Around Here

Around here I've been doing some remote learning, taking an online class on Photoshop Elements from the Pixeladies and a Color Seminar from the Studio Art Quilts Associates.   Yesterday I learned the coolest thing from the Pixeladies class, how to straighten your image using the Perspective Crop tool.  This is probably easiest to explain by showing the following two images, which I took in Rome several years ago. When I took the shot I couldn't get directly in front of the image.    

But here it is cropped and transformed into a straight on view, using two clicks with the Perspective Crop tool.    Pretty neat, yes? 

I'm loving this class but it has given me an appreciation for what kids are going through these days to get online, follow the lessons, and turn in their homework.  Here's my homework for yesterday; looks simple, right?  Well, it took me over an hour to get it sent in due to a glitch in the new version of Safari which resulted in error messages when I tried to upload the images.   Took me some frustrating work to figure this out and resolve the problem by switching to Chrome.   Pity the poor child figuring this out on their own.  

Around here I quilted and finished the edges of the pretty purple, green, and pink piece I had started a while back in an online class by Cindy Grisdela.  

By the way, the above photo was edited with the Perspective Crop tool.  Here's the original photo which was distorted since I took it from across the nearby cutting table.   I'm loving this new editing tool! 

Around here we enjoyed a nice treat from our friend Raymond who shared the Muffaletta sandwiches shipped here from the Napoleon House in New Orleans via Goldbelly.   We don't get much from Goldbelly, but when we do it makes for a fun meal. 

And speaking of eating,  little miss Sheba is eating!  All day long, it seems, with maybe five tiny meals being delivered to her whenever she cries to let us know she wants more.  Of course she has dry food to nibble on throughout the day but that won't do.  No, she wants that yummy pate and she gets it.  The poor little girl is having teeth problems and will need "some work,"  so she is getting babied for the moment.  Look at that face; could you tell her "no"? 

Around here we celebrated my sister-in-law Dawn's birthday with Coq Au Vin made by Ben and a pretty and tasty angel food cake with whipped cream topping made by me.  It was great fun having them over, which was such a treat in these virus times.  We cracked open the windows (yes, it was cold!) and turned up the two air purifiers and wore masks when we could and hoped for the best.   So far, so good; that was five days ago and no one is sick.     

Around here we've had some good weather, with a few days up into the 60's.  Perfect for getting out, but where is our snow?  There's been some good storms up in the high elevations, but not much down here.  We have two jigsaw puzzles and five banana muffins just waiting for us to enjoy on a snow day, but none are in sight.  Oh well, we "make hay while the sun shines" and get out while it's nice.  These shots were from yesterday's hike up on the Bluebell Mesa trail in Chautauqua.   

Around here you can tell things aren't all that exciting.   Our Covid numbers are going down and our rate of vaccinations is going up, which is great, but there's a long way to go.  We mostly stay home, limiting our risks to some grocery shopping, a very occasional dinner with family or friends, and a rare outing without any close contact with people.  I'm so glad that folks around here do wear masks and keep a distance while also remaining friendly and chatting informally when we see each other on the street or wherever.   And everyday I 'm so glad to have Ben as my "Pandemic buddy."  I'm a lucky girl!