Marilyn's Photos - Sep 22 2026 - Stuff vs Things

 

Isn't that so interesting!  Can you say one stuff, two stuff, three stuff more.  No.  But you can count "things" - one thing, two things, and so on.  So stuff is more general - uncountable and collective.  An undefined mass or mixture of objects, materials, or tasks. That's why there is an academic project to catalogue all the physical objects - it is called things-initiative.org and there's nothing for that mass and jumble of miscellaneous items. It makes me think thats why we often see what we own as being referred to as stuff.  A moving company would know how much "stuff" we have - between 1,500 and 3,000 individual items beyond clothes, books, and kitchen drawer stuff for two adults in an apartment.  That would translate into about 500 to 1,000 cubic feet of volume and fit in a standard 10 foot to 15 foot moving truck.   Make that a detached house and there is now 3,000 to 5,000 individual items. Your garage alone has between 100 to 300 items for lawn care, cleaning, and so on.  Now add two children and you have 10,000 to 15,000 individual items. There are 9.000 to 14,000 pounds of belongings.  There's a category named hidden storage - garage, basement, closets - which accounts for 30% of total volume. My guess is garages hold more than 300 items.  Equipment and gear sound like they have purpose.  But consider hobbies like collecting vinyl records, model cars, vintage items.  A collection of 13,201 frog-related items makes collecting stuff an activity that gets one fame in the Guinness Book of Records. That's a small collection compared to the Guinness Records for other things - 60,000 Star Wars Memorabilia collection.  Or video games - over 24,000.  Someone has more than 18,500 Barbie Dolls.  How do you store the largest fossilized poop collection?  There are 1,277 pieces.  And they have to be catalogued and photographed so become "things" being managed. The distinction of "stuff" is that it resists being counted, being discrete and individual.  "Things" are discrete and individual and possess an identify.   Here's the joke to sum up this topic: I went to a seminar on how to organize my things. Halfway through, I realized I didn't have organized things—I just had an overwhelming pile of stuff. George Carlin spoke wonderfully on the subject - the link is HERE.  And when I did a search for "stuff" in my picture database this image came up - file it under "funny stuff."   Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 21 2026 - What about my hair?

 

There's a headline in the New York Times this morning and it indicates that there was a shooting near Ontario, Canada.  I found this a humorous moment.  There's an awful lot of places near Ontario, Canada. Let's ask AI what's near Ontario, Canada.  It says Manitoba, Quebec, James Bay and Hudson Bay, and then Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Those are the land masses.  Then it goes on to include The Great Lakes - Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and then it identifies inland waters like the Ottawa River and Trent-Severn Waterway.   That last bit seems strange - why would it have inland waters like the Trent-Severn Waterway? It connects Lake Ontario to Lake Huron and is entirely inside Ontario.   It seems to me that we shouldn't count on AI to complete primary school homework. AI accuracy on factual questions is supposedly over 90%.  It seems a low number to me that after scouring all the dictionaries and encyclopedias, it remains at this level.  The Encyclopedia Britannica has an error rate of near 5%, so why not just get the answers from the Encyclopedia? The Canadian Encyclopedia got the answer of what's near Ontario correct, so why not just reference it?  I ask too many questions when I am looking for answers. So back to our memorable New York Times place reference.  The actual location of the synagogue attack was in Belleville.  I wonder what place the New York Times considers Belleville near to - it has to a place that Americans would relate to.  And the only place would be Toronto.  We were in Belleville last year - it is a very pretty town east of Toronto.  I visited a heritage home/museum.  I took this picture because it was so strange to me - it is made of human hair from members of a family and the hair is woven into pretty shapes such as flowers and butterflies - a common practice in Victorian times.  Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 20 2026 - Put Your Money Where...

 

Didn't Canada have a week awash with excitement!  We had the EU invitation to dance - some new sort of association with them. There was the Investor Summit with Mark Carney looking for a trillion dollars in investment from private capital sources, and promising tax breaks, and speedy response.  Airport privatization was on the agenda.  And our cold climate was a selling point - for AI data centres.   These were excellent distractions and responses to  the new US tariffs coming into effect on Tuesday. There's more to come. Next week it is the United Nations General Assembly where sovereignty and the economy will be every-present.  Add to that Parliament resumes with legislation ready for debate and discussion.  That will include Pierre Poilievre. He will be able to lead off the daily Question Period.   The alternatives in the headlines are far less appealing.  There's the loss of access to the White  House by key members of the press.  There's the fixation over the athlete who soiled herself during a race and wouldn't stop (soiling or competing).  That headline swirled everywhere and seemed hysterical.  There are numerous cases of marathon diarrhea.  It makes sense to me given how overwhelming the sport is on the human body.  I asked what percent might soil themselves, and studies indicate that between 30% to 90% experience cramping or diarrhea. A small fraction actually have leakage.  Maybe the headline last week was because the soiled athlete won her race.  And that it as an indoor event with messes everywhere.  So she went through all that for a win that she then forfeited.  Ouch.   That's why we're sticking with Mark Carney news this week.   Here's an innocent happy butterfly.  Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 19 2026 - Ladybug Dresses

 

Isn't that an Alice in Wonderland costume?  It is a runway dress this past week, by Thom Browne.  There was a butterfly dress as well.  I think there might have been more bug-themed outfits given the show's theme was based on "A Bug's Life". What an idea.  One's wardrobe with a ladybug theme.  Here's the Thom Browne outfit. Here's another idea - a black dress with bug feet sticking out the sides.   And there's a "Lady Mantis" sort of outfit. One can find ladybug blouses, pajamas, dresses, all kinds of outfits with a ladybug print or design.  I was especially fond of the ladybug print vintage bathing suit.   One can start very young wearing little love bug rompers for toddlers.  They move into ladybug costumes like little girls wear to fairy parties where they run around with their ladybug wings spread out.  If one goes to Pinterest and TikTok, one finds the make-believe world of "miraculous ladybug dresses" - these are beautiful fairytale evening gowns.  Are there still masquerade costume balls?  Yes there are - there's a Halloween Masquerade Ball in Niagara-on-the-Lake at Queen's Landing. This would be an excellent choice of costume. There are lots of Monarchs this year - all of theme heading south. Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 18 2026 - American Muffins

 

I stumbled upon an article with the top picks for pastry shops in Paris.  The pictures are divine. And most of the pastry shops have yummy-looking things.  And then there's a few weird things thrown in.  This one particularly: would you crave an American-style muffin in Paris? What would Gene Kelly answer to this question? Muffins originated in Wales, and migrated to England.  They were originally food for the poor, made from leftover stale bread, biscuit dough, boiled and mashed potatoes.  A new dough was then made and fried on a large hot griddle in rings to keep the muffins shape.  This was a savoury muffin in which the English version used yeast.   Supposedly, the recipe made its way to America where baking powder became the rising agent. Cookbooks in the late 1800s had muffin recipes.  Creamed butter, milk, sugar and flour are the basics. I don't see this as a migration at all.  Others say the American muffin was invented by Samuel Bath Thomas in 1880.  By the time the Fannie Farmer Cookbook was published, there were recipes for quick bread muffins and English muffins.   Of course, what happened in the 1950s is that muffins became industrially commercialized.  And I assume that's when all the modifications came about - corn syrup, guar gum, and modified starches. So a long list of French pastry shops with flaky buttery textures filled with pastry cream and topped with chocolate interrupted with an American-style muffin bakery? I guess that would appeal to the tourists reading an article and looking for something to remind them of home.  Paris has over 1,200 traditional bakeries and patisseries.  Toronto has dozens. Paris' are ubiquitous.  Toronto's are scattered.  Toronto patisseries don't sell muffins.  Paris patisseries do - they are called 'le muffin" or as "Gamme Americaine" and treat them as a trendy, imported specialty, putting them next to cookies, brownies and donuts.   Read this interesting story by Marcy Goldman on her American Muffin Odyssey HERE.  Here's an example of Paris-style pastries below. And here's the Old Post Bakery in Beamsville - a Dutch specialty bakery. It seems to me there are no muffins in there at all. Pastries galore. Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 17 2026 - Bard Behaviour

 

Whenever we see the word "bard", it is William Shakespeare who comes to mind.  It became his "Honorary Title".  At its simplest, it means poet.  But there is nothing simple about this person having this title. The full title he was known by was "The Bard of Avon".  Another title was "The Sweet Swan of Avon."  Ben Jonson, his contemporary, gave him this title.  He is known as England's "National Poet".  And then known as "The Poet".  That is meant to denote him as the preeminent writer of his era.   And there's a derogatory title of "An Upstart Crow" which jealous playwright Robert Greene gave him.   Not related at all is the expression called "Bard Behaviour" - it was the name of the study of emotional responses by physiologist Philip Bard in1928.    The tradition of bards goes back to ancient times, and were documented in Greece and Rome. But the use as a title seems to have settled on Shakespeare.   Maybe because the designation lived on in medieval Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Brittany where the tradition of a bard giving praise to and satirizing rulers was essential to a poet's work.   Critics studied his work over time and in the post-17th century there was a cultural shift that elevated him from a popular Elizabethan playwright to a global literary icon. Then the romantic era critics and writers elevated him to "prophetic " status. The term bardolatry - excessive admiration of Shakespeare - came in fashion then.  I find that a humorous expression - it is in good company with idolatry and lordolatry. And then many words without the "d" follow along with "olatry" as an ending - zoolatry, geolatry, monolatry, autolatry.  That last one is worship of oneself.   That word makes me think that there might be a direct line into autocracy.   But enough of that - it leads into politics, doesn't it?  Today we get to celebrate William Shakespeare, considered the greatest poet of all time.  How does that rank with Homer who is referred to as the "king of all poets"?  They are considered equal and different.  Sounds like a perfect compromise.   Here's the gazebo in the Shakespeare Garden in Stratford, ON.  Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyh's Photos - Sep 16 2026 - Poison Ivy in Autumn

 

A few Sumac leaves are turning crimson orange.  There is a wonderful grove of them on Bartlett at the QEW where I can easily take pictures.  Well, there are lots of places in Niagara where one can capture the fiery colours that say Autumn.  I've become aware of another fiery crimson plant over the years -  Poison Ivy.  You don't notice it in the summer in the grassy banks along the roadsides.  But come Autumn and there they are - clear as anything.     The expression to remember is: Leaves of three?  Let them be!  There seem to be lots of leaves of three to me, so what else would we consider? There are more rhyming expressions to help with the identification of poison ivy:  "Longer middle stem; stay away from them." -- the middle leaflet has a long stem while the two side leaflets attach almost directly. "Ragged rope, don't be a dope!" Poison ivy vines on trees have a furry, "raggy" or ragged appearance. "Berries white, run in fright" and "Berries white, danger in sight." "Red leaflets in the spring, it's a dangerous thing." -- new leaflets sometimes are red in the spring. Later, in the summer, the leaflets are green -- while in autumn they can be reddish-orange. "Side leaflets like mittens, will itch like the dickens." This refers to the shape of some poison ivy leaves, where each of the two side leaflets has a notch that makes the leaflet look like a mitten with a "thumb." (Caution:all parts of the plant can cause itching, not just these leaves.) Here's what's coming in the next few weeks in Sumacs. Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 15 2026 - Things Dogs Don't Do

 

These are cute dog jokes for kids.  What is the difference between a pet tree and a pet bark.   The pet tree has a quieter bark. Why do dogs cross the road? To get to the barking lot. What do you call a boy dog who is getting old? Grandpaw. When is a black dog not a black dog? When he's a greyhound. Wy did the snowman name his dog Frost? Because Frost bites. What about a dog jokes for adults? My girlfriend's dog died, so to cheer her up I ent out and got her an identical one.   She was mad and asked:  "What am I going to do with two dead dogs? My daughter asked me if I had seen the dog bowl. I said, “No, I didn’t even know he could.” This morning I saw my neighbour talking to her cat. It was obvious the poor woman thought the cat understood her. When I got home I told my dog… we laughed a lot. This one's a toss-up: I asked my dog what’s two minus two. He said nothing. Our evening temperatures are dropping, and it got me thinking about Autumn moon pictures.  Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 14 2026 - Red Flags

 

Red flags.  These are headlines of things to look out for.  Never buy bananas when you see these red flags.  But there aren't any red flags anymore.   Red flags in the early 1600s signalled naval ships and military forces were ready for battle, or to indicate no mercy would be given.  By the lates 1700s they warned of environmental hazards like floods.  Later, railways and roadways used red flags as signals.  Then red flags were a symbol for left-wing politics, socialism and communism in the mid-1800s with the French Revolution.  And then?  It transitioned into an everyday expression.  A warning sign, hidden danger, or unacceptable behaviour. In a banana?  A dull, grayish, or smoky peel on green bananas is a warning sign that they have been in freezing or near-freezing temperatures during transport.  Green bananas won't ripen normally. That's bananas. As red flags entered the social realm, they really took off There are all kinds of "red flag" behaviours - you can go to bored panda or reddit to get a lengthy and emotional discussion of what some red flags are in every day life. As I checked out a few, some of them sounded like pet peeves.  But the supposed difference is that a red flag is a serious warning sign of toxic or abusive behaviour, while a pet peeve is simply a minor, annoying habit that irritates you (toilet set up or down.)  There seems to be a lot of advice happening whichever way one experiences things like toilet sets up or down. I guess the historical roots of red flags continue - serious things like wars and floods.  It is that expression "in love or war".  So when it comes to love, it is like war, with lots of red flag jokes: Forgetting the birthday is a red flag. Eating someone else's cake is a bigger red flag. Blowing out someone else's candles is a giant red flag. Saying you are "29 again" is a classic red flag. Giving yourself the biggest slice is very suspicious. Here's a corner scene at the Watering Can.  You can shovel those red flags into the red box. Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com

Marilyn's Photos - Sep 13 2026 - Celine Adjusts the Keys

 

Celine Dion had a love-fest in Paris all week with the lead-up to her 30,000 attendee concert last night.  She sang with fans outside her hotel each day.   Paris City Hall organized an enormous public karaoke event for those who couldn't get tickets to the show.  All kinds of singalongs happened - even special tribute cruises along the Seine with sing-alongs and costume competitions.  Isn't it interesting that the article includes the discussion on songs that were adjusted to marginally lower keys.  There had been complaints that she "doesn't sound the same" - was it her tone or just singing in a lower key?  So much debate.   Nine million people registered for priority access to her May 2027 "Parisian residency."  I guess there will be more than a few million who will suffer from lifetime FOMO.  How do you preserve a "legendary voice?"  It is reported that she practices absolute silence, not speaking a single word for days at a time.  She climate controls her house with special humidifiers for her vocal chords -  and also for her 10,000 pair shoe collection.  They have their own climate-controlled warehouse near Las Vegas.   "Her collection is so vast that she stores the items in a climate-controlled warehouse near Las Vegas equipped with a computerized catalog system. She famously admitted in interviews that every single pair of shoes holds a distinct emotional memory or moment from her life, making it impossible for her to give any of them away. Her warehouse features motorized clothing racks similar to those found in dry cleaners, allowing her to easily scroll through thousands of options. Her passion for shoes is just one aspect of her broader transformation into a major fashion powerhouse." I would show you pictures of her warehouse, but it is hard to know if any of these pictures apply to her.  I asked AI how much space they would take and it says 3,000 cubic feet or one and a half standard 40 foot shipping containers.  But I think that is for boxed shoes.  We can calculate this for shoes on display  - a standard pair of shoes takes up about 8 to 10 inches of width so there would be around 420 standard multi-tier shelving units needed. And I guess the space must allow for her to visit her shoes and relive those wonerful emotional moments.  Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.com