Halloween Witch Cat Bears - Photograph

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Those are photographs of some of my Halloween decorations.

"Greetings Bear" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.34

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

Bear - Week 21 - The Book of Days

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The week21 theme for my Book of Days was Bear.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.34.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

The master index for all of my entries is here.

Bears Statue - Photograph

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I took that photograph at Collis P. Huntington State Park in Redding, CT this past week.

"Bear Moon" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.30

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

Bear Moon - Week 27 - The Book of Days

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The week27 theme for my Book of Days was Bear Moon.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.30.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

The master index for all of my entries is here.

"Submarine Games" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.30

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

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What follows below is Free Speech satire / parody / mockery / sarcasm / what have you:

A "certain" news story has more plot twists than a Soap Opera. The good news is one can miss several days of reports about it, and one will not have missed anything important to the main plot, just like in a Soap Opera. If you didn't hear the submarine story, don't worry: you didn't miss a thing. It's a he said she said, and loyal patriots will believe what their Government tells them happened, and know that the "other" Government is lying about what took place. But some in the audience have commented that their popcorn is getting stale, waiting for "something" to happen. Tune in next month... and the story will probably be the same as it is today.

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Boom!

Boom Clap - Charli XCX

"Herd Immunity" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.30

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

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Today is Super Bowl Sunday here in the United States (US), and the game will be played in a stadium in Inglewood, California, which is "about a 20-minute drive from Los Angeles," California. California and Los Angeles County have (or had) some of the strictest covid-19 rules in the US. And as of the date that I scheduled this blog post, their strict rules about mask wearing at outdoor events with over 5,000 attendees were still going to be in effect on Feb 13, 2022. But I have no doubt that if Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is attending the game, he will hold his breath whenever he is socializing maskless. Because apparently somewhere in the Rule, that is allowed. And I'm sure anyone who is interested can find the news story about him holding his breath while maskless during the Playoff game that was held in that same stadium on January 30, 2022, because Big Tech and Social Media never censors facts.

Trail With Story Walk - "Mother Bruce" by Ryan T. Higgins - Photograph

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I took those photographs at the reservoir in Redding, CT this past week.

One can find unexpected gems when one least expects it. I've been to this lookout trail a few times, but this time, I discovered the Mark Twain Library in Redding, CT had set up this "Story Walk" along the path leading to the reservoir lookout platform (Saugatuck Universal Access Trail). Per their site: "STORYWALK® is an innovative way for all ages to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time."

"Coca-Cola - Try To Be Less White" - Postcard

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Coca-Cola and the US news media can try to "spin" the original story however they want, but no amount of "spin" will change the fact that stating "Try to be less white" is racist.

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My piece is a "cartoon" in the same vein as Charlie Hebdo cartoons. (Their "cartoon" offended me, but apparently some thought it was "funny" so, I too, can make cartoons that others might find offensive.) My piece is also free speech that is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.22.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

Sleepy Hollow Headless Horseman - Photograph

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I took that photograph of my Headless Horseman statue this past week. He looks great in my recently painted Living Room.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorite ghost stories/movies.

"Honey Bear" - Postcard

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This week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Bears."

This is 1 of 2 pieces that I made.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.18.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

"Smoking Bear" - Postcard

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This week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Bears."

This is 2 of 2 pieces that I made.

I created this using GIMP 2.10.18.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

Happy Fourth of July! - Photograph

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Teddy wanted to wish everyone in the United States of America a Happy Fourth of July!

He is shown here with patriotic bears and nutcrackers.

Trout Brook Valley Preserve / Be Bear Aware - Photograph

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This is 4 of 4 posts of photographs that I took at Trout Brook Valley Preserve, in Weston, CT this past week.

The mosquitoes were biting me here, and the trail I wanted to go on ended up being too steep for me to navigate with everything I was carrying, so I only spent a little time walking here. I need to return here when the weather gets cooler, and explore some of the many trails.

There are also Black Bears in these woods, hence the "Be Bear Aware" warning sign at the trail entrance. On August 4, a bicyclist crashed into a Black Bear near this particular trail entrance. Black Bears don't usually attack humans, and this extraordinary circumstance was no exception. The bear fled into the woods after the encounter, while the bicyclist and his bike sustained minor injuries and damage from the impact.

Lakeview Cemetery - Photograph

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This is 2 of 2 posts of photographs that I took at Lakeview Cemetery in New Canaan, CT this past week.

"Necromancy Bear" - Postcard

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I created this using GIMP 2.10.6.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

"Lions Tigers Bears" - Postcard

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This week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!"

I went where my muse took me for this one.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.18.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

"Coca-Cola Pure Refreshment" - Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Coca-Cola."

I used vintage coca-cola ads for this, as well as a nod toward the more modern commercials that featured a Polar Bear. There are also some intentionally faint lines of text with lyrics from several different songs combined into one, in the background.

I don't normally post two nearly identical pieces, but I couldn't decide which one looked better. I'm leaning toward the first one, with the retro yellow border. Any opinions about preferences are welcome.

I created this using GIMP 2.8.16.

The vintage images are from an Internet search. (See the side of my blog for links.)

Teddy Bear Looking Over Fence - Photograph

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I took this photograph of a stuffed Teddy Bear looking over a fence at a house in Cape Cod, Provincetown, MA this past week.

I wasn't sure if he was people watching, sad that he couldn't come out, or trying to escape. ;-)