See you next time – Bye for now
Blog
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March 25, 2018 – I will send you a sign – Then you will know!
On our golf course on Drummond Island – Of course the golf course is on two sides of a small airport – The sign may be needed. When I was growing up, we were smart enough about bulls – we did not need the sign. We live in a Retirement community in Florida – We old folks, may may not have it all together some times – we do funny things some times – so, maybe this sign is needed. Because northern folks are not always polite – I suggest this sign is definitely required to control some of those in-polite neighbors. I thought all neighbors know better – but we can not choose our neighbors – so the sign is a must. Now, if you have an in-polite German neighbor – I suggest this sign! Finally – I suggest the town government wasted our money on purchasing and installing this sign! -
March 23, 2018 — Oh my, if you do not see things that are not there, you are not old like me. Read on to see what I mean.
With the weakening of our five senses as we age, parts of the brain responsible for these senses become hyperactive. They fabricate sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and feelings that really are not there.Aging is a beautiful, natural, inevitable process. We can gain new experiences, every day, from things that do not exist. After years of getting to know the world around us we think we knew it all. But try hallucinating for a new beautiful sense. Experts say, when adults reach 60 years and over, the incidence of hallucinations increase.
To be honest, I am way over 60, and I am not aware that I hallucinate, and honest again, I have never been told that I hallucinate. So, there is what I have to say to the experts.
To be honest again though, I really enjoy seeing things that are not. I enjoy forcing myself to be creative – Look at an object, the sky, or the weather and pretend I see things. Get into a situation and pretend that I am free to make new rules and have fun.
Yesterday, while walking in the Orlando airport, I saw a tree growing out of the floor with two large trunks reaching for the skylights as part of the landscape in the airplane boarding area. Of course every one walked around them (As the architects of the modern airport expected) – but I saw a walkway run right between the trunks. I thought it would be more fun to send my suitcase(on wheels) around the tree and I would walk on my make-believe walkway – of course I expected the TSA officers to put cuffs on me – but they only laughed at the old man clowning around.
I will talk more on this subject, of creatively making fun, in future posting to this web site – but for now, I hope you use the two following illustrations to help prompt you to see (create in your mind) things that are not, tell others of your thoughts, and have a good laugh.
Be confident that it is not old age hallucination. Quite the opposite, you are teaching your mind to creatively play! – and that is a good way to start having inexpensive safe fun every day.
I saw the sky outside my front door. 
My creative mind played with the clouds and this is what my mind saw. 
I stood in my shower this morning – I saw something on the tile block between my feet. 
I studied harder. 
My mind began to play. I laughed as it thought more creatively. 
Finally, I left mind see what it wanted to see. So there, that is what I have to say to the experts on old age hallucination.
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March 18, 2018 – Oh my, read on to see who are the mad artists among us. Could you be one?
Famous “The Starry Night” painting by Vincent van Gogh
This morning the CBS TV show “Sunday Morning” focused on the mind – from artistic genius minds, to animal minds, to those who became creative geniuses as they lost their link to the world as the aged.
The TV show went on to say, many of history’s most celebrated creative geniuses were mentally ill, from renowned artists Vincent van Gogh, who cut off his ear,
to literary giants Virginia Woolf and Edgar Allan Poe. Today, mounting research shows these two extremes of the human mind really are linked — and scientists are beginning to understand why.OK, parents and grandparents – You might want to have dumb kids after all. Those straight A students may be in trouble. One study tested the intelligence of 700,000 Swedish 16-year-olds and then followed up a decade later to learn which of them had developed mental illnesses. The startling results were published in 2010. “They found that people who excelled when they were 16 years old were four times as likely to go on to develop bipolar disorder,”
I was not straight A’s. But while watching the TV show, I did create a piece of art. You tell me, after looking at it, if you think I have a demented mind? Now be kind.
Who are the smart people among us? I like to think that our Presidents are very creative, if not genius – regardless of their political party affiliation. To link this thought of mine to the TV show on “Mind, Madness, and Creativity,” I found many of our Presidents turned to the “hobby” of art creation.
A president recovering from a term or two in the highest seat of executive power in the United States needs some downtime and a calming hobby.
I researched to find examples of four Presidents, after retirement, turned to art. I will show you examples of their work:
1. Grant,
2. Eisenhower,
3. Carter,
4. George W. Bush.
OK, Grandparents, go tell your A student, or your B student, or what ever level they seek to accomplish in high school, “You are Great” – Things will take care of themselves as they grow up – I think it is your job to just help them “Be active, appreciate each morning, stay out of bad habits, and stay away from bad associations.” I bet they will thank you for your help. Maybe from the oval office.
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March 14, 2018 – If you are a mathematician you know this is Pie Day 3.1418 – Has nothing to do with our human nature to love the outdoors. “Read” on…. Oh my, have you “read” all of that?
The above 10 foot gator was in the middle of the lake thrashing in the water.
New topic: A friend sent me an e-mail of homographs. He wanted to show me how crazy the English language is. Boy, do I know that. Man, my computer is slow this morning. (Boy and Man?????)
I spent at least five years working with translators in European Business Headquarters helping them work with the English speaking writers of technical documents. The writers had to be careful what they wrote so it could be translated.
For example: General Motors had on their advertisements these words “Body by Fisher” – Some non-US folks assumed that meant “Cadaver found by the fisherman.”
Here are some more difficult phrases for the translators.
I did not *object* to the *object*.
They were too *close* to the door to *close* it.
The buck *does* funny things when the *does* are present.
Upon seeing the *tear* in the painting I shed a *tear*.
Let’s face it – English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger and neither apple nor pine in a pineapple.
Each day I see my kitchen door and my bathroom door. I live in a Florida community called The Great Outdoors. I have not yet found the door that is out and great?
A human nature fact is most people love the great outdoors too. Yesterday I was obliged to spend 2 1/2 hours in a wonderful and large furniture store. I spent the 2 1/2 half hours “wandering” around “wondering” about the 80 animals I saw that people could buy and set on their floors, coffee tables, sidebars, or wall shelves.
All of that was to tell you I love (and photograph) the great outdoors even if I can not find the door. Here are a few things I did find within the recent days.
This 10 foot gator was in the middle of the lake thrashing in the water – Like he ate something he should not have eaten – then he swam to shore and did strange moves. I think that is the way they trap them when they get too large or aggressive for human association. 
This non-poisionous water snake was about to enter my neighbor’s garage when I encouraged him to head for the lake behind the house! 
On the nature trail, this beautiful and very poisonous Pigmy Rattler Snake was easy to see and avoid. 
But when he got off into the pine needles by the side of the trail, he is well hidden! 
Of the 80 animals I saw in the furniture store – You could buy your very own Gator – and he was not too aggressive! See, a safe way to be an outdoors person! 
Maybe you want to go to another continent or snorkel without getting wet? Easy ways to be an outdoors person Hope you really enjoy the outdoor around you and enjoy the animals however you choose to see them.
By for now!
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March 12, 2018 – Every day I hike and bike the the land of unicorns, Luster, and found Firethroat!! Oh My. and I found Squijum & Dimblethum too!
Last Saturday, I unknowingly rode my bike into the land of Unicorns right here in the Great Outdoors Community’s nature trails.
Oh MY, from my iphone – I captured “Firethroat” – A fire breathing dragon snake – Wise and philosophical. HISTORY: The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, horn projecting from its forehead. The unicorn was mentioned by the ancient Greeks.
In European folklore, the unicorn is often depicted as a white horse with a long horn. In the Renaissance, it was a woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could only be captured by a virgin.
Doing research for this posting, I found there are hundreds of Children Fairy Tale books about Unicorns or using Unicorn characters. I chose one to tell you just a little about how one story might use unicorns. I chose this on also because I needed to find a way to use my digitized photograph.
I began to think about an illustration for a Fairy Tale book about Unicorns. – this is my initial take at an illustration. The book I chose – “Into Luster, the Land of the Unicorns” by Bruce Coville 1999:
Cara Diana Hunter and her grandmother realize they were being followed on their way home from the library. They duck into a church, but their pursuer follows. Cara is terrified, but her grandmother seems to expect this. Grandmother gives Cara her special amulet and instructs her to run to the top of the church tower. She says that when she gets to the top of the building to clutch the amulet and on the stroke of 12 say “Luster take me home.”
She tells Cara to find the Old One and tell her “the Wanderer is weary.” Cara does does as told, and ends up in a magical forest in a different world. This world is called Luster and it is the home of the unicorns. Cara makes several friends on her way to find the Old One, who is actually the Queen of the unicorns, in order to deliver her grandmother’s message.
Some of the characters are:
- Cara – A young girl whose grandmother gives her an Amulet to get into Luster. Raised on the run by her grandmother, who is a “Wanderer” between our world and Luster.
- Old One – The Queen of the Unicorns and lives in Summerhaven. She is also known as Arabella Skydancer.
- Firethroat – A dragon snake who gives Cara the gift of tongues. Wise and philosophical.
- Lightfoot – A unicorn prince who Cara meets soon after she arrives in Luster. He helps Cara get to Summerhaven to see the Queen.
- Dimblethum – A wolf like person. The Dimblethum saves Cara from a goblin-like Delver as soon as she arrives in Luster. He also assists her on her journey to see the unicorn Queen.
- Squijum – A funny looking animal (looks a bit like a raccoon).
- And many more!
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March 9, 2018 – Blood Curdling Screams –Oh My!
I grew up in a farm-house build in 1835. Blood curdling screams were, sometimes, heard in the middle of the night. Oh my! I bolted straight up in bed, hair standing on end, and heart racing!
I was told there were screaming ghosts that lurked in that old 1835 farm-house.
Now you got to believe me, the screams did not happen often. In fact, the gentle mooing of the cattle in the pasture around the tall pines outside my bedroom window, the crowing of the rooster as the sun came up, and gentle rain drops on the well house roof is what this little farm boy heard almost every night.
That is, until one of those nights when all the gentle sounds seemed to come to a sudden stop – dead silence until the SCREAM………. as I write of this my heart is now racing – just thinking about those SCREAMS that happened 70 years ago.
Oh My – I kinda think my Great Great Grandpa, Abe, who built the old farm house in 1835 may have screamed just to scare me – family legend has it he was a prankster Life with farm animals is not the angelic life painted in children books – Oh my no. Let me tell you of the rooster that would attack like a fighting cock, the dog that grab your leg wanting to tear you apart if you startled him awake, the bull that we were told never to go near and never wear red – because he would put his horn laden head down and smash you against the wall,
Yipes – in my dreams. or big old Dan the draft horse that had what seemed to be 20 foot long hind legs that could reach the back of the stall and kick a hole in the wall – That is, of course, if his kick missed your head.
Oh My Dan broke the fence and not my head. But, my Mom’s old porch cat named “Polly” would run up to you as soon as you opened the front door – Dad would not allow animals in the house. Polly knew her place was on the front porch – never tried to enter the house. But she would stand there and purr, rub your leg, until you sat in the old front porch rocker. Then she would jump on your lap, snuggle, and pretend to fall asleep.
Polly’s purring could put you to sleep. We always sat longer than we intended, because who would want to disturb such a trusting loyal quiet friend – the only sound was a soft purr, maybe a brief sigh. The memory as I write this relaxed me so I could almost hear the purr and nod off to sl…
Oh my – I did doze off and dreamed -But, now my heart is racing. The terrible SCREAM. It happened just now in my dream YIPES!
That Polly, the calming cat I described, turned into a screaming monster when the neighbors old Tom cat came within 50 yards of our front porch. The wild jackals of the African plains were pussy cats compare to Polly when her territory was invaded by that old Tom cat.
When did that old Tom come around? and when did Polly turned into a screaming monster – in the middle of the night when old Tom came looking to make Polly his girlfriend.
“Oh My” – says Tom – “I am out of here!” Even though I know there were no ghosts. How am I to know that Polly really turned into a monster? Maybe it was just Abe playing a trick on me with Blood Curdling Screams. – We will never know.
Oh My -
March 6, 2018 – Abstract art.
When I sat down to write you a page this morning, I needed to make it quick. Why? ’cause I spent all morning making a painting.
We have all seen abstract paintings, but if asked to paint an abstract, we brand new digital artists, have no idea how to begin.
A simple change in mindset is needed to start an abstract. A move away from the need to copy and toward the understanding that the artist is in charge of what he thinks he sees.
Does his mind see a pattern that is fun to look at, or is it a pattern that clearly reveals a hidden images, or is it surreal where some images are quite clear but can’t be real – except in the artists mind of course.
Here is one I made this morning:
MORNING CHAIR – Come sit a spell. It is most often a beautiful morning in our Florida home in the winter and in our summer home on the northern Island. So as I sat down to think abstract here is what happened – on my iPad of course. My mind combined the the north and south into this image that is fun to look at but can not be real except in my mind.
Until the next time – maybe we can ponder all this stuff together. -
March 5, 2018 – more examples of a Pareidolia
In my last post I said, pareidolia describes our tendency to see patterns in random data. A study undertaken by Canadian researchers has added further evidence to the theory that we just can’t help seeing faces in random data. We’re hard-wired to recognise human faces.
I would like them to study me, because I think I am hard wired to see many more things than human faces in clouds, and everyday scenes.
Now, I am learning to paint over photographs and merge photographs on my iPad. I am also learning to send the results to all my other devices and then I can send them to this web site!
I create strange images but I hope you find some of the images pleasant to look at:
I see a reflection 
Study this and tell me what you see 
Hey, I see me reflected a little more clearly on the left. You might have to study the last one awhile to see me reflected on the left.
Anyway, when you are sitting and enjoying a rest, having a drink of water, or looking at the snow bank, the flower bed, or what ever – see if your mind can create a mix of colors to mentally view a piece of abstract art. Be a pareidolia person.
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February 27,2018 – Oh my. I have it! What do I have you say? I have Pareidolia – pronounced “Pari-DOH-lee-a”
Should I see a doctor? – Wonder if Medi Care will pay to get me fixed?
Oh, did you want me to tell you what I am talking about?
Pareidolia is a term for seeing patterns in random data. Some of my examples are seeing a likeness of a teddy bear in the clouds, maybe a hole in the clouds that looks like an eye, or an image of a dog that is really a tree trunk.
In general Pareidolia describes our tendency to see patterns in random data. A study undertaken by Canadian researchers has added further evidence to the theory that we just can’t help seeing faces in random data. We’re hard-wired to recognise human faces.
I would like them to study me, because I think I am hard wired to see many more things than human faces in clouds, and just everyday scenes.
While walking the Nature Trail near home in Florida I spotted this palm tree stump. 
While walking the Nature Trail near home in Florida this palm tree stump was converted, in my mind, into a funny looking dog – I had to go pet it – of course I got no response!. I think I have some form of Pareidolia. I see more than human faces. But I really love it! This sickness helps me have fun with PhotoShop each morning. It lets my mind see things the good old Pareidolia doctors probably never thought of. For example:
This is a formal photo of me when I was quit young – My Mom liked to do things like take us to town once a year, at Easter, for clothes and a photograph! 
This is Christy giving the keynote address. 
See, I combined the two previous photos to show how my Mom would have seen the Keynote Address. She had a form of Pareidolia too. 
Well, she most likely would have seen me giving a fire and brimstone sermon! Now you know what Pareidolia is – Pareidolia is a term for seeing patterns in random data.
Most people think you have to be mentally abnormal to see these types of images, I see nothing abnormal about it – but it can be dangerous. While riding bikes, you can crash. We are studying the clouds and not watching where we are going.
I added the following paragraph from the internet report by the Canadian research:
“But our findings suggest it’s common for people to see non-existent features because human brains are uniquely wired to recognise faces, so that even when there’s only a slight suggestion of facial features the brain automatically interprets it as a face.”
The research is in line with previous studies on the subject, and adds evidence to the theory that facial pareidolia emerged from an evolutionary need to recognize other friends – and foes – in a pinch. Doing so could have meant the difference between life and death tens of thousands of years ago, and modern humans seem to have just hung on to the skill.
Writing in his 1995 book The Demon-Haunted World, Carl Sagan theorized that “As soon as the infant can see, it recognizes faces, and we now know that this skill is hardwired in our brains. Those infants who a million years ago were unable to recognize a face smiled back less, were less likely to win the hearts of their parents, and less likely to prosper.”
GOOD BY – FOR NOW – Go look at clouds, trees, other people – what do you see? Oh my!
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Feb. 24, 2018 – Reflective art, Oh my. Next time you see a reflection – stop and ponder.
Every morning, when the wind is still, I sip my coffee, and study the lake behind my house, mesmerized by the houses and landscape reflected on the water. That caused me to think of reflected photo art.
I read somewhere – “If you want to engage more thoughtfully with the world around you, consider reflective art.”
So, I tried a few reflective photo art images using PhotoShop. It did make me think about the world around me out there on the lake.
Hope I trigger some thoughts in your mind as you see the next reflection in your world.
Abstract photos are not what the camera see, but what you can make your mind see. 
As my mind saw an artist in the sky – reflected on the lake behind my house through my coffee cup – as I spipped coffee – honest it was only pure coffee! My quote for the day: Now, reflect upon your next reflection! Oh my.
