#SoCS: The Express Lane

Remember when grocery stores had an express lane, for shoppers with 10-15 items or less, who wanted in and out in a quick hurry? Yeah, unless a shopper was behind THAT person with 30 items in his/her cart, who is either unable to count or doesn’t care about rules and store policy. With that in mind, I am going to attempt an express post, one with photos and not too many words. So you all can get in and outRead more

#SoCS: The Signals to Get Up and Do

Oh, the life of Gibbs, the cat. To sleep, to eat, to play, to visit the litterbox whenever he wants; to whine consistently for food; to lounge around on a dog bed that is not his, no matter that it smells like a dog. Gibbs doesn’t have to get up and do anything if he’d rather not. His life may not be as long as a human’s, but it’s a good and non-demanding life. Being retired, I could follow theRead more

SoCS: All Over the Place

Ubiquitous: Everywhere. In mind and body, this summer has been packed with places to go and things to do. I feel as if I’ve been all over the place the past eight or nine weeks. In other words…everywhere. Vacation, meet-ups with friends, appointments, keeping a kitten occupied, a music festival, watering flowers, walking at night with the neighbors, and volunteering for a week-long arts camp for kids through the church I attend. In between laundry, house cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.Read more

#CBWC: Bigger than a Breadbox

This week’s entry for Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge (CBWC) includes photos of anything bigger than a breadbox. I’ve chosen to share updated photos from a 2019 Thanksgiving trip to Washington D.C. Join the fun of black and white photography by clicking on the link at the beginning of the post. Details and weekly themes can be found HERE and Cee publishes the B&W post around mid to late morning CST on her main blog page HERE.Read more

#SoCS: I Have Questions

In the end, it’s not about how much we do, but how we do it. I’m not stating anything new or profound. Mother Teresa said, “It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing.” My beginning as a blogger started in March of 2013. It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that I’ve been dazzling and/or boring you with the written word for almost eight years. Lucky you. ItRead more

SoCS: A Trail of Instructions

It’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday and Linda Hill is asking bloggers to do this: “Write instructions for anything you know how to do. As detailed or as rambling as you’d like.” Really? Write instructions for something I know? Gah! I’ve spent a few hours this week writing instructions for a Human Resources manual. I’ve spent a larger number of hours on this beast since the beginning of the year, assisting colleagues around the state who operate in the same position.Read more

#WATWB: Kindness by Accident

“When you see someone doing the wrong thing, you need to do the right thing.” ~Ziarra Griffin~ When an 11 year old witnessed a hit-and-run, it would have been easiest to walk away. But that’s not Ziarra Griffin, who Andrew Sipowicz will “remember for the rest of my life.” “The piece of art that put Ziarra Griffin on national television was drawn on a whim in the back seat of her mother’s SUV. It happened a few weeks ago onRead more

Near Miss

They called it a near miss, but I called it strategic planning. “What are you doing, G?” “Admiring my recent work, dear sister.” The dark slits of her eyes narrowed as her chest heaved in disbelief. “Seriously? Why would you admire this work? It’s uninteresting and has no meaning.” “No meaning? Of course it has meaning,” he said as he smoothed insulted gray hair. “I don’t get it.” “I’m strategic in the placement. It’s exactly where it’s supposed to be,Read more

SoCS: Enthusiastic Kindness

Kindness is epic it’s fuel for a smile Affection is magic and longer than a mile Care seems ethical In right application Warmth remains critical in human admiration Compassion weaves the fabric of a sympathetic heart Giving sings poetic A philanthropist’s part Generosity reigns apolitical and takes no sides Benevolence shuns technical when a free spirit abides Kindness is gigantic within the human soul and spreads itself enthusiastic through rocks, don’t you know Postscript: During this past week at myRead more

#WATWB: Musical Art

By the time that this post is read, the pianos will be gone from New York City until next June. However, in keeping with the theme of We are the World Blogfest, which is to spread light over the dark of the world, this initiative was too good not to share. From http://www.metro.us: There are many signs that summer’s practically upon New York City, but one of the most colorful — and creative — is the annual roll out ofRead more

Rare Artistic Opportunity

Weekly Photo Challenge: For this week’s challenge, show us something that stands out from the everyday. It’s a rare opportunity when parents are able to send their children to a week-long arts camp without shelling out even one penny. Yet, they were afforded that possibility this week through Mission Church, a Christian community in Appleton, WI. Since 2013, children in the area are able to come to the church during one week in August to dance, work with wood and clay,Read more

Gratitude: My Red Bike at the Haskell Street Barn

Originally posted on D.Katie Powell Art:
*alert: vampire child face, oops* I had a good childhood, raised by a single mom with an alcoholic dad who skipped, and three much older brothers who loved me dearly. I am GRATEFUL because I wasn’t around JD (what they called my dad), because he caused a lot of grief to my brothers, really, a bit nutty. I had three amazing older brothers.  Who needed a dad? We lived in one of the…