1. < Just Want to Talk
Mentor

What's outside of your picture window today?

Posted by John, Volunteer Mentor @johnbishop, Nov 25, 2020

As we get ready for the real winter to show up and COVID-19 still playing a major part in our lives I like to spend moments of my day de-stressing about what's going on in the world today. All I have to do is look out the window and observe some of natures beautiful creatures, how they interact and ponder how small it makes my troubles seem. Sometimes I may even get the opportunity to take a photo or two. How about you? Anything going on outside of your window(s) that you want to share?

For those members that have the ability to size your photos before you upload them to the discussion, may I suggest using the following sizes:
– 500 x 335 pixels (landscape)
– 210 x 210 pixels (square)

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @merpreb "Gorgeous- We are three very small blocks from a river that feeds into the ocean where..." + (show)
@merpreb

Gorgeous- We are three very small blocks from a river that feeds into the ocean where we go to the beach by our boat. We used to just go to the beach but it is so overcrowded that residents can't get in.

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Darn Merry, At least we control who comes down the lane. It's raining now so....we will have to see if the river awaits us this afternoon.

REPLY
chaun2947 | @chaun2947 | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @loribmt "Hi @chaun2947 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. While we’re backed by Mayo Clinic we are a..." + (show)
@loribmt

Hi @chaun2947 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. While we’re backed by Mayo Clinic we are a community forum comprised of members such as yourself who “connect” with each other to help find answers, offer suggestions, and encouragement.

May I ask what brought you to Connect?
The group you popped into (What’s outside your picture window today?) is a fun one! With a pretty regular cast of characters…LOL. I say that fondly because we all become like family here.

I’m sorry to hear you have back issues. That really puts a damper on normally fun activities. I can empathize with you! Neck and shoulder spasms have sidelined me in the past from working on my art projects. Maybe this would help you…keeping it small.

When recovering from my bone marrow transplant, I had to live in Rochester for almost 4 months and had no access to my studio at home. So I’d brought a bag of art supplies with me; Small pads of watercolor 5x7 paper, a small container of half pans of color and water brushes instead of my brush collection. Fatigue was my friend so, sitting at a desk or table just wasn’t doable. But I could easily hold the small pad on my lap, sketch or paint with little effort. The waterbrushes are great because there’s no reaching to dip. Another item I brought were watercolor pencils! They’re great! You sketch with those, fill in with the color and then use the water brush to allow the pigment to flow!

I know we have a lot of artists in this forum and an art group too! Here’s the link.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/art-for-healing/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/get-started-on-connect/
I hope you’ll share your story with us. You never know how your journey might help someone else. Wishing you all the best, Lori.

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Thanks very much. These were the kinds of thoughts I had been having. I knew any work would be smaller. I hadn’t thought of buying pans, a great idea. I came to Mayo connect after searching for a while. Other groups are available but they seem either unmonitored or disorganized. This looks like smart good folk trying to help.
I have lots more questions.

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1 reply
lizzier | @lizzier | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "How cool! I love watching ducks, and observing their "pecking order." How is there river there?..." + (show)
@sueinmn

How cool! I love watching ducks, and observing their "pecking order." How is there river there? We can nearly wade across the Mississippi at the north end of Minneapolis.

As promised, more pics from the garden. I think there are 30 or so varieties of daylilies in bloom right now - the heat doesn't seem to bother them.
The jugs are in memory of my Grandad (they weren't his, though) who with his Dad was a bootlegger during Prohibition - they ran moonshine from Iowa to my Great-Grandma's "ice cream parlor" in St Cloud. We heard lots of colorful stories!
Have a greay day & stay safe from the smoke and heat everyone.
Sue

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Oh my Lillies are gorgeous this week also. I love the jugs. We have barrels in our garden. I don't know how to load pictures. I'm not very savvy with technology.

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1 reply
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @lizzier "Oh my Lillies are gorgeous this week also. I love the jugs. We have barrels in..." + (show)
@lizzier

Oh my Lillies are gorgeous this week also. I love the jugs. We have barrels in our garden. I don't know how to load pictures. I'm not very savvy with technology.

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I'm practicing with the pictures. I finally figured out how to move them from phone to PC so I can resize them to get them to print, which I had forgotten how to do & had to relearn. Its one of the things I love about Connect - constantly being mentally challenged.

I love old barrels too, but this particular garden is pretty full. Adding to it will mean having to relocate some other "treasures" to other spots. I can't wait to see what I find next to decorate with. Working on restoring my father-in-law's old wheelbarrow and my 60+ yo red wagon this summer.

Sue

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3 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @artscaping "This is the Rock Spa for ducks who need a morning preening. They each have a..." + (show)
@artscaping

This is the Rock Spa for ducks who need a morning preening. They each have a special rock on which to perch. Notice the one-leg stances. I love sitting on the bank and watching them get ready for their day.

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@artscaping, Great picture, Chris!

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Mentor
Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @chaun2947 "Thanks very much. These were the kinds of thoughts I had been having. I knew any..." + (show)
@chaun2947

Thanks very much. These were the kinds of thoughts I had been having. I knew any work would be smaller. I hadn’t thought of buying pans, a great idea. I came to Mayo connect after searching for a while. Other groups are available but they seem either unmonitored or disorganized. This looks like smart good folk trying to help.
I have lots more questions.

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It’s wonderful to have you here! Connect is a really unique community, isn’t it?
As for questions, fire away! With more than 70 groups in Mayo Clinic Connect answers are pretty forthcoming! And please, join in to offer your own suggestions or share your story. You never know who will benefit or be encouraged!

Do you have watercolors in tubes? I know I mentioned before that I’d used little prefilled half pans from Windsor Newton. Not the highest quality but they worked great to keep me painting when I wasn’t very vertical.
Lately, I’ve made a cute little plaine aire kit by filling an empty pan kit (from Amazon) with squirts from tubes of favorites. Let them dry and they’re good to go! You can even just make little smears on paper and let those dry. They work well too.
The water-brush pens from Pentel or Faber-Castell are easy to use, hold a fair amount of water and pretty controllable. It’s not the same as using dip brushes but it sure beats reaching over to wet/rinse the brush all the time if you’ve finally found a comfortable position. I just keep a paper towel or fabric on my lap to dab the pen if it’s too wet.

Have you ever tried the water brush pens?

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lizzier | @lizzier | Jul 22, 2021

I use the tubes of watercolor paints, but recently I also decided to try watercolor pencils, and that's a whole difference experience. All useful in their own way. I just sketch and do small pictures with hem, but I recently did a full page collage of flowers, and I liked the way it turned out. I used them dry, but I read that you can also wet them or wet the paper, and they are fun to do simple pictures.

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lizzier | @lizzier | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "I'm practicing with the pictures. I finally figured out how to move them from phone to..." + (show)
@sueinmn

I'm practicing with the pictures. I finally figured out how to move them from phone to PC so I can resize them to get them to print, which I had forgotten how to do & had to relearn. Its one of the things I love about Connect - constantly being mentally challenged.

I love old barrels too, but this particular garden is pretty full. Adding to it will mean having to relocate some other "treasures" to other spots. I can't wait to see what I find next to decorate with. Working on restoring my father-in-law's old wheelbarrow and my 60+ yo red wagon this summer.

Sue

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You are a girl after my own heart. We have a long border along our side yard, and my husband and I collected old bed headboards, and made a fence about 60 or 70 feet long. He painted them all black, and we planted the whole thing with lilies and hosta. When we ran out of space he found 5 barrels at the dump, and we set those out in front of the bed frames, and planted those. It's very interesting. We'll plant anything that can hold a plant. Isn't it great fun?

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1 reply
lizzier | @lizzier | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "I'm practicing with the pictures. I finally figured out how to move them from phone to..." + (show)
@sueinmn

I'm practicing with the pictures. I finally figured out how to move them from phone to PC so I can resize them to get them to print, which I had forgotten how to do & had to relearn. Its one of the things I love about Connect - constantly being mentally challenged.

I love old barrels too, but this particular garden is pretty full. Adding to it will mean having to relocate some other "treasures" to other spots. I can't wait to see what I find next to decorate with. Working on restoring my father-in-law's old wheelbarrow and my 60+ yo red wagon this summer.

Sue

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When I was first diagnosed with my disease my friend sent me a get well card, and it had a picture of two little boys riding an antique trike. One pedaling and one riding on the back standing. I kept that picture, and promised myself that I would do a lawn sculpture of that when I got well. I held onto it for 4 1/2 years. Last summer when I felt like I was beginning to recover I began locating the parts. I collected old tailpipes for arms and legs, and mufflers for bodies, and buckets for heads. The eyes nose and mouth are cabinet door pulls. Then I set about to find the trike. It was an amazing adventure, and my focus for getting well. Eventually I found an antique antique trike with a long story, on Craig's list, and an antique child's handmade wagon. Both of them now sit in my yard with children riding them, and are known as the "Tin Kids". My get well gift to myself.

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1 reply
lizzier | @lizzier | Jul 22, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "I'm practicing with the pictures. I finally figured out how to move them from phone to..." + (show)
@sueinmn

I'm practicing with the pictures. I finally figured out how to move them from phone to PC so I can resize them to get them to print, which I had forgotten how to do & had to relearn. Its one of the things I love about Connect - constantly being mentally challenged.

I love old barrels too, but this particular garden is pretty full. Adding to it will mean having to relocate some other "treasures" to other spots. I can't wait to see what I find next to decorate with. Working on restoring my father-in-law's old wheelbarrow and my 60+ yo red wagon this summer.

Sue

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When my grandchildren come for our luncheon I'll learn how to do it.

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