Marilyn's Photos - Dec 14 2025 - Cutest Cat

 

Now that there are billions of hits and views of stories, there must be millions of stories to check out. I realized you could watch cute pet stories indefinitely when I saw this screen.  It looks like one families YouTube channel on cute kitten chasing dog tails, and dogs doing silly things together.  All of these YouTube channels promise to “melt your heart in seconds” - there are so many - top 20 dog YouTube channels for 2025, the top 100 pet YouTube channels, and the top 100 pet YouTubers you must follow. You can even get them sorted for you.  This year’s cutest cats?  Well, there doesn’t seem to be an organization that decides the cutest cats, but we can find the Internet’s supposedly most famous cats. The top two listed are Nimbus the Cloud Cat and Simon Yosh the cross-country explorer. Nimbus appears to be mostly bezerk, jumping all over his “cloud” cat tower. He’s got crazy expressions, but I wouldn’t call him the cutest cat.  This was the best picture I found, and it is just OK.  Well, we are now in YouTube realm so don’t expect a lot.  What about that travelling cat, SImon Yosh? Now that’s some cat. Pictures abound, and all of them excellent.  He seems to spend time climbing mountains.  I vote for this cat. Here are some unusual designs and colours of wreaths from past years.

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

Marilyn's Photos - Dec 13 2025 - Nostradamus Time

 

Nostradamus is in the headlines as we’re coming to a new year with a refresh needed on his predictions.  I’m not sure a refresh is needed, but it comes every year.  There’s something compelling about the name Nostradamus.  He wrote poetic quatrains in the 1500s. His almanac in 1550 was successful, and he wrote more and worked as an astrologer.   In total he made 6,338 prophecies, so there are lots to go around. Here’s one that caught my attention: 1:26 (Leoni translation):  “The great swarm of bees will arise…by night the ambush…” Did any Nostradmus predictions come true without any mystery or ambiguity?  No.  Vague is what he was.  So how can there be any sense that he was the great predictor?  What might the most accurate prediction be considered?  There are three that are referenced.  The horrible death of Henry II - who was pierced in the eye and brain while jousting, and died a horrible death of sepsis from the wounds. The next is the Great Fire of London in 1666 due to a quatrain mentioning London, fire and the number 30 3s plus 6. The last is the Rise of Adolf Hitler.  There is some mention of conflict against “Hister”, an old name for the Danube River near Hitler’s birthplace.  They aren’t direct predictions as the fourth referenced one -  is the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.  The only one that seems to stand out is this one.  “Pepys records in his celebrated diary a legend that, before his death, Nostradamus made the townsfolk swear that his grave would never be disturbed; but that 60 years later his body was exhumed, whereupon a brass plaque was found on his chest correctly stating the date and time when his grave would be opened and cursing the exhumers.” And predictions for 2026? None so far, yet the media remains interested despite the debunking of his work. Some of the wreaths from Fantasy of Trees past.

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

Dec 4 2024 - Carol of the Bells

 

Our choir songs are overwhelmingly Christian carols/hymns or mid-twentieth century songs.  And then there's the Solstice Song - Carol of the Bells.   There are 10,000 songs on the subject of Christmas.  And seasonal songs like Jingle Bells aren't considered Christmas songs.   When it comes to religious songs, it seems to me that the Manger is the focal point.    Christian Christmas songs are known as hymns - "song of praise".  The "Hymnal" is organized by season.  One has to look through an index at the back to find out which page a song is on.  Lyrics are formal and paraphrase Scripture or quote the Bible.    In the wider context, Christmas songs have more diverse themes.  Here's someone who did some analysis of Christmas songs: "After examining the top 78 holiday songs on Spotify, Bennett found the most common themes included: Home (family, gifts under the tree), Love (finding that special someone at Christmas), Lost love (feeling lonely at Christmas), Parties (dancing, mistletoe), Santa (and his reindeer), Snow (snowmen, sleighs, cold winters), Religion (Nativity story), and Peace on Earth."  Quite the array for Christmas.  I guess that in part accounts for why there are so many concerts at this time of year. Lots to choose from. A person can stay at home:  turn on the perpetual fire burning in the fireplace television station/youtube video and the perpetual Christmas music radio station.  This display of wreaths and urns at the Watering Can is from a few years ago.  This year, the volume is astonishing.

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

June 19 2024 - Who has interviewed 30,000 people

 

Jordan Mazer has a headline that he's interviewed 30,000 people.  Another article, by William Vanderbloemen, CEO of an executive search firm, says that he has interviewed 30,000 candidates in the last 15 years. That's a person an hour for 8 hours a day for 250 days a year for 15 years. Another writer on Pinterest says the same number - 30,000 interviews.  What is it about this number for job interviews?  You won't find anyone interviewing 40,000 people.  You will find instructions on how to interview 20,000 people a year.  That would be only 4 people a day.  Seems almost achievable, doesn't it.  (And what about the headline below that where Conan O'Brien and Wilt Chamberlain discuss the rumour that he's slept with 20,000 women)  30,000 seems to be a nice round number - here are more occasions of 30,000 people: Japanese Chefs feed 30,000 people Incredible crowd of 30,000 people gather China has buildings that house 30,00o people  Up to 30,000 people now displaced ... ordered to evacuate... 30,000 shock incidents per year that are non-fatal 30,000 people with cystic fibrosis  More than 30,000 newcomers expected to settle in... These wreaths have withered and departed quite a while ago - they were very cute on the greenhouse doors.

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

Nov 13 2023 - Weirdest Potato Chips

 

In the Bing News feed - with all its ads and sponsored content is weirdest potato chip flavours.  So I go off to google to look this up. Dill pickle is not weird - it is just more salt and vinegar.  Cinnamon and sugar potato crisps from Pringle - that's weird.  Walkers BBQ pulled pork crisps - again that's more of the same BBQ and pork crisps are well-known in the US. This is now called pulled pork chips.  Maybe because it is in Britan and not the US. Utz put out "The crab chip" - yes that's weird.  They promise Chesapeake Bay crab seasoning. What is that?  "In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, cayenne, celery seed, paprika, mustard, black pepper, bay leaf, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon until well-combined."  That looks like a combination of BBQ and cinnamon and sugar potato chips.  That's weird. Walkers roast chicken crisps - protein flavoured is the highlight.  I suggest an even more fatty experience - think chicken fat plus frying fat.  It seems that  the flame grilled steak chips would be similar with the added touch of that grilled taste.  Not so weird to me as the intensely sweet and salty. What about Pringles sloppy joe's - wouldn't that be more of a BBQ variation combined with onions and garlic. "A sloppy joe seasoning packet is just a combination of spices like chili powder, paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, and minced onion." Walkers prawn cocktail - I suggest we go back to the crab chip and we'll see that seasoning repeated here - maybe cocktail sauce has more vinegar.  Head down to Kettle brand maple bacon potato chips.  Now we're onto something that might be considered Canadian.  The chips would go as the first course, followed by bacon maple butter tarts as the dessert.  A full meal.   That one seems to be the ultimate.  The full range of chips is HERE  And what comes to mind is that there wasn't a single sweet potato variation.  Continue the search, and you will find things like dark chocolate sweet potato chips.   Here are sweet potatoes at Vineland Research Station.  This is from a few years ago as they showed off their recent hyrbrids.

Maybe my wreaths are a bit like these strange potato chips.  It is "anything goes"  Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Nov 12 2023 - Deck the Hallmark

 

Deck the Hallmark! Do you know that the Hallmark movie season actually starts in January.   And in 2023 there were three new installments of the Wedding Veil trilogy on Hallmark Channel and an all-new Hallmark Movies & Mysteries franchise, Family History Mysteries: Buried Past. The movies are available live and on demand on Peacock.  The Christmas movies started streaming November 9th and continue being released throughout November.   And in case you need some prompting:  Hallmark's movies are perfect for "snuggling up with loved ones" and "always tug on the heartstrings." Mystery on Mistletoe Lane New to town, Heidi Wicks and her kids discover a Christmas mystery in their historic home. Local handyman and historian David helps along the way, finding his own surprising connection. Everything Christmas Lori Jo's love for Christmas takes her on a road trip to Yuletide Springs, where Christmas is celebrated year-round, to participate in a longstanding town tradition to honor her late grandmother. Christmas Island When a snowstorm diverts Kate's first private flight en route to Switzerland to Christmas Island, she must team up with an air traffic controller to secure her dream job as the family's pilot. There seem to be many more...lots to keep one busy between now and Christmas, and even past Christmas.  The coverage is HERE.  There is even one listed named A Biltmore Christmas.  It follows Lucy as she's hired to write the script for a remake of a holiday movie.  She joins a tour of the grounds and when she knows an hourglass over, she find herself transported back in time to 1946.

Here's a wreath for the Hallmark moment - Cozy Sweater Weather is its name.  It is followed by Single Red Winter Magnolia.  They both sound like Hallmark Romance wreaths.  What do you think? Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

June 11 2023 - Choirs

 

How many choirs are there around the world?  One estimate said there are 100,000 singers in amateur choirs.  The Guinness Book of Records says that the largest choir consisted of 121,440 people in India in 2011.  What did that choir sing?  "In unison for over 5 minutes." In terms of people in choirs, there are articles about the top 100 to 1,000 top choirs - with world rankings.   In Canada one survey found 861 choral organizations representing 1,500 choirs and 60,000 members. The Canadian survey says that 3,5 million Canadians sang in a choir in 2016 - 10% of the population.  One of the comparisons made in the Survey HERE is that there are 50% more adult Canadians who sing in a choir than hockey players in Canada. Here's one of those old-fashioned insane asylum jokes It was visitor's day at the insane asylum and all the inmates were standing in the courtyard and singing "Ave Maria." They were singing it beautifully. But oddly, each of them was holding a red apple in one hand and tapping it rhythmically with a pencil.  A visitor listened in wonder to the performance and then approached the conductor.  "I am a retired choir director," he said. "This is one of the best choirs I have ever heard."  "Yes, I'm very proud of them," said the conductor.  "You should take them on tour," said the visitor, "what are they called?"  "Surely that's obvious," replied the conductor. "They're the Moron Tapanapple Choir." A wreath and its variations today. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Apr 20 2023 - Pandemic Done

 

We haven't been thinking about COVID lately.  We see a few masks on people.  The Canadian website has the latest status as of April 17 2023, and there are still thousands - just over 3,000 - people in hospitals and over a hundred in ICU.  There isn't a number given for weekly deaths - only a weekly change in deaths at 57.  I can't tell you want that means.  But it is clear there are still deaths every week from COVID. But it isn't "news" anymore.  CNN stopped updating its tracker on March 20, 2023.  Other sites stopped collecting on March 10, 2023 when data sources were no longer reporting, So is it over?  "Many pandemics eventually become endemic, meaning the infection is still present in a region or population but its behavior is predictable and the numbers of cases and deaths no longer spike. Learning to live with a virus is a key feature of an endemic virus; think flu or even the common cold. But it’s probably true that the transition from pandemic to endemic can only be recognized after it happens." There will be no declaration that the pandemic is over, and the declaration that it has moved on to endemic status will be a hind-mirror moment.  Don't we wonder when that might be.   I am making wreaths in support of Nelles Manor Museum.  It is the oldest heritage house between Kingston and Niagara -on-the-Lake.  I've sold a few already, so hope we might reach the stretch goal of $1,000.  The wreaths are priced in the range of $60 to $80 each, a fabulous price, and no tax!  If you are within driving range, and would consider buying a wreath, check out the Pinterest wreath page HERE.  Or search for Marilyn Cornwell Pinterest Wreaths and they will pop up.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Mar 3 2022 - Waste in Nature

 

Is waste a natural part of the ecosystem?  It says there is no waste in nature.  Plants grow in soil, animals eat plants, dung replenishes soil.  The sense of "garbage" does not exist in nature.   There are some interesting examples of this cyclical system.   Dead wood-eating beetles are considered the insect world's best decomposers. Along with lichens, mushrooms, sow bugs and earthworms, these insects spend their time turning dead plants and animals back into usable nutrients.  Birds are considered nature's greatest recyclers.  The Bowerbird from New Guinea and Australia constructs elaborate "bowers" consisting of colourful human trash.  Hermit crabs salvage shells abandoned by other sea life, usually from sea snails.  They've used glass bottles and cans. If you have a pet hermit crab, you can get artificial shells for them. Orb-web spiers decorate their webs with debris such as leaves and twigs. They often make a new web each day. And dung beetles live to collect and repurpose poop.  They build their homes out of feces, they eat feces, and lay their eggs in it.  They roll excrement into balls and offer it to a female.  Then they happily roll it away together... into the sunset. The Octopus builds shelters out of discarded debris - from cracked coconut shells, to sea shells, glass jars, and other containers.  And what is special about monarch butterflies? Monarch caterpillars eat their old homes once they've exited. Here's our latest Monarch Wreath - it has already gone to a new home.

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