https://instagram.com/p/BVVYmXmhr3q/

So, that is my FAVORITE Instagram photo to date! I took it with my laptop webcam. I had Instagram open and Auggie was snuggling with me and he looked directly at the screen/camera … I HOPED – so I clicked and caught us. There is a lot of “noise” but I kind of liked that and thought it made the photo look a bit like a painting plus it disguised some 60-something wrinkles…

Whatever – I love it!

What I do not love is Facebook. I think it is the absolute worst user interface and horrible terminology. I guess “poke” has been removed. Still. Yuck.

Off the soapbox mostly.

Instagram is owned by Facebook … I think. I had an Instagram account for a bit and finding out the connection to Facebook, I deleted my Instagram.

Gah … but I have an iPhone and an iPad and they play so nicely with Instagram. And my favorite blogs do Instagram. AND, I have watched the BBC series “Shetland” and become enamored of the Shetland Islands and there are some phenomenal Shetland Island photographers!

And so I caved once more because it allows me to do quick “posts”. A blog post can take from 30-60-90 minutes. Instagram … well it can be Instant!

The photos in the Instagram feed display a bit of whatever I include in the caption. If you click on a photo, you will go to the Instagram interface and see the entire caption. If you view on a compatible device and the multiple image icon is displayed, you can view the several images by swiping left. AND, if I figure out the video thing, and the video icon is displayed, you can view the video – YEA!…hopefully.

If you LOVE my Instagram feed, the best way to see everything is to sign up for an Instagram account and then “Follow” me. You do not have to post if you don’t want to, but an account allows you to follow me and anyone else you might want to as well as seeing full captions, comments/commenting, watching video and seeing multiple images. And if I ever get to doing the “Live” and/or “Stories” you could see those also :) … think Auggie and Bear in the woods…

I still find it incredible that many people follow hundreds and are followed by hundreds/thousands/millions! It is not the followed by but the following that is astounding to me. How can a person be interested AND have the time to follow hundreds…

A mystery.

I digress.

My primary point was to explain the Instagram feed and options to view my Instagram.

Happy Wednesday!

Once upon a time …

This chair came into my life … serendipitously.

I loved this chair and because Karl and then Bear, liked to be on Beardog Point … near the chair, I started sitting in this chair more than on the front porch.

Time passed.

The chair developed a crack in its upper back. Although it did not fail, I was concerned about imminent failure and because these chairs are only available for purchase in the summer months, I preemptively purchased a replacement.

And then there were two.

And then.

Then the chairs started to speak.

Say what you will, the chairs spoke … fairly often. I think they were old souls as they were a bit cranky mostly … what you might call curmudgeonly.

And so, more time passed.

And this last Winter … cracks in the backs and base of both chairs and both became unsafe for sitting on.

For some time, I ignored the situation and either sat gingerly or used only their arms for my coffee cup … after all, one burns more calories standing and certainly the more burning of calories the better !!!

But this Spring as the weather turned pleasant and Bear and Auggie were out by the chairs AND I wanted to be out there with them…

I kind of sort of looked at the new chairs, in new colors.

But what to do about THE Chairs. I decided to put them in the woods, in a spot near where we returned from our walks … a kind of chair retirement spot.

YES!

Now I felt ready to purchase new chairs for sitting on and I did.

The color is called “Merlot” and it fits with the colors of the woods.

I went to the original chairs and found to my surprise that they were just plastic chairs. Their soul was gone – they had passed. I know that some new folks reading this have just averted their eyes and tiptoed away to find another blog. It is ok. But I know what I know and what I perceive and the chairs magic had left so I had no difficulty disposing of the earthly remains.

The new chairs – the merlot chairs.

So far, they have not spoken but I sense that they might.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…

Ecclesiastes 3:1 by King Solomon

*** The Chairs posts:

Serendipity

This Chair

I bow to the inevitable

A beautiful, sunny, cool weekend … around the house:

I took the above photo in May 2010.

I’ve looked at it every Memorial Day since.

Memorial Day in the United States has somewhat slid from a somber remembrance day to something between that and a fun-filled kick-off of Summer. I think the balance is good. I want to never forget those that gave their lives in service of their country. No matter what I think about war and violence – they were asked or volunteered and they stepped up. But with any loss … those of us left do a service to the loss by living on with integrity, compassion and joy, i.e. making sure the loss was not in vain.

Although our Memorial Day weekend got off to a rocky start…

with the skunking and clean up and accompanying anxiety which took all of Bear’s energy on Saturday morning…

Sunshine and blue sky – unusual for Memorial Day in Montana … but welcome!

Bear was back to himself by Sunday morning. A little funky smelling still: combination of some skunk and the skunk-off neutralizer. It takes awhile to fully go away, but it is not really noticeable except close up.

Not only do we have unusual sun and clear skies for this Memorial Day weekend, we are also having unusually warm (hot to us!) temperatures. We hit 80F yesterday and it looks to be the same today (Monday) and tomorrow.

The lilacs have bloomed and they are wonderfully fragrant inside and outside. The heat of the sun brings out the fragrance when I walk near them outside.

The fushcia (and blue lobelia) are ok with the warmer temperatures: early sun and shaded afternoon warmth.

We are all feeling this first bit of heat. The behemoth air conditioner and fans were drug out of closets … in May! Bear and I are particular heat wimps but Auggie feels it also and was in early in the afternoon until it started to cool off. I know, in another 3 or 4 weeks, if we get some June 90’s, 80’s will feel “cool”.

Even with the heat, we are enjoying a slow and simple weekend with walks, naps, good food and each other’s company.

Remembering … Honoring the sacrifice by living with Joy: Memorial Day weekend.