Dani Donders

I mean, I would definitely want to know!! 👻

A teen pulls a comic quizzical face while looking at a real estate sign with a red sign topper (where ‘open house’ or ‘sold’ usually appears) that says ‘not haunted’

As seen on a drive out to Eagle’s Nest Lookout on Calabogie Road. I have SO MANY questions!! 😂

Three thick slabs of black marbled granite about 10x10 inches each, polished to a mirror finish on one face.

I rescued these three gorgeous slabs of thick granite from my neighbour’s trash. I have no idea what I’m going to do with 15 lbs of granite but I’m thrilled with them nonetheless. 😂

Julie, a white person with short brown and grey hair wearing blue glasses and a black shirt, stands with her hands behind her back. The photo is taken from above.

My delightful friend (and professional photographer) Dani aka @curiouscrone.bsky.social took some pictures of me last week. This one is my favourite.

This one was my favourite too!! Though the ‘boss’ photo makes me laugh at how you reacted. This was so fun!!

19: Aging and Your Career with Dani Donders Much of society thinks of retirement as the end of something important.

Once upon a time a time I thought 70 was so old I wouldn’t want to live past that age. Thankfully my idea of what aging means and how it can feel has changed!

Thank you Dani for joining Rowan and I on the podcast this week! @mavenofmayhem.bsky.social @curiouscrone.bsky.social

I really wish I had an internal control panel with a series of lights beside helpful tips like ‘you feel like shit because you’re hangry. Eat a banana ffs.‘

A new iMac computer with the ‘hello’ greeting on the screen.

The first hour or two of moving to my newly upgraded iMac (from my 10 year old one) were heady and exciting. The 8 hour long tail of figuring out which goddamn folder had my Lightroom export presets and where to put them now is making me weep. This is why I only upgrade my tech once a decade.

😂😂😂

This week’s art/science mash-up: chlorophyll printing, with nothing but two leaves and sunlight. How cool is this?

#3 Housing prices
#4 Relationships

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!