all....
That is really nice, Raven Wing.
Thank you, G. She is the Spiritual Goddess of Fire. She can be the helper of the needful, or the punishment of evil.
Very effective. I like to tell you the very first thing that goes through my mind when I see your images. This one was "Ring of Fire".
Thanks Buzz. And you know that I appreciate and look forward to your sharing your thoughts about them.
Great start! Good news, excellent variety!
Art Show tomorrow. Wish me luck.
© A. Mac/A.G.
Good luck, Mac.
That's a superb example of your unique and wonderful style, "Jackson". I think we would ALL share in the joy if your works would win a prize, and/or sell all copies.
Best of luck. I hope you sell out everything!
That's a beauty, Mac. Lots of varied colors. It looks like a Dragon in the middle of the painting. Very interesting.
And good luck on your Art Show tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Yes, now that you pointed out the dragon head I see it. I had been focusing on the number of distorted faces here and there.
The Dragon jumped out at me on my first look at the painting. And there is a beautiful butterfly just above and to the right of the Dragon. Its wings are beautifully colored.
Good Luck and enjoy the show
Good wishes from talented, and more importantly, good human beings, are the most anyone could want.
I’ll be displaying paintings and photos … no duplicates … so, it’s good to be in the digital age where metaphorically, artists can sort of “have their cake and eat it too.”
Last time I put paintings in an art show was 1976, and then, I was painting in a style called “romantic realism” (19th Century, Hudson River School, Landscapes).
It finally hit me this year, taking mostly scenic photos and painting scenic subjects was kind of redundant. So, I applied my Masters thesis, “The Role of Presupposition in the Perception of Art,” and decided to paint abstractly, letting paint do what it will with various manipulation and let the viewer’s presupposition allow him and her to “see” what the “see” beyond anything I intentionally created.
Having fun not knowing exactly what a finished painting will look like, or, who will see what.
Thank you, Mac. And it has been a big treat to see your inner artistic talents take front row with your amazing abstract paintings. And I don't think I am alone.
It is fun to see the beautiful paintings and find things in them that are a product of the paints doing their own thing as they wander around the canvas. The bright and contrasting colors are a real treat to the eye, and elicit emotions that each person feels who sees them.
There will be few people who will be able to resist the kind of painting that never loses interest, among both young and old.
And I am sure that your display of your wonderful paintings will also be a big help to show each one at their very best.
I will be waiting for the results of your big day tomorrow, and I know I am not alone.
One more to see us into Saturday.....and not so long ago......
Ah, now THAT is interestingl - a spirit guide beside the scary image that appears to be conjuring somethirng, or else causing something to happen. I would reduce the frame somewhat as it's a bit of a distraction from rather than a guide to the image.
Thank you Buzz. It was among my firsts so I was not experienced enough at the time to think of such things. I will see what adjustment I can make to the frame so as not to lose the effect.
As always, I appreciate feedback and suggestions. (smile)
Does this look better?.....
No. It looks almost exactly the same as before. I was thinking more along the liines of this. Compare the effect with yours. The frame does not overpower the whole image, it is secondary, whereas the image jumps out at you.
Continuing my explanation. I didn't consider the frame an importantl part of the whole image and in fact I felt it distracted from it, whereas in examples where you have used burl, and even a fairly large amount of burl, it is more integral with the image, especially in the case where you have actually blended the image into the burl surrounding it. This is different.
Thank you for the feedback and demonstrating what you were talking about frame wise.
LOL. I've got the feeling from your tone that you're not too happy with my suggestion. I'll mind my own business from now on.
LOL! Now Buzz. My tone had nothing to do with your reply, so please don't be offended. It was very late at night here and I was half asleep, but, I did want to acknowledge your response. Sorry if I came across as being unappreciative of your choice of framing. It would work very well also. And I thank you for your efforts to show the kind of framing you were talking about.
So...please don't hesitate to offer your input at any time. It really is appreciated. (smile)
In the center of the bustling city of St. Petersburg, FL. lies the ''Sunken Gardens''...A spectacular feast for the eyes and the nose.
Beautiful garden area, Kavika. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
I couldn't open your YouTube, but the words "Sunken Gardens" invoked a memory of my very young childhood, about the many times my mother walked me to my city's "Sunken Gardens" which adjoined the campus of the university, and my memory of playing there. These historic photos from the internet don't do it justice... .
Live and learn; “Art” show in progress. I guess I failed to read the fine print when registering for what I assumed was a “juried” show like the ones I entered years ago.
Turns out, it’s an Arts and CRAFTS FESTIVAL and I am the lone “artist” among all “crafters”.
Beyond that, today is the National women’s March and it seems that’s likely where otherwise attendees seem to be.
Perfect weather, no regrets. Future shows will be literally “ARTS,” no trinkets, no bath soaps, no face painting.
Turned out ok; sold 7, but, no more “craft” shows, juried art shows only.
That is a good start for a Craft show. You will likely have a much better result from the juried art show. When is that one coming up?
Any photos or just paintings?
I’ll start looking for juried shows in the Philly and South Jersey area. There’s a website that announces shows for all over the U.S. .
Let us know when you will be displaying your beautiful artwork again so we can cheer for you. It will be fun to know how well you do.
LOL! That sounds like sort of a let down. But, at least you are the only artist showing in the place, so you have no competition for your artwork. Perhaps some of those watching the marchers may wander over to the show in a bit. But, it is a good start for exhibiting your artwork after all these years, so you will be well prepared for the upcoming real art show. And then y won't have to compete your great artwork against trinkets, bath soaps and face painting.
This is the 'art' created by US Steel dumping and 'unknown substance' into Lake Michigan last Sunday. The photo was taken at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
No worries though, US Steel insists that “There are no indications of permit level exceedances for hexavalent and total chromium, as those sampling results came in well below permit limits,”
I feel better already.
You feel better? (Of course I asume your sarcasm.) I drank the water (through municipal processing of course) from Lake Ontario, to which the Lake Michigan water flows, for 69 years and I wonder how "careful" about limiting pollutants they have been previously.
In any event, Dulay, it's good to see you posting on this group.
Ditto!
Here's a bunch of pictures from around my place. I'll put them in a post below so people can use the collapse function if they want to (so they don't have to scroll through them every time they open the page afterwards).
A chickadee about to fly off with a sunflower seed.
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The hummingbirds are still here, but they'll be heading south soon.
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I don't have much fall color yet, but the sumacs have started turning.
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Some fall poke berries.
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Freshly fallen leaves, but no color. Oak and sycamore.
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This vine has turned red. Not sure what it is.
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Honey locust thorns.
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White oaks on the south side of the back yard.
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The early fall woods to the west, behind the house. Mostly oak and hickory. No color yet.
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Here's the little wet weather creek that drains the top of the hill I live on, dry now.
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I found this in it last summer.
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Deadwood.
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Hickory nut.
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A freshly fallen acorn on some weathered dolomite rock, next to a piece of Jefferson City chert, from which many of the locally-found arrowheads were made. Both are from the Ordovician period, around 440 to 480 million years ago, right after the Cambrian. The Ozark geologic dome is uplifted and highly eroded, and really old material like this is all over the place around here.
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Another piece of Jeff City chert nearby. Check out the layered banding in it.
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A box turtle with a damaged shell. He seemed to be okay, though.
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A random splash of color from a fallen Ash leaf.
Aster wildflowers.
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Goldenrod wildflowers.
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Back in the yard, some morning glories.
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Potted mandevilla.
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Potted hibiscus.
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Polly on flower guard duty.
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A little outdoor fall decor.
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The mums on the lower left.
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And some indoor fall decor.
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Happy fall, everyone!
Great photos, Dig.
Love the variety of your wonderful photo essay, Dig. Do you have any cats?
Only one at the moment, taken in after a family member died last year. She's old and half-blind and never goes outside. All she does is sleep, really.
Three more that died of old age are buried out back, one of which I miss terribly. She was very vocal and would have meowy conversations with you. Incredibly sharp claws, though.
I know I have pictures of them somewhere, but I couldn't find any just now when I looked.
I was just curious, as I know that if I has the kind of beautiful decorations up that are shown in your picture of your home, she would be right in the middle of them, knocking them off the table and playing with them. And even those on the walls were not off limits for her. That is why I don't put up any decorations in my home. (grin)
That was a REALLY enjoyable experience meandering through your photo-essay this morning. Great example of an arrowhead, and I have a special feeling for morning glories, because they bloomed outside my bedroom window at the home where I grew up.
Thanks, G.
Thanks, Buzz. I can't get rid of those morning glories. They keep popping back up year after year.
Great photo essay, Dig.
Polly looks like the bestist flower guard dog in MO.
I saw my little turtle again the other day. It has a scar on its shell too.
I bet it got run over by a lawn mower.
Well, I had to pull out my old dishwasher this evening in preparation for a new one being delivered tomorrow, and then I spent about an hour going through USB drives full of old pictures, but I finally found some pictures of the cats. I also took one tonight of the raggedy old cat I have now.
Here's Missy, the almost blind one that came from a relative who passed away last year. I took this just a little while ago.
Here she was last Christmas. I don't know how I got the time stamp wrong. It was definitely 2020.
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And these are the dearly departed...
Two of Daisy, who was a rambunctious tuxedo cat.
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Three of Maddie, the vocal chatterbox, and the one I miss the most. She was so awesome.
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And three of Sissy, who was fat and lazy, but extremely loveable.
Going through all those pictures (of more than just cats) really pulled at my heart strings. I'm full of nostalgia right now.
I don't have any digital photos of cats before them, from back in the 90s and earlier, only physical prints. I'll have to scan them someday.
Lol. Thanks, Kav.
I have no idea what happened to the one I saw. It looked like a pretty bad crack. I can't imagine what could have caused it without squashing it the rest of the way. Weird.
Those are all adorable fur babies, Dig. And beauties all, even Missy. She really is a pretty one as well. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Your Daisy looks a lot like my late buddy, Fidget. Fidget was given to me as a kitten by a neighbour and friend, Gale Garnett, who wrote the song "We'll Sing In The Sunshine".
A celebrity kitten. Cool story.
Gale Garnett - We'll Sing In The Sunshine - link to song =
Yeah, thanks. I know the song. It was actually stuck in my head last night after reading your post. It's neat that you were neighbors and got a kitten from her.
Yippee! It just arrived. It's like Christmas come early.
I have to go play handyman for a little while. I'll post a pic or two later.
Sheesh! That took a lot longer than it should have. Of course the new dishwasher came missing an installation part -- the cable strain relief fitting that goes on the power box. I could have used the one from the old dishwasher, but I didn't think to remove it before the delivery guys hauled it away. I did NOT want to wait to have a replacement shipped to me, so I had to go to town and try to find one. Being Sunday evening I had to settle for a farm supply store that had a few electrical supplies. I didn't find the exact part I needed, but I found something close enough that I could make do with after a little cutting and filing. All of that hassle added hours to the installation. Figures, right?
Anyway, here's how I spent my evening. I hope A-Mac counts this as creative (I did have to get crafty and creative with the missing part, after all)...
The cabinet opening, ready to go.
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The new dishwasher, fresh off the truck.
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Unboxed and in place for hookup.
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Flipped over for access.
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Setting the leg height listed in the manual for the height of my opening.
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Drain line hooked up. I used a proper hose clamp instead of the wire one it came with.
Water feed line hooked up and snugged just a little bit (the fitting on the dishwasher was plastic).
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And here's the replacement electrical fitting I had to go to town for and then modify. I had to cut the opening wider than it came, and then file it smooth so it wouldn't cut into the wire.
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It worked just fine, though. Here it is on the box with the wire clamped in.
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All hooked up and ready for power.
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Putting the cover back on the electrical box.
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Flipped back up, with the sound-proofing insulation taped on at the back to hold it in place as it gets pushed in.
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Almost all the way in, checking for level.
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All the way in and secured to the countertop.
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Installed, checked for leaks, and running the first load.
Gotta say, I'm not as thrilled with it as I was hoping to be. It seems to hold a little less than the old one did, and the racks are shaped a bit differently, making loading unfamiliar. I had the old one so long I'd forgotten what changing dishwashers was like. I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
It certainly runs a lot quieter, so that's a plus.
Best of all, it isn't broken like the old one.
Haha. Thanks. It's nothing special. About mid price range. I wanted that one specifically because it was the only one I could find that had the silverware rack hanging on the door instead of taking up space in the lower rack. I guess they're phasing the door racks out, but I love them. I don't know what manufacturers are thinking sometimes.
Great to watch the step by step progress of installation. However, I have a dishwasher as well, I married her.
Actually I was just being facetious. I wash my own dishes quite often - I actually find washing dishes to be very distracting and relaxing. In China you would rarely find dishwashers and clothes dryers,
I've rarely had a dishwasher and rarely used it when I did have.
I really like having a clothes dryer, but I do have an outside line if I need it to air out linens.
Nothing wrong with a clothesline. When I was a kid, that's what my mother used. And here in China, this is what you see....
How is your wonderful garden doing? Still getting anything?
I'm about to pick some peas, but everything else I planted for the fall didn't want to grow. Even after multiple plantings in different places it wouldn't grow, so I assume the problem was the seed. I don't know what else it could be.
I'm still getting a bit of the earlier stuff like tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, beans, cucumbers, and zucchini. It's all coming to a close, though. Things are dying and the first freeze is likely only a couple of weeks away.
I'm going to make another garden post before long, maybe to end the season because there won't be much to show.
Are you still getting anything out of yours?
So you're a pea picker, I'll alert Tennesse Ernie Ford.
A few tomatoes, peppers and a little okra
Lol.
Okra never quits coming, does it. The last time I grew it I got so tired of picking it that I just let it go. Man that stuff is prolific.
Gotta have it for gumbo, though.
And fried okra. Like my Grandma used to make. A'int nuttin' sweller feller.
Fried okra is pretty darn good.
My Paternal Grandmother was an excellent cook, having learned from her Cherokee Mother and Grandmother. As they grew up in and lived in the South all their lives, Southern cooking was what they knew best. And fried okra with cornmeal breading was one of the best dishes they made. I learned to cook the fried okra as well as many other Southern dishes from Grandma, and I still love it today. My poor Mother never learned how to make is that well, so when my Father wanted fried okra he always had me make it for him.
Oh damn.....now I hungry for fried okra....
Happy Saturday.....
Very nice. Nothing to suggest. LOL
LOL! Thank you, Buzz.
Here's one to lead us into Sunday....
Literally and figuratively, a "touching" image, RW.
Thank you, Mac. When I was a young teenager I had a horse that would put her head to mine like that. It was a way for us to show our affection to one another. That is what this artwork reminded me of.
The horse people, just beautiful.
Thanks Kavika. And so very true.
To me, that image depicts the transmission of thoughts and emotions between man and horse - the depth and importance of a relationship between the two. Nowhere in the movies have I seen that better illustrated than in the Zorro movies.
Thank you very much, Buzz. Horses are very intelligent beings, and so many people do not take the time to really get to know them. I've had two horses during my life and both of them were good friends and companions. We would show our true affection for each other in much the same way as in the artwork.
Besides the mandatory photo being taken of me as a little kid sitting on a pony, and various merry-go-rounds, my only experience on a horse in my whole life was when I went with some friends to a riding academy, got up on a horse that turned around and raced to the barn where if I hadn't ducked I would have lost my head as it whipped through the door. Horses are great, but for others, not for me thank you.
Stop it, Kavika. I can hear you laughing all the way from Florida.
I can relate to that. I went to a riding stable when I was 12 y/o. Being an experienced rider I was not worried about riding a strange horse. The stable hand lead the horse with me on it to the open gate to start my ride. However, as soon as the hand let go of the horse, it turned around and ran back to the stable. No matter how hard I tried to turn the horse back around it would not reverse. Once inside the stable the horse would not move even an inch. So I got off and went to the stable hand and asked for another horse. He gave me another one and the same thing happened. So that was the last time I bothered with a riding stable.
A good night and a THANK YOU to all. Looking forward to more fine creative work from a nice group of people like yourselves.
Beachcombers at Moonrise, Cape May, New Jersey
© A. Mac/A.G.
That is a beautiful artwork, Mac. And very Spiritual.
And thank you very much for this group where we all can share and enjoy the amazing artwork, poetry and meaningful conversations.
It is very much appreciated.
Lake Bled, Slovenia
This is one of my favorite lakes in the world. The castle on the island is well worth visiting.
Photo from the internet. I have some photos of Lake Bled but they are the old type, just like me, not digital.
Fortunately I have an all-in-one printer, scanner, copier that has enabled me to download photos I had taken on film, but the problem is that most of those photos are back in storage in Toronto.
I have one of those type printers as well. And a few years back I spent more than 6 months scanning all my family history photos and paperwork into my computer, then backed it all off onto several DVD's, births, deaths, marriages, military service, etc. Then I gave a copy of the DVD to each of my family members that are still living so they can pass a copy down to their own family members. This way everyone will have a copy of all our family history, to which they can also add to from their own side of the family to pass down if they wish to. I didn't/don't want all the family information to end with me, or wind up being lost forever.
While some of the younger family may not think our family history is that important now, it may be important at some point in the future, especially, the information regarding our Cherokee heritage and ancestry.
Most all of mine are in a storage facility...I'm just to damn lazy to go get them and start transferrin them.
There is an :"Ancestry" web site and my son, with contributions from other family members including myself, has posted an extended family article including photographs on it.
Bah, Humbug.
I've been collecting, organizing and recording our family records and photos for the family since I was 12 y/o. No one else seemed that interested to do it. They were always too busy, and it seemed to them to be a thing that could wait until later on. But then the older members were getting well on in their life and the day would come when they would not be around to help fill in the gaps.
I did all the hard lifting putting all the family info together for them, so now they are old enough to take on the task of simply adding the more recent info. I put together the most important part of our history that goes back to before the Europeans came to this country, and I didn't want it all to be lost when I am no longer here to pass it on. What they do from here on is up to them. But, I do hope they will one day see the importance of recording our on-going history for those who will come after them as well.
Hope everyone is having a great Sunday.....
I did, and and do you intend to keep horsing around?
Aw Buzz....don't go getting all horsy on me. (big grin)
Neigh, I won't.
LOL!!
Test - picture of clouds in August....
Nice peaceful picture, great sky.
Thank you. Most of my pictures are of skies, rainbows or garden.
Keep them coming!
OK...no more horsing around....this one's for the birds.....
Ah yes, there's more than just a "feather in his cap".
(Definition of a feather in someone's cap. : an achievement or honor that someone can be proud of )
Thanks, Buzz. (smile)
Another outstanding weekend article. Thanks to all. I'll keep this open until around noon tomorrow.
Meanwhile …
© A. Mac/A.G.
WoW! That is a truly beautiful Fall photo. Love the bright red leaves against the bright blue sky. Perfect!
June 2016.
Very pretty clouds. And it looks like a white seal floating in them. The bright yellowish area looks like a giant mythical bird emerging from the cloud bank. Awesome mocowgirl! Thank you for sharing it.
You're welcome.
This is one of the times that I walked out the door and ran back in the house to get my phone because the sky was so awe inspiring.
I sometimes use these type photos as my computer wallpaper.
I don't blame you for wanting to use it as your wallpaper. It really is very inspiring. I guess you can tell, I like to look at cloud formations and see what I can see in them. Same with various types of paintings. I often sit outside on semi-cloudy days to see what I can see in them. Often it is something very Spiritual, and I sometimes think it is the Creator saying in His own way, "This is for you Raven Wing." Then while I am enjoying the great feeling, I suddenly feel a bird dropping in my hair and a bird saying, "This is for you Raven Wing."
Yes, it is nice to connect with another cloud watcher and nature lover. For some reason, I usually see dogs in clouds.
When I was younger, I viewed a house as only a place to be when I could not be outside in the pastures or woods with the critters and clouds.
Same here. I love to connect with Mother Earth and Father Sky and all that live on/in them.
Another unique and interesting cloud shot.
I find it amazing at the quality of the pictures that can be taken with cell phones these days.
I get the cell phones that my daughter is discarding when she upgrades.
Yes, I've been amazed as well. I use a Panasonic camera with a Leica lens and my stepdaughter's 6s phone takes sharper photos than I can.