I was up early this weekend and had the chance to see a beautiful sunrise as I walked across a mostly empty parking lot. I'm not sure what atmospheric conditions caused the sky and clouds to look this way, but I found it both beautiful and a bit uncomfortable. The dawn arrived limping over the horizon Battered, bruised, swaying from some unknown battle Was it the sun and moon again? Each striving to dominate? Or was it the stars, so bright and sparkling, like an army of the night taking sides and throwing themselves into the fray?

As winter slowly approaches and everything outside my window begins to fade from green to brown, I think about all the flowers I'd admired over the past six months. Despite the drought, I was lucky enough to have a decent showing of colorful blooms around the house. At least, the pollinators seemed happy with the selection. I felt inclined to paint one more series of wildflowers before I switch to more seasonal inspirations. The pieces below were all painted with acrylics using brushes, palette knives, balled up paper towels and plastic wrap, and a sponge.

We haven't seen any substantial rain here in the southeastern U.S. in nearly six months. We're now under severe drought conditions and I assume water rationing may be on the horizon. But other than some slightly wilted plants in my yard, it isn't immediately apparent until I get out into nature. On a recent walk at the dog park, we paused to look at Lake Jackson. Or, what's left of Lake Jackson. In the photo above you can see just how bad the situation is. The water used to run all the way up to the tree line.

Jeff Beck's first official solo album, Blow by Blow, was released in 1975. Produced by the great George Martin (who produced many of the Beatles later albums), it's a fantastic collection of instrumentals that span the gamut from slow and melancholy to all-out rockers. "Freeway Jam" was the stand out single, but "Cause We Ended as Lovers" (a cover of a Stevie Wonder song) was also a popular cut. For me, however, the stand out song is "Diamond Dust". It's a beautiful piece of music that contains some of Beck's best guitar work.

We had our first cold snap early last week, but it warmed up in time for my mother's visit (which was nice). However, the warm weather has stuck around and it looks like it has confused the trees. Usually, by this time of year, the leaves on the trees have changed color and most of them have begun to fall. It's not terribly surprising. We had our first snowfall in over thirty years back in March, then a summer with temperatures up to 110, barely any rain for over six months, and now an unseasonably warm autumn.

The 2007 collaboration between rock vocalist Robert Plant and bluegrass singer Alison Krauss was an unexpected hit. Raising Sand also helped to bring the genre of Americana music into the mainstream, spawning several singles and garnering a handful of awards, including a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration. The album, produced by the amazing T Bone Burnett (who also arranged the music for the movie, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou) is a wonderful mix of American folk, country, bluegrass, gospel, and soul music. And, for me, the best part is how well Krauss and Plant's voices harmonize.

There are a few spots in my yard that I've let go over the past few months. Mostly because I've been busy and I figured that once winter sets in, I can get out there and trim things up. Yesterday, I was out there with the pups and noticed how a bush and some vines has overtaken one of the concrete bird baths. Something about it caught my eye and I took a photo. Later, I found it required a poem (or two!). A concrete bird bath Mother Nature tries to claim…

I've probably heard Marvin Gaye's classic "What's Going On" hundreds of times over the years. It's a great R&B song that never grows old. But when it popped up in my playlist recently, something about it caught my attention and I stopped what I was doing to sit and really listen to it. What I find interesting is that the lyrics, while they carry a message, aren't exactly deep or profound. What gives them power is Gaye's voice, the passion he exudes in his tone and phrasing. Additionally, many people may not realize that the entire album is a concept album, telling the story of a Vietnam veteran returning home.

One of my earliest memories is my father teaching me to read. We'd sit on the sofa together and work our way through one of my school books, sounding out words and learning how to string them together. While we weren't necessarily close, this is one fond memory I have of my father and I appreciate that he took the time to help me learn. In this modern technology era, it seems parents helping their children to read has become passé. Most kids seem to have a tablet in their hands rather than a book, and now there are apps to help them learn instead of a family member.

We passed by a fairly secluded pond on our walk this weekend and I noticed the way the early morning sun was breaking through the tree branches. I captured the photo above with my phone before the pups dragged me away so they could smell a nearby tree stump. There was something sort of magical and serene about that brief moment by the water. A few birds singing quietly in the distance, but otherwise complete stillness. A nice moment of Zen to start the day. Cool air holds the smell of the water, its…

With autumn finally arriving here in North Florida, the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn color and fall to the ground. The air is chillier in the mornings and the dogs are more playful. Personally, I'm a fan of the transitional period between the full-blown seasons. There's something magical about those weeks in-between. Of course, this has encouraged me to transition my feelings to canvas. I've worked on a few this past week using a variety of tools and sticking mostly with fall-themed colors. In addition to a couple of brushes, I also used bubble wrap, tape, packing foam, acrylic pens, and paper towels.

I've always been a fan of a good scary story, particularly around Halloween. When I was a kid, I loved watching the hold Hammer horror movies and Twilight Zone reruns, but one of my favorites ways to get chills was listening to Alfred Hitchcock's Ghost Stories for Young People. I had the vinyl album and would listen to it on the little record player in my bedroom. I don't know much about the album. It was released sometime in the early to mid 1960s. The stories on the first half of the album were written by an obscure voice actor (I have no idea how he and Hitchcock collaborated on this), while the ones on the other side were written by more known writers.

I acquired two small blackberry bushes earlier this year and repotted them into cloth bags. Bush #1, the over-achiever, started flowering and fruiting almost immediately. It sent new growth shooting off into every direction and looked like it might take over its little section of the garden. Bush #2, well, it just sat there doing nothing. No flowers, no new growth. It almost felt like it was pouting. Fast-forward to this past week. I went out to water them one morning and, lo and behold, Bush #2 has decided to wake up.

A couple of months ago, I was contacted by the City of Tallahassee Communications Department and asked if I'd be interested in being a part of a video promoting animal adoption. Of course, I said yes. Nearly every dog I've had over the years was adopted from a shelter and I'm always happy to spread the word. The interview went well and both Peppa and Chili seemed to enjoy being on camera. Perhaps they were hoping to be "discovered" and becoming stars. Earlier this week, the local animal shelter posted the video on Facebook.

My theme for the past week and a half has been an experiment with tape and angles. Triangles, really. I was seeing the triangles in my mind, and the colors, and wanted to see if I could recreate them on the canvas. I also tried some different techniques. I applied colors with a very wet brush, with balled up paper towels, and even with an unused aquarium filter! I used to have several salt and freshwater aquariums in my home, but I broke them all down during COVID. I was able to pass along most of the supplies, although I kept some of the unused filters for occasions like this.

One of the great blogs I follow, Fox Reviews Rock, recently acknowledged me with a Golden Fox Award for being one of the top commentators on their site. I think it's a nice way for the site to give a shout out to its followers and encourage readers to speak up in the comments section. I follow a fair number of blogs and it can be challenging to comment on every single post, but I try my best. Reading each one, then writing a couple of lines - sometimes more - takes effort, but the way I look at it is that each blogger put time and energy into their post.

One of the things that annoys me about social media (and it's a LONG list) is when people become gatekeepers of creativity and creative processes. I was recently reminded of this after reading a post at Audrey Driscoll's Blog. She had come across a post on another blog where the author stated, "...it’s totally possible to write a great story without a beat sheet, but to stick your nose up at them and argue they don’t matter is ignorant to me.” So, basically, the author (whose blog I won't link to) is saying that fiction writers should be utilizing 'beat sheets' when constructing their stories and insults those who don't.

I was out with the pups a little after 5 a.m. the other morning (as I am every morning) and was pleasantly surprised by the full moon lighting up the yard. Coupled with the cool air, the pups decided it was a great time to start chasing each other around the raised beds and chicken coop. The moon provided just enough light that I could see them running in and out of the shadows. It was a great way to start my day. I was also able to capture a couple of photos of the moon and clouds with my phone camera, which inspired today's poem.

Today is the last day of Banned Books Week 2025, but it's not the end of the fight against censorship. Let Freedom Read day is an opportunity to take action and do something, even a small thing, to stand up to book bans and censorship. A quick post on social media, on your blog, or simply buying a copy of a targeted book can help. Awareness is the first step. Many people may not even know why books are being banned or how it will affect them and their children. …

There are only two days left in Banned Books Week and I feel hopeful. I've not only enjoyed conversing with the people who were kind enough to comment on my posts this week, but also seeing posts on other blogs and on social media. It show me that people do care about books, about the freedom to read, and about the First Amendment. The freedom to read Is the freedom to see The freedom to learn The freedom to be The freedom to read Is the freedom to grow It's the freedom to seek…

What's a book résumé, you ask? It's a great way to help people understand the educational value of books. Like a professional resume (or a CV internationally), it's a stripped down overview of the whole that focuses on the positive aspects. The American Library Association (ALA) has a page on their Banned Books Week site with hundreds of books and their résumés. You can either scroll through the titles or type one into the search bar on the page to find a specific book. For example, one of the banned books, Lorraine Hansberry's…

I was actually surprised to read that Stephen King was the most-banned author in U.S. schools, according to a report by PEN America. If you aren't familiar with them, they fight for free expression, both in the U.S. and around the world. Of course, King is a famous horror writer and doesn't shy away from evil spirits, evil people, and the occasional awkward sex scene, but I've never found his horror to be gratuitous. I've found him to be a comfy read, creepy and eerie, but not enough to keep me awake at night jumping at shadows.

There is a line from a poem by the 1st century Roman poet, Juvenal, that reads, "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?". Translated, it reads, "Who will watch the watchmen?" In other words, the people we elect to run things do so without oversight. It's not supposed to be that way, but a slow erosion of our checks and balances has brought us to this point. Many of our freedoms are in jeopardy, particularly our right to read and access to books. Who will watch the watchmen? Who will censor the censors? …

I was looking over the list of the top 10 most challenged books of 2024 (here in the U.S.) and was struck by the pattern. None of these books were challenged due to violence (except for sexual assault), but they were all challenged for sexual content, LGBTQ+ themes, and DEI (Diversity, Equality, Inclusion). That last one is quite telling of the intent behind the challenges. You would think that a democratic nation, one that is predominantly Christian, would be promoting things like DEI. The Bible has long passages devoted to loving thy neighbor and helping strangers.

October 5th through the 11th is Banned Books Week here in the U.S. This past year has been a rough one for free speech here, and book bans seem to be spreading. In the past, the push for censorship in libraries and classrooms seemed to come from parents, but now it appears to be more of a government directive. The rally cry is to protect children and empower parents, but it's a false argument. Parents can already decide what they want their children to read. Nothing is stopping them. And really, I, along with many others, have read most of the titles on the hit lists and we've turned out relatively normal and well-adjusted.