Virtual Brush Box

Awareness of the outside world. NASA Live. Upcoming Events & How To Watch.

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U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama

Repost, “The Saturn V is … stunning. Everyone should stand next to/near/beneath one of the three on display (Al,Fl,TX) at least once.” [Show Report]

Intro

Artemis II reminded me that I had at one point considered attending Adult Space Camp in Hunstville, AL

I Have Questions

How fit do I need to be?

Do I really want to go on the multi-axis trainer? I get motion sick in a car that is going on a straight line on a flat road. Do I really want to find out how many directions I can throw up in at once?

Ropes course. Although it says “low”, I have done enough Outward Bound style exercises to know these is not my forte.

What I Found Out

“…these machines don’t simulate the kind of movement that causes motion sickness, and therefore nausea isn’t a real concern.” The Points Guy: Houston, am I too old for this? What it’s like to attend Adult Space Camp, Lieberman, 2021.

“We spent the next few hours on the “ropes” course. Note that there weren’t actually any ropes.” Buzz Feed: Adult Space Camp Is A Thing That Actually Exists And We Went To It, Stopera & Yapalater, 2014.

The Suggested Items to Bring PDF, mentions bringing a coffee maker and has a weirdly detailed explanation of required swimwear.

I Have More Questions

Do I want to go or do I just like the idea of Space Camp?

Team work? Because of my extensive record of thriving in a team environment? Of my lengthy engagement with team sports? (If you don’t know me IRL, that’s a big NOT.)

My Next Steps

Visit the Rocket Center, again. Possibly take a tour. This time with an eye toward sizing up if I want to do a multi-day stay.

See how many of the experience are available à la carte.

Outro

Would you go to Space Camp?

US Space & Rocket Center: Train Like an Astronaut, all space camp programs
US Space & Rocket Center: Adult Space Academy, weekend program
US Space & Rocket Center: Adult Advanced Space Academy, week-long program

Repost [Spotted in Various Locations]

Onwards!
Katherine

Photos of the outside world. DarkSky: Capture the Dark Photo Contest, announcement, has last year’s winners. DarkSky: Capture the Dark Photo Contest 2026, contest page. Deadline 30 June.

I am undecided on their conditions, seems broad “perpetual right to use” but it is “non-exclusive … for promotional, educational, and advocacy purposes.” I know what is ideal, but I have no idea what is industry standard. I will probable submit if I get anything interesting. YMMV. DarkSky: Capture the Dark Photo Contest 2026, 6.Rights and ownership.

Disclosure. I have donated to DarkSky International in the past. They make the case that responsible lighting helps everyone.

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Process Notes I

Top photo is a repost. [Shadows On Wood]

A reader (waves hi!) says they couldn’t parse this one. If you look closely, you can see thin black lines running from the top of the photo to the bottom. That’s the floorboards of the porch. The bottom photo shows the railing and chairs on the porch.

Why do the shadows run in two directions? How do they a form slanted grid? I have no idea. I assume it’s from the slats of the railing and the slat of the chairs. Your guess is as good as mine. When I took the photo, I did not stop to analyze the angles. It was more on the order of Pretty! Click. Moving on.

Process Notes II

Top photo is a repost. [Shadows On Wood]

When I planned the previous post, I had two options. One. Post the two shadow pics by themselves. Let them stand alone as art. Two. Post the wider photos that showed the source of the shadows by way of explanation. Then, I could not find the mise-en-scene photo of the spindles, shown here. Had I not taken one? I had the first shadow photo, so a shadow series was certainly an inkling. Did I not want a record of where the photo was taken? That did not sound like me. Whatever the reason, I had only one setting photo. Decision made.

Looking for something else, I saw the missing photo on my phone, which I ought to have checked earlier. During the download to my desktop, the photo had wandered off to hide in another folder. With a question & the second photo in hand, I decided to redo the post. Since this is a daily blog, I will seize on slightest excuse to spin out a post.

Decisions, Decisions

Without explanation?

With explanation?

Why not both?

Onwards!
Katherine

Animals of the outside world. The Conversation: Altruism in birds? Magpies have outwitted scientists by helping each other remove tracking devices, Potvin, 2022.

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Riding

Optimus
Stepping Stone Farm
6 May 2026

Optimus & Goldy. Do I wish that I was capable of riding horses other than the two kindest baby-sitters in the county? Yes. [All That Glitters]

Am I glad that I get to ride the two kindest baby-sitters in the county? Also yes.

Driving

Rocky
Stepping Stone Farm
8 May 2026

Rocky was feeling frisky while warming up with Coach James. I stood there telling myself that Rocky and I had driven four classes at Regionals and I got this. [Trip to Tennessee, Show Report, Southeast Academy Championship 2025]

Get in. Walk. Horse snorts a deep sigh and says ‘Grandma Mode activated.’ It was hysterical. I could not shift him. I was a little kid waving my heels at a school pony. Eventually, we trotted and got a bit of big trot. Right as I was planning to turn in for line up, Rocky announced, ‘This ride is over. You have run out of quarter.’

I love horses with attitude.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Putting your time & money where your mouth is. ” ‘From now on every 18 months, I will work with a female director.’ ” Deadline: Nicole Kidman Talks Working With 19 Female Directors Since 2017 Goal, Garner, February 20, 2025. Hat tip to Bluesky user who I cannot locate. Took screenshot as reminder. Searched on name to get link. Nada. Weird.

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We have three horse photos on display in the hall that runs down the middle of our house.

Dottie
Repost [Show Photos: NACHS17]
Because Dottie [La Prima Rules]
Because Nationals [Show Report: NACHS 2017]
Because we both look sharp

Alvin
Repost [Pro-Am 2016 Show Photos by Shiflet]
Because, to this day, these are the drives by which I measure how I’m doing in a cart. [Show Report: Team Awesome, Pro-Am 2016]

Bliss
Repost [Catching Up from Last Year, Show Photos Indiana CDE 2017]
Because CDE
Because it’s us doing a thing together

Three photos.
Two mares. One gelding.
Two driving. One riding.
None of these horses are ours.

Why no home team? They did not show often. They did not show big.

I also have a photo of Sam in my office.
Repost [Show Photos]
Because Nationals [Show Report]
Because Sam. [Sam I Am] & [Horse of the Year Nomination]

Home Team Links

This post prompted me to wonder how many pro photos I had of the home team. More than I thought. Still nothing I want on the wall. Sorry, guys.

Milton

A previous post lists outings at Full Circle Horse Park, and indicates which had photos, [Found Fotos, Milton at Full Circle Horse Park]

More dressage, Falcon Hill Farm [Milton Is Chill, Show Photos, SJ Equestrian, March 2019]

Crossrails [Pix Are Always Amusing To Look Back On, Show Photos, Falcon Hill Farm, July 2019]

Rodney

Dressage [Worth 1000 Words, Show Photos, Dressage, Full Circle Horse Park, August 2019]

Photo class, dressage and crossrails
[Doctor Whooves Is Ready For His Close Up, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021, Guest Photos]
[The Return of Doctor Whooves, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021, Guest Photos II]
[Doctor Whooves and The Master, FCHP Schooling Show, April 2021, Guest Photos III]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Nature: Are attention spans really shrinking? What the science says, Digital distractions are vying for people’s focus, but our underlying capacity to pay attention seems to be undiminished. Adam, 06 May 2026. You have to log in to finish, which I did not do, but a decent chunk of info is available before the break.

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{Backstory. Each morning, people & horses go on a unmounted team walk in the pasture.}

I declare liberty walk established.

Leadropes stay in barn.

Horses march back and forth.

Cookies are eaten.

We all get our steps in.

They continue to do so in the face of (mild) challenges, such as cool weather and spring grass.

It has become consistent in our morning routine.

On the other hand.

Intellectually, I believe the universe is a rational place. Yet, I post this with trepidation.

Wednesday 12 March 2025, Rodney lands on my foot. The day I posted, “Low drama.” Ha! [Psychological Placeholder]

[Foot 2025]

Let’s see if this brings on shenanigans.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Ode to Joy, singing of & thoughts on. Balloon Juice: Sunday Morning Open Thread, Laurie, May 10, 2026. Posts cited, Bluesky: Adam Schwartz May 9, 2026 & Bluesky: Malaclypse the Middle May 9 2026. History of, EU : European anthem

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Rodney has dapples.

Dapples are a sign of robust good health.

He is gradually putting on weight, which is the ideal way to do so.

He has a ridiculously shiny, glossy coat.

Pretty good for a geriatric pasture ornament.

Well.

Chronologically, he’s geriatric. Calendar reads 27 years.

Physically, he’s better than he was when he came here 16 years ago.

Mentally, he’s – um – youthful.

Milton is doing well, but grays don’t dapple out the same way.

Yes, that was Firefly reference.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Peace Alliance: History of Mother’s Day as a Day of Peace: Julia Ward Howe.

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Paper Folder

Process Notes

I re-used unexciting packing paper for this as it was the only paper I had that was long enough for the starting dimensions.

Links

A project of The Paper Year by Helen Hiebert. According to the directions, this project appears in Playing With Paper by Heibert, and was developed by Hedi Lyle. Gallery of Projects, HH: Paper Year Library. This folder is April 2026.

Onwards!
Katherine