We went and got our annual flu shot yesterday. You canât be too careful these days. It was a painless event, though my wife mentioned feeling a bit icky later in the evening. Since we were already dressed, we decided to eat at a Chinese buffet. Thatâs both good and bad. I can usually find the kinds of food I should be eatingâbut then thereâs dessert. I love the apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Thatâs my downfall. I know itâs there, and all I have to do is get up and go get it.
Most of my success in avoiding things that arenât good for me comes down to one strategy: donât have it around. If ice cream is in the house and I know it, Iâm going to raid it. If itâs not in the house, all I can do is complain about not having anyâwhich I do, but not seriously.
Once upon a time, many years ago while I was in the Army, I smoked cigarettes. Not the smartest habit, but back then a lot more people smoked than do today. I was stationed in Germany and wanted to quit, but quitting is hard. We had ration cards for items that could fuel a black market, and cigarettes were among them. Each year we received a new card, and every time we bought cigarettes, the cashier would mark off a spot. To help myself quit, I marked off all the cigarette rations on my card so I couldnât buy any. It didnât stop me overnight, but it made a real dent in the habit.
âSelf-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.â â Thucydides
âI generally avoid temptation unless I canât resist it.â â Mae West
âDonât get caughtâget the shot!â â Flu Prevention Campaign
Thereâs a route I walk on some mornings that leads past an old, abandoned house tucked into the woods. The forest is slowly reclaiming itâvines creeping over the roofline, branches brushing the siding like forgotten memories. Iâve passed it many times, and noticed something peculiar: the door is sometimes open, sometimes closed. That detail unsettles me. Mischievous kids, perhapsâor are other forces at play?
The road itself is narrow, flanked by dense forest on both sides. The house sits to my left as I walk. I often glance into the trees, scanning for birds or signs of wildlife. But on the left, deeper in the woods, I keep seeing another houseâor the same oneâlurking beyond the tree line. It feels as if the abandoned house is following me, shifting just out of reach. Yet when I stop to look directly, thereâs nothing there. Only trees.
I wonder: is my mind playing tricks on me? That would be the sensible explanation. Or is something more supernatural unfolding here? Does the house beckon, inviting me to step off the road and into the forest? If I did, would it lure me deeper still, until the path behind me vanished?
Thankfully, my dog Charlie is always with me. He knows when itâs time to turn around and go home.
âOne need not be a chamber to be haunted; One need not be a house; The brain has corridors surpassing material place.â â Emily Dickinson
âA house is never still in darkness to those who listen intently; there is a whispering in distant chambers, an unearthly hand presses the snib of the window, the latch rises.â â James M. Barrie
âHouses are not haunted. We are haunted, and regardless of the architecture with which we surround ourselves, our ghosts stay with us until we ourselves are ghosts.â â Dean Koontz
"An old, weathered office chair sits alone on a cracked concrete surface, likely part of a long-abandoned parking lot. The chairâs seat cushion is torn, and its faded upholstery bears a geometric pattern, dulled by time and exposure. The entire sceneâchair, ground, and backgroundâis rendered in grayscale or desaturated tones, emphasizing neglect and stillness. But from this monochrome quiet, artificial red roses and green leaves burst forth in vivid color. These decorations are carefully arranged on the backrest and armrests, their saturated hues creating a striking contrast against the muted surroundings. The roses appear almost luminousâdeep crimson petals and lush green foliageâtransforming the chair into a kind of ceremonial throne or floral monument. The selective color technique draws the viewerâs eye directly to this act of defiant beauty. In the bottom left corner, the image is signed âSwedeâs Photographs,â marking it as a captured moment of quiet reverence and sovereign reclamation." - Microsoft Copilot and the photographer
Blue tit bird portrait is an acrylic painting in portrait format by artist Karen Kaspar. It shows a cute Blue Tit bird standing on a branch of a tree and looking to the left side. The background is abstract in shades of yellow, green and brown.
A black and white Tuxedo cat stands in front of a dreamy abstract background in various shades of blue and gazes curiously upwards. Soft, loose, abstract brushstrokes create a sense of depth and movement around the cat. The cat's tail is raised in a curved shape.
Happy Tuxedo Cat is an acrylic painting in portrait format hand-painted by the artist Karen Kaspar.
Here I have chosen a section of the painting in square format. You can choose the format that best suits your wall.
Watching you is a detail in landscape format from my watercolour painting I am watching you, which I painted in portrait format. In this detail, which only shows the head and part of the owl's upper body, the focus is on the eyes, which scrutinise the viewer intensely.
Here is the description of the original in portrait format:
I am watching you is a watercolor painting in portrait format painted by the artist Karen Kaspar. An owl is sitting on a branch. It has lowered its head and looks at the viewer with a penetrating gaze from its bright orange eyes. The plumage is painted with loose brushstrokes in shades of blue and brown. The background is white with splashes of colour in the same shades as the owl's feathers.
Colorful autumn leaves dance in an autumn breeze.
Vibrant colors blend seamlessly to create a forest scene with abstract representations of trees and leaves in warm shades of red, yellow and green against a rich purple background. The composition conveys a sense of energy and movement, suggesting the transition of the seasons in this acrylic painting in landscape format hand-painted by artist Karen Kaspar.
A female sparrow with soft, fluffy plumage is sitting on a slender branch. The bird is looking to the right. The delicate feathers of the small bird are painted in various shades of brown with loose, gentle brushstrokes. The background is painted abstractly in warm brown, purple and earthy tones.
Sparrow meeting part one is an acrylic painting in portrait format hand-painted by the artist Karen Kaspar.
This painting is part of my mini-series of three paintings - Sparrow Meeting One, Two and Three. Each of these paintings shows a female sparrow sitting on a branch. Each of these pictures can be hung on its own. However, the three paintings can also be perfectly combined to form a triptych and hung together on a wall for a joint sparrow meeting.
Iâm about to drink a cup of coffee, then head out for a walkâjust me and Charlie McGee.
Coffee and quiet in the morning: one of lifeâs remaining pleasures. I drink mine black and have noticed that as it cools, a bitter taste creeps in. Or maybe I should say a bitterer taste. I know the tricks to tame the bitterness, but I rarely take the time to use them. So it ends up being just plain black coffee. Lately, Iâve turned to dark roastâitâs a little smoother than medium, me thinks.
Iâm not sure where Charlie is at this exact moment, but my guess is heâs stationed at the back storm door, keeping watch over the yard for the bad squirrels. They raid my birdfeeders, and one of Charlieâs self-appointed duties is to chase them off. Itâs a task he takes on with extreme vigor.
The thing is, the squirrels know the storm door is a barrier. They know Charlie canât get out unless I let him. So they taunt himâturning the backyard into their playground while he watches, pacing and growling. That is, until I show up and open the door. Thenâuh ohâsquirrels and birds scatter toward the fence and the forest. Itâs routine, but it never gets old.
I said squirrels and birds, but truth be told, Charlie tolerates the birds. He even watches them with me when weâre out back. But when he goes charging across the yard, all crittersâfeathered or furredâknow to clear the way.
âCoffee is a liquid hug for your brain.â â Danny Kaye
âMy fashion philosophy is, if you're not covered in dog hair, your life is empty.â â Elayne Boosler
âLook deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.â â Albert Einstein
"A snowy field stretches across the frame, bright and soft like sifted flour. In the foreground, five small birds cluster together in a tight, gentle huddle. Four are American Goldfinches, their muted yellow plumage and black-and-white wings glowing like sunbursts against the snow. Among them stands a single chipping sparrow, its brown and white feathers blending into the wintry palette, yet distinct in posture. A sixth birdâanother sparrowâstands apart in the background to the right, solitary and watchful. Scattered seeds dot the snow, anchoring the birdsâ quiet foraging. The scene is serene, high in contrast, and signed Swedeâs Photographs in the bottom right corner." - Copilot with edits
A breathtaking view of Amtrakâs 30th Street Station in Philadelphia at sunset, with the Schuylkill River reflecting the cityâs skyline and glowing clouds. This iconic Philadelphia landmark sits on the west bank of the river, surrounded by modern skyscrapers, offering one of the best sunset photography spots in the city.
The sky is painted with orange and purple hues, adding warmth to the scene.
One year, during an overnight stay in Gulfport, Mississippi, the beach was alive with flocks of black skimmers (Rynchops niger). As they rested on the sand, each flock formed a dense mosaic of black, white, and vivid orangeâlike a living tapestry woven from feathers and beaks.
Discover nature's fleeting moments through my lensâvisit my photo gallery to see more.
"A dense congregation of black skimmers blankets the sandy shore like a living tapestry. Their bodies form a rhythmic patternâblack upper feathers like ink strokes, white underbellies like parchment, and each beak a vivid slash of orange-red, tipped with a lower mandible that juts forward like a blade designed for slicing water. The flock is tightly packed, shoulder to shoulder, creating a visual hum of unity and purpose.
From above, the scene resembles a ceremonial gatheringâeach bird a participant in a silent rite of rest or readiness. The sand beneath them is pale and unobtrusive, a neutral stage for their striking plumage. The sheer number of birds creates a mesmerizing texture, like a woven fabric of feathers and beaks, pulsing with quiet energy. Though still, the image feels aliveâcharged with the potential of sudden flight, as if the entire flock might lift in synchronized motion at the slightest cue.
Thereâs no horizon visible, no skyâonly the intimate geometry of bodies and the suggestion of wind and salt. Itâs a portrait of collective presence, of instinctual choreography, and of the mythic quiet that precedes movement" - Microsoft Copilot
All proceeds from the sale of prints and products of this hedgehog haiku artwork will be donated to the Avolare Wildlife Hospital in the Netherlands (avolare.nl).
More infos in comments đ
Collage of four haikuart artworks featuring watercolor paintings of a hedgehog in spring, summer, autumn and winter combined with haikus. Haiku Marjolein Rotsteeg, art Karen Kaspar.
I had a plumber come in yesterday to unstop our kitchen sink. He was a nice enough young man and did a good job, but the cost to get him to snake out the drain gave me sticker shock. It was nearly twice what it was the last time I called them. I imagined being told in an Eastern European accent "the price is the price." The plumbing company is the one I normally call, but the next time I need the sink unplugged I might consider calling somebody else, or not I'll have to wait and see how I feel at the time.
We're supposed to walk this morning but I'm again getting a late start. We may just do a few laps around the property today. One lap is roughly a quarter mile so I can get a little exercise in that way and Charlie stays off the leash when we stay here so he can run and jump or just get inquisitive about all of the surrounding scents. I'll need to dig out my waterproof hiking shoes; there is dew in the morning.
After that, I may tend to the bird feeders, because they don't tend to themselves. I get to feeling a little bad when I look out and there are birds just hanging around empty feeders while staring at the backdoor. You'd think that I'm exaggerating, which I may be, but it sure seems like that's what they do.
âThe price is the price.â â Taken (film, 2008) â sovereign utterance from the Ministry of Unyielding Transactions
âBut I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.â â E.B. White
âEvery morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.â â Henry David Thoreau
"A cluster of mandarin orangesâCitrus reticulataâhangs gracefully from a slender tree branch, their round bodies nestled among glossy green leaves. The fruits are in various stages of ripening, forming a natural gradient from deep green to golden yellow to rich, sunlit orange. Their skin is smooth and slightly dimpled, catching the morning light like polished lanterns suspended in a leafy canopy.
The sunlight filters through the foliage, casting soft shadows and illuminating the fruits with a warm, golden glow. Some oranges appear almost translucent at the edges, as if lit from within. The leaves curve protectively around the fruit, their veins visible and vibrant, adding texture to the scene. In the background, a blur of green suggests a lush orchard or garden, alive with quiet abundance.
This is not just a botanical momentâit feels like a ceremonial offering, a dispatch from the Ministry of Ripening, where each fruit is a sovereign orb of sweetness, suspended in the ritual of becoming." - Microsoft Copilot
Robin in the Blue is a watercolor painting in contemporary square format painted by the artist Karen Kaspar. A little robin sits on a branch and looks to the right. The background is abstract in light blue with loose brushstrokes and splashes of colour. The orange-red breast of the little bird stands out as an eye-catcher for the viewer due to the color contrast with the background.
Whimsical Bird on a Wire is an acrylic painting in modern square format painted by artist Karen Kaspar. A cute little robin sits fluffed up like a ball of feathers on a wire. The background is abstracted in light blue tones. The inspiration for this painting was a robin that lives in our garden and sat fluffed up next to our bird feeder on a frosty winter's day, enjoying the warming rays of the morning sun.
Here I added the text Peace on Earth and cropped the original artwork to a vertical format.
Now the design is perfect as a Christmas card or for Christmas decorations in your home.
Velvety peachy Rose is a watercolor painting in contemporary square format painted by artist Karen Kaspar. A beautiful rose blossom in vibrant shades of yellow, peachy orange and red accompanied by a little rose bud is showing her beauty on an abstracted background in shades of green.
Three Oak Leaves is a painting in contemporary square format in which the artist Karen Kaspar used both watercolors and acrylics. Three leaves of the Red Oak or Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) in bright warm autumn colors of yellow, orange and red float on an abstract background in various shades of blue, blue-green, turquoise, purple and pink. A firework of autumn colors!
Finally â here is my finished new watercolor painting, of which I have shown you #wip pictures in the last few days - Black Cat Peeking Behind Pumpkins!
Enjoy!
A small black cat peeks curiously out from behind a group of colorful pumpkins and gourds. The pumpkins come in different shapes, colours and sizes. Only the head and one front paw of the cute kitten behind it can be seen. The cat seems to enjoy playing hide and seek.
The bright warm colors create a cozy and playful autumn atmosphere.
Black cat peeking behind pumpkins is a hand-painted watercolour by artist Karen Kaspar.
