iCloud problems are muddying our timelines. We'll return soon.

World Humanitarian Day

JM: Did you know that yesterday was World Humanitarian Day? 

Toby: Nope. What's that?

JM: I'm not quite sure. It just said that on a calendar that I saw.

Toby: Maybe it's a reminder to be good to other people.

JM: Sounds like a good plan to me. It reminds me of children at the Mexican border. Toby, here are some of the stories they told and illustrated with Doctors Without Borders. Let's look at it together in The Art Part today...

From Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders)

Thank you, Pajaritos.

Thank you, Medecins

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Susie didn't let us down. She sent us another one of her paintings...

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Architecture came from Wendy. We have pictures from her visit last week to Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water. She stopped there on her drive back home from Cincinnati where she'd transported Aidan for his Junior year...

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Walking the halls here at Dock often takes me by a certain doorway to an apartment in the assisted living section of our senior's homes. It is always adorned with interesting, often seasonal or holiday-related embellishments. They are never the same. This time it was outstanding...

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Over time, Wendy's kitchen has seen refrigerators come and go but somehow the magnetically attached memorabilia and art always found a new home...

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Our artist friend Paula Borchardt has something to say about how she finds her topics for every week of her Substack blog. Go to Paula Borchardt - Visual Storyteller and find out, plus this past week's art. All 21 weeks (!!!) of her publications are there, too, if you need to catch up or want a close-up look at her and Carl's part of The Arizona-Sonora Desert.

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Toby: Thank you. That was a good week for art! 

JM: You're welcome.

Toby: I have to go catch up with my to-do list.

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Checkout 2023/08/06-08/12 The Week That Was for additional photos about Aidan's departure back to his Junior year at CCM and additional photos of Family, Friends and Followers. On the right column "Home". (We are having a technical problem putting into Electric Attic. Hope to solve soon.)

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h-u-m-a-n-i-t-a-r-i-a-n...a person promoting human welfare and social reform

                                            --Merriam-Webster

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Flibberty Jib Bum, Bippity Bop

Toby, let's get right to the point and visit The Art Part:

What a great treat that Keoni and Aidan were both at the farm at the same time! Amidst our happy visiting, was a pause for a mini-concert...

Bach Cello Suite 6, Gavotte II...

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Susie continues painting and shared her latest from this past week...

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Visit Paula's pincushion cactus flowers, now part of her yard journal art on her  Paula Borchardt - Visual Storyteller Substack blog. Learn how she counts so many, many blossoms. And, sign up for her blog to arrive in your inbox each week.

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Keoni sent his campsite sweet Renaissance tableau.

 

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JM: Toby, now that you're relaxed from visiting the arts, it's a good time to tell you that I made an appointment for you at the veterinarian.

Toby: Arrrrggghhh. 

JM: What's the matter? Do you have a hairball?

Toby: No. Why do I have to go to the veterinarian?

JM: Because it's time for your annual visit. 

Toby: What are they going to do to me this time?

JM: Oh, immunizations for rabies and such. Check for worms, too.

Toby: I thought that de-wormer you bought online that Wendy keeps smearing between my shoulder blades got rid of the worms!

JM: It's because a test will show if the stuff is working to keep you worm-free.

Toby: Do you have worms?

JM: Yes. They're not quite the same as yours. Mine are ear worms. Do you want to hear one of my ear worms? I've had it for 60 years... Ear Worm *

*Complements of "Word Jazz" --Ken Nordine

Toby: Stop, stop!!! Go get Wendy to rub that de-wormer between your shoulder blades!!!

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Family and Friends and Followers, we've begun a new addition compiled from last week's photos. We'll be adding to it each week, god willin' and the crick don't rise.

2023/07/30 - -8/07 The Week that Was

It's on the right under Electric Attic. 

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I Need an Appointment

 

Thank you, for the rope

you brought up the tree, Toby.

Rappelling was fun.

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The laptop crisis is over with a honey of a new machine. The loading of an external hard drive became suspenseful getting the drive's pictures and documents files to show up in their new accommodations. Thanks to John, all is now in place.

That was completed on Monday. Catch up is in progress. Our family and friends have been busy sharing their art to lift our spirits and render our world a better place. 

Our friend Paula has steadily posted on her Substack site: Paula Borchardt - Visual Storyteller. We also have her June Tucson Yard Journal to post here...

The Tucson rainy season began with a downpour that brought out...

... 1/4 inch, Red Velvet Mites, that Paula captured so nicely living it up in her and Carl's yard.

And, Carl got this one of another desert denizen who is happy with the rains, too...

...this Gila Monster is also happy with their yard.

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In New Mexico, Valerie continues her color-filled art explorations...

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...and in Missouri, Susie, both on her own and in her watercolor painting class, turns out multiple renderings...

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the apple is ripe

many hands brought it to me

with thanks I eat it

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Plastic

"Toby, did you know I am a tool-using primate?"

"No. Why are you telling me this?

"Because...

"It's a good thing

I'm a tool-using primate

so I can use box cutters

to slice into a plastic bubble

containing 13 screws

which I had to buy

in order to get to

the one screw I need

after which I

then lose the bubble 

and the rest of the 12 screws

in household miasma

eventually to live forever

in the tectonic strata

of Earth's plastic age."

"Ouch! Darn, box-cutter. I cut my finger."

Toby: "I'm glad I'm a felis catus."

***

“Toby, now that our staycation is over, we can go back to being retired.”

“When you are retired, is it okay to look at someone else working?”

“Sure, it’s not catching.”

“Then, show me a couple of Aidan’s window-washing videos, please.”

“…and he does power-washing, too…

“…

“…and Aidan made a website and some placards to hang on doorknobs…”

“Go, Aidan!!!”

“Now that we’ve checked on Aidan’s growing business, can we go to the art part?”

“Sure!”

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The Art Part--

I’m mixed up on what is where and how until we have the new laptop in a week and a half or two. So, we’ll play catch up when that happens. 

Nevertheless! Art marches on!

There is a wonderful new post on Paula’s Visual Storyteller that you won’t want to miss, plus another new post will appear tomorrow.

————

Keoni made a new music video putting together a video he made July 4th with music composed 400 years ago…  William Byrd 400 Years Later. 

The amazing outdoor James Turrell sculpture is on Rice University campus close to where Keoni lives. While he and a friend were walking the dog they took shelter there during a sudden rainstorm. 

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Spread kindness--

you'll never run out.

              --JM 6/13/23

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Sky Rockets in Flight

 

.

Sky rockets in flight 

Everyone, let’s get it right

Afternoon Delight!

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There’s so much to do

Here is me and there is you

We’ll make Justice true

¡Sí, podemos!

Power to the people!!!

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Toby: I think I’m having an out of body experience—did we become holograms?

JM: No, we’re line drawings. 

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Lucky Number

Toby, I sure like our staycation. 

Yeah, me too. Lotsa naps. Oh yes! and starting our own Rock-Skipping Society. Definitely big. 

It’s gonna be hard to pick up where we left off since DD Day happened yesterday. 

What in the world is DD Day?

Dead Drive Day. Hard drive is kaput. 

Wow. Now what?

Looks like we buy a new laptop. Wendy and John will help us find the stuff we need. 

Wait, wait! What about all your pictures? and poems? and stuff?

All good. Saved on external hard drives. 

Oh, thank goodness. For a minute there I thought we’d gone Poof! pixels skyrocketed into a heavenly light show. 

Hah! the hard drive sure did. We’ll have to wait until we get the new device to ramp up our July 4th return from this staycation.

Good! and don’t forget, I’m an Art Part fan. 

Let’s hope we get the new laptop in time. If not, we’ll continue to do what we can with our iPad pal.

I’m gonna skip some more rocks—forget about DD Day and come with me. 

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How many skips did you get?

How many did you get, Toby?

Wow, how’d you do that!?!

It’s my lucky number. 

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