October 2, 2026 a thought for today, One does not ring a bell for the deaf. Welsh  Proverb

Photos in my life yesterday

The first challenge was “a is for...”. I used an old photo I have in the archives of my sisters car after an accident, a is for accident. No one was injured. 

The next assignment was “my choice” and one of my “in camera filters”. It is not quite as pronounced as I was trying for but passable. 

The last upload was “work”. This was taken a few years ago before I was retired. It was taken on my way to work. It could have been taken most any time with road work a constant thing. 

Life today. I made a bit of a change to my “regular” routine for most Fridays, I changed my curbside grocery pick up from Saturday to today. There is a memorial service at church tomorrow at a time I am normally tied up. A thing I did not know when I made the change was that we were supposed to have some strong rains today. I have a little problem getting the groceries into the house by myself when it is pouring down rain. As it turned out the rain had taken a break during the time of pick up and of getting from the car to the house. 

I had the letter started and part of todays photos picked when I left for the store. Usually Fridays are a relaxed kind of productive day, the change made it a little more “scheduled”. 

I left the groceries to be put away for a little while so that I could get back to my back burner/downsizing list sooner. Some of the things on the list are “fun”. It helps break up the “must be done now” things. 

One of the things on my back burner/downsizing list is shredding old paper work including receipt and tax papers from five or more years ago. My point in bringing this up is that I am using some of the shredded slips of paper in my Christmas paper quilling project for this year. I am trying to have a bit of a jump on getting ready. I work slowly so that I can enjoy what I am doing as I get them finished without that “deadline” feeling. I do the paper quilling in the evening while I am in the lounge chair. 

The word to ponder today is down. How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live. David Thoreau. It is a mistake to regard age as a downhill grade toward dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides. George Sand. Worries go down better with soup than without. Jewish Proverb. Be courteous, be obliging, but don't give yourself over to be melted down for the benefit of the tallow trade. George Eliot. Cease to ask what the morrow will bring forth. And set down as gain each day that Fortune grants. Horace. Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconceived notion... or you shall learn nothing. Thomas H. Huxley. We sleep, but the loom of life never stops, and the pattern which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving when it comes up in the morning. Henry Ward Beecher. A true philosopher is like an elephant; he never puts the second foot down until the first one is solidly in place. Fontenelle. The road up and the road down is one and the same. Heraclitus. Even when laws have been written down, they ought not always to remain unaltered. Aristotle. Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Love is like a tree, it grows of its own accord, it puts down deep roots into our whole being. Victor Hugo. Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined. Patrick Henry.  The way by which you may get money almost without exception leads downward. Henry David Thoreau.  The surest method against scandal is to live it down by perseverance in well doing. Boerhaave.  The brave workman... must replace the grace or elegance forfeited, by the merit of the work done. Ralph Waldo Emerson.    

Article summary. I am one of those people who don’t deal with change easily so making choices is important. I also would like to consider the act of making a choice with another person, thereby having one more point of view. I am alone so making choices is a big sticking point in my life even ones that are not “messy”. The title is Making good choices when life gets messy – practical wisdom relies on human judgment, not rules, Tim Hulsey, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Tennessee. At theconversation.com. I realized once I really paid attention that I may have summarized this article before, if so maybe a second time will ingrain it for my own use more strongly. I will finish it maybe with new insight. It opens with the author telling about having a student who had started a “cheating ring” and got caught. With tears he related that his mother was raising him alone and he didn’t’ want to “crush” her by being “dismissed from the university”. She called his mother with him in the office, she gave him the phone, apparently his mother “chewed him out”. The teacher felt that was more punishment than she could have given herself. She further said that calling his mother ended being “practical wisdom” thereby making a good decision with no “clear rules” on how to do it. So she went on to mention some “rules” about making those decisions, taking the right action at the right time. Apparently there is a name for this kind of thinking, phronesis.  This is Greek meaning something that is practical action, beyond a rule book and a link to ethics. I gather that using this technique helps make better decisions. My problem is I am a “this moment in time” kind of person and one who “reacts to an action” at the time of the “action”. Maybe my answer should be just don’t “react”. That is what I would have to learn. I did some research on this point “react to an action” and found that that is an instinct and a trigger. It should be “responding” to the action with deliberation and being proactive. In other words practice not “reacting” to things, think first. This would be relying on past experience, quick reflection, and developing a habit of recall, which would be knowing when to hold back. I am learning with age and experience that many times it is best to keep my mouth shut and let what will be ...be. After the fact and in an effort to build on wisdom in many occasions it might be worth revisiting what ever the situation and discussing a different way of having seen it.

Photos in my life today 

The first assignment for today is “b is for....”. I was unloading groceries and found these bananas. I felt they would make a good choice for this upload.

The next challenge is another of the “my choice” and another of the “in camera filters”. I’m not sure I like this filter, it is a bit strong. 

The last upload is “fold”. It was an easy on to set up but took a while looking
for something folded, clothing, papers, origami????

DoorDash and pizza sounds good for dinner. 

Joy 

it is another image from the gallery wall, Pink Flowers on Faded Background-soft pink blossoms of delicate petals capturing gentle, warmth of light, a softly faded, minimalist background focuses the flowers, distractions of the world fade away, visual reminder of God's design and tender care,  they reflect a quiet sanctuary of faith, a sense of renewal and hope

want to shop? Visit: fineartamerica.com search for joy rector click on “view shop”  and redbubble.com search for jarector (and take a look at flickr.com search for rectorjoyce)

 September 30, 2026 a thought for today, Virtue is the mother of all happiness. Welsh Proverb

Photos in my life yesterday

The fist challenge was “something unexpected”. It is just a puddle of water with a reflection. We can’t always know what will be in those reflections.

The next assignment was “my choice” and “a tough of color”. It was one of
the blossoms from a recent store bought. The bloom was ready to call it a day. 

The last upload was titled “morning”. I took it as I was “opening the house” for the morning. That is mostly opening window shades. This particular morning I opened the door to “feel” the temperature. 

Life today. I started this letter before I left for food pantry this morning. When I got home, about an hour ago, I pulled up the four photos for the day. I have them touched up, keyworded and filed to the portfolio calendar page. 

I was able to sneak in most of the “check list” of “back burner” things between the other chores. I have two of them left to do. I think I will be able to get them done after the uploads and before dinner time.

I am ready to print tomorrow. I have two bulletins and a sermon to print and distribute. I am hoping to get a couple of more placards attached to the gallery photos while I am at church. 

The word to ponder today is done.  We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. Jane Austen. The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men. George Eliot. A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures. Daniel Webster. Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. Thomas Henry Huxley. What may be done at any time will be done at no time. Scottish Proverb. Measure not the work until the day's out and the labor done. Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Make up your mind to act decidedly and take the consequences. No good is ever done in this world by hesitation. Thomas H. Huxley. Determine never to be idle...It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing. Thomas Jefferson. Well done is better than well said. Benjamin Franklin. Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads. Lord Chesterfield. Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done. C. E. Stowe. Once harm has been done, even a fool understands it. Homer. Things that are done, it is needless to speak about...things that are past, it is needless to blame. Confucius. Mine honour is my life; both grow in one; take honour from me and my life is done. William Shakespeare. If we say a little it is easy to add, but having said too much it is hard to withdraw and never can it be done so quickly as to hinder the harm of our success. Saint Francis de Sales. However often you may have done them a favour, if you once refuse they forget everything except your refusal. Pliny the Younger. 

Article summary. I have heard on tv about personal diaries and reflection journals and how Journaling is a comforting way to “process emotions”. I have read this kind of description of writing in many instances and how it is a healthy path to an over all well-being. I wanted to take a look at this author’s thoughts on the subject. I find writing useful in many aspects of my own life. The title is  Writing builds resilience by changing your brain, helping you face everyday challenges. Emily Ronay Johnston, Assistant Teaching Professor of Global Arts, Media and Writing Studies, University of California, Merced. At theconversation.com. It started by mentioning that writing “changes the brain” allowing for a shift that “reflects resilience”. It describes resilience as “an ongoing process of personal growth through life’s challenges”. They say “relentless self-improvement” is a way to resilience. In describing how it works in part in that it “externalizes” emotional upset which “fosters” emotional safety. It relates to a “book on a shelf” while putting memories (and planning) into writing leading to “activating the brain’s visual and motor systems.” One major point the author makes is that when you write it allows for combining short term memories into long term ones that then allows us to “re-frame painful experiences and manage their emotions”. As it helps in managing emotions in terms that lets us go from experiencing an emotion in memory to better responding in the thinking and managing of that memory. Writing can make feelings more manageable by seeing them in a different form. I like the statement in the article that writing is a form of thinking and by that can reshape the outcome of a thought. The article suggests that writing by hand rather than typing allows for more careful thought. Writing every day, with just notes or longer it allows us to plan by seeing a direction. Writing makes us think before reacting or speaking. It also suggests to write a letter that never gets mailed, allowing for venting. The practice of writing lets us “consider alternative perspectives”.

Photos in my life today

My first challenge today is “a favorite thing”. In my life now there are many things I “favor”. At the top of the list is Bobbi, sleeping or awake, playful or getting in to “trouble”. 

My next assignment is another of “my choice” and another of my series of a “touch of color”. It looks like some are getting ready for “harvest” or holloween.

The last upload is my sister having one of her “yummy” burritos. Naturally
the upload title was “yummy”. 

I had salmon patties and mac and cheese last night for dinner and found that I have enough for dinner again tonight. 

Joy

my Fine Art America upload was old books where I had used the in camera filer

want to shop? Visit: fineartamerica.com search for joy rector click on “view shop”  and redbubble.com search for jarector (and take a look at flickr.com search for rectorjoyce)