whimsical wednesday

it's the first whimsical wednesday of the month as well as the first whimsical wednesday of the year! for 2020, the on-going project will be about learning something new on the first whimsical wednesday of the month. this learning endeavor will be individually determined so what do you want to learn: a new art or craft? play a musical instrument? take classes? explore a new country? french or other cuisine cooking? birds or other animals?

my activity will be to learn how to play the ukulele. i have no clue why i wish to learn to play the ukulele, however, i am going to give it a go.  

what will you learn on the first whimsical wednesday of the month in the year 2020? share with the whimsey project.

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

in 2019, the country of ethiopia planted 350 million trees in one day.

miscellaneous monday

having been away new year's eve and new year's day, i have yet to be able to look through my 2019 time capsule.  i am looking forward to doing so very soon. did you look at your 2019 time capsule? share your experience with the whimsey project.

the gathering of items for the 2019 time capsule was a very pleasant activity to enjoy throughout the year. let's do it again for 2020.  if you didn't have a 2019 time capsule, having one for 2020 is a great year to begin.  find any container you wish to use and, throughout the year, fill it with items that represent an event, experience, special moments, anything that you want to recall on new year's eve 2020 or new year's day 2021. 

another daily practice for the whimsey project is keeping a daily whimsical moment notebook. if you do not keep such a notebook, today, for the year 2020, is a great day to begin.  in any notebook or writing vehicle of your choosing, record a daily whimsical moment. if there's more than one moment that really caught your attention, record them all. there's never too much whimsey to enjoy! 

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book continues to be stefan klein's, leonardo's legacy, how da vinci reimagined the world. 

silly saturday

photo by bherd

photo friday

mapache

thoughtful thursday

poppy mathobela:

nine things to stop doing:
1. trying to please everyone.
2. fearing change.
3. living in the past.
4. overthinking.
5. being afraid to be different.
6. beating yourself up over mistakes.
7. sacrificing your happiness for others.
8. thinking you are not good enough.
9. thinking you have no purpose.

whimsical wednesday

happy new year! for those who did not do so last night on new year's eve, enjoy celebrating the first day of 2020 by looking at the items in your 2019 time capsule. it would make for a whimsical family activity for the holiday. what item sparkled a memory you had forgotten? how about something that surprised you? did something make you guffaw or cause you to be pensive? share your experience with your 2019 time capsule. 

trivia tuesday

from timeanddate.com:

new year's eve is celebrated in 39 time zones around the world. 

*as it is new year's eve, you might wish to enjoy revealing the items in your 2019 time capsule.

miscellaneous monday

atlas obscura offers a look at interesting fruit!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/6-surprising-fruits?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=atlas-page

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book is stefan klein's, leonardo's legacy, how da vinci re-imagined the world.

silly saturday

from @uberfacts:

car manufacturers employ sound engineers to make sure car doors produce a satisfying "thunk" when closed.

photo friday

photo by windy

thoughtful thursday

john holmes:

there is no better exercise for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.

whimsical wednesday

trivia tuesday

from whiteelephantrules.com:

the first gingerbread houses were created in the early 1880s and thought to be inspired by the fairytale, "hansel and gretel".

miscellaneous monday

baking and decorating gingerbread in many forms, such as houses and men, is a holiday tradition in america.  in hungary, gingerbread is for occasions all year round.  here's an article from atlas obscura about gingerbread in hungary:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hungarian-gingerbread?utm_medium=atlas-page&utm_source=twitter

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book is an early christmas gift; dianna booher's fresh-cut flowers for a friend. the volume is filled with vignettes about friendship enhanced, visually, with floral motifs. 

silly saturday

from boyslife.org:

Q: what does a grumpy sheep say at christmas?

A: baaaaa humbug!

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

english proverb:

listen twice before you speak once.

whimsical wednesday

one week until christmas! for whimsical wednesday take the opportunity to attend to your holiday preparations. perhaps you will shop for gifts, wrap gifts, work on sending last minute holiday cards, bake cookies, make gifts, plan menus and shopping lists, make arrangements for gatherings with others. many of these tasks will be undertaken for my whimsical wednesday.  

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

koalas have fingerprints.

miscellaneous monday

the year 2019 is almost to it's conclusion! we have a few more weeks to add items to our year's time capsule. if you haven't been gathering items for a 2019 time capsule, today is a great day to begin. in any container, gather items to include in your time capsule. what items should you include? anything that is a memento of special (or everyday) events you experienced throughout the year. the holiday season is upon us so it's the perfect time to gather mementos and, most likely, there are items about the house from the year's events you can still add to your container. on new year's eve or new year's day we will look through our 2019 time capsules and enjoy remembering the year.

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book, a thrift store find, is rene verdon's the white house chef cookbook. chef verdon was the white house chef during the kennedy years.  what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project.

silly saturday

from barkpost.com:

Q: what do you call a dog in winter?

A: a chili dog!

photo friday

early november snow

thoughtful thursday

read on twitter:

dreamed an abandoned dog and his found-companion cat were adrift in the sky until i saw them wind-blown past and called them down and then i adopted them and we three were incredibly content with all things.

whimsical wednesday

my second annual cookie exchange gathering is saturday, december 14th, so it's time to get busy; which makes cookie baking the perfect activity for whimsical wednesday! you could take time to decide what cookies you wish to bake in the next few weeks or bake cookies too or, best of all, share a cookie recipe with the whimsey project!

my cookie baking will be with two others who are participating in the exchange as we decided it would be fun to bake together. we are each making a recipe utilizing a cake mix. my cookie choice is rocky road, a chocolate cookie that includes marshmallows, nuts and chocolate chips.  the recipe:

*1 box of chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz) 

*2 large eggs

*1/2 cup vegetable oil

mix eggs and oil then add to the cake mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

add one or two or all, one at a time and mix thoroughly:

*1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped nuts

*1/4 to 1/3 cup mini marshmallows

*1/4 to 1/3 cup chocolate chips

*arrange teaspoons of dough on greased cookie sheets with a bit of space in between each cookie.

*bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes, checking at 8 minutes for doneness as ovens vary.

*after removing from the oven let rest for two minutes than remove the cookies from the cookie sheet.

the kitchen website article offers several cake mix cookie variations that might be of interest:

https://www.thekitchn.com/cake-mix-cookies-264244

trivia tuesday

from quite interesting @qikipedia:

the first telephone book, published in 1878, recommended ending conversations with "that is all".

miscellaneous monday

many of the american holiday traditions originated in victorian england. real homes magazine offers the following article:

How to have a Victorian Christmas: 8 simple steps  

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. i continue with karen swallow prior's on reading well, finding the good life through great books. 

silly saturday

from bored panda:

cats. i want one!

https://www.boredpanda.com/japanese-ash-koncent-neko-cup-sand-sculpture-molds/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BPTwitter

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

yiddish proverb:

dignified silence is better than dignified speech. 

whimsical wednesday

it's the first wednesday of the month so we are making connections for whimsical wednesday. reach out to others by any means that works for you.  you might wish to continue to work on your holiday cards or begin to work on your holiday cards for connections day.

my holiday cards are made but not written or addressed so that will be my connections activity. 

trivia tuesday

from merriam-webster:

mot juste: the exactly right word or phrasing.

miscellaneous monday

from mother nature network:

trees and history:

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/tree-rings-reveal-our-past-and-our-future

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book continues to be karen swallow prior's, on reading well; finding the good life through great books.  this volume uses literature as examples to discuss positive human characteristics. 

silly saturday

from qikipedia:

unlike in other fizzy drinks, the bubbles in guinness sink rather than rise.

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

lao tzu:

if you realize you have enough, you are truly rich.

whimsical wednesday

we are preparing for thanksgiving for whimsical wednesday! along with my family, i will be baking pies and preparing food for our feast.  what will you do to prepare for the most wonderful holiday of the year? share your activities with the whimsey project. 

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

astronauts can see solar winds, but only when their eyes are closed.

miscellaneous monday

from national geographic:

awesome buildings from around the world:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/lists/your-shot-architecture-around-world/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=twitter::cmp=editorial::add=twt20190716travel-resurfarchitectureyourshot::urid=&sf215851514=1

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book is karen swallow prior's on reading well: finding the good life through great books. the good life dr prior is presenting is that of character and it's value. it is interesting to read a non-fiction book about books of fiction; which is, of course, always so when discussing literature. still, it's amusing to one who only reads non-fiction. 

silly saturday

from @qikipedia:

in japan, before someone can buy a car they must prove they have a place to park it! 

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

chogyam trungpa:

the ultimate definition of bravery is of not being afraid of who you are. 

whimsical wednesday

craft a homemade christmas gift for whimsical wednesday! something homemade to give to another is a very special gift. there is, no doubt, at least one person on your gift list that would enjoy something homemade.  consider that person(s) when deciding what to create be it homemade jam, note cards, tea towel or art. share your creation with the whimsey project.

my whimsical wednesday was filled with crocheting baskets. i made several and i also worked on an afghan that will be gifted.  here's one of the baskets that i filled with assorted teas:

trivia tuesday

from pbs:

happy 50th anniversary to sesame street! the long running children's educational television program debuted on november 10, 1969.

miscellaneous monday

from twentytwo words:

amazing food!

https://twentytwowords.com/people-who-deserve-some-sort-of-award-for-food-ingenuity/?utm_source=deck&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=influencer&utm_campaign=dm3

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. the story of how i acquired my book is more interesting than the book itself. living in the country, i often encounter people who are lost. my most recent encounter occurred when a desperate woman rang the doorbell asking is i could help her find her planned destination. while giving her directions, she related she was taking copies of her husband's book to share with the people she was looking for. then she asked me if i wanted to buy a copy of the book! she was so pleased about her husband's book and so hopeful that i might possibly part with ten dollars to acquire his masterpiece that i said, "sure! i'll buy a copy of his book!" and did.  teddy harmon's never give up is a memoir of his growing up years.  thus far, my encounter with teddy's wife is infinitely more interesting than teddy's book. however, i admire and support the efforts of those who pursue their goals.  for teddy that meant writing and publishing a book. you go, teddy! 

silly saturday

from funkidjokes.com:

Q:  what's green and brown and red and yellow and orange?

A:  a pile of fall leaves.

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

mahatma gandhi:

the simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful then a thousand heads bowing in prayer.

whimsical wednesday

we are celebrating world kindness day for whimsical wednesday. the foundation of kindness begins in the home among the members of a family.  quotes abound about treating family better than strangers or treat family as if they were the most important guests in the home.  how we treat those we love and care for the very most in the world informs how we treat the rest of the world. being mindful of the importance of kindness in the home, our focus for world kindness day will be to perform acts of kindness for our family members, from the youngest to the oldest, whether they live with us or far away. because kindness knows no bounds, be kind to people outside the family as well for whimsical wednesday. please share your acts of kindness with the whimsey project.

trivia tuesday

from quite interesting:

PELOLOGY is the study of mud.

miscellaneous monday

from national geographic: bird tracks!

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/01/photo-journal-birds-paths-migration-starling/

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book continues to be bernard lewis' the middle east: a brief history of the last 2,000 years. what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project.

silly saturday

from bored panda:

business cards that are thoughtful and creative. the concept made me giggle!

https://www.boredpanda.com/digital-art-famous-painters-logos-milton-omena/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BPTwitter

photo friday

photo by windy

thoughtful thursday

serbo-croatian proverb:

it is easier to roll stones up a mountain than to talk to a fool.

whimsical wednesday

it's connections day for whimsical wednesday! the first wednesday of every month is dedicated to making connections with others. connections can be made in any way that suits the people involved: call, text, write and mail a card or letter, visit, go on an adventure with others, invite family or friends for dinner, tea, dessert. enjoy and share your connections with the whimsey project.

besides a few of the above activities, i will be working on my holiday greeting cards. since i make my holiday greeting cards, it's none too soon to begin.

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

when laguardia airport opened in 1939, new yorkers were so fascinated with air travel; they would pay a ten cent fee just to watch the airplanes take off and land.

miscellaneous monday

from mother nature network:

birds!

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/audubon-photo-contest-birds

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. i continue with bernard lewis' the middle east: a brief history of the last 2000 years. what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project.

silly saturday

from bored panda:

awesome dogs!

https://www.boredpanda.com/cute-dogs-with-jobs/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BPTwitter

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

erma bombeck:

a grandmother pretends she doesn't know who her grandchildren are on halloween!

whismical wednesday

halloween eve! we are preparing for halloween for whimsical wednesday. what will you do? help make a costume? make a homemade treat for special trick-or-treaters? buy a ton of candy for the hordes that arrive tomorrow night? carve a pumpkin? share your halloween preparations with the whimsey project!

wednesday afternoon...  
my whimsical wednesday halloween preparation activity included baking brownies and assembling treat bags. living in a rural setting, what trick or treaters i might receive are invited. in years past i have had a few visitors. this year there will be more than a dozen! i'm very ready and excited!

trivia tuesday

from triviaquestions.com:

halloween!

https://www.triviaquestionss.com/halloween-trivia-questions-with-answers/

miscellaneous monday

keep adding to your 2019 time capsule! what is a 2019 time capsule? at the beginning of the year we secured a container in which to place any item that would remind us of an experience we had that we wish to remember. on new year's eve or new year's day, we will look at the items placed in the time capsule and reminisce about our wonderful experiences in 2019.

if you have not begun to keep a 2019 time capsule, today is a great day to begin! halloween is next week, thanksgiving, christmas and other seasonal holidays are soon to arrive. these are perfect time capsule opportunities. so are birthdays, fall activities such as bonfires and festivals. no doubt you have items laying about that could be put in a container to represent experiences throughout the year. remember to include a note(s) about happy times at home with the family that isn't necessarily a special occasion but was a wonderful family time. anything one wishes to include in their 2019 time capsule is grand as each time capsule is unique to the individual.   

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book continues to be the middle east: a brief history of the last 2,000 years by bernard lewis. 

silly saturday

from bored panda:

mom loves to crochet! 

https://www.boredpanda.com/crochet-full-body-halloween-costumes-stephanie-pokorny/

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

mary oliver:

hello, sun in my face.
hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields...
watch, now, how i start the day in happiness, in kindness.

whimsical wednesday

happy canning day! today is thought to be the birthday of nicolas appert (in 1750), the father of canning. appert invented the process to hermetically seal cans for food preservation. to celebrate, we are going to "can it" for whimsical wednesday! do something, anything with a regular, ordinary can found in the kitchen cupboard.  remember, as a kid, making a telephone with cans? share your can creations with the whimsey project.  

one of my young friends is having a birthday this week so i "canned" her gift!

trivia tuesday

from merriam-webster dictionary:

KNACKERED:  tired or exhausted.

miscellaneous monday

the benefits of reading daily from mental floss:  

http://mentalfloss.com/article/585137/6-benefits-reading-every-day 

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book is bernard lewis' the middle east: a brief history of the last 2,000 years. this volume is dense with information so it will take awhile!  what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project.

silly saturday

from funkidsjokes.com:

Q: how do you mend a broken pumpkin?
A: with a pumpkin patch!

Q: what is a scarecrow's favorite fruit?
A: straw-berries!

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

thoughts of dog @dog_feelings:

today. i'm going to lie on the porch. with my front paws hanging off the top stair. and when the sun breaks through the trees. i will squint and smile. and become marginally toastier.  

whimsical wednesday

we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the postcard for whimsical wednesday.  the first postcard was mailed in 1869 as a way to send a quick message.  since then, the postcard has become a significant form of communication and the catalyst for the hobbies of sending and receiving postcards and stamp collecting.  

the organization, postcrossing, facilitates the opportunity for people all around the world to enjoy communicating through the humble postcard.  the postcrossing blog offered this post:

https://www.postcrossing.com/blog/2019/09/13/kosmopolit

for whimsical wednesday, send someone a postcard, any postcard. and consider joining www.postcrossing.org

here's the awesome postcard find i'll be sending to celebrate 150 years of the postcard:

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

people who stutter when speaking can sing without stuttering because the brain functions differently when speaking or singing.

miscellaneous monday

national geographic presents beautiful and wild around the world:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/photography/photos-worlds-most-beautiful-places/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=twitter::cmp=editorial::add=twt20190704travel-resurfwildbeautiful::rid=&sf215023442=1

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. i am reading chronicle books' vincent van gogh. what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project.

silly saturday

from twentytwo words, silly things kids say or do:

https://twentytwowords.com/pictures-that-prove-kids-are-hilarious-geniuses/?utm_source=deck&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=influencer&utm_campaign=dm3

photo friday

goose tracks

thoughtful thursday

october 1, 1861, diary entry by charles darwin:

"i am very poorly today and very stupid and hate everybody and everything."

whimsical wednesday

in months with five wednesdays, we journal for whimsical wednesday! do you keep any type of journal? if not, today is a great day to begin. what type of journal could you keep? here are the journals i keep, for examples to consider:

*a personal journal.

*a themed journal; i keep a journal about my farm.

*a memory book in which to record random memories. when i think of a memory i wish to write about, i jot down the memory to record at a later time if i can't get to it immediately.

*a notable notebook in which to record random interesting stuff such as quotes, ideas, thoughts, whatever grabs my attention.

*a daily whimsical moments notebook in which to record awesome stuff experienced throughout each day.

*art journals. 

what forms of journaling do you keep? share your practices with the whimsey project. 

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

two brothers once sold a fake goya painting for 1.5 million euros only to discover that they were paid with fake money.

miscellaneous monday

from mental floss: the sweetest sesame street moment; a moment i distinctly remember viewing with my children when they were wee.  it is, indeed, sweet.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/66802/sweetest-sesame-street-moment 

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book is laurie lee's memoir of growing up in cotswold following world war one, cider with rosie: a boyhood in the west of england. his prose is amazing. he could write about trash day and it would be words to behold. what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project. 

silly saturday

from @qikipedia:

the list of animals not allowed to be kept in homes in russia include all animals from the hominidae family; the one which includes humans.

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

b.d. schiers:

kindness comes from love and compassion. cruelty comes from anger, fear, and hate. when you act with love and compassion you are in control. when you act out of anger, fear and hate, those emotions control you.

whimsical wednesday

it's the first wednesday of october so it's connections day for whimsical wednesday! get yourself connecting with people near and far by whatever means most appropriate for the individual you are connecting with. 

i'll be making phone calls, sending texts, writing letters and cards for people who will benefit from cheery greetings or just because to surprise them. there might even be a get together with friends. what will you do to connect with others? share your connections with the whimsey project!

trivia tuesday

from @qikipedia:

"jaup" is a scots word for a spot of water or wet mud splashed upon the clothes from wet or muddy ground.