Ice Everywhere

As destructive as they can be, ice storms create breathtaking beauty. When the sun comes out, the ice sparkles like diamonds.

Brrr! It's Cold

We got everything yesterday, snow, sleet, rain. By evening, shrubs and trees were developing a coat of ice. As much damage as the ice can do, its effect is beautiful, giving the landscape a fairyland appearance.

Rolling Pennies

My grandmother kept a penny jar as many people do today. When I was a kid, she would keep me and my siblings occupied when we visited by asking us to count her pennies. Occasionally, the pennies got rolled as I am doing today and taken to the bank. But, mostly, the pennies were used as entertainment. We stacked them, made walls and forts out of them, played grocery store.

Penny facts (sorry I am not citing sources but you can look these up):

1. Millions and millions of pennies are thrown away each year, and not necessarily on the ground but in the trash, because they are a nuisance for some people to carry around.
   
2. Support for picking pennies up off the ground is eroding. The practice varies widely by age group. Seniors will bend over more often than young adults.
3. About a quarter of the people who pick up pennies respect the superstition of only picking up heads and about a fourth of this group actually turn the bad coin (tails) to benefit the next person.
4. Pennies cost more than one cent to make.
5. The most expensive penny is a rare one minted in 1793. Only four are known to exist today and their worth is estimated at more than $275,000.

Doctor Appointments & An Exhibit

An exhibit of embroidered textiles I visited today. More images at F.I.G.

Tomorrow it is supposed to snow, sleet, rain. The city is hunkering down. I gave thanks that my doctor appointments were today, instead of tomorrow. The mammography technician told me that it took her three hours during the snow storm last week to drive home, usually a fifteen-minute trip, and the receptionist said that it took her two hours just to get out of the employee parking garage because everyone was leaving at the same time and no one would let her ease out of her parking space into the exiting traffic line. In fact, everywhere I went this past week, I heard similar stories.

The photograph is of the machine that takes mammograms. Some women avoid getting mammograms because they are afraid of the pain. Studies have shown that extreme pain is a myth. There may be mild discomfort from some, similar to a tight-fitting pair of shoes, but it is only for a very short time, less than a minute per x-ray for me.

When I saw this plate, I interpreted it as "3-D Dreams." Later, I saw another plate, 2D BEACH. A sign my interpretation was right?

Bunny Collection

When I first moved into my house, a domesticated rabbit appeared in my yard ... then, another ... and another ... and another ... until I eventually had seven. Easter pets abandoned? I housed and fed them. Now, they are gone and I collect rabbit figures in memory of them.

Fine Arts Sampler Weekend: Recital

This weekend is the Tri-state area's 21st Fine Arts Sampler Weekend where more than 30,000 people are expected to attend more than 200 free arts events in over 70 locations. This year's theme is Fiesta, A Celebration of Rhythm.

While at the downtown library for another purpose, I heard music. I stopped to listen. Unlike the boy in the striped shirt who was very much at ease and an expressive piano player, the little girl had a case of stage fright. She sat silently on the bench. An adult from the audience, her mother, I think, came up and whispered something to her as she guided the little girl's hands to the keyboard. After a few more encouraging whispers and guiding, the little girl finally began to play.

Calligraphy class update. We have progressed from warm-up strokes to families of letters of which there are four. The first is based on "O," ocedgqs. Maybe, one or two O's on my practice page show promise ... practice, practice, practice.

Deer

This is the wooded area I pass driving to and from work. It was dusk, which is the time the deer show up. They were in two groups, about a dozen in all. Even though this area is close to the road, many drivers do not even notice them, they blend so well with their environment. One driver did stop and took some photos from his car using his cell phone. Then, he decided he wanted to get closer and tried to approach through high grass. Needless to say, he spooked the deer.

The best part of discovering this vanity plate was watching the double take of the woman whose car was parked next to it.