Feb 1 2022 - Red Tape and Valentines

 

February is the month where the colour red is dominant.  We distract ourselves from winter with Valentine's Day - the contrast of red for Valentines with the white of winter.   There's a headline in the New York Times about red states having red tape with regards to COVID regulations.  What is red tape? Wikipedia comes to the front of the line, as usual:  "It is generally believed that the term originated with the Spanish administration of Charles V, King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor, in the early 16th century, who started to use red tape in an effort to modernize the administration that was running his vast empire. The red tape was used to bind the most important administrative dossiers that required immediate discussion by the Council of State, and separate them from issues that were treated in an ordinary administrative way, which were bound with ordinary string." Red tape has become known as excessive, rigid, redundant rules or standards, usually implemented by governments, corporations and other large organizations.  A bureaucracy is needed to administer these - paper work, licenses, multiple people or committees approving a decision, and so on.   Cutting red tape is the expression for reducing the burden of regulations.  This seems like an "opening up" of processes and ways of doing things. We've missed it slightly as it was celebrated from January 25th to January 29th in Canada.   There is far less concern in the U.S. on red tape.  No red tape week or reduction initiatives.  The U.S. ranks # 6 on ease of doing business, whereas Canada ranks #23.  Both are classified as "very easy", but the U.S. is right near the top. Wikipedia has the survey HERE.  Where is it easiest?  New Zealand. What the N.Y. Times briefing this morning says is interesting:  that the coronavirus vaccine mandate has red tape consequences in states like Florida and Texas where there are low taxes and light regulation.  These companies are now dealing with lots of red tape when it comes to COVID policies and are not able to implement any mandates. How curious things seem to be in reverse of what one would think. Here's our February calendar - this is a macro of tree bark.  To me it looks like an Arctic abstract without actually having snow in the picture.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 28 2021 - Melting 'Koselig' Away

 

Aren't those Norwegians so positive.  Their word for the long, dark, isolating winter experience is 'koselig' - our equivalent of the word would be 'cozy'.   It is about being "content and creating a pleasant environment."  It is about intimacy and warmth. "You will feel koselig from anything that makes you feel happy and evokes that warm feeling inside you". There are other Norwegians who travel south to Spain or Italy for the really cold and really dark months.  Which months would those be if December already has only six hours of daylight? January is the coldest month.  But look at the difference in temperatures to here in Ontario:  Oslo's January high is -1.8C and low is -5.8C.  Toronto's is a high of -2.3 C and low of -7C. Tripsavvy says this:  Winter in Norway can be bitterly cold, even into April. Temperatures are regularly below freezing and many parts of the country are blanketed in snow. If you love snow activities and don't mind the cold temperatures, you'll find the most snow between December and April. January and February are dark and the coldest months, so if you're heading to one of the ski areas in Norway, pick March. Like Norway, February is the conclusion of our coldest weather month.   As we move into March, we can expect wide fluctuations and typically one or two big snow storms.  So there still will be an opportunity to experience that Norwegian 'koselig' feeling.  Making cozy and fun out of the deep freeze of winter.   Just in time for March - here's our calendar picture for the month - a Monarch Butterfly wreath to welcome you to Spring. Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 18 2021 - About February

 

I've missed a lot of dates in February already.   We can catch up on all the monthly long "unique holidays".  What are they? American Heart Month An Affair to Remember Month Black History Month Canned Food Month Creative Romance Month Great American Pie Month National Bird Feeding Month National Cherry Month National Children’s Dental Health Month National Grapefruit Month National Weddings Month Spunky Old Broads Month Did you know that Valentine's Day and National Organ Donor Day are celebrated on the same day?  We haven't missed the next chocolate holiday after Valentine's Day - it is today National Chocolate Mint Day.  Is this a month we make fun of?  It seems to be that way. What month is the best month to tell a lie? …. Fib -ruary What is a ghost’s favorite month?… Feb – BOO – uary. What month is the Jake Paul’s favorite? …. Feb – BRO – ary! I can't wait for Tuesday, February 22, 2022 (2/22/22.  We can call it... 2's day Two images I worked on yesterday are from Charles Daley Park a few years ago - overlooking the lake, and looking into Charles Daley Park through rain on the windshield. Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 1 2021 - Tomorrow Is...

 

Our quote yesterday feels like a Christmas story ending::   "Everybody will get their mittens" The beloved Bernie Sanders' mittens have a manufacturer. 18,000 pairs have been requested so far.  And today we're looking ahead to a big day tomorrow. Which day would you say is more significant?  World Play Your Ukulele Day?  Groundhog Day?  It has to be Groundhog Day! You can scroll through countless quotes from the movie.  I've chosen a few for today. Phil Connors: Do you want to throw up here or in the car?  Ralph: I think both. Phil Connors: (to the groundhog) "Don't drive angry! Don't drive angry!" Phil: "This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What a hype. Groundhog Day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out, and they used to eat it. You're hypocrites, all of you!" Phil: “This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.” “Phil: Do you ever have déjà vu, Mrs. Lancaster? Mrs. Lancaster: I don't think so, but I could check with the kitchen.” This last one is my favourite. Here's our February railroad calendar. Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 24 2020 - Dogs on Train...Seats

This is the last week of February.  Knowing our popular and unpopular months, there's a little cheer! Here's a satirical article in the press covering the reactions to a dog sitting on the seat in a train to Paddington.  Being TV news host Emily Maitlis' dog, it got some attention.  The attention of this writer takes a satirical twist.  It was in theguardian.com - outlining the rules of train travel int regards to seats.  The basic rules is that pets are allowed on trains. Should pets be allowed at all? "Yes – as long as you remember that not everyone likes being on trains with animals, even their own pets. If you see me on a train with my dog, you can assume that something has gone badly wrong with my travel plans. I know my dog is adorable, but I am only prepared to talk about that for a limited amount of the journey. Getting an adorable pet was not my idea. Because my dog is also small and needy, it will probably insist on spending some time standing on my lap. This is not the same as a dog on a seat, and again, it will not have been my idea. I go on trains to take a break from my dog." What about children? "I have travelled with small children, and in my experience most passengers would rather sit next to a dog than a toddler. On a crowded train, you should give up your seat for a toddler if you have for some reason come to dislike the person you are sitting next to. Older people should be offered your seat, depending on how old they seem, and not how old they are. Do not ask for ID." Is it ever acceptable to put a bag on the seat? "No. A bag on a seat is worse than a dog on a seat. At least the dog is enjoying the ride. Even worse than bags is feet on seats. Any attempt to cushion yourself from the possibility of having to sit next to someone is both antisocial and prone to backfire – you end up sitting next to someone who hates you and they will give up their seat to the first toddler to come along." Should you chat to your neighbours? "It is almost never acceptable to make eye contact with a stranger on a train, even if you are facing them across a table for a five-hour journey. I am very sorry my dog does not understand this." This made me think of how a context can make "the" difference. In comparison, dogs sit on seats at the animal hospital I go to with Dezi. Most of them, like Dezi, would rather hide under the seat and disappear. The orchid today won't be for sale at the vendor table at the RBG orchid show this coming weekend.  This is an exotic and rare lady slipper orchid typically sold between expert growers only.

Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 8 2020 - Quarantine Cruising

This is the Lantern Festival Day.  The full moon was out last night.  I experienced it when Baxter went to the greenhouse instead of outside in the night.  This is now a ritual for him.  He bangs on the window blinds in the bedroom, races off to the dining room for the exit, I pick him up and take him to the greenhouse where he has a basket and extensive view of everyone in the back garden.  I think there are also mice in the greenhouse, as sometimes he is reluctant to come out in the morning. The full moon through the curved glass ceiling is amazing.  It seems like a lantern with the diffusion caused by the slightly frosted glass.  And then there is the magic of shadows in the night.  There is one stunning picture of the lantern festival that is repeated over and over - so I screen clipped it for you. You can see that the posting was made on December 25th.  Without the presence of the coronavirus outbreak, it was a delightful article on the traditions of the New Year celebration.  The scenario changes so quickly:  There are more than 28,000 confirmed cases in China, with a worrying 15% daily growth. The sensational news is about a quarantined Norwegian cruise ship, Dream Cruises World Dream, with more than 3,600 passengers and crew onboard.  They will be isolated in their cabins for about 2 weeks - that will be a story told for a while.   Social media makes it possible to send out news and messages easily - these are things like people not getting meals, pictures of the miserable-looking meals, and concerning stories of a diabetic not getting any meals.  This meal theme makes sense, because people always come back from cruises boasting about food and meals. There's news that impacts all of us -the closing of factories - global automakers are the first to suspend operations.  The world supply chain is laid out clearly - the world's biggest maker of smartphone chips Qualcomm has sent out the alarm of interrupted supplies.  According to a study by the World Bank, a severe pandemic could cause economic losses equal to nearly 5% of global GDP, or more than $3 trillion. Losses from a weaker flu pandemic, such as the 2009 H1N1 virus, can still wipe 0.5% off global GDP.  But then - Wait!  Incoming news not surprisingly based on yesterday's topic:  The 2020 hourly rates of lawyers in Grimsby might surprise you!  (Sponsored: Top Lawyers/Sponsored Listings).  What's the picture?  A glass head with one of those 'lawyer/judge' wigs on it.  Continuing our Valentine's theme - our Valentine today comes from the Sarasota Ringling Museum display.

Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 1 2020 - On to the Chocolate Month

How about 650 not sure synonyms.  That's a lot of expressions for being vague.  In the same thesaurus - The Power Thesaurus, there are 5,475 synonyms for sure.  But if we go to Thesaurus.com there are about 30 synonyms for not sure, and then about 45 for sure.  Perhaps the difference has to do with the many meanings of sure. Here we are at the first day of February and the things to do in this month divide drastically between embracing our landscape of snow and escaping the same landscape; Party in Quebec City for the Winter Festival or Go South to the beach.  The beach option includes the family favourite: go to a Disney Theme Park.  I am intrigued with the Pandora Park based on the Avatar movie.  It is in the Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando.  This is interesting because Disney prides itself on its landscapes and plant material.  We went a few years ago just to see the landscaping, and I was impressed.  The promotional pictures look like they've succeed again. "What we’re trying to do on Pandora is transport our guests to another planet,” says Zsolt Hormay, Vice President of Creative at Walt Disney Imagineering. “We had to find species that looked like Pandoran plants,” he says. The creative team traveled to Hawaii’s Oahu island to research rainforest plants as well as China’s Zhangjiajie National Forest Park to research the mountains that inspired Avatar’s floating Hallelujah Mountains." So let's go back to sure vs not sure.  What percentage of Canadians take a winter vs a beach vacation in the winter months?  Expedia says that over 50% of Canadians take a beach vacation in the winter.   Seems like the two pictures below tell the story:  An invitation to stroll through paradise vs a snow-filled yard viewed from inside. I guess that's where the chocolate comes in this month.  Even if you take a beach vacation, there's the return to the winter landscape, where chocolate is on tap.

Read past POTD's at my Blog: http://blog.marilyncornwell.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Februalia Closes and the Cows Come Home

Lupercalia, the February 15th purification ritual of ancient Rome has come and gone. The thought.com website says that today we celebrate it with the hearth goddess, Vesta. The month was originally known as Februalia,  It is still a celebration for modern Pagans today, and is considered part of their spiritual journey. As children we were taught that pagan beliefs were non-religious beliefs.  Modern Paganism today is a collective term for new religious movements influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe, North Africa and the Near East.   Does February have any other distinctions? February frequently occurs in lists of the most commonly misspelled words in the English language.  The Americans have trouble with the word February too – last year, a press release from the White House consistently spelt it as Feburary.  Much Ado About Nothing is the only Shakespeare play that mentions February.  February is the only month that can pass with no full moon. This occurred in 2018.  As February closes and Martch starts, we move into the ancient Romans' New Year. March is packed with familiar holidays and events:  daylight saving time, celebrations of Pi Day on 3/14, St. Patrick's Day, the Vernal Equinox and the start of Spring occur, and this year, we celebrate Easter. The budget news that made me smile is the reopening of the Kingston prison farms, closed by the Harper government as a cost-saving measure. There have been protests outside the prison every week for the past 8 years.  They vowed to remain there until "the cows come home."  There is a long article HERE.  The snow drops, snow crocuses, winter aconites, witch hazel and pussy willows are blooming.  These miniature daffodils were in the conservatory at RBG.

Celebrating Imbolc!

February 1st-2nd marks a confluence of several feasts and occasions including: the Celtic feast of Imbolc, St. Brigid’s Day, Candlemas, Feast of the Presentation, and Groundhog Day! Imbolc is a Celtic feast that is cross-quarter day, meaning it is the midway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox.  The sun marks the four Quarter Days of the year (the Solstices and Equinoxes) and the midpoints are the cross-quarter days.  In some cultures, lis Ireland, February 2nd is the official beginning of spring.  St. Brigid is said to bring the first sign of life after the long dark nights of winter. She breathes into the landscape so that it begins to awaken. Snowdrops, the first flowers of spring are one of her symbols." These words come from the abbeyofthearts.com.  This link has the free resources for becoming a monk in the world (of arts). Can you imagine having snowdrops now?  I am waiting and waiting for the little buds to blossom in the greenhouse.  I had hoped they would come out at Christmas, and here we are a month later.  Still, we're a month closer to spring.   And also consider that in Ireland Spring starts February 2nd.  In China, Spring goes from Feb 4 - May 5.  We could be in the southern hemisphere and summer started December 1 and ends February 29 this year.   This is the month of Camellias blooming in the Longwood Conservatory.

Rainy Train February Day

There was an article in the Globe and Mail a few weeks back that basically said our big internet search engines like Google are now the Big Brother of our times. I experience this each day. Every search I do gets some later play on my screen.  Today there is "Shocking Horoscope" news that is so accurate it's scary.   I do wonder what I did to get Dating Russian Women and Weather in Tel Aviv.  What will happen tomorrow as I've gone to the omgnews.today website.  Most of the headlines have the pattern of OMG!   Here are two for today that intrigue me: OMG! Pope Comments On 'Double Life' Catholics Bill Gates Warns 30 Million Will Die from Bio Terrorism  These turn out to be real stories - the Pope headline comes from USA Today. The Bill Gates headline  comes from Forbes 6 days ago. We're experiencing spring weather in Grimsby.  I say a Red-Wing Blackbird yesterday, and heard Tundra Swans flying overhead in the fog.  Dezi and I listened and looked as they flew overhead.  We didn't know these soft calling sounds and could barely see the shapes.  Dezi looked up and looked at me, then looked up again. We have it easy today.  It is the end of February and our temperatures are March temperatures. I have volunteered for The Coldest Night, a  fundraiser for Affordable Housing in Niagara.  It will take place in 12 degree weather with a little rain and fog. Our pictures today show layouts and models from the Augusta, Maine show last year.

Escape the Cold with the Ocean View

The Ocean View The great blue expanse of both ocean and sky seems to be the appeal of the ocean view to me.  This view is on the Pacific coast, south of San Francisco. National Geographic identifies the top ocean views as the high points where land and sea meet to provide dramatic vistas of craggy shorelines and pounding oceans. Then there are the top ten beach cities, and the top 10 U.S. family beaches...All are welcome distractions during our coldest days in February.