Dani Donders

The end of Upper Duck Island, with green trees, is reflected in still water with hints of clouds in the sky and reflection.

Pretty reflections despite the fire smoke haze this morning as I kayaked around (and through) Upper Duck Island in the Ottawa River this morning. I’m always fascinated by this odd little spot - it feels like a secret.

Oof, this was painful 😣 Connections
Puzzle #782
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟩🟦🟨🟩
🟩🟦🟨🟦
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟦🟦🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟨🟨🟨🟨

😂

That’s one of my favourite photos ever - he was 3 then and 17 now. :)

Ooops, I forgot to tag this for #BlueSkyArtShow - hope this works!

A blue and white cyanotype print of a little boy mid-leap jumping into a puddle.

Two blue and white cyanotype prints, one of a dandelion in seed and the other of Watson’s Mill in Manotick.

Two blue and white cyanotype prints, one of a sunflower and the other of two kids paddling a canoe in still water

This hot sunny weather is perfect for cyanotypes - making photo prints from sunlight. Some of these worked better than others, but it’s fun to learn and experiment. And I have no shortage of photos in my library!

Seven months after they rolled out the change, Instagram finally got around to making my grid rectangular today. Thanks for not forgetting me and my 300 followers entirely 😂

Subway style map to go with The Lord of the Rings, showing the different pathways of various parties throughout the book. The title reads: "Lord of the Rings Transit Map: One Does Not Simply Walk Ino Mordor When One Can Ride." The map takes up the middle part of the page, and there are two keys. The one on the left is titles "Standard Service Lines, and has color keys matched to the subway lines on the map. Lines are named: "Shire-Bree Commuter Line Old Forrest Crescent Wildland Scenic Line Fellowship Line Gollum / Sméagol Line Uruk Hai Express Three Hunters Line Fangorn Slow Service Rohan to Gondor Business Line Black Ships Ferry Service Oliphant Direct Line Army of the West Line Gandalf Express A smaller key on the right side of the map is labeled: "Limited Service Lines" and has color keys matched to the following names lines: "Eagle Express Paths of the Dead Line Nazgûl Search & Resuce Valinor Ltd." A note at the bottom reads: "* Mount Doom station only accepts Rings of Power in payment. Plan accordingly."

The other day I drew a subway-style map for The Hobbit, and it was very well received. Some of you asked if I could do one for LoTR, so I have!

Forgive the eel watermark; I'm working on making these something you can buy, if you like.

…. Hermit is about taking the time to seriously consider the implications - the reason to balance the whimsy of the 7 cups. Fun reading, lots to think about. Thank you!

Haha, this is a wildly accurate reading. I’ve been considering moving to a new province in the next few years. 7 cups is about how random of an idea it is, wishful thinking. Judgment is how it will transform not only my life - a new start - but the lives of my family….

Dani’s ankle sporting an anklet made with rainbow bugle beads and glass stars

An anklet made with rainbow bugle beads and glass stars on a painted surface

Needed an anklet. Made an anklet! (Possibly related: it’s hard to take a flattering photo of your own ankle)

🤣

Such an amazing show - my first-ever Bluesfest. Future acts have a lot to live up to.

I am excited to announce that local corn is in season and if my family isn’t sick of it by harvest season, I haven’t done my job.

Wordle stat page showing 1167 games played, 98% success and only 2 puzzles solved in the first guess

Oh shit, now I need a new starting word!! 😂

Wordle 1,491 1/6*

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

I didn’t notice until the photos were juxtaposed that Lucas the teenager and Percy the cat are regarding me with the same expression of general annoyance with the barest hint of affection 😂

My new Chuzhao digital faux twin lens reflex camera beside my coffee cup - it’s considerably smaller.

An extreme close up of Percy, our orange tabby cat. There is a slight green tinge to the photo, from the cross-processing filter added by the camera.

A black and white photo of Lucas, a 17 year old with long hair who might appear to be scowling but is holding an ice cream cup so can’t actually be all that grumpy.

A mirror selfie of me, Dani, from a wide angle showing almost full body, wearing shorts and a jean jacket in front of an open door and looking down at the Chuzhao camera at belly button height.

Got a new toy - literally, a toy camera. It’s a faux TLR digital camera and the lack of control over everything except composition is a fun new challenge.

Not sure what happened - I did avoid picking the rhubarb for the first year, but it came up puny and faltered. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I got a yard full of unexpected wild strawberries as a gift this year, so that’s a fair trade. Maybe next year the rhubarb will come through?

lol I can’t though. Third year planting it, it keeps dying or doesn’t take. Thank goodness for the generosity of my local buy-nothing group!

I was so surprised and disappointed to hear the government capitulated on this one.

A family selfie with Dani, a smiling woman with freckles and dimples, her husband who has a salt and pepper beard and wears glasses and Lucas, an older teen with long hair.

Members of the brass section of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra perform in casual clothes in a green park while people sit on the grass to listen and kids play on the lawn.

Gift of a summer evening watching a free concert from the #OttawaSymphonyOrchestra at AY Jackson Park in Manotick. Great to encounter friends and neighbours , plus #MerryDerry!

Unexpectedly so good. I did not expect to get so attached and invested!

Yes, have seen both North of North and Somebody Somewhere. Have been eyeing The Last of Us for a while, and don’t know Hacks. Thanks!!

Have you watched Sort Of? I think you’d love it!

What have you watched that’s good lately? I finished Sort Of today and I’m bereft. Where should I go next?

Dani, a smiling middle-aged mom with brown hair and dimples, and Simon, her 21 year old son with dark hair and eyes, at a table in the LibertySoho restaurant in the Liberty Village neighborhood of Toronto

Dani, a smiling middle-aged mom with brown hair and dimples, and Simon, her 21 year old son with dark hair and eyes, in front of the Toronto waterfront skyline at Ontario Place, with the CN Tower and Lake Ontario in the background

Briston Maroney on a colourful stage set at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, taken from a distance

Lots of rocks in the foreground and Lake Ontario in the background at Paradise Beach in Ajax, Ontario.

Quick getaway to Toronto with my middlest kid to see Briston Maroney in concert with Peach Pit. Decided to risk driving instead of the GO train & were rewarded with a perfect parking spot and amazing dinner at LibertySoho. Then collected rocks on the beach on the way home. #summer2025microadventures

Amazing news!

We had three good downpours. My laundry is still drying! 😂

Oh there’s the rain. This is probably the wrong moment to remember I have laundry on the line out back. Getting a nice rinse! 😂

Oh interesting - it’s significantly cooler right this minute, but it might not last.

That was very cool (pardon the pun). The thunder got more and more intense, everything got very still, then a burst of wind set all the tree branches in motion for maybe 10 seconds. No rain, but the temperature dropped significantly and the wind settled. Oh hello cold front!