silly saturday

animal rock bands from the mind circle; work hard not to laugh:

https://themindcircle.com/animals-album-photos/

photo friday

we are a family of puzzlers!

thoughtful thursday

maya angelou:

life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. 

whimsical wednesday

it's whimsical wednesday! we continue with our 2019 project begun last month. that list you created of persons you wished to be more connected to this year will be utilized today. 

select the persons you wish to connect with and the means by which you will make the connection. perhaps you will select one or a few persons and you might connect with each one by different means; such as calling, texting, sending an actual letter or getting together. 

share your experience with the whimsey project! 

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

writing a to-do list for the next day can help promote a good night's sleep. 

miscellaneous monday

it would be neat to visit this whimsical place featured in atlas obscura:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/buckle-island?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=atlas-page

solitude sunday

we read a book on solitude sunday. my run of quick-read memoirs has ended and a serious history begins. the book is garrett peck's the great war in america: world war 1 and it's aftermath. the book is dense and requires thought. this will be my book companion for awhile.

silly saturday

from funny-jokes.com:

Q: what do you call punxsutawney phil's laundry?
A: hogwash!

happy groundhog day! 

photo friday

total lunar eclipse 1.21.19

thoughtful thursday

hugh prater:

it's this simple. if i never try anything, i never learn anything. if i never take a risk, i stay where i am.  

whimsical wednesday

for whimsical wednesday we will journal as we always do in months that have five wednesdays. what do we write? we write about what suits us individually. for example, i keep several journals:

*notable notebook in which to record random neat stuff, such as quotes, projects, ideas.
*themed journal. i keep a journal about my farm and country living.
*personal journal. 
*art journals in which i combine art and words.
*memories notebook in which to record random memories. 
*whimsical moments journal in which a moment of whimsey experienced each day is recorded.

if you haven't begun keeping any type of journal consider doing so as writing is a useful tool for us to employ. one need not keep as many journals as i do and one need not write volumes in any given session. just writing is worthwhile for the self. 

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

if the earth didn't have a moon, days would be about six hours long.

miscellaneous monday

eye popping photography of storms!

http://mentalfloss.com/photos/546297/7-awe-inspiring-photos-storm-clouds

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my book is allan lokos' through the flames: overcoming disaster through compassion, patience and determination. the author, the leader of a meditation center in new york city, survived a plane crash. although he survived the crash he was very seriously injured. he details the crash, it's aftermath and his very, very slow road to recovery. he credits his wife (who was also in the plane with him and herself badly injured) and his training in meditation for having made it.

silly saturday

it's a thing! 

photo friday

it's snowing! 1.1.19

thoughtful thursday

me:

when stung by the behavior of others, be certain not to behave likewise.  

whimsical wednesday

it's national handwriting day! here's a bit about the event:

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/January/handwritingday.htm

for whimsical wednesday engage in some handwriting! for fun, try writing with your non-dominant hand and enjoy the results. learn to write in new styles using the link:   

https://www.drawyourworld.com/blog/examples-of-handwriting-styles.html

write tiny, write large! write in pen! write in crayon! write silly! write serious! just write!! 

later...

it was a very busy day for me; no writing until eight thirty pm! my efforts included different writing instruments and i used my non-dominant hand! the writing looks better than my usual handwriting with my dominant hand. here's the results:

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

the word "photography" comes from two greek words that mean "writing with light". 

miscellanous monday

last month i wrote about fika, the swedish ritual of sharing tea with others: 

https://thewhimseyproject.blogspot.com/2018/

fika is such a grand ritual i decided to initiate fika for myself and others. last friday marked the first fika gathering i hosted.  it was impromptu, as i only extended an invitation a few days prior to the day. it was simple; i baked brownies and offered hot tea, iced tea and hot chocolate.  

our gathering numbered seven including me. for a few hours we sipped, munched and shared conversation. it reminded me of how the moms in my growing up years got together for coffee and conversation. i'm looking forward to the next fika gathering. 

solitude sunday

we read books on solitude sunday.  i read one last week and posted about it, however, i don't know what happened to it! my technology challenged self must have struck the wrong key and it disappeared. no matter.  

last week my book was patience bloom's romance is my day job: a memoir of finding love at last. ms bloom works as an editor in the romance novel industry. according to her story, her personal quest to find the right dude was a great deal more challenging than being an editor of romance novels! the most amazing part of this book is the author's name; as it could easily be the name of a romance novel's author!

my book this week is ray walker's the road to burgundy: the ulikely story of an american making wine and a new life in france. even if one cares nothing about wine, reading about the process was interesting.  however, as the book progressed it seemed more and more "unlikely" to me as some of it just didn't ring true. after finishing the book i did an internet search of the author.  it seems many others didn't and don't believe his story. one of the articles about him quoted him as saying he had enough material for a second book.  if such a book appears, i won't be reading it.

silly saturday

my grandchildren introduced me to bongo cat. bongo cat is so awesomely whimsical i am introducing bongo cat to fellow wim-zees!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sUpZ0oB07Q

photo friday

from a kitchen window

thoughtful thursday

unknown:

do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?

whimsical wednesday

we have a new 2019 monthly whimsical wednesday project! the goal is to connect with people you do not see or hear from as often as you may like. the first step is to make a list. for whimsical wednesday, create a list of those you wish to connect with. put the list somewhere that will be easily accessible such as tacked to a bulletin board or paper clipped to a calendar or planner. 

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

the opposite of sparkle is darkle.

miscellaneous monday

a genius street artist in new york city:

https://themindcircle.com/street-art-tom-bob-new-york/

silly saturday

the selfie taking cat:

https://themindcircle.com/cat-takes-better-selfies-than-you/

photo friday

i see you. do you see me?

thoughtful thursday

snapped this at a new year's day open house:

whimsical wednesday

we are creating a 2019 time capsule for whimsical wednesday! 

*select a container that will hold stuff from throughout this year; the container can be a large jar with a lid, a bucket, a basket, a box, a tote or handbag. whatever suits.

*you may wish to label your container or decorate it. or not. whatever you feel like doing.

*put items of importance to you in the container. what's important is purely individual. some ideas might include, but not limited to, greeting cards, ticket stubs, photographs, ribbons from floral bouquets. surprise yourself by including items you might otherwise discard. (if you wish, include items from december 2019.)

*keep filling this container throughout 2019. there will be miscellaneous monday posts to remind us to keep filling the 2019 container.

*on new year's eve 2019 or new year's day 2020 we will look at the items we placed in our containers and recall wonderful experiences and special memories. 

trivia tuesday

from @qikipedia:

in 1859 the united states of america and the united kingdom almost went to war over the shooting of a pig.

miscellaneous monday

the whimsey project marks 2019 as the fourth year in the keeping of a daily whimsical moments notebook. a whimsical moments notebook is any notebook, journal, calendar, note pad or other writing material in which to record a daily moment of whimsey experienced. 

there are two very positive aspects of recording whimsical moments on a daily basis:
1. looking for such moments each day raises one's awareness that such moments exist for us to be surprised by and enjoyed.
2. reading the recorded moments are uplifting. it's especially so when one isn't feeling particularly wonderful. try reading through your recorded moments and not feel lighter!

if you haven't a daily whimsical moments notebook, today is a great day to begin. from time to time we share our moments; the whimsey project is looking forward to yours!

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. my read continues with michaela and elaine deprince's hope in a ballet shoe. this story ends well but getting there is rough!

silly saturday

omgjokes from @omgfacts:

Q: why don't penguins fly?
A: because they are too short to be pilots!

photo friday

smudge

thoughtful thursday

angela davis:

i am no longer accepting the things i cannot change.
i am changing the things i cannot accept. 

whimsical wednesday

how long have you had stuff; stuff you keep because of what it represents? for whimsical wednesday, let go of one item that falls into this category. before you remove it from your home, take a picture of it.  there. you still have it without it taking up physical space in your house! what item did you let go of? share with the whimsey project.

this is the item i removed from my house; a wallet received as a high school graduation gift. that life event was decades ago and it was the best wallet i have ever owned. none since have compared but it was falling apart, therefore, no longer useful. but i didn't let it go. until today. 

trivia tuesday

follow the link to the most common new year's resolutions:

https://www.statista.com/chart/12386/the-most-common-new-years-resolutions-for-2018/   

instead of resolutions, just live your best life each day.

happy new year.

miscellaneous monday

fika.  a ritual involving family and/or friends, coffee and/or tea and a bite of something to eat. according to tradition, fika must be shared or, taken alone, it's just eating and drinking. learn about fika and resolve to partake:

http://www.swedishfood.com/fika    

a great crafting session with my daughter yielded this handmade gift for her friend; with whom she shares fika: 

solitude sunday

solitude sunday. our day to spend time with a book. my book is michaela and elaine deprince's hope in a ballet shoe. this is the story of michaela deprince who went from an orphan in war torn sierra leone to an international ballet star.

silly saturday

from @sofiehagen:

in danish, there is a word for when you put so much butter on a bun, it leaves teeth marks. (the word is tandsmor: tooth butter.)

photo friday

 broke when dropped. awesome!

thoughtful thursday

dalai lama xiv:

if the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education or material comfort you have, only suffering and confusion will ensue. 

whimsical wednesday

happy national thank you note writing day! what a perfect whimsical wednesday activity to follow a day of giving and receiving gifts.  make this a family activity as it's important for children to learn to say "thank you" in a note as well as verbally. those that offer the gifts will be so pleased to be remembered in this way.

trivia tuesday

@uberfacts:

touching a teddy bear has been proven to make people feel less lonely.  

merry christmas. 

miscellaneous monday

operation "decorate gingerbread houses" occurred on saturday. before my young buddies had their decorating session, they, their parents, friends and i enjoyed the tasty lunch i prepared.  one house is quite symmetrical and planned; the other is decidedly free form.....  just like the personalities of the creators! 

solitude sunday

solitude sunday at the whimsey project. our day to spend time with a book. i continue with richard rodriguez's darling, a spiritual autobiography. this book requires much thought. i am enjoying the thinking.

silly saturday

dinosaur tree! (festival of trees)

photo friday

friends

thoughtful thursday

living kindness @livingkindness:

the smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.

whimsical wednesday

soon it will be christmas day! we will spend this whimsical wednesday preparing for our holiday activities. what did you do? share with the whimsey project!

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

researchers have proven that eccentric* people tend to live longer and report higher levels of happiness.  

*at the whimsey project we call such persons whimsical!

miscellaneous monday

my favorite holiday activity is participating in a cookie exchange. i did so for several years until that group disbanded. a few years passed without a cookie exchange and i missed it. this year that changed when i began a new cookie exchange! our gathering was saturday the fifteenth. everyone who was invited to participate did so eagerly. we enjoyed lunch (my nephew smoked the meat for the pulled pork and it was awesome!) and sitting around the fireplace talking and laughing and having a wonderful time.  and such a variety of cookies! soooooo many cookies! amazingly no one baked chocolate chip! we laughed about that. my cookies are given as christmas gifts so there's a bounty to share this year. everyone agreed the cookie exchange will be a new holiday tradition.  

solitude sunday

solitude sunday. our day to spend time with a book. my read is richard rodriguez's darling, a spiritual autobiography. as the titles implies, this book is about richard rodriquez's faith journey within the larger context of his life. his writing style is awesome.

silly saturday

best birthday party game ever!

photo friday

enjoying the view

thoughtful thursday

the world's oldest song; written by seikilos, in 100 bc:

while you live, shine.
have no grief at all.
life exists only for a short while,
and time demands its toll.

whimsical wednesday

we'll be doing anything with a gingerbread theme for whimsical wednesday to celebrate national gingerbread day. each year i do something gingerbread with two of my young buddies. this year i happened upon an awesome find in a grocery store in another town. a grocery cart filled with markdowns included two gingerbread house kits! i had been looking for houses and here they were, just waiting for me! the house pieces require assembly so putting together the houses will be my whimsical wednesday gingerbread activity.

ready to decorate!

trivia tuesday

from @omgfacts:

20,000 tons of indigo dye are produced annually for the making of blue jeans.

miscellaneous monday

i happened upon a recipe for edible play clay in an old magazine i had in a stack used for art journaling. created by ashley ogle for "mary janes farm" magazine, it looked awesome! the clay was made for my two year old buddy. for a christmas gift, the clay was paired with wee cookie cutters for wee hands and a copy of the recipe for mom and dad so they could make more. here's the recipe:

*mix together 1/4 cup powdered milk and 1/4 cup flour.

*mix together 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter and 1/4 cup honey.

*add one mixture into the other, stirring until completely blended and the mixture is smooth.

for play time tape a piece of freezer paper (shiny side up) onto the table for the wee one to use as a mat for the clay. if the clay becomes sticky or too soft to play with, put it in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. 

solitude sunday

we spend time with a book on solitude sunday. my book companion continues to be bob boilen's your song changed my life. it's been interesting to discover the song(s) that were a musical turning point for the artists featured in the book. 

silly saturday

road trip!

photo friday

sunrise, november 28, 2018

sunset, november 28, 2018

 

thoughtful thursday

b. d. schiers:

the more kindness you put forth into the world, the kinder it  becomes. it adds up. if you don't believe me, try it. 

whimsical wednesday

it's the first wednesday of the month so we'll work on our own projects. there's one remaining lesson in the art journaling course to finish. maybe i'll get to that.  or i'll work on preparations for my holiday hosting activities. or i'll pay attention to art journals that have languished while i gave full attention to the online courses. or maybe i'll do something completely different...

trivia tuesday

history @historytime:

the first dr pepper soft drink was served on december 1, 1885, at a drugstore in waco, texas.

miscellaneous monday

what's the favorite christmas candy in your state? 

http://mentalfloss.com/article/565824/most-popular-candy-christmas

solitude sunday

solitude sunday is our day to spend time with a book. today i am reading bob boilen's your song changed my life. bob boilen is the host and creator of npr's "all songs considered" in which he talks about modern music and interviews musicians. this book is an outcome of his radio program. very interesting musical history thus far.

silly saturday

thoughts of dog @dog_feelings:

sometimes. i will yawn really big. and soon after. the human will also yawn. i have yet to decide. what to do with my powers.

photo friday

enjoy the scenery (photo by dash)

thoughtful thursday

dalai lama:

peace is not just mere absence of violence. peace is the manifestation of human compassion. 

whimsical wednesday

with thanksgiving 2018 a lovely memory, we are moving into the christmas holiday season. for whimsical wednesday, take time to assess your holiday gift list, menus, events you might be hosting or attending and create a plan for getting everything you want to do accomplished. work on your holiday greeting cards. or sit back with a good book because you do not do any holiday preparations. it's all good. 

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

george washington died in 1799. the first dinosaur fossil was discovered in 1824. therefore, george washington never knew dinosaurs existed.

miscellaneous monday

wolfenoot! this is so awesome.  a seven-year-old created a holiday and named it wolfenoot. it was designated to be celebrated the day after thanksgiving. as we never turn down an opportunity to celebrate, we added wolfenoot to our thanksgiving weekend holiday. it was awesome.  we had wolf stickers to wear as official wolfenoot badges. we made a wolfenoot craft, using markers to color wooden christmas tree ornaments. and we created our version of the moon cake.  awesomely whimsical!  here's the official website so you can plan your wolfenoot celebration for 2019:

https://wolfenoot.com/

wolfenoot moon cakes

solitude sunday

solitude sunday. our day to spend time with a book. today's book is harold s. kushner's to life; a celebration of being jewish and thinking. rabbi kushner explains what it means to be jewish by explaining jewish history, beliefs and customs. 

silly saturday

from jokes4us.com:

Q: what did the wolf say when someone stepped on his paw?
A: aoooooooooowwwwwwwwwww!!!!!

photo friday

whimsey at the copper penny

thoughtful thursday

happy thanksgiving!

whimsical wednesday

whimsical wednesday! make today one of preparation for tomorrow's celebration of thanksgiving. my most important task will be to bake pecan pie, a must have dessert on our thanksgiving menu. what are you doing to prepare for thanksgiving?

trivia tuesday

from @uberfacts:

hershey's makes one million miles of twizzlers every year; enough to circle the earth 40 times. 

miscellaneous monday

last wednesday brought a very early winter (and i mean winter) snow. no school on thursday brought the snow(wo)man!  behold:

friday brought sunshine and a warmer temperature. behold:

solitude sunday

solitude sunday. our day to spend time with a book. i continue with rachael herron's a life in stitches: knitting my way though love, loss and laughter. what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project.

silly saturday

"let's call the whole thing off!" @bernardlhughes

photo friday

fall

thoughtful thursday

anonymous:

speak when it's important to do so. the words may go unheeded but they can't be unheard.

whimsical wednesday

it's national pickle day!! we are celebrating the pickle! do something awesomely whimsical with the pickle. think outside the hamburger-dill-chip box and get creative. pickling is what we are after today not just the end result! how did you celebrate national pickle day? share your experience with the whimsey project!

i made homemade pickles with carrots and zucchini for an upcoming event i am hosting. results will be pending as no pickle is eaten before it's time! or something like that...

the recipe i modified is from www.mccormick.com 
"easy summertime sweet pickles":

1 medium zucchini cut into discs
12 baby carrots cut into quarters lengthwise
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar or splenda
dash of sea salt
dash of onion powder
10 whole cloves

an old pickle jar was used. with measurements indicated in the glass i was able to mix the liquid right in the jar, shaking the jar vigorously to mix thoroughly. then the pre-cut carrots were added, followed by the zucchini. why this order? the carrots are heavier and sink to the bottom. the zucchini is lighter and floats to the top! 

trivia tuesday

from openculture.com:

hildegard von bingen (1098-1179) is the first known composer in history.

miscellaneous monday

here's a neat article discussing the origin of commonly used phrases:

https://curiosity.com/topics/these-10-common-phrases-have-unexpected-origins-curiosity/?utm_campaign=daily-digest&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email

solitude sunday

solitude sunday. our day to spend time with a book. my reading companion is rachael herron's a life in stitches: knitting my way through love, loss and laughter. the book's title speaks of what is offered between the "knitted" covers. what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project.  

silly saturday

unintentionally made a face!

photo friday

tilt

thoughtful thursday

me:

there really is something to treat others as you wish to be treated. 

whimsical wednesday

it's the first wednesday of the month of november! that means it's work-on-your-own-projects for whimsical wednesday! what did you work on? share your project here at whimsey.

trivia tuesday

from @OMGfacts:

studies reveal that goats have accents.

miscellaneous monday

here is one amazing lobster!

https://boingboing.net/2018/06/19/rare-cotton-candy-colored-lobs.html

solitude sunday

solitude sunday. our day to spend time with a book. my book is sally bedell smith's elizabeth the queen: the life of a modern monarch.  what are you reading? share your book with the whimsey project! 

silly saturday

from funkidjokes.com:

Q: what looks like half a leaf?
A: the other half!

photo friday

sample of postcards created for ihanna international swap.

thoughtful thursday

tony wendice:

velveeta is an american classic. that doesn't make it cheese.