My Robin(s)

Monday, May 20, 2024

From on high, this Robin (or its mate) always watches my every move.

Here’s why:

It’s safely tucked into a rafter. I searched for a while before seeing it. I’d noticed a mature Robin flying in and out of that hay shed often enough to make me wonder if it had built a nest there. Various bird types have nested in previous springtimes, sometimes in loosely structured and precariously situated nests located in worrying spots. This Robins’ nest is impressively safe. It is securely beyond my reach, my dog’s, and most other predatory types.

For several reasons, I love hosting and seeing that healthy nest. Robins build their nests in areas offering good shelter, adequate food, and water. This nest’s location suggests that my property is a good local ecosystem that offers essential resources.

I’ll be observing closely this intricately constructed Robin’s nest and maybe seeing some of the birds’ nurturing behaviors. I’m having a pipe dream: If I’m really lucky, maybe I’ll see eggs hatching and the chicks growing.

More is drawing me toward connecting with this Robin family. Several years ago, I rescued a fledgling Robin; it had fallen from a nest and was too young to survive independently. I raised that baby successfully until it could fly well and care for itself. I enjoyed every moment with that cool bird. My little fantasy is that it might be one of the parents caring for this nest.

Besides, I like to associate Robins with springtime and new beginnings. That nest in my shed reminds me of the renewal and growth that occurs in nature and inspires similar feelings in me.

Dear Friends: Now to work again, to create a special photo and “birthday surprise.” Diana

Picture This

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Today’s header photo captures a fragment of a house in the distance. The image has the potential to become a “summer mood” birthday gift for myself. It’s appealing but yet seems incomplete, it’s drawing me to work on it.

This process of personal gifting seems fine and inspiring. It has me working again with my camera and, this time, tapping more into its astonishing capabilities.

What makes me feel best is pushing my brain’s eye and making myself observe routine surroundings more creatively. There are elating moments when I discover that one or more downloaded images immediately can stimulate my imagination.

This image surprised and stimulated me without a single editing pixel. It’s a natural gift, and also emotional to me, for framing and adding to my special-pieces gallery wall.

The ultimate “summer mood” birthday photograph might become several, perhaps a collection of images and even a collage.

By assuming these activities, I’ve also been working through some sort of mental block. I can feel myself tuning more into what’s happening outside my head. This project becomes more special by expanding my sense of personal freedom and attuning me more to my physical surroundings.

Dear Friends: Planning offers little certainty of an experiment turning out well. Diana

Captures

Saturday, May 18, 2024

The header photo, taken yesterday, is of my two-year-old puppy, Chase. He is a leaping/digging problem, focused on leaping over or tunneling under fences. When not at home, I ensure his safety by confining him in a concrete-footed kennel. Aside from his unstoppable tenacity to escape, Chase is awesome. His temperament is sweet, he’s my constant buddy, and he’s very smart. My mind’s eye sees Chase as trained in Agility and an intent, capable competitor.

While working with my camera, I’m learning from a technical book how to use its manual settings. So far, I’ve made little progress in that regard, although I did nicely capture yesterday’s pre-full early evening moon.

It’s a fun image that feeds a viewer’s imagination. The offset globe in lots of sky makes it an easy stretch to visualize a parachute drifting toward the Earth.

Dear Friends: Surprisingly, this moon photo has potential as a “mood image.” Diana

Summer Mood

Friday, May 17, 2024

After weeks of mulling ideas about a gift for myself, on my late May birthday, I’ve zeroed in on something I want. It’s been an elusive, demanding wish, a challenge, and succeeding will need creativity and effort. My thought is to tackle a photography goal, one I’ve written about. I want to create a “mood image.” Achieving a photograph that can stir a viewer’s emotions and satisfy would be an achievement and a great gift.

I’m making a commitment, and there’s a deadline. Crafting a summer mood that’s welcoming, thoughtful, and tinged with mystery is no small goal. There’s much to consider and learn, so achieving pushes me to start moving forward today.

I wish to capture summer. Its lighting is golden, dappled, and silhouetting, and its colors are warm and pastel. My composition must have leading lines, framing, and negative space. I also need to decide if the image will be figurative or abstract.

Going forward, I might write about my efforts to capture the essence of summer and incorporate the fuzzier elements of welcoming, thoughtfulness, and mystery.

Dear Friends: Despite a short timeline for achieving my goal, I hope to succeed. Diana

Lighten Up

Thursday, May 16, 2024

It was a beautiful day yesterday. Today’s header is shadowy; it shows a need for me to operate my camera manually. I would if I could, and I actually have a complicated-looking book that explains how to do that. But get the word: complicated, and who has time?

I’m already reading and focusing on two areas: the history of music, how music affects the brain, and music listening skills. I’m also reading Foreign Affairs, a well-written and influential quarterly with educated and informed pieces about the Middle East and Ukrainian wars.

How much at once may I push my brain into absorbing? For interests driven by passion, I suppose there’s a way. I’m always fascinated by images that deeply reflect “mood.” I’ve seen some very creative ones recently, and they have re-sparked my imagination.

One needs expertise with a camera and the ability to tap into one’s inner areas of imagination. My strong sense of experiencing an overburdened brain could be a way of protecting my inner imagination.

Deep workings of imagination happen entirely within the mind. They allow for creating, manipulating, and experiencing things not directly tied to the external world. That represents the human mind’s entire processing of information, emotions, and memories.

A plan to create mood photography involves manipulating old mental images to form new ones. That requires making connections between various ideas and experiencing emotions in simulated ways. Maybe those are a little scary.

Oh well, it’s me always: peering from the edge of a diving board and seeing very deep waters.

Dear Friends: I “heart” images that create, and are felt as imaginative and unique. Diana

Action Ahead

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

This morning, an early dental appointment is forcing me to move quickly and get going. There’s much to do around my home, and I’m determined to go to the gym. That’s a biggie, for I’ve been stalling until I finally decided that a good way of starting at a gym is by making a once-weekly commitment. From there, my participation may evolve.

This is to be my starting, or “from there” day.

My goal is to strengthen my shoulders, upper back, and core work to repair a sagging middle. For starters, Youtube videos are guiding me toward understanding appropriate basic moves and providing a reasonable beginning routine. I could start by working out at home, but wanting to feel comfortable participating in a gym encourages me to be in one.

Everyone starts somewhere! Getting started is the toughest part. For me, it means overcoming inertia and taking my first step. Maybe I’m stalling because I worry about not sticking with it or seeing results quickly enough. My biggest challenge is to avoid letting my inner critic be a downer. I must focus on my potential instead of what I might not be able to do. Failure can’t be an option.

My many conflicts around working out are matched by my equal many around going to a dentist. I’ll save that set of conflicts for another day.

Dear Friends: Feeling motivated to find and establish a dobable workout routine! Diana

A Blue-Buddy

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

My fifteen-year-old chicken and house resident, Wellsummer, has a buddy. I’ve been watching a young Blue Shaphire hen that has appeared listless among the flock. She’s now residing next to Wellsummer up at the house. I’ve watched closely for what might be wrong and think it’s appropriate to worm her. I’ve ordered medicine enough for the whole flock. Medicating is easy; it’s an additive to their drinking water.

It’s a beautiful morning, and today I have an early start time at work. I must cut this short and head outdoors to feed my outsiders.

I am determined to go horseback riding as soon as possible.

Dear Friends: Enjoy today, it’s the exact lovely weather we’ve waited for. Diana

Unknowns

Monday, May 13, 2024

Studying the effects of music on the human brain has also taught me about the historical development of classical music. Music has always existed among people, but the earliest was local and ethnic. Early human music-making was for singing and dancing. Formal and notated music didn’t start shaping until 400 C.E., and it achieved its greatest potential in the 1700s and 1800s. Developing classical music needed a thousand-plus years.

I started thinking about the speed of change. Everybody knows that everything happens faster than ever today. A little comparing astonishes for human creativity has become very speedy.

There’s a history of technology suggesting that technological change has become exponential, erasing our view that change is common sense or ‘intuitive linear.’ Humans once could expect a century to bring “100 years of progress.” However, at today’s rate, we can anticipate experiencing more than 20,000 years of progress in this century.

It’s all because of technology. Today’s access to energy, electricity, sanitation, and clean water has transformed the lives of billions. Additionally, transport, telephones, and the internet allow humans to collaborate globally. Emerging technologies ensure that a single innovation in one type of technology propels improvements in another.

Essentially, we’re exploring a new world. It’s forcing us to try to see ahead and rethink our old assumptions. Adjusting to an uncertain future tests how well we understand ourselves.

Dear Friends: We’re all pioneers discovering daily, and hoping we’ll all adjust. Diana

Mother’s Day 2024

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Here’s a giant cheer appreciating every mom, whether she’s an original, a step, an adoptee, or an adopted: Happy Mother’s Day! And, a shout-out to the pet moms who wrap their schedules around caring for and protecting their charges. Becoming any kind of mom is taking on a busy role.

Fortunately, today’s weather is beautiful for celebrating moms. I intend to leave my pet mom duties for a few hours and attend a classical music concert. I’ll be among an audience that likely includes lots of moms. It’s a great outing and fun for mom, taking her to lunch and afterward to a concert.

Mother’s Day looks different for everyone. Many see it as a complex, emotional, and mixed-bag-day, forcing a setting aside of family dynamics and having to focus on loving and appreciating. Others see it as an opportunity day that invites expressing warmth, gratitude, and deep appreciation for a mom’s sacrifices and caring.

Maturity can change how people respond to Mother’s Day. The passing of time may lead to developing a more nuanced understanding of our relationship with Mother. We gradually learn it’s possible to acknowledge family imperfections and past conflicts, and still highly value the positive aspects.

Dear Friends: Mother’s Day appreciates a powerful interpersonal relationship. Diana

Lil’ Joys

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Appreciating: A warm cup of coffee and thriving tulips, photos posted showing Northern Lights, technology advances that enable and facilitate communications, and having time free this Sunday to attend a concert by Bend’s Chamber Orchestra.

I plan to focus more on seeking joy from the “little things.” That’s not my habit, and I wish to adapt more to it. I usually worry about events short- and long-term, hoping to resolve, set aside, or simply forget issues. I am used to analyzing and deciding.

Deciding even a single thing can become difficult and lengthy. It requires balancing importance vs. uncertainty, negativity vs. positivity, and values vs. emotions. It’s work that can create emotional tolls. A final decision can provide relief and may bring joy.

Appreciating is an easier way of finding joy. By pausing, we can see the unexpected in a positive way, which can bring joy in the little surprises life throws our way. Shifting our perspective helps us experience unanticipated events in positive ways.

Appreciating is a rewarding path, a conscious choice to focus on the good. It’s a way of opening eyes to new possibilities and appreciating the critical elements of chance and possibility in life.

Dear Friends: I am exploring ways in which we absorb, learn, and retain. Diana