Virtual Brush Box

Dogs of the outside world. Anchorage Daily News: Think sled-dog racing is fading? In Alaska’s mushing-crazy Kuskokwim Delta, it’s booming, Herz, Northern Journal, KYUK Public Media, February 13, 2025.

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Jasmine was picky about her water. We changed it often. This was understandable. Her drinking habits were such that her water would get grungy after one drink. A combination of dirty ears and dog drool.

What we did not realize was this covered up the fact that Rose is even picker. If either of her water dishes – yes, she has two – has so much as a dust mote floating on the surface, the water is contaminated beyond endurance. We can only fill the dish partway, otherwise we end up dumping most of it out.

I’m all for clean water, but this is a dog who will drink out of puddles in the pasture.

Dog posts [archive]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Sewage problems. Got tank pumped out. This includes bringing over a large vacuum truck and people to run it, uncovering and draining tank, and then driving the result 20+ miles away to be dropped off at the appropriate sewage treatment plant. I consider the ability to flush a toilet and not have to worry about what happens next to be one of the unsung marvels of modern life.

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Did this winter seem long to anyone else? Our choices have been cold, or slightly less cold and overcast, or both. So happy to see the sky fire show up for work. Of course, I’ll be complaining about the heat soon enough. Right now, I’m loving it. [Cold Again]

Last week. This was during my walk on Wednesday afternoon. Please note the Feels Like temperature of 37oF, or 3oC.

This week. As of yesterday, the predicted high for today was 79oF, or 26oC.

Speaking of F -> C, does anyone else in the Fahrenheit world use this to remember how Celsius works?

30’s hot,
20’s nice,
10 is cold,
and 0’s ice.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. I’m not ignoring the news of the nation. It’s hard to take. It’s hard to know what to say. Most of all, we’re all hearing it in real time and I have nothing to add.

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Rodney’s brain froze in the cold last week.

Our daily walk is a series of five back and forth laps. The Dispenser Of Cookies sits at one end. Horses and I walk down the fenceline, away from the corner. When we turn around, I let them walk back on their own.

Last week, Rodney found it imperative to trot, or even canter, aaaaall the way back to the corner, on several occasions. If he walked, it was a fast walk. He would arrive many lengths ahead of Milton and me. There may be treats involved in early arrival. I do not inquire too closely into the cookie distribution system.

If I held onto Rodney after the turnaround and made him walk quietly like a sensible horse, he got pushy and barge-y and rude. The longer I made him walk, the ruder he got, and the faster he would run back to the corner when I let him go.

Milton trundled along, rolling his eyes.

Yesterday it was warmer. (Finally!) Everyone was mellow. Rodney still kept himself in front on the way back and still got annoyed when I made him walk with me. But much slower. Shorter bouts of trot and canter.

Milton still rolled his eyes.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world, local version. Last night’s low was above freezing. Yay. Crossing fingers that this weekend was the last time to drain the barn water for a while. Bring on the warm!

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We give nicknames to horses.

Have you ever had a horse give you a nickname?

Milton calls me Chuckie.

As in the horror doll from the movies, although Milton & I use this alternate spelling.

Milton finds my level of enthusiasm disturbing.

“I went charging in. Event horse in the rain! … I came in too hot.” [Someday This Will Be Amusing To Look Back On]

He’s not wrong.

“Bubba wanted to know who dropped a ferret down my pants. He was okay with it, but he did notice.” [A & B & Me, Show Report, Alabama State Games]

Onwards!
Katherine

Books of the outside world. “Explore the wonderful collection of rare books, manuscripts, zines, and artists’ books from Temple’s Special Collections Research Center. Each week, via Zoom, scholars from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture will open a different artifact from the collection, flip through its pages, and share the knowledge within. This virtual series is open to the public.” Temple University, Tyler School of Art & Architecture: A Look at a Book. Two more in the current series. Past episodes in the archives.

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Introduction To Bookmaking
David West
MakeBHM
Thursday 20 February 2025
Class 3 of 4

Endpapers for the blue cover, above

Messing around with materials on hand.

Posts

Last year, for comparison, [Two Covers, Bookmaking Class #3]

Last week, [Making The Materials, Book Making Class #2, Take 2]
First 2025 class, explaining why the repeat, [One More For The Books, Book Making Class #1, Take 2]

Onwards!
Katherine

📺 🏴󠁵󠁳󠁡󠁫󠁿 📺

Writer: Hello, Muse. I cannot overSTATE how happy I am to be with you once again.

Muse: Hello?

Writer: I would be devaSTATEd if we could not share this time together.

Muse: Do you have something to tell me? Are you trying to make a STATEment?

Writer (chuckles): Sometimes I amuse even myself. Anyway. The powers that be have decided to make 50 TV movies, one for each state. I have been assigned Alaska and Hawaii.

Muse: Do you get to go?

Writer: No. That’s my problem. How do I create a legit mood for a place I’ve never been?

Muse: Plus, you have an entire state full of people ready to tell you where you went wrong.

Writer: Thanks for closed captioning my pain, Raj. [BBT]

Muse: No need to be snarky.

Writer: Au contraire, I think this is the perfect time to be snarky. TV shows set in Alaska are all about snow and big mountains and living off the grid and subsistence hunting. Books are full of people moving in Alaska from elsewhere or reclaiming their native heritage. Did you know that, “Alaska has the highest relative population of Native Americans, who make up 19.74% of the state’s total population, about 145,816 people.” [US Census]

Muse: Interesting, but not relevant.

Writer: Of course its relevant. I am none of those things. I can’t go to get a feel for living there. I have to rely on the reports and photos of others. It a short walk to trope city.

Muse: So, do something different.

Writer: This is my blank stare.

Muse: Lean into it.

Writer: What?

Muse: Make the problem a feature rather than a bug.

Writer: Yes, yes. I understand the concept. I don’t understand how to apply it here. Not knowing about your subject is a pretty big bug.

Muse: You say a lot of the media is about the extremes of Alaska.

Writer: Well, yes, that’s what makes it Alaska.

Muse: Really? Everyone in the state lives in an isolated cabin and snowmobiles to the nearest town once a month?

Writer: Well, no.

Muse: No one there has a life that would be recognizable to someone from another state?

Writer: Of course not. People live in cities and work in factories. So?

Muse: Do I have to spoonfeed it to you?

Writer: I thought that was your purpose, to give ideas.

Muse: A muse inspires. We do not do the work for you.

Writer: I don’t see a much inspiration happening.

Muse: I can leave.

Writer: No! Please don’t. I’m sorry. I’m frustrated. I shouldn’t take it out on you.

Muse: Think about it on a human scale. For example, what would your brother’s life look like if he lived there?

Writer: He’d have favorite coffeeshop on this way to work. Do something impenetrable with numbers. Have meetings. Hang with friends.

Muse: Exactly.

Writer: I get it. Wherever you go, there you are.

Muse: People are people, regardless of the scenery.

Writer: Hmm. A human story that shows it doesn’t matter where you live. That would work for any state. I could make the stories interrelated. Carry the theme across several movies. Ooh, that will play well in a presentation.

Muse: And make a good story.

Writer: That too, but first I have to get the treatment approved. Buzzwords are your friend.

Muse: Cynical.

Writer: But not wrong.

Muse: Back to the story.

Writer: It could be a new arrival, one who never settles in. Detective Inspector Richard Poole from Death In Paradise.

Muse: Not bad. I sense hesitation.

Writer: It’s still about the place, in that case how he never fits in, and is always wearing suits in the Caribbean and complaining about the heat. In some ways it’s still very much about the setting.

Muse: Instead?

Writer: I think it would be better with characters who live in the place. Who accept the place. For whom Alaska is anodyne. (Typing noises.)

Muse: (smiles)

Writer: I can work with this. Thank you, Muse. Sorry I was grumpy.

Muse: It’s okay. It means you care.

📺 🏴󠁵󠁳󠁡󠁫󠁿 📺

Afterword

Inspiration. Currently ettending UChicago Graham School, Alaska: Indigenous, Russian, American.

Onwards!
Katherine

Photos of the outside world. Alaska Magazine: 2024 Photo Contest Sponsored by Alaska Airlines.

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Alaska in Alabama. Alaska Avenue, Leeds. Alaska Drive, Hueytown. Alaska Street, Gadsden.

Any Alaska near you?

[Searching For Alaska]

Technical Details

Phone Camera

Currently ettending UChicago Graham School, Alaska: Indigenous, Russian, American.

Onwards!
Katherine