View allAll Photos Tagged Declutter
There were a few reasons why I needed/wanted to get out for a drive today. I am wondering if the fact that I have had house mice is having an ill effect on my health. I have spent so much time the last few weeks, trying to declutter and get rid of a lot of stuff, and I'm not sure if I have disturbed the mouse spray and been breathing it in. You can't vacuum when you've had mice, so I haven't been doing that, but you still disturb things when sorting and moving belongings. I always have a cough - for years, and they couldn't find out the cause - but it has been worse recently. Anyway, I thought I would get out into the fresh air for a few hours today. Also, the forecast was for clouds and I thought this might be easier to drive in. The sun recently has been so glaringly bright and it affects my eyes. Note to self - must get my eyes checked sometime this year!
So, on this cloudy, low-light day, I made my way east of the city, hoping to maybe see an owl of some sort. I quickly checked to see if any Short-eared Owls were to be seen, though I knew it was probably too early in the day for them to be out. No sign of one at all. Time to drive a few back roads in case there was a Snowy Owl in sight. Some of the roads I travelled were ones that I hadn't driven before, which was good for me. Though I have been east of the city many times over the years, I have still only driven a few of the roads myself. I was fortunate to find two Snowy Owls; first a beautiful, streaked female, and then on a different road, a handsome male who flew off when I was still half a mile down the road.
There was still time to go back to look for a Short-eared Owl and this time, there were several of them. Most of the time, they were either flying far away or landing in the middle of a huge field. However, at the end, one did land on a post and stayed there for quite some time. Awkward to photograph, though, when there are other cars and photographers. I couldn't see anything at first, as there were two cars in front of me. In the end, I got out of my car and carefully stood between the two vehicles - couldn't see well around the first car and couldn't move out any further otherwise I would have blocked a friend's long lens behind me. I suspected that my photos were blurry because of the front car and for my last few photos, I moved around and stood a couple of feet away from the heat rising from the vehicle. That made some difference - now I have several somewhat sharper images, and an awful lot of blurry shots to delete. Sigh .... The above shot is not sharp enough, but I like the owl's expression and the background.
A young relative of one of the landowners came across the field and I had quite a long, interesting talk with him. He wondered what all the cars in the area were doing and I explained about the owls and that we were all birders/photographers. He said his grandmother was so worried and stressed out - quite afraid. I told him that I am always concerned when photographers do this, as I know it must make some landowners nervous (understandably, with the crime rate in rural areas), and told him to please apologize to his grandma, and to also reassure her that we are all good, harmless people, interested only in trying to get photos of the owls.
Another reason to get out today was that we are about to have a drastic change in our weather! For wekks now, we have been enjoying much milder winter weather, but on Sunday, 3 February, the forecast is for a high of -22C (windchill -31C). A high of -24C for Monday.
I choose this photo for my line project as the element effectively leads the viewer through the trees and towards the silhouette of the falling/floating girl. I think the contrast of the black ground skyline and the near white of the sky also leads the viewer to the girl in the photo. To create this photo I took my friend Anna to Cool Creak park to lay on a stool (which I may or may not have stolen from my kitchen...) I would take several photos with her laying across the stool and then I would ask her to leave, I would take pictures of the same background without her in it for editing. I unfortunately forgot a tripod, so I instead I just stacked the photos in photoshop and took out the stool in one layer to show just the background in the second photo to make it look like she was floating. After several edits to the trees to declutter them I flipped the photo to further add a sense of surrealism and improve the use of space in the photo. I really liked how the falling effect turned out in this photo, but I do wish I would've tried moving her around into different "floating" positions.
Old school cut & paste (scissors & glue) collage created for weekly themed blog:
The Kollage Kit
THEME: "Declutter" "Clean out"
NOTE: Long before being "green" was fashionable, Keep America Beautiful formed in 1953 when a group of corporate and civic leaders met in New York City to discuss a revolutionary idea — bringing the public and private sectors together to develop and promote a national cleanliness ethic.
Portland's Steel Bridge disappearing into fog on a winter afternoon. I wish I had more chances to shoot in fog like this. I love how it simplifies and declutters a scene.
Don't just assume crabs lack combat training, it can be embarassing.
Much better declutter'd on black
Modified vintage Mercedes-Benz convertible with removal of surrounding grass, trees, people and other distractions. Vero Beach has an annual outdoor event "Under the Oaks"...very nice location but huge number of distractions. (Also fooling around with new LeicaQ3 43 with which I need to learn the perspective compared to the standard LeicaQ3)
Not that I'm considering anything new, if anything I'm in declutter mode, but this is awesome to the power awesome!
There were a few reasons why I needed/wanted to get out for a drive today. I am wondering if the fact that I have had house mice is having an ill effect on my health. I have spent so much time the last few weeks, trying to declutter and get rid of a lot of stuff, and I'm not sure if I have disturbed the mouse spray and been breathing it in. You can't vacuum when you've had mice, so I haven't been doing that, but you still disturb things when sorting and moving belongings. I always have a cough - for years, and they couldn't find out the cause - but it has been worse recently. Anyway, I thought I would get out into the fresh air for a few hours today. Also, the forecast was for clouds and I thought this might be easier to drive in. The sun recently has been so glaringly bright and it affects my eyes. Note to self - must get my eyes checked sometime this year!
So, on this cloudy, low-light day, I made my way east of the city, hoping to maybe see an owl of some sort. I quickly checked to see if any Short-eared Owls were to be seen, though I knew it was probably too early in the day for them to be out. No sign of one at all. Time to drive a few back roads in case there was a Snowy Owl in sight. Some of the roads I travelled were ones that I hadn't driven before, which was good for me. Though I have been east of the city many times over the years, I have still only driven a few of the roads myself. I was fortunate to find two Snowy Owls; first a beautiful, streaked female, and then on a different road, a handsome male who flew off when I was still half a mile down the road.
There was still time to go back to look for a Short-eared Owl and this time, there were several of them. Most of the time, they were either flying far away or landing in the middle of a huge field. However, at the end, one did land on a post and stayed there for quite some time. Awkward to photograph, though, when there are other cars and photographers. I couldn't see anything at first, as there were two cars in front of me. In the end, I got out of my car and carefully stood between the two vehicles - couldn't see well around the first car and couldn't move out any further otherwise I would have blocked a friend's long lens behind me. I suspected that my photos were blurry because of the front car and for my last few photos, I moved around and stood away from the heat rising from the vehicle. That made a difference - now I have several somewhat sharper images, and an awful lot of blurry shots to delete. Sigh ....
A young relative of one of the landowners came across the field and I had quite a long, interesting talk with him. He wondered what all the cars in the area were doing and I explained about the owls and that we were all birders/photographers. He said his grandmother was so worried and stressed out - quite afraid. I told him that I am always concerned when photographers do this, as I know it must make some landowners nervous (understandably, with the crime rate in rural areas), and told him to please apologize to his grandma, and to also reassure her that we are all good, harmless people, interested only in trying to get photos of the owls.
Another reason to get out today was that we are about to have a drastic change in our weather! For wekks now, we have been enjoying much milder winter weather, but on Sunday, 3 February, the forecast is for a high of -22C (windchill -31C). A high of -24C for Monday.
Looking into a derelict house where the roof and upper floors have collapsed.into the shell of the house.The house is located in the "Happy Valley" , the Happy Valley is sign posted on your left on the coast road that takes you down the coast from Fairbourne to Tywyn, Gwynedd,Wales.
Two weeks ago, the universe threw the brakes on our busy lives in the form of the stomach flu.
I was pretty certain I was immune, until I found myself unable to get out of bed for three days with the most debilitating nausea I've experienced since I was pregnant with Emma. I had no choice but to cancel all of my plans, and let my husband take care of me. It was humbling. And revealing.
Since I've recovered, I've had new eyes for this precious life. I've been filled with a profound gratitude for health, well-being, togetherness, and familial love. I've felt an overwhelming desire to SLOW DOWN (even more!), to declutter, eliminate distractions, savor what's real and true, let go a little more of the need for self-identification, and plunge myself into the joys of savoring and letting go. My sense is that it will have implications for my 'virtual life' here on Flickr, and I wanted to let you know why you may not see me around these parts for awhile. I love spending time here, so I doubt I will be absent for very long, but I wanted to say a proper farewell, just for now. I think you know how much I'll be thinking of you all. And of course, I'll be checking in to revel in the beauty of your images.
Sending out big love . . . . xoxo.
Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise.
You can also download the full size target if you want : [Link]
![[Link]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4266371939_be4826e8eb_o.jpg){kind=link}
My goal has been to down-size my blythe collection and get more organized with it for some time now. I can finally say that I'm done organizing it and feel great! The down-sizing has been on-going and still a work in progress. I have 1 large box for all stock clothing, and one of my antique cabinets is now all organized with pretty boxes with various items in it and a note stating what is in that particular box. One entire box for Darling Diva stock - it's that much stock for her! And one of our Dealers at the store gave me a really cool vintage gold rack that is PERFECT for hanging most of the dresses on! Such a relief to have this project down now!
There were a few reasons why I needed/wanted to get out for a drive today. I am wondering if the fact that I have had house mice is having an ill effect on my health. I have spent so much time the last few weeks, trying to declutter and get rid of a lot of stuff, and I'm not sure if I have disturbed the mouse spray and been breathing it in. You can't vacuum when you've had mice, so I haven't been doing that, but you still disturb things when sorting and moving belongings. I always have a cough - for years, and they couldn't find out the cause - but it has been worse recently. Anyway, I thought I would get out into the fresh air for a few hours today. Also, the forecast was for clouds and I thought this might be easier to drive in. The sun recently has been so glaringly bright and it affects my eyes. Note to self - must get my eyes checked sometime this year!
So, on this cloudy, low-light day, I made my way east of the city, hoping to maybe see an owl of some sort. I quickly checked to see if any Short-eared Owls were to be seen, though I knew it was probably too early in the day for them to be out. No sign of one at all. Time to drive a few back roads in case there was a Snowy Owl in sight. Some of the roads I travelled were ones that I hadn't driven before, which was good for me. Though I have been east of the city many times over the years, I have still only driven a few of the roads myself. I was fortunate to find two Snowy Owls; first a beautiful, streaked female, and then on a different road, a handsome male who flew off when I was still half a mile down the road.
There was still time to go back to look for a Short-eared Owl and this time, there were several of them. Most of the time, they were either flying far away or landing in the middle of a huge field. However, at the end, one did land on a post and stayed there for quite some time. Awkward to photograph, though, when there are other cars and photographers. I couldn't see anything at first, as there were two cars in front of me. In the end, I got out of my car and carefully stood between the two vehicles - couldn't see well around the first car and couldn't move out any further otherwise I would have blocked a friend's long lens behind me. I suspected that my photos were blurry because of the front car and for my last few photos, I moved around and stood away from the heat rising from the vehicle. That made a difference - now I have several somewhat sharper images, and an awful lot of blurry shots to delete. Sigh ....
A young relative of one of the landowners came across the field and I had quite a long, interesting talk with him. He wondered what all the cars in the area were doing and I explained about the owls and that we were all birders/photographers. He said his grandmother was so worried and stressed out - quite afraid. I told him that I am always concerned when photographers do this, as I know it must make some landowners nervous (understandably, with the crime rate in rural areas), and told him to please apologize to his grandma, and to also reassure her that we are all good, harmless people, interested only in trying to get photos of the owls.
Another reason to get out today was that we are about to have a drastic change in our weather! For wekks now, we have been enjoying much milder winter weather, but on Sunday, 3 February, the forecast is for a high of -22C (windchill -31C). A high of -24C for Monday.
{49.365}
this guy spent the day watching me trying to get henry to clean his room. i ended up cleaning 96.2% of it. close to being at wit's end over it.
Jan 8
In my Declutter missions for this year from "Home Storage Solutions" it's all about the Kitchen and this week has been cleaning off the counter tops/Island/table. Well it looks good right now and ready for me to unload the cabinets next week to clean them out eeek
But it feels good to have all the excess clutter (decor things) put somewhere else. Just one more thing to help in getting this house ready for the wedding - 10 months counting down!!!
Here is link in case anyone else wants to see what this is all about or would like to start a new habit ;D www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/declutter-calendar-jan...
A 'waterfall' on Glenn Creek, in the parkland east of...
Decatur (Glennwood Estates), Georgia.
20 September 2019.
▶ See the Instagram crop. I might like it better: it declutters the shot.
***************
▶ Photo by Yours For Good Fermentables.com.
▶ For a larger image, type 'L' (without the quotation marks).
— Follow on Twitter: @Cizauskas.
— Follow on Facebook: YoursForGoodFermentables.
— Follow on Instagram: @tcizauskas.
▶ Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II.
---> Neutral density filter: 10-stop.
---> Exposure bracketing: 1/2 sec, 1/15 sec.
▶ Commercial use requires explicit permission, as per Creative Commons.
Three old photos from my archives, an old car from my last very short drive on 6 November to the Saskatoon Farm plus one backroad, and an old barn from my 3-farm drive on 17 August 2024.
No new photos taken at the moment, as I have no choice but to stay home and slowly plod my way through old photos and delete some of them from my computer. My hard drive keeps falling into the red, 'danger' zone because of lack of space. For some strange reason, after doing a scan of my hard drive a few days ago, when I now click on a photo in My Pictures, what I get is different, and it quickly uses up a few Gigabytes on my computer, plunging me into the 'red' zone. Never used to happen, and I don't know how to stop it. Have to keep closing everything and restarting my computer in order to get the Gigabytes back again.
I am adding the description that I wrote under a different previously posted image taken on the same day.
"There were a few reasons why I needed/wanted to get out for a drive yesterday, 30 January 2019. I am wondering if the fact that I have had house mice (probably come into my place from one of my neighbour's) is having an ill effect on my health. I have spent so much time the last few weeks, trying to declutter and get rid of a lot of stuff, and I'm not sure if I have disturbed the mouse spray and been breathing it in. You can't vacuum when you've had mice, so I haven't been doing that, but you still disturb things when sorting and moving belongings. I always have a cough - for years, and they couldn't find out the cause - but it has been worse recently. Anyway, I thought I would get out into the fresh air for a few hours today. Also, the forecast was for clouds and I thought this might be easier to drive in. The sun recently has been so glaringly bright and it affects my eyes. Note to self - must get my eyes checked sometime this year!
So, on this cloudy, low-light day, I made my way east of the city, hoping to maybe see an owl of some sort. I quickly checked to see if any Short-eared Owls were to be seen, though I knew it was probably too early in the day for them to be out. No sign of one at all. Time to drive a few back roads in case there was a Snowy Owl in sight. Some of the roads I travelled were ones that I hadn't driven before, which was good for me. Though I have been east of the city many times over the years, I have still only driven a few of the roads myself. I was fortunate to find two Snowy Owls; first a beautiful, streaked female, and then on a different road, a handsome male who flew off when I was still half a mile down the road.
There was still time to go back to look for a Short-eared Owl and this time, there were several of them. Most of the time, they were either flying far away or landing in the middle of a huge field. However, at the end, one did land on a post and stayed there for quite some time. Awkward to photograph, though, when there are other cars and photographers. I couldn't see anything at first, as there were two cars in front of me. In the end, I got out of my car and carefully stood between the two vehicles - couldn't see well around the first car and couldn't move out any further otherwise I would have blocked a friend's long lens behind me. I suspected that my photos were blurry because of the front car and for my last few photos, I moved around and stood away from the heat rising from the vehicle. That made a difference - now I have several somewhat sharper images, and an awful lot of blurry shots to delete. Sigh ....
A young relative of one of the landowners came across the field and I had quite a long, interesting talk with him. He wondered what all the cars in the area were doing and I explained about the owls and that we were all birders/photographers. He said his grandmother was so worried and stressed out - quite afraid. I told him that I am always concerned when photographers do this, as I know it must make some landowners nervous (understandably, with the crime rate in rural areas), and told him to please apologize to his grandma, and to also reassure her that we are all good, harmless people, interested only in trying to get photos of the owls. (A few days later, I returned and went and introduced myself to 'Grandma", taking along a photo similar to this one, and a Snowy Owl and a Great Horned Owl for her. We had such a delightful, interesting chat inside her home.)
Another reason to get out yesterday was that we are about to have a drastic change in our weather! For weeks now, we have been enjoying much milder winter weather, but on Sunday, 3 February, the forecast is for a high of -22C (windchill -31C). A high of -24C for Monday."
September 13th, 2021
This pic is intentionally very dark.
UGH @ Monday. I was so tried this morning, not feeling work at all!
Nothing exciting happened today. I cleaned the front desk area! Cleared out so much old shit. We had a notepad from the 40th anniversary and this year is the 50th lmao. It felt good to declutter. Slowly making this desk really my own!
After work I came home and napped for like an hr then just hung around and watched Power. The final season really was a bust and tbh it kinda made me forget how good the rest of the series is!
Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200PF
Operator: West Air Sweden
Registration: SE-DUX
C/n / msn: 7010
First flight: 1993
Total airframe hrs: 38601
Cycles: 31036
Engines: 2 General Electric CF34-3B1
Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Airplane damage: Destroyed
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: near Oajevágge ( Sweden)
Crash site elevation: 722 m (2369 feet) amsl
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature: Cargo
Departure airport: Oslo-Gardermoen Airport (OSL/ENGM), Norway
Destination airport: Tromsø/Langnes Airport (TOS/ENTC), Norway
Flightnumber: PT294
Narrative:
A Canadair CRJ-200 cargo plane of West Air Sweden was destroyed when it impacted remote terrain near Akkajaure, Sweden. Both pilots were killed.
The aircraft departed Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, Norway at 23:10 hours local time on a mail and package flight to Tromsø, Norway.
The take-off, departure and climb to cruising altitude, flight level 330, were performed according to normal procedures. The flight was uneventful until one minute and 20 seconds before the impact. The event started at 00:19:20 hrs, one hour and ten minutes into the flight in night time conditions of darkness without moonlight, clouds or turbulence. The lack of external visual references meant that the pilots were totally dependent on their instruments which consisted of three independent attitude indicators.
Suddenly a very fast increase in pitch was displayed on the left attitude indicator. The pilot in command, who was the pilot flying and seated in the left seat exclaimed a strong expression. The displayed pitch change meant that the pilot in command was subjected to a surprise effect and a degradation of spatial orientation. The autopilot was, most probably, disconnected automatically, a "cavalry charge" aural warning and a single chime was heard, the latter most likely as a result of miscompare between the left and right pilots' flying displays (PFD).
Both elevators moved towards nose down and nose down stabilizer trim was gradually activated from the left control wheel trim switch. The aeroplane started to descend, the angle of attack and G-loads became negative up to -1 G. Both pilots exclaimed strong expressions and the co-pilot said "come up".
About 13 seconds after the start of the event the crew were presented with two contradictory attitude indicators with red chevrons pointing in opposite directions. At the same time none of the instruments displayed any comparator caution due to the PFDs declutter function in unusual attitude.
Bank angle warnings were heard and the maximum operating speed and Mach number were exceeded 17 seconds after the start of the event, which activated the overspeed warning.
The speed continued to increase, a distress call was transmitted and acknowledged by the air traffic control and the engine thrust was reduced to flight idle.
The crew was active during the entire event. The dialogue between the pilots consisted mainly of different perceptions regarding turn directions. They also expressed the need to climb. At this stage, the pilots were probably subjected to spatial disorientation. The aircraft collided with the ground one minute and twenty seconds after the initial height loss.
Investigation revealed that the erroneous attitude indication on PFD 1 was caused by a malfunction of the Inertial Reference Unit (IRU 1). The pitch and roll comparator indications of the PFDs were removed when the attitude indicators displayed unusual attitudes. In the simulator, in which the crew had trained, the corresponding indications were not removed. During the event the pilots initially became communicatively isolated from each other.
Factors as to cause and contributing factors:
The accident was caused by insufficient operational prerequisites for the management of a failure in a redundant system.
Contributing factors were:
- The absence of an effective system for communication in abnormal and emergency situations.
- The flight instrument system provided insufficient guidance about malfunctions that occurred.
- The initial manoeuver that resulted in negative G-loads probably affected the pilots' ability to manage the situation in a rational manner.
Factors as to risk
The fact that fault descriptions regarding aircraft and its components are reported in a less detailed manner might imply that the faults will not be identified and corrected in an efficient way. This can in turn lead to a flight safety issue as, for instance, intermittent faults cannot always be detected by general tests.
Classification:
Loss of situational awareness
Loss of control
No time or energy to go out taking new photos. I will copy and paste what I wrote on a previousy posted (on 31 January) image taken at the same time. This is one of a few photos that came out OK - the rest were horribly blurry from the heat coming from a vehicle that I had to stand against, and need to be deleted. Three cars were parked here, including mine, and we were not on the 'main' road. By the way, if anyone reads this, apparently the RCMP have recently been called out to the area a few times, i.e. don't stop/park! Also, you risk being photographed by another photographer, who then might post the photo of you on Facebook, and then you might end up having 127 unpleasant, accusatory comments added to the posting by people who have no idea who you are, like happened to me!
"There were a few reasons why I needed/wanted to get out for a drive yesterday, 30 January 2019. I am wondering if the fact that I have had house mice is having an ill effect on my health. I have spent so much time the last few weeks, trying to declutter and get rid of a lot of stuff, and I'm not sure if I have disturbed the mouse spray and been breathing it in. You can't vacuum when you've had mice, so I haven't been doing that, but you still disturb things when sorting and moving belongings. I always have a cough - for years, and they couldn't find out the cause - but it has been worse recently. Anyway, I thought I would get out into the fresh air for a few hours today. Also, the forecast was for clouds and I thought this might be easier to drive in. The sun recently has been so glaringly bright and it affects my eyes. Note to self - must get my eyes checked sometime this year!
So, on this cloudy, low-light day, I made my way east of the city, hoping to maybe see an owl of some sort. I quickly checked to see if any Short-eared Owls were to be seen, though I knew it was probably too early in the day for them to be out. No sign of one at all. Time to drive a few back roads in case there was a Snowy Owl in sight. Some of the roads I travelled were ones that I hadn't driven before, which was good for me. Though I have been east of the city many times over the years, I have still only driven a few of the roads myself. I was fortunate to find two Snowy Owls; first a beautiful, streaked female, and then on a different road, a handsome male who flew off when I was still half a mile down the road.
There was still time to go back to look for a Short-eared Owl and this time, there were several of them. Most of the time, they were either flying far away or landing in the middle of a huge field. However, at the end, one did land on a post and stayed there for quite some time. Awkward to photograph, though, when there are other cars and photographers. I couldn't see anything at first, as there were two cars in front of me. In the end, I got out of my car and carefully stood between the two vehicles - couldn't see well around the first car and couldn't move out any further otherwise I would have blocked a friend's long lens behind me. I could tell that my photos were blurry because of the front car and for my last few photos, I moved around and stood away from the heat rising from the vehicle. That made a difference - now I have several somewhat sharper images, and an awful lot of blurry shots to delete. Sigh ....
A young relative of one of the landowners came across the field and I had quite a long, interesting talk with him. He wondered what all the cars in the area were doing and I explained about the owls and that we were all birders/photographers. He said his grandmother was so worried and stressed out - quite afraid. I told him that I am always concerned when photographers do this, as I know it must make some landowners nervous (understandably, with the crime rate in rural areas), and told him to please apologize to his grandma, and to also reassure her that we are all good, harmless people, interested only in trying to get photos of the owls. (A few days later, I returned and went and introduced myself to 'Grandma", taking along a photo similar to this one, and a Snowy Owl and a Great Horned Owl.)
Another reason to get out yesterday was that we are about to have a drastic change in our weather! For weeks now, we have been enjoying much milder winter weather, but on Sunday, 3 February, the forecast is for a high of -22C (windchill -31C). A high of -24C for Monday."
sixty-four colors: week 52
...or maybe it should be, 'it ain't easy being green'
This one gets to do triple duty; I am in full 'declutter' mode--not much time to play with the camera [8-(]--so this one's in for Cliche Saturday, too.
Scavenger Hunt: sock it to me
And it's also my Sunday Slider... because I obviously went a little crazy in PSE!
Thanks to H. Adam for the very cool texture layer!
HCS! and HSS!
another 94 degree day, sitting in a pool of sweat...ugh, so trying to declutter and have some fun in my Studio.....
Pa Kua pendant, celestial crimson phoenix, and compass, some of the elements of Lillian Too's Feng shui kit.
Residing in a cupboard :-) We do aspire to key areas of Feng shui wisdom, and will make a serious effort to declutter in our new house.
Feng shui means "wind and water" and seeks to find harmonious features to improve the quality of life.
"7 Days of Shooting" "Week #14" "Bits & Pieces" "Texture Tuesday"
285/366 2016
Poor conditions for the last five days so took the opportunity to declutter the garage to make room for a jam jar :0) Had hoped to try and get close-ups of these guys, today there were 50+ flocking and squabbling around the garden feeders in the rain :0)
vintage porcelain teacups. . .purging some vintage goodies in a new etsy shop called wolfiedigs. It's not a new venture or direction, just a way to declutter the house a bit (I hope!)
My declutter area for January is my old nursery, which is basically not useable, because it is stacked with old things and photos/frames. Making some progress- and the month is only 1/3 over. Opened a box that my Mom gave me from her attic and there were envelopes of my old paper dolls from the 70s. I guess that is a toy that today's youth wouldn't even look at!
Just having a bit of a declutter and found this mega-cliché that didn't make the cut first time out 😊
When we decompress and unwind, it improves not only our mental health but also our level of productivity. I find that when I am taking my time to shoot pictures, it can be a helpful and effective technique to relieve stress, enhance my feelings of happiness, and have a positive effect on my mood. However it is not just any photo genre that will have that effect...for example, street photography can be very stressful. I find that taking photos with multitude of colors blended in a short DoF or of water subjects using super long exposure work very well to regulate my emotions. Also, a simple photo with a focused subject helps to metaphorically declutter and move unimportant things out of my brain space.
Breakfast on the Beach with Jesus
from Devotions for the Beach... and Days You Wish You Were There
Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” — knowing that it was the Lord. — John 21:12
It had been a tough morning, to be sure. Following Jesus’ death, several disciples returned to their regularly scheduled programming. They got up early, took their fishing nets, and… nothing. Not a bite. Until some guy stood on the shore and called out a weird suggestion to throw their nets in from the other side of the boat.
I wonder if any of them grumbled briefly, “What difference does it make which side of the boat we throw the nets from? Who is this guy?” But by then, they were desperate enough to try anything.
Suddenly, when their nets were heavy, the same question took on a different meaning, because they knew the answer. John shouted, “It is the Lord!” and Peter could not get to Jesus fast enough. Other than suggesting that they add some of the fresh catch to His spread, Jesus’ sole response was “Come and eat breakfast.”
Now, wait just a minute. When read in context, the scripture notes that this is Jesus’ third post-resurrection appearance, a miracle unto itself. After all, these men saw Him perish on the cross. And not only that, He’s preparing a meal on the beach — not as a ghost or apparition, but as a physical being able to lift things and build a fire, etc. Then, after their own efforts had been useless, He provides an abundance of fish with one simple instruction. And after these marvels, He simply says, “Come and eat breakfast”?
Yes.
We create so much unnecessary hoopla in our own regularly scheduled programming. We plan, we implement, and we work hard… and get frustrated when nothing comes of it. Desperate and empty, we finally look to Jesus as a last resort — because we don’t recognize who He is. And sometimes, really, all He’s asking is that we come join Him and take part in what He’s prepared and created. The rest will come.
In the best relationships, sometimes words are unncessary
So declutter your mind of plans, schedules, and “to do” lists. Instead, look out upon the waves, wiggle your toes in the sand, absorb the sights, smells, and sounds, and enjoy the moment for what it is — not what it means, not what lies ahead, not how you arrived here. There will be another time for that. For now, just be present with Him.
After all, in the best relationships, sometimes words are unnecessary.
Lord Jesus, I bring no words, no petitions with me right now. Just a moment to be still and commune with You in gratitude and love, using all of my senses to absorb and celebrate Your beautiful creation.
Excerpted from Devotions for the Beach... and Days You Wish You Were There, Thomas Nelson.
Our deep-freeze continued today, 15 January 2024, though a few degrees warmer. The temperature this morning, just before 11:00 am, was -25°C (FEELS LIKE -34°C). The forecast high for tomorrow is only -8°C (FEELS LIKE -14°C). The price we will have to pay, though, is that another snowstorm arrives tomorrow and the next day. According to the forecast, things should be looking a whole lot better starting on Saturday, 20 January.
"A once-in-a-generation cold spell that has hit various regions in Alberta will slowly begin to loosen its dangerous grip as the week wears on. But just as we start to break out of the deep freeze, there will be some snowy implications likely to cause travel impacts and slower commute times for parts of the province into Wednesday.... By the time all is said and done later on Wednesday (17 January 2024), Calgary could end up seeing 10-20 cm of snow." The Weather Network.
A widespread 5-10 cm of snow is expected, with heavier amounts possibly exceeding 30 cm for extreme southern sections. This snow is set to fall over just a 24-hour period, with quickly deteriorating driving conditions expected.
I am adding five photos from my archives tonight. If I wrote a description under a previously posted photo taken on the same day, I will add it under today's uploads.
"There were a few reasons why I needed/wanted to get out for a drive yesterday, 30 January 2019. I am wondering if the fact that I have had house mice (probably come into my place from one of my neighbour's) is having an ill effect on my health. I have spent so much time the last few weeks, trying to declutter and get rid of a lot of stuff, and I'm not sure if I have disturbed the mouse spray and been breathing it in. You can't vacuum when you've had mice, so I haven't been doing that, but you still disturb things when sorting and moving belongings. I always have a cough - for years, and they couldn't find out the cause - but it has been worse recently. Anyway, I thought I would get out into the fresh air for a few hours today. Also, the forecast was for clouds and I thought this might be easier to drive in. The sun recently has been so glaringly bright and it affects my eyes. Note to self - must get my eyes checked sometime this year!
So, on this cloudy, low-light day, I made my way east of the city, hoping to maybe see an owl of some sort. I quickly checked to see if any Short-eared Owls were to be seen, though I knew it was probably too early in the day for them to be out. No sign of one at all. Time to drive a few back roads in case there was a Snowy Owl in sight. Some of the roads I travelled were ones that I hadn't driven before, which was good for me. Though I have been east of the city many times over the years, I have still only driven a few of the roads myself. I was fortunate to find two Snowy Owls; first a beautiful, streaked female, and then on a different road, a handsome male who flew off when I was still half a mile down the road.
There was still time to go back to look for a Short-eared Owl and this time, there were several of them. Most of the time, they were either flying far away or landing in the middle of a huge field. However, at the end, one did land on a post and stayed there for quite some time. Awkward to photograph, though, when there are other cars and photographers. I couldn't see anything at first, as there were two cars in front of me. In the end, I got out of my car and carefully stood between the two vehicles - couldn't see well around the first car and couldn't move out any further otherwise I would have blocked a friend's long lens behind me. I suspected that my photos were blurry because of the front car and for my last few photos, I moved around and stood away from the heat rising from the vehicle. That made a difference - now I have several somewhat sharper images, and an awful lot of blurry shots to delete. Sigh ....
A young relative of one of the landowners came across the field and I had quite a long, interesting talk with him. He wondered what all the cars in the area were doing and I explained about the owls and that we were all birders/photographers. He said his grandmother was so worried and stressed out - quite afraid. I told him that I am always concerned when photographers do this, as I know it must make some landowners nervous (understandably, with the crime rate in rural areas), and told him to please apologize to his grandma, and to also reassure her that we are all good, harmless people, interested only in trying to get photos of the owls. (A few days later, I returned and went and introduced myself to 'Grandma", taking along a photo similar to this one, and a Snowy Owl and a Great Horned Owl for her. We had such a delightful, interesting chat inside her home.)
Another reason to get out yesterday was that we are about to have a drastic change in our weather! For weeks now, we have been enjoying much milder winter weather, but on Sunday, 3 February, the forecast is for a high of -22C (windchill -31C). A high of -24C for Monday."
Here are some of the meanings lots more here
www.colorsexplained.com/white-butterfly-meaning/
Meaning of the White Butterfly
In many cultures around the world, the colour white is associated with purity, angels, heaven, and fresh beginnings.
There’s nothing as angelic as a white butterfly, so seeing one may be that you are in the presence of something divine.
This could be one of your guidance angels or the spirit of someone you love. They may be reaching out to you to comfort you or let you know they are in a better place.
Another white butterfly symbolism is clarity, so seeing one may be a sign to declutter your mind and thoughts so you attain peace.
A white butterfly sighting may also be a sign that you are on the right path to attaining enlightenment and peace.
One of the most popular white butterfly meanings is healing. This may be physical or spiritual healing, and their presence is to encourage you to heal from whatever is hurting you or holding you back.
If you are currently going through a healing process, the white butterfly means that you will soon attain complete peace.
Butterflies are usually associated with spiritual transformation and change.
White Butterfly Meaning in the Bible
White butterflies have symbolic meaning in Christianity, the most popular being a sign of resurrection and the afterlife.
Due to their growth process, some Christians believe that butterflies indicate the spiritual journey of humans.
Like butterflies, humans grow through different stages of life, and every stage should be embraced.
Another white butterfly symbolism is the message of spiritual evolution and growth. You may not get there in one day, but you will get there with time.
White is also deeply connected with angels in the Bible. This is because angels are believed to be pure, bright, and white.
Sighting white butterflies may be a spiritual sign that you are aligned with yourself, and you should not stop working towards reaching your higher spiritual self.
In Catholicism, the pope wears white, symbolizing purity, innocence, and spirituality.
Some Christians wear white during important events like Christmas and Easter to showcase purity and rebirth.
White butterflies bring comfort, especially if one comes across them while mourning the loss of someone or something.
In some cultures, like ancient Chinese, white butterflies represent the spirits of a departed loved one, and they are signs that the person is looking out for you.
They may also be signs that the departed loved one is trying to communicate with you, so when you see one, reflect on what your loved one may be trying to tell you.
In some cultures, the sighting of a white butterfly signifies success, wealth, good luck, and prosperity.
Coming across one means you should not despair in your current condition as there’s something better coming.
White butterflies also symbolize optimism, hope, and abundance. Sighting one is a positive sign that you’ll overcome whatever obstacles you are currently dealing with so stay focused on your long-term goal.
If you encounter a white butterfly, you may have recently made a decision, and you are getting a sign that you made the right choice.
It is a sign that even if it may not feel like it, you are right with your decision, and everything will be okay. In addition, it could indicate that you should continue pursuing your goals and not give up.
A white butterfly flying in your view may also be a sign to believe in yourself and be confident that you will attain your goals. Believe in yourself, and things will fall into place for you.
Available at the mainstore for $69 this weekend only.
Wall tapestry & clay pots
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Creating Eunoia, which refers to a state of goodwill and harmonious spirit, in the home can significantly enhance the living environment. Here are some tips to help establish eunoia in your home:
1. Declutter Regularly
2. Bring in natural light. This can boost your mood.
3. Open Communication: Foster an environment where family members feel comfortable expressing themselves openly and respectfully.
4. Practice Gratitude: Encourage everyone in the household to regularly share things they are grateful for. This can be done during meals or through a gratitude jar.
5. Play Soothing Music: Background music can significantly influence the mood of a space. Choose calming, uplifting tunes to play throughout the day.
6. Engage in Joint Activities: Spend quality time together doing activities that everyone enjoys, such as cooking, playing games, or watching movies.
7. Scent Your Home: Use essential oils, candles, or incense with calming scents like lavender, chamomile, or sandalwood to promote a serene atmosphere.
8. Encourage Personal Space: Allow everyone to have their own space to retreat and recharge when needed.
9. Maintain a Healthy Routine.
20. Celebrate Achievements: Recognize and celebrate the achievements, big or small, of each family member to build a positive and supportive environment.
11. Incorporate Hygge: Embrace the Danish concept of hygge, which focuses on coziness and comfort. Use soft blankets, warm lighting, and comfortable seating to create a cozy atmosphere.
12. Practice Kindness.
My goal has been to down-size my blythe collection and get more organized with it for some time now. I can finally say that I'm done organizing it and feel great! The down-sizing has been on-going and still a work in progress. I have 1 large box for all stock clothing, and one of my antique cabinets is now all organized with pretty boxes with various items in it and a note stating what is in that particular box. One entire box for Darling Diva stock - it's that much stock for her! And one of our Dealers at the store gave me a really cool vintage gold rack that is PERFECT for hanging most of the dresses on! Such a relief to have this project down now!
Here's a partial shot of my home office (photos in this set were taken for my Declutter The Mess Under Your Desk! blog post).
The desk is a Palermo office desk purchased from Cost Plus World Market (I believe they're no longer sold). The Logitech V200 cordless mouse and M$ Natural Ergonomic Keyboard are tucked away on a sliding keyboard shelf - a feature I love about this Palermo desk. BTW, the mouse was purchased for $10 after rebate from Buy.com and the keyboard was purchased for less than $20 new off of eBay.
All cables and power bricks have been hidden behind and underneath the desk as shown in this photo and this photo.
The monitor is a Samsung 173P mounted on an Ergotron Neo-Flex LCD arm which I purchased on eBay for $20 refurbished.
The shelf is from IKEA, but I can't for the life of me remember the model - I would personally recommend the BILLY shelf system if you're looking. The storage box on top of the shelf is the IKEA KASSETT, and on top of that rests the FM3 Buddha Machine.
BTW, this is the way my office looks on a regular basis - I've tried my best to minimize any clutter and the only thing that is visible is my MacBook Pro (not shown) which connects to the Samsung monitor via DVI.
(343/365) It has been mentioned by a few of our B&B guests that our kitchen bears a passing resemblance to a small museum! Bearing in mind that I'll be busy with the B&B again in the Spring & I can't do everything at once I've started to declutter in readiness for our move to a smaller house next June/July. This engraved glass soda siphon is one of 2 now on Ebay.
My bookcase that's holding some of my favorite books, dvds and photos.
I often wonder if I should declutter this space but I've reread all the books, watched the dvds again, and love the photos. So I guess, at least for the time being, no decluttering of this bookcase will take place.
Full Version: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zGRhapzhpQ
140 & 182: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx2oJxTkYlI
H12: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoFlAUZ7Dpo
IBus Unit and the Mobitec ICU400 used to operate the Power Blinds
Metroline's VP628 Blind Change. VP628 ( LK54FWG ) showcases some of the blinds needed for the 140 and 182. The blinds for TFL London Bus Route H12 are also displayed.
This was Metroline's very first bus with Powerblinds, recently refitted with new powerblinds, similar to the ones on the 52 reg Plaxton's, to declutter the main blind and to remove the H14 and 186 blinds. Interestingly, you won't see this bus on Rail Replacement because the bus isn't blinded for this, or it may be locked out the Powerblinds system.
Operated by Metroline from Harrow Weald Bus Garage (HD)
Brent Cross, Harrow Weald (Oxhey Lane), Heathrow Airport, South Harrow, Blackbird Cross, Harrow, Harlington Corner, Hayes and Harlington Station, Neasden Shopping Centre, Heathrow North, Northolt Station, Northolt Target Roundabout, Staples Corner, Wembley Park, Sudbury, Wealdstone, Wembley Arena and Wembley Park
H12: Rayners Lane Station, Pinner, Hatch End, Harrow Weald, Stanmore Station, South Harrow and Long Elmes Courtenay Avenue.
Thanks to the drivers on the 182 and H12
McKenna Brothers
LK54 FWG
The white/grey/black colour scheme happened by accident!
The desk is a Fredrik Workstation from Ikea.
Most cables are attached to the desk with cable ties to keep them out of the way and there's a USB hub attached to the back of the panel under the desk.
The panel is also supposed to act as a cable shelf but British plugs are too big to fit inside it properly!
Also in this picture:
Canon MP210 printer/scanner/copier, Griffin laptop stand, Huså Work Lamp, Ageing Logitech MX1000 mouse, Sennheiser HD210 headphones (handy when my wife is watching TV at the other end of the room), Dymo labelling machine, some Uni-ball Jetstream pens from jetpens.com (I bought one in Japan last year and haven't been able to find them in the UK), fresh mug of coffee.
Still to do:
Find a decent bluetooth mouse to replace the MX1000. Partly because the batteries don't hold their charge like they used to and partly so I can lose the cradle.
Buy a pair of Logitech Z-10 speakers.
Find a replacement light - it's nice to have some bias lighting but the lamp is too big and the bulb too close to the wall. I'm thinking about getting some cheap cold cathode lights and attaching them to the back of the desk instead.
Get an Aeron chair :)
“all of nature says “yes””
spring-summer-early fall, the leaves open to the light
collecting light for the tree
nourishing the trunk, the branches, me
collecting light for the roots
so when autumn and winter rains and cold comes
there is stored light in the roots
for the short days and long nights
near Thanksgiving
they begin to be like little lanterns on the tree
reflecting the light they once collected.
now they make a golden carpet
as if showing us the way
on collecting light for the journey
on going with the flow of Divine wind
on knowing when to let go (dancing merrily)
on shining brightly, surrendering to earth’s cycles
on reminding us to declutter and simplify
on emptying ourselves of all that is nonessential
on making room for the One
on going inwards
on being guided by the inner light
[giving thanks to inspirational readings by Joyce Rupp, and "collecting light" exercise suggested by Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr ]
#2549 - 2014 Day 357: Yes hardly the most festive image, I know. But I'm taking advantage of a few days off to clear the office. One of the things in the way was too much shelf space devoted to colour slides. So a cull is in progress, hoping to reduce the number of books by two or three. Don't worry, the ones I want to keep are all scanned, and those destined for the round filing cabinet on the floor are either poor quality, duplicated or lacking interest. Makes me wonder why I kept them ...
BTW I still miss holding these things in my fingers. Much more real than a digital image, somehow.