Day 4859: Duke, the Boxer Granddog & Humble Decorations.

 

"Ma Rainey": postage stamp, junk collage, watercolor postcard.

                                                                       

  

Want music?

    Click: Al Green, Love and Happiness.

2GN2S

Duke, the Boxer Granddog

11.29.2025

Duke (12 weeks) & Zoey (7 years)

Above are my two grand-dogs, sitting in my favorite spot at WW & SM's backyard. Duke is two weeks in his new home with expert supervision from Zoey.

He is smart! Years ago, WW hung a cord with bells on the door that they use to let Zoey out. She looks at the bells, but doesn't touch them. Duke rang the bells the first day and everyday since. He has had no accidents to date. Now I am not saying Zoey isn't smart, because she is, but ringing a bell when you are supposed to notice her patiently waiting at the door, is not her thing.

Duke is fast, all puppies are fast. When he and Zoey were playing semi-rough, Duke went under the ottoman, with just his head out, barking at Zoey. Duke is going to be big, and no longer fits under the ottoman. WW sends me cute videos almost daily, I can't seem to figure out how to share n the blog? So far it's been beyond my pay grade.

More to come.

Humble Decorations...

For anyone who sees this silly blog over the years, you already know my Christmas decorations, but here they are again, plus a couple of newbies. During the young WonderWoman years & 33 years of married life, the holiday decor was in full tilt. Big tree, lights, too many ornaments ... excess.

But gradually I gave special stuff to WW and donated a ton, in order to simplify in accordance with my smaller home. No room for even a small tree, so this little beauty became my standard and I love it.

My precious little tree. Perfect. I heard a personality saying you could tell so much about a person by their tree selection. I thought about mine, yes, perfect! Bought at an art fair years ago, it's just under 12 inches. Minimal is an overstatement?

My 4" Japanese Santa from high school best friend, Karen Hirota Tamura, vintage 1955. His head wobbles on a pin. An early bobble-head? He is up year-round in my studio. Just too cute to pack away. 

My Grandmother's 4" high porcelain nativity, 100+ years old. I remember it in her apartment as a child. Joseph's original staff broke, and is now replaced with a pine needle.

Almost forgot "Moose". He is a 38" stoneware 'Football Hero #73", that I made in 1973 by combining wheel thrown bowls and hand made slabs. He is up all year 'round and suffers the indignities of Santa hats or whatever the season or occupants decide. 

For 20+ years the "Deck the Halls" has been on my front door. It has served well and this year was moved to the garage, replaced by what I think is a beautiful bark star. 

I originally bought it for WW & SM, it looked like their home, 

but their house is perfect already, and they will end up with this anyway. So I am keeper of the star, for now.

My 1" high wooden Christmas train. A gift from student, Colin Morris,  

then age 7, over 40 years ago. This year it is missing the final "S", no doubt a packing casualty? Colin, lawyer, now married to beautiful wife, Jill and baby Millie!just joined their family. Time keeps moving on.

Christmas cactus in full bloom at the front door. I have a new Amaryllis, but it hasn't bloomed yet and is shy to be seen.

Happy Holidays!

A massive floating system dragging plastic from the sea isn’t a dream—it’s happening, and it’s long overdue. Watching trash lifted from the water feels like seeing the planet exhale for a second.

The ocean has carried humanity’s waste for decades, silently absorbing mountains of plastic we pretend disappears. This device doesn’t fix the entire problem, but it makes the invisible visible, forcing us to face the damage.

Every piece pulled from the waves is one less poison drifting toward wildlife, shorelines, or our own future.

 

  

 

A 4 minute video, Mattias Adolfsson sketchbook tour, here

 

  

 

Just because ...

Shima-enaga, Snow fairy

 

Saturday's Smiles ... 

 

   

        Hoping you feel all the good things in your day.