If I was having a conversation with Snoopy, I think he’d even say, “Hell ya, we’re living in juxtaposition times.”
Seriously, we are living in bizarre times. Where my cat tends to look like Garfield as she waits for her meal to be served.
As for us humans, we find ourselves divided and conquered by a nasty damn virus. One that’s invisible, yet still there threatening us as we move about.
Oftentimes the divisions of thoughts each view carries reach the boiling point of exploding. We’re feeling the tug of war of ‘Is this real, or make-believe’? Or we’re trying to figure out who to believe.
As I zoom in and out of my thoughts over the past 8 months, I like to look back to see what I’ve been doing to escape and make sense of it all. Have I been able to tap occasionally into my creative juices to make life seem back to normal?
I’ve been experimenting with my plants. Testing to see if they’ll survive this crazy summer too. So far, they’re loving it. Me, well, when I’m playing I do love it too. I’m quite impressed with the plants that are turning their dismal state around. Or should I say upward growth, versus downward reaching that they were doing while in the house? Theses plants are almost back to what the original one looked like when I bought 3 years ago. I hope to hell we don’t have to wait 3 years to get back to normal.
The pot of this plant that I have in my office shows how bad they were doing with the new ‘natural’ lighting from the new Low-E windows.
When I moved the rest of them outside into the tea house, I took some of the straggling sprouts and tossed them in a planter and set it on the deck. This spot gets sun all day long. Looks like that’s what the plant prefers.
Most of the time, I’m taking it one day at a time. And this past week I’ve been getting up early to see the planets align.
Do you see the moon and venus in the upper right-hand corner?
I watched the fog roll, as my dog took his stroll. And I watched as the moon faded into the morning sky.
I noticed the weeds at my feet while I waited for Copper to return from his sniffabout.
I know that my thoughts remain foggy at that time of the morning, but I don’t mind.
I’ve learned that as the sun rises, the planets in the sky will hide into the background while I’ll go back inside.
And, I sit down to look through the photos and create a post. When I hear my tummy rumble I know it’s time to finish up – it’s time to eat. Oh, what a treat it is for me to leave you with a bone or two to think about.
I’m snoopy – who inspired you as a child to draw? Profound, yet simple artwork always inspires me to keep on creating. I used to love drawing Snoopy cartoons when I was a young child. What/who inspires you?
Post Inspiration – Lens-Artists#110 hosted by Tina this week. The theme is Creativity in the Time of COVID.
PS – Did you see the Moon and Venus this weekend? Who is your favorite comic strip artist? Do you like to notice juxtapositions in life or in photography?
As a child, I always loved watching the Snoopy adventures on TV, fun memories! I still am a bit in disbelief that this virus thing is happening, never thought I would see anything like this in my lifetime. We can be so wrong. This will pass in time, I too sure hope it won’t be three years, Shelley! I love those cool, foggy summer mornings back in Michigan.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, John. Yes, Snoopy cartoons were fun to watch.
I’m with you in disbelief. I think back to 9/11 too and I never thought that would happen. That event brought us as a nation together, this virus is dividing us, hopefully not beyond repair.
Yes, these cool and foggy summer mornings are so fun to see. It drifted across the cornfield too.
I feel so far away from nature — it rains, as it does now, and I can’t watch it, can’t see the rivulets, can’t hear it on the leaves. All I have is memories of my summers in the country. But in my blog, I’ve written about thoughts about fog, and a blog about what’s happening now, today, as I sit here.
My hope is that my photos brought you a bit of joy. And I hope you can get out in nature soon. Your apartment’s situation sounds horrible right now. Yikes! Your mom’s right, “This shall pass!”
As I type this, they are removing the “containment house” so I’ll be able to enter and leave my apt easily again! The rest of the work repairing the wall will follow soon. And it’s a gorgeous day here … I WILL go out!!!!
YAY!!! I hope your adventure outside was wonderful.
We had a spectacular thunder and lightning show this morning. Fortunately it calmed down for me to take Benny for his walk.
I saw your photos on Instagram! Wow, that was quite the show. I’m glad it calmed down so you and Benny could go for a walk.
I love seeing the planets. Especially when in view with the moon.
Thanks for sharing, Dan. It is a cool sight to see.
Beautiful pictures of the moon and Venus and the fog. I also drew pictures of Snoopy when I was young. It was a simple profile that most of us could copy and feel “artistic.” If I was really talented, I would have like to have had the skill to draw something like Calvin and Hobbes or Doonesbury. Those comics are both well-drawn and thought provoking.
Thank you, Janis. Yes, I agree with you that most of us felt artistic reproducing Snoopy. I had one classmate that did so perfectly – I wonder if he went on to do cartoon work? Thanks for reminding me of Calvin and Hobbes and Doonesbury too – you’re right!
Fun peek into your day Shelley! I’m going to try some night photography tomorrow evening with a friend who is very good at it – yet one more opportunity for creativity and growth. Sometimes we just have to push ourselves, as you did getting up pre-dawn for the sky’s beauty. loved the moon/Venus shots!
Thank you, Tina. I’ve tried night photography with little success. I’m pretty sure it’s both the user and the camera at play for the lack of success. 😉 But, like you said, it’s fun to push ourselves and try something new to grow. I hope your night went well!
Lovely photos all around, Shelley! Thank you for sharing your day with us.
I,too, loved snoopy cartoon! Beautiful image of the moon and venus. 🙂
Thank you, Amy. I enjoyed your photos too – I don’t know that I would’ve been able to tell you combined photos to make the images!
Hope you are getting enough sun too Shelley. I don’t think about too much as things are OK in my part of the world. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and photos 😀❤
Yes, I’m outside every day when it’s not raining. I’m glad things are OK in your part of the world. Actually, in my little ol’ town, things are OK too, depending upon how much time one spends listening to the news, that is. 😉
The answer to that is don’t listen to the news all the time. We do a once a day listening to the local news just to make sure all tings are OK here 🙂
You and your bestie are wise! 🙂
😀😀
Great series. Love the kitty, but some of those plants aren’t feelin’ the love! 🙂 Superb moon and Venus shot. My favorite cartoons are Pearls Before Swine (my kinda’ sarcasm) and Pluggers (old folks can relate).
Thank you, John. Yeah, the plants have seen better days, but they are coming back which surprises me. I need to read more Pearls Before Swine – they are funny! I haven’t seen Pluggers, now I need to Google it to find out! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I enjoyed your post too. PS – I think you’re creative, by the way.
🙏
I consider Snoopy to be my spirit animal. I’ve said that for years and he’s never let me down. I didn’t see anything in the sky over the weekend because it was cloudy and hazy and hot. All the *good* moon events seem to happen when our skies are murky.
I didn’t see the sky due to my permanent sticking blinds situation, but my neighbor asked me if I saw the gorgeous moon when I talked to him last night. Your cat looks at you like “what is taking you so long to bring me my food?” I have grown shamrocks for the first time this year. A Facebook friend lives in North Carolina and sent me some of the bulbs to plant. She sent several varieties and said “you can’t kill Oxyalis” but the squirrels dug up one pot – two more are thriving (as of now) – one with dark leaves; one with light-colored green leaves, one with white blooms like yours – the other is supposed to have pink flowers. My first attempt, but they will have to overwinter indoors. She plants hers in the ground and they grow all over she says. I love Snoopy, although I never remember following that comic strip until I was older – he is my favorite character of the Peanuts gang.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Linda. I’ve never tried to grow the shamrocks outside. I’m trying to plan on where I’ll put it in the house over the winter so that it survives/thrives.
Aw, Snoopy is my favorite too. xx
I just looked at my shamrocks today Shelley – they are doing well and don’t look any the worse for wear for all the heat, lack of rain, and that “priority mail” taking an extra week to arrive here. I will see where my three are when I put the garden to bed.
Great series – and great the plants are coming back! The moon and Venus is a beauty shot. I read Snoopy too, but here in Sweden we have “Bamse”, a little but ever so strong bear, who always helps his friends and fights evil.
Thank you Ann-Christine. I had to look up Bamse. He’s adorable and I love that he eats thunder-honey that his grandmother makes for him. Your post is so Hygge, I felt such a welcoming feeling reading your post and looking at your photos.
I am glad it made you fell good and welcome, Shelley! And Bamse was a favourite indeed.
I think you have magic plants. Wow! And I would never have been able to identify the moon and Venus, but your photo is really fantastic. These are bizarre times and it can be hard to focus. I like what you have done with your photography and Green Thumb 🙂
I did not do much “art” as a child since my sister was considered the artistic one. Art in the traditional sense that is. I did like taking photos (shaky at best) and making “books” and collages. My current favorite comic strip is “Arlo & Janis”
The tea house acts like a green house, I doubt they’ll do so well in the house over the winter. We’ll see.
I think you’re super creative – your blog is so fun to read and you’re pictures are great too!
I had to look Arlo and Janis up, they are funny.
Oh, I hope the plants keep up the good work over the winter. Glad you enjoy A & J. And thanks for the kind words about my blog. Sometimes these days it’s harder to focus, but I’ll keep at it. 🙂
I’m happy that you’ve found interests that lift your spirits, Shelley. Your plants are certainly. thriving now and they give us the hope that we’ll all make it through this and head towards a happier and brighter tomorrow. I also love your “foggy” shots. Wonderful that you are getting up and out early. I admire that!
Thank you, Patti – same to you and your interests. I remain hopeful for a happier and brighter future – and I’m still trying to figure out how I’ll keep these plants thriving in my house over the winter. They love the greenhouse feel of our teahouse and the full day of sun. Kind of like humans, we crave the outside and warmth of the sun for our well-being. 🙂
Can you make a little mini indoor greenhouse? I wonder if you could take one of those light boxes that photographers use and rig up lights inside?
That’s a great suggestion, I may need to do something like that!
Love the photos Shelley. They keep up a sense of normality in these terrible times with this pandemic. I think its important to keep normality as an antidote to the pressure of these times. We are going to the coast and stopping in a caravan for a week for a change of scenery if everything goes well. Xx
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed them and I agree! I hope you had a wonderful trip – just doing something like that will refresher your thoughts and bring some normalcy to your heart. xx