Tara Ballance
@taraballance.bsky.social
I like animals a whole lot more than I like people.
Pinned
Tara Ballance
@taraballance.bsky.social
· Nov 18
Welcome to the madhouse.
We're booked for a family reunion in Switzerland in the New Year. It will cost as much to board the animals as our airfare.
December 1, 2025 at 11:19 PM
We're booked for a family reunion in Switzerland in the New Year. It will cost as much to board the animals as our airfare.
This puzzle is from the same folks who came up with the sushi puzzle. A whole bunch of mushrooms.
December 1, 2025 at 11:16 PM
This puzzle is from the same folks who came up with the sushi puzzle. A whole bunch of mushrooms.
This was a fun puzzle, good finger feel. Fifty birds from around the world. Included a really nice poster.
December 1, 2025 at 11:14 PM
This was a fun puzzle, good finger feel. Fifty birds from around the world. Included a really nice poster.
Our feline assistant, Bean, helping as only she can. Jester the parrot and I also make an appearance.
November 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Our feline assistant, Bean, helping as only she can. Jester the parrot and I also make an appearance.
And the latest puzzle. Paris.
November 18, 2025 at 3:28 AM
And the latest puzzle. Paris.
Our second puzzle from Reykjavik. Midnight sun, with cats.
November 18, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Our second puzzle from Reykjavik. Midnight sun, with cats.
And here's the newest member of our family. Her name is Bean. Or Beanie Baby. Or Tiabeanie.
October 29, 2025 at 10:52 PM
And here's the newest member of our family. Her name is Bean. Or Beanie Baby. Or Tiabeanie.
Here's the Asterix family portrait puzzle with no pieces missing.
October 29, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Here's the Asterix family portrait puzzle with no pieces missing.
The latest puzzle.
October 19, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The latest puzzle.
We just finished the first of 3 puzzles that we bought in Reykjavic. It was enjoyable. A nice souvenir of our visit, in every sense of the word.
October 8, 2025 at 6:07 PM
We just finished the first of 3 puzzles that we bought in Reykjavic. It was enjoyable. A nice souvenir of our visit, in every sense of the word.
Took a little trip to England at the end of August. We went to Stonehenge. Bought a jigsaw puzzle. At the Visitor Centre, one wall was covered with quotes about Stonehenge. Including one from Nigel Tufnel.
September 23, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Took a little trip to England at the end of August. We went to Stonehenge. Bought a jigsaw puzzle. At the Visitor Centre, one wall was covered with quotes about Stonehenge. Including one from Nigel Tufnel.
So, just for fun, yesterday we went back and reassembled one of our old puzzles. The 500 piece art supplies image.
We thought it would take us at least a couple of days.
Nope. It took us about 3 hours.
We thought it would take us at least a couple of days.
Nope. It took us about 3 hours.
August 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
So, just for fun, yesterday we went back and reassembled one of our old puzzles. The 500 piece art supplies image.
We thought it would take us at least a couple of days.
Nope. It took us about 3 hours.
We thought it would take us at least a couple of days.
Nope. It took us about 3 hours.
And another one bites the dust!
August 16, 2025 at 8:55 PM
And another one bites the dust!
Next up after Asterix was a lovely image from Asia, a floating food market. We finished that in about a week. Today we started our next puzzle.
July 28, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Next up after Asterix was a lovely image from Asia, a floating food market. We finished that in about a week. Today we started our next puzzle.
We finished Asterix last week, but I'm only getting around to posting him today.
July 28, 2025 at 8:44 PM
We finished Asterix last week, but I'm only getting around to posting him today.
And yesterday we went downtown and did some puzzle shopping. Started on Asterix after we got home.
July 8, 2025 at 1:55 PM
And yesterday we went downtown and did some puzzle shopping. Started on Asterix after we got home.
We finished Mont-St-Michel a couple days ago. It is GORGEOUS. I found it very enjoyable to solve.
July 8, 2025 at 1:53 PM
We finished Mont-St-Michel a couple days ago. It is GORGEOUS. I found it very enjoyable to solve.
We started our next puzzle a couple days ago. Another one from the French company who did the lighthouse puzzle. It's a lovely image of Mont Saint Michel. And it's a joy and pleasure to put together. 10/10 will buy more puzzles from this company.
June 29, 2025 at 7:35 PM
We started our next puzzle a couple days ago. Another one from the French company who did the lighthouse puzzle. It's a lovely image of Mont Saint Michel. And it's a joy and pleasure to put together. 10/10 will buy more puzzles from this company.
Finished the latest Cobble Hill puzzle. Some of the individual flowers were fun to put together. But on the whole, I did not enjoy solving this puzzle. The missing edge piece did add to the annoyance factor.
June 28, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Finished the latest Cobble Hill puzzle. Some of the individual flowers were fun to put together. But on the whole, I did not enjoy solving this puzzle. The missing edge piece did add to the annoyance factor.
Okay, I liked the last puzzle very much, and it was enjoyable to solve. But THIS one, I loved.
Challenging, but never discouraging. A gorgeous image. And the "finger feel" of the pieces is really nice. It's a French company, and their puzzles are of French landmarks. They have some lovely images.
Challenging, but never discouraging. A gorgeous image. And the "finger feel" of the pieces is really nice. It's a French company, and their puzzles are of French landmarks. They have some lovely images.
June 6, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Okay, I liked the last puzzle very much, and it was enjoyable to solve. But THIS one, I loved.
Challenging, but never discouraging. A gorgeous image. And the "finger feel" of the pieces is really nice. It's a French company, and their puzzles are of French landmarks. They have some lovely images.
Challenging, but never discouraging. A gorgeous image. And the "finger feel" of the pieces is really nice. It's a French company, and their puzzles are of French landmarks. They have some lovely images.
This is my favourite puzzle so far. Enough similar colour patches to be challenging, shapes that caress the eye.
June 1, 2025 at 9:47 PM
This is my favourite puzzle so far. Enough similar colour patches to be challenging, shapes that caress the eye.
After we finished the dragon, we went back to a puzzle we'd done back when we were starting out. Cats at some kind of tea party, I think. It made for a lovely break.
May 30, 2025 at 12:13 AM
After we finished the dragon, we went back to a puzzle we'd done back when we were starting out. Cats at some kind of tea party, I think. It made for a lovely break.
Been a while since I've posted our puzzles. We finally (after well over a month) finished the dragon puzzle from Cobble Hill. There were times when I thought it wasn't fun any more.
May 30, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Been a while since I've posted our puzzles. We finally (after well over a month) finished the dragon puzzle from Cobble Hill. There were times when I thought it wasn't fun any more.
We've decided to vote today. That leaves us free to sit back and drink ourselves silly for the rest of the campaign. No taking a shot every time Pierre Poilievre blames something on Justin Trudeau, though. THAT would lead to acute alcohol poisoning within a matter of hours.
April 18, 2025 at 1:33 PM
We've decided to vote today. That leaves us free to sit back and drink ourselves silly for the rest of the campaign. No taking a shot every time Pierre Poilievre blames something on Justin Trudeau, though. THAT would lead to acute alcohol poisoning within a matter of hours.
We've been working on the current puzzle for two weeks now, and we still have some way to go. It's been challenging, but fun. I think we can finish it within the next week.
March 13, 2025 at 11:12 PM
We've been working on the current puzzle for two weeks now, and we still have some way to go. It's been challenging, but fun. I think we can finish it within the next week.