Virtual Brush Box

Art of the outside world. AnOther: Artists and their Stripes, 2014.

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#5 in the series Don’t Quit Your Day Job. I call this – Playing with Office Supplies.

Acrylic Painting with Anthony Best
Shelby County Arts Council
July 2026

In the first class, I found myself with a brush full of paint in a color I was done using. Instead of rinsing it, I took a small panel and wiped the paint off on it. I continued through the class. When I was done, I had a mini-rainbow of the colors from the painting.

This amused me.

I decided to continue.

Once it was dry, I taped off a quarter strip of the panel. During the next class, I wiped paint off on the remaining three-quarters of the panel. Third class, half. Fourth & final class, final quarter.

Is it art? Probably not. It is interesting.

I have two takeaways.

One. I needed to be be more precise or less precise. The lines are straight and clean but slightly skewed. Either make sure the tape was perpendicular OR do the whole thing by eye.

Two. Each time after the first, I was painting over previous paint. It’s paint. It’s opaque. I figured the paint would cover the previous layer. It did not. By the final section, on the right in the photo, I was painting over three layers of paint. You can see how rough the coverage is. Paint behavior, it’s a thing.

Previous Posts
[Landscape, Acrylic Painting Class #1, Art]
[Seascape, Acrylic Painting Class #2, Art]
[Floral Still Life, Acrylic Painting Class #3, Art]
[Sunset, Acrylic Painting Class #4, Art]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. How old is the Internet? Science + Media Museum: A short history of the internet, 2020. Full disclosure, it’s Friday night & I have not read this yet. Going by the name of the museum, I’m making the assumption that they did a decent job.

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Activity from a five-year-old post.

Back in 2021, I offered to clear out my accumulated supplies. Several people took me up on it and I happily shipped off packages. [Free To Good Home, Pens, Pencils, Notebooks]

Last year, someone asked if I still had stuff? Why yes, I did. Off went another package.

In May of this year, another inquiry.

These days, I don’t have many stray pens. The pen subscription box canceled. I still have the Field Notes subscription and I still don’t get out much.

“The stuff accumulates. Particularly Field Notes. I use them for notes when I go out. I don’t go out much. So, I have extra.” [Free]

In addition, I now get Dapper Notes. These are beautiful, tactile, hand-made, sewn-in, small fabric notebooks. I did it for one year. Loved them. Didn’t use them. For me, they make great trip journals. Alas, I don’t go on many trips. Thought about canceling. Decided to continue because they are lovely and supporting artists is never a bad idea.

So, yes, I did have supplies looking for homes. Off went yet another package.

Everyone was as nice as could be. They realized that the post was old and that they were addressing a stranger who had made this odd offer.

Scam? Could be. Anything can be turned to the dark side and I’m probably not as clever as I like to think. I recall reading an article about how anyone – anyone! Yes, you. – can fall for a scam. However, I don’t see the percentage here. Stuff I’m happy to give away that has marginal resale value. I prefer to picture the recipients as delighted and putting all the things to good use.

Old posts live on. The Internet is vast & weird, and can be wonderful.

Archives [State of the Blog]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Lawyers, Guns, & Money: The unending obesity panic in the face of the data, Campos, August 6, 2026. Hat tip to G.

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The good news. I did second exercise on more than 40% of the days in July (13 exercise/31 days = 42%, 10 bike, 2 swim, 1 5K). Morning horse walks counts as first exercise.

The bad news. It’s kicking my ass.

The interesting news. I have discovered that there are two kinds of tired.

Swimming

Let’s start with swimming. Last month, I swam twice. While that doesn’t sound like much, it’s actually okay. The plan is to go once a week and eventually build up to twice a week. That will hold me for a while.

Five laps once a week is hardly an exercise regimen. Right now, trying to instill the habit of getting out of the house and getting in the pool. For me, swimming is an afternoon thing, once horses & tasks are done. Unfortunately, afternoon thunderstorms are also a thing.

After swimming, I’m tired. Mild aches in places that don’t usually move in those directions. Not inclined to frantic activity. So far, so normal.

Biking

And then there is biking.

I started with all three days of the long weekend at the beginning of July. Husband has been coming home to bike in the evening when it is cooler. I join him at the beginning for a short, proof of concept ride, approx. 4 1/2 miles.

I waited until I had confidence that my right wrist would be able to grab the brake lever if needed. Much in the way they don’t let you drive until you can confidently stomp the brake. Wrist was good to go. [Doctor’s Appointment, Wrist Update]

Oof.

Apparently, biking involves much leaning on the hands, especially when sitting up and holding the handlebars, rather than down in the drops. I was sore before I even got home. Nothing getting damaged, just using the joint in a new way. For me that meant an activity other than typing, riding, or activities of daily living.

After. Took me days to recover. Task completion was minimal. Attitude was low. Not just tired. I sat. I stared into space. This is what I did while the wrist was healing. [The Mental Aspect, Wrist Update]

Got better as the month went along. Not as quickly as I would have liked, but it never does.

Conclusion one. Rehab tired is a different beast than exercise tired.

Conclusion two. Injuries bite the rotten potato.

Walking, Daily Mile

Check. A few days off, here and there, for early lessons & rain.

Walking, Monthly 5K

Hot! I walked the indoor track at the Y. A mile was 14 laps. No way was I going to count to 42 (3 miles = 14 laps/per mile x 3). I have trouble keeping track of single digits. [Counting With Sound 3 & Counting with Pine Cones 5]

I had to measure it. Since I was walking indoors, the measurement was going to be off. I walked for one hour and called it done.

BreyerFest did not have their IRL 5k, so no virtual 5K for me. Using a medal I found online, I made my own. There are some pretty ones celebrating the Year of the Horse. Yes, I am doing the medal thing again. I blame the lack of horse show ribbons.

Did having a medal help? Didn’t hurt.

Ostensibly, many things to look at during the walk. Activities below on the gym floor. Out the window at the wide world. And yet, bored! My fav walks in order, 1) IRL city 5K walking along the streets sans traffic, 2) a nice park, preferably with a big loop, 3) parks surrounding athletic fields, & 4) indoors. Clearly I rank my walks by quality of visual stimuli. The walk got better when I made the mental switch from 1 mile to a 5K. [Moseying to the Music]

OTOH, it was cool in there.

Onwards!
Katherine

Academy in the outside world. The Backyard Horse Blog: I’d Like To Thank The Academy.

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Mainly a reference post. Now that I’ve worked out the numbers & the links, I want to store them somewhere.

No saddle seat lesson last week, barn at a show. How do I feel about not showing? Well, my reasons have not changed. Limited growth potential. Nice horses who do not motivate me to metaphorically get up off the couch. So I both hate it and am the one making the decision. [Why Horse Show? & Leaning Into Lessons]

I’d like to say that I’m happy to be missing shows in the heat. Let’s be real. We all know that I would be out there in a heartbeat with the right horse. With, of course, proper attention to horse care. Studies before the Atlanta Olympics showed us that you can compete in the heat, carefully.

Anyway.

When I say, been there, bought the t-shirt, this is what I mean.

Fourteen Years of Academy

2012. Start. One show. Winter Tournament. Not technically Academy, but rode a lesson horse. [My First Show, Sorta]

2013-2018. Academy Division in American Saddlebred Horse Association of Alabama (ASHAA), six years. Many shows. Many posts. [Show Report: ASAC, Clemson, SC start]

2019. Concentrating on home team. ASB mixed bag. [Looking Back, Horses of 2019 & Changing Of The Guard, ASHAA Banquet]

2020-2021. One show, non-ASB. [Back In The Ring & Recap Day 2021]

ASB lesson hiatus. From 12 March 2020 to 28 January 2022. [From Changing of the Guard, Horse Edition to Back In The Saddle, Saddle Seat Style, also One Year Later, records this as last lesson before lockdown]

During these years, trips to Stepping Stone Farm where for schooling the home team.

2022-2025. Fun shows, four years. [from The Crux to Back in the Bling]

2022. Three ASHAA shows. One big show, two fun shows. [Dinner and Ribbons, ASHAA Banquet for the 2022 Show Year]

2023. Three ASHAA shows. Two of four fun shows, one big show. [Saddlebreds of 2023, list of shows & Achievement Unlocked, ASHAA Banquet for the 2023 Show Year, showing theory]

2024. Four ASHAA shows, all summer fun shows. [The Red Queen Rides, and Drives, Again, ASHAA Banquet for 2024]

2025. Three ASHAA shows, three fun, one big. [Back in the Bling, ASHAA Banquet for 2025]

By calendar, from 2012 to 2025 was 14 years of showing ASB. However, 2012 was not Academy & 2020-2021 had no ASB shows. By time spent, it was 11 years of Academy. Either way, it’s a lot.

Winter Tournament

While I’m counting, the Winter Tournament list. WT is run separately from the ASHAA shows.

2012/2013 to 2018/2019, seven seasons. Many shows. Many posts.

2019/2020 did not show. [Sitting Out Winter Tournament]

2020/2021 & 2021/2022. Did not show. Hadn’t restarted lessons.

2022/2023. Did not show. Not sure what my reason was. I’m sure I had one. “What I remember is the photos from last year. Looking at the chilly people and being glad I wasn’t doing that anymore.” [Academy Represent! December 2023]

2023/2024. Big year. [Celebrating The Series, AWTA 2023-2024 Banquet]

2024/2025. Two divisions, two of three shows. [Winter Blues Banquet, AWTA 2024-2025]

2025/2026. Did not show. For reasons above. Actually, I faded mid-2025. Went to Regionals bc of new ride, who is now doing suit. [Bling]

Barn Shows

For the sake of completeness, there were also Stepping Stone Farm in-house shows. I undoubtedly did them all when I was showing heavily. Recently, less so.

2022, October [Finishing Out The Year With A Blue, Show Report, SSF Fun Show 2022]

2023, March. [Bringing in the Year with Blues, Show Report, Spring Fun Show]

2024, the spring show was ASHAA. [Hey Kids, Let’s Put On A Show, ASHAA Fun Show]

In Other News

“Maybe next year.” Posted 29 Jan 2020 referring to the upcoming 2020 show season. We had no idea. I know the thought is simplistic & I’ve said it before, but that’s what hits me when I read old posts. We had no idea. [Changing]

Onwards!
Katherine

More horses of the outside world. The Tevis Cup. If you have been involved with horse associations – in any discipline – this will feel familiar. According to one of the livestream announcers this year, the Haggin Cup is not recognized by the AERC due to the judging criteria used at the Tevis Cup. This 2014 President’s Message gives the history. Let me get this straight. The most coveted best conditioned award in the sport is not recognized as such by the governing body. Gotta love the horse world.

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No lessons this week. Storms on one day, ridiculous heat on the other. Seriously, it was 95% humidity during a morning walk last week. No, thanks. Sure, if I were training for something – lets say the American Eventing Championships at the end of the month, to pick an example at random – I would find a way. Get up early. Ride short. Whatever. For general remember-how-to-ride lessons? Pass.

Too hot for riding? Good day for ice cream.

Did you know that Baskin Robbins has a Cookie Monster flavor? “Sweet Cream Ice Cream stuffed with Chocolate Sandwich Cookie Pieces, Chocolate Chip Cookie Pieces & Cookie Dough Batter flavored Swirls.” BR: Flavors > Cookie Monster

No idea what was in it when I ordered. I really didn’t have a choice. Also, no improvement in my selfie skills. [Puttering Around The Park]

Blog now boasts half a dozen Cookie Monster posts. [Wishing You A Cookie Christmas Eve, with list of previous posts]

Onwards!
Katherine

Horses of the outside world. The Tevis Cup last weekend. The lone Thoroughbred made it to 50 miles. No Saddlebred. One NSH. No Standardbred. Of the 105 Preliminary Entrants, 41 mares, 64 geldings. In the top ten, 7 mares, 3 geldings, all Arabians.

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{Backstory. Each morning, people & horses go on team walk. Current iteration is one-mile, unmounted, & off-lead. Route is back and forth five times along one side of the pasture.}

The routine is the same day to day, but the pattern gradually changes over time. Here’s where we are now. [Rodney’s Position in The Parade & Milton’s Position in The Parade February & March 2025]

Start

Other Barn Minion sends them out of the barn to where I am waiting with cookies. Then, I start Milton off first, so that he doesn’t take a bite out of Rodney on the way by. [Find Your Header]

Heading Out

Milton leads. If I am walking next to him, I will often rest my hand on his crest. Some days he’s cool with it. Some days he will step to the side. Other days, he lags just enough to let me know he wants me to take point. Rodney follows us.

Turnaround I

We reach the corner. I feed cookies. They turn easily. We are working on a hand & arm gesture to send them on their way. This where my pine cones live. [Counting with Pine Cones]

Interestingly on the fifth lap, the last one, Rodney is quick to have his cookie and turn back. Can horses count?

Heading Back

Rodney usually makes the turn ahead of Milton. He hangs back a bit on the approach – see teeth above – and moves more quickly, so that when he turns he is mildly in the lead. For awhile he has been pausing somewhere along the way to let Milton take the lead. Recently, he has been marching on. It varies. Either way, I bring up the rear.

Turnaround II

Arrive. Get cookies from Other Barn Minion. Then, they have to be lead through the turn. They are reluctant to leave the fount of all cookies.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. My new earworm. Might get me back to country music. The Cowgays: Been Done Did That. Content warning. I do not know your politics. Please note the band title before clicking.

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Speaking as the one who bought the feed, this is a ridiculous amount & variety of feed for two horses.

Equine Senior for Milton
Grain for Rodney, two bags bc we go thru it fast
Beet pulp for both, ditto
Outlast & Alfalfa Pellets for Milton

White salt block. The previous pair got the mineral salt block. These two prefer the white and will ignore the mineral. We eventually stopped serving it.

Nothing new. We’ve bought all of this before. On this particular trip to the feed store, everything had run out at the same time, so we got to see the size of the pile. [Feed Split]

Onwards!
Katherine