The past has already written the future
Written the future in code
To break the code, however, we must live it

From the back of my eyelids...

Do you ever get images that "pop" behind your eyelids at night when you lie down to sleep?  I do.

Clearly, this is the Empress of the Sea finally shoving the evil Ruby Skeleton off his pedestal in his Ruby Chateau. Clearly. You couldn't tell?



The era in which you're born must have a pretty bold effect on forming your vision, rather how those experimental cats that were only exposed to vertical or horizontal lines can only see vertically or horizontally (don't ask me to explain it further. I didn't understand then and I don't get it now.).

For better or worse my formative years were in the 1980s, so you know what images were burned on my retina. Big hair still seems okay, as does satin and chintz, and I have a deep and abiding sympathy for "grandma colors" on nails and lips. Frankly, "blush" and "bashful" are okay to me.

So this is a vision that I would have adored in 1988. Aw, hell - I adore it now.

Party Lady

Would that all our lives involved regular black tie, sparkles, and streamers...

Hypothetical Backyard

This was not a commission from my sister.

It was not asked for.

But I am giving my opinion anyway!

She has a lovely, open backyard and her lawn is very well maintained due to the overzealous attention of the neighborhood lawn crew.

So it's maybe too open, in fact.

To that end, I have added the missing wall of fence.

Nothing's to scale, obviously. And, as I wrote in an earlier post, I don't believe that this garden could exist with all these various plants and things blooming. They wouldn't be blooming at the same time.

But it answers some of her hopes and wishes for her backyard as expressed over the years.

Not Even a Little Christmassy

There's nothing about this that says 'holiday' unless, of course, you grew up on an antebellum plantation and had peacocks strutting around year round. According to Wikipedia, peacocks will eat rodents and snakes, so that's probably why people had them around.

Or maybe it's because they look so beautiful - that's why I plan on having a pet peacock on my imaginary farm someday, along with about 40 head of Mr. Cow, a miniature cow (hamster sized) that I hope science can make by the time I'm 70 and have time to tend my miniature livestock herd.

Another fun fact about peacocks: they will warn of tigers in the forest by calling. Do you know what a peacock's call sounds like? I don't. I'd heard a high trilling noise and cock my ear and say, "What was that ARGH!!! WHAT HAS MY NECK?!"

Drafting Joy!

Well, I was finally struck by what I want for my Xmas card this year. Here is the first draft for that:

At what resolution did I scan this? Are you ever saddened by your startling lack of skills in one or more areas? Like me with the computer? Frankly, I am surprised that I don't refer to the major search engine as "The Google". I have that, at least.