PrettyTiny Film Company Pic-A-Week *2024*! (#48, Nov. 30)

[davidd]

I remember a time, when I lived in a place where lawns would grow, when I would sometimes mow around patches of dandelions.
"But those are just weeds," pretty much everyone would say.
How could such happy sunny bright yellow blossoms be "weeds," I would wonder.

I totally understand your reticence to mow over these adorable little yellow wildflowers. Perhaps if you wait for a few more days, or another week or so, most of the yellow blossoms will have faded. Then, by mowing, you might help disperse the seeds, and you'll have even more little yellow flowers next season.

That charm bracelet belt is so cute! The detailed charms look nice set off against the intricate lace on the skirt.

[Alliecat]

The difference between a flower and a weed is whether you want them to be where they are.
And you were helping pollinators.  I haven't tried dandelion wine, but I do sometimes pick some leaves for stir-fry.  Cat on Dal House has suggested these are alyssum, and I think she's right.  I couldn't wait another week.  The grass was a foot long and it would be wet forever after that bit of rain.  I left some patches.  I have dandelion-cousins everywhere now so I was without as many flowers for just a couple of days.
I do really like Abbi's stock outfit.  Wanted her for some time; yay Sample Sale!

.................


In memory of Tanya May Brown, 1959-2024.
A lovely person, and a good friend.  If someone asked what a Christian should be, I would point them to Tanya.  She talked honestly and sincerely about her faith, without ever judging or preaching, and she wasn't afraid of hard questions and didn't dismiss them with platitudes.  We had the best discussions at the library.  I have missed that.  I can't believe she is gone.
She gave me this little figurine a few Christmases ago.  It even resembles her a bit; she liked dresses and her hair was similar.
Once, in ex-pressing her total lack of interest in astronomical phenomena (as I was grumbling about a transit of Mercury that was clouded out), she said, "When I get to heaven I'm gonna see all that stuff anyway."
I hope she was right.

[davidd]

A pretty tribute picture.

I wish we didn't have to do tribute pictures. Too many people, IRL and online, have been crossing the veil lately.

But... that line about "When I get to heaven I'm gonna see all that stuff anyway" is really funny; and that's the type of sentiment that actually kinda encourages me to believe that there is an "other side."

[Alliecat]

I can't believe I have to cheat with another late-night phone snapshot. Or how quickly the weeks are gone and I have no photo by the end of it. It's been a dreadful week as the cascading disaster of my neighborhood continues to, well, cascade. I am at the end of coping. Someone send a wellness check if I'm not heard from in a while.
I did well to get this much done at all.


Sheepie came from Walmart; someone had left him all alone on the kleenex-&-paper-towel shelf, if I recall, and he was significantly on sale because it was after Easter. So of course he came home.

[davidd]

Sheepie is c-ewe-t, and I love how Sheepie and Pullip appear to be practically twins. They have similar eyes. And that's a really cute outfit on the Pullip.

Is there nothing you can do about your neighborhood situation? City (county? Island?) council, or planning commission, or calling the cops? Are there no regulations about noise, dust, or traffic? I mean... it's Canada, where they regulate everything! How are they allowed to operate a heavy equipment business in a residential area?

While I'm typing this, I'm thinking about here where I live, and how the county and the city always side with the money... which means with the developers, contractors, and long-time ranchers... who are all related to one another (because: Utah). I shouldn't have even asked, because you've probably already looked in to all those options, and bringing it up only adds to your frustration.

When I started thinking about moving from da mainland to Hawaii, I started boxing things up two years prior to making the move. That was a positive response: one of the few times in my life when I was optimistic about making something happen and I started taking practical steps to make it happen. I don't mean, like, thinking about it or haphazardly tidying things up; I mean literally taking things off shelves, putting them in cardboard boxes, taping the boxes shut, and labeling the boxes with a Sharpie pen. As an example: I boxed up all my clothes I wanted to keep (other than my work uniforms - I was a postal carrier at that time) and only left out what would fit in a suitcase; so clothing-wise, I was literally ready to go at a moment's notice.

It's a good way to get yourself to think: is this something I really want to haul with me?

About two years prior to leaving Hawaii, which was a less positive eksperience, I again began purging my stuff and boxing up what I wanted to keep. In retrospect I wish I had done more to make staying in Hawaii feasible, as I miss it dreadfully every day. However, at the time I was seeing that, mostly financially but also neighbor-increasingly-from-hell, things weren't trending well, and I knew that I couldn't sell or even show the house the way it was, so I began purging and boxing.

As to purging, there are two options: eBay or the dump. It's rarely worth the effort to "donate" items to thrift/charity shops these days. They don't even want the stuff anymore. The volunteer staff at the d*mned "hospital thrift store" where I live now almost look kinda pissed off when I take in bags or boxes of stuff... which is always hella-better stuff than the crap they usually have. Books I've always been able to donate to the local library for their used book sales.

Maybe clear out your stuff, put what you want to keep in storage, and turn your house in to a vacation rental. Go live "on the road" for a while as an itinerant house- and pet-sitter.

I dunno. I'm trying to figure out what my "next move" should be. My situation, at least at present, is not as dire as is yours, but it's not long-term sustainable, either.

I should go see what's in some of the boxes under the desk out in the storage shed that I haven't looked at since shipping them from Hawaii. Yup, even after a major purge and ruthless culling, there's a crap-ton of stuff left that prolly shoulda been pitched.

NOTE: sometimes, culling, sorting, and boxing up stuff is a psychological avoidance mechanism, offering a feeling of forward momentum while accomplishing nothing practical. I'm not yet entirely sure how to determine when my efforts are practical and when they are procrastination.

[Alliecat]

Missed the Saturday-midnight deadline again. >sigh<
At least I shot them yesterday. Under some duress in my backyard which is no longer a safe private place to play.

Found a robin's egg shell.

[davidd]

How cute! This reminds me of when I was a kid. Once in a great while we would find parts of blue shells from robin eggs. It was always a thrill because of the unusual blue color.

The Hawaii postmark dress is super fun!

[Alliecat]

Another week has evaporated in a flash as things continue to circle the drain. Another late-Saturday-night pic.
Today is my 30th anniversary here. I've always celebrated. I didn't feel like it this year, but ended up doing my traditional anniversary hike anyway -- not really intending to; just wandered up the trail a little way and then kept going. First time I've ever done it without a camera But it was nice to be in a quiet peaceful place for just a little while.




Sidika showing off my Ascocentrum ampullaceum which hasn't bloomed in several years. I was really pleased to see it making flowers.

[davidd]

Well... it looks like your yellow orchid (it's an orchid, isn't it?) is happy about something, blooming for the first time in years.

Thirty years? So you've been there since almost before you were born? (Which is technically possible, I suppose.) Where does your traditional anniversary hike take you? Is there a name for the trail? Or do you just "bushwhack it" in to the hills?

[fishy]

Your nature photos are always so pretty. They're like a fairyland.

[Alliecat]

Where does your traditional anniversary hike take you? Is there a name for the trail? Or do you just "bushwhack it" in to the hills?

It’s called Hay Point, and Sunsette and Scarlett have been there.
I didn’t even take a camera this time, let alone dolls  

Your nature photos are always so pretty. They're like a fairyland.

Aw, thank you!    and this is just a late night flash cheat shot on my windowsill!

[davidd]

  
It’s called Hay Point, and Sunsette and Scarlett have been there.

Oh, the Sundew Trail! Did you see any this year?

[Alliecat]

Oh, the Sundew Trail! Did you see any this year?

No. I looked. There were fewer jack-in-the-pulpits this year too.

[fishy]

I never knew there were so many flowers up in Canada that looked tropical.

[Alliecat]

I never knew there were so many flowers up in Canada that looked tropical.

Well, you can buy tropical things.  You just can't grow them outside. 

........................

I missed it again; another week gone and another after-midnight shot.  And there's half the year gone.  I don't think I can do another half.
I don't even remember what I was going to write.  I am in such a dysfunctional state I'm not able to get much done at all these days.  But hey, I did a doll photo, because priorities, right?


Alice with one of the phalaenopsis.  My only yellow one.  (The asco is actually orange.)