THERE IS NO PICTURE OF THE TREES HERE -mrs sandra mickanen
there would be a beautiful picture here; a picture i took myself.. of many trees, actually, in one setting:
from the deck at the 1909 in topanga.
i am not writing about these trees, and my incredible experience with the trees because i want to;
rather,
i am writing about the beautiful trees because i have been inspired; divinely directly to..
inspired: in spirit via spirit,
anyway,
shortest version -because all my energy has been sucked up being all.. *&^#R)! with the HEIC hi-jacking of my photos (see prior post)
goes like this:
when i am a passenger in a car on freeways
-despite what vehicle; despite who is driving
i make a special, extra effort not to look out the windshield..
i need to either keep my eyes closed; or just sink down in the seat, so that i can't see out the windshield.
under these circumstances, i can be at ease. at peace.
if/when i do look out.. my mind says 3 seconds to fatal accident..
i have not been able to override my mind, or my bodies reaction to what my mind is telling me.
if i close my eyes, or don't look.. i'm fine.
via prayer, i remind Jesus, -every act of being a passenger on long drives for me, is a GIANT ACT OF FAITH..
BLIND FAITH seems to work the best /i say with a smile.
in any case, we had cause to be on the freeways in southern california recently.. which, as anyone familiar knows, are some of the most, awful, most high stakes, most crazy, -high risk freeways
it was EXHAUSTING to be a passenger -i can only imagine how taxing on drivers..
short cut to..
i was saying to myself; myself and Jesus.. i'm doing the very best i can -but i don't think i can do this anymore.. i can't do it again.. i can't even do this with my eyes closed..
i can still feel the sudden jerks to avoid.. the having to slam on the breaks..
the having to speed up to change lanes.. the near misses..
feel the 18 wheelers.. hear the motorcycles..
so..
we make it and we are still alive, and we finally, and at last, arrive at the 1909,
we park. i pray many thank you's..
but my internal state: -the most stress i can carry without having an actual heart attack.
so,
we walk from the car to the deck.. in nature on a beautiful day, surrounded by all these gorgeous trees,
and this is what it felt like:
it felt like all those trees just vacuumed the stress write out of my body!
and i was light, stress free, at ease.. and completely present in the moments; every moment of being there.
****
was it just finally being out of the car and off the freeways?
it is my belief, it was the trees! had we parked and walked into a building..
i don't think the result would have been as instantaneous.
*****
"Thank You Jesus! -for the trees.. for fresh air.. for nature.. for the blue sky.. for the sunshine..
for the trees.. for the trees.. for the trees.. for your ongoing love, careful watch & protection.
selah! hallelujah & amen
****
why we were there in the 1st place.. in topanga.. future post.
"hot coals on them Jesus!" those HEIC photo hi-jackers... from (me!) mrs sandra mickanen -amen
it is the kind of thing that does make me want to pull out all my hair, the frustration is so high.
and the only reason, i would pull out my own hair vs. pull out the hair of the people responsible for my frustration
is because i have ZERO access to the responsible party. no name, no idea..
but what has happened is this: i can no longer download my pictures to my blog.
because now all the sudden, without me asking for; without them asking if..
my photos now have a HEIC suffic. no more jpg.
it is -without my knowledge or permission, now incompatible. just like that.
i did research, and try to trouble shoot, and went back to settings and undid a file thing..
had to even learn what HEIC is.. where it came from, WHY?!?
and it worked for 1 picture.
and now.. it has defaulted back to HEIC..
it is WRONG.
it is FRUSTRATING.
and what is my recourse?
and it does incapsulate and serve as an example, of just how fragile, vulnerable,
all digital information is. i am reminded with great frequency: coders/programmers have all the power/control
consumers..
only at the mercy of.
my wish, my prayer: that when coders/programmers go to hop in their car..
they can't get in.
they have to spend time and energy they dont have problem solving.
after they think they've solved the problem and successfully get in their car..
the car won't go. after they spend time and energy they don't have, figuring out a way to get their car to go..
wherever it is they do go; they can't get in.
"hot coals! hot coals! Jesus.. hot coals on whoever is responsible!"
/which is my prayer whenever i encounter a person/people who need to be enlightened..
and it helpfully overrides my less Christian thoughts and vocabulary
****
when i can.. i will find someway.. because i really want to continue capturing/sharing memories,
and vellum days.. it is valuable on multiple levels; for a myriad of reasons..
-all things are possible with God
amen & amen.
****
for the record: i do not use an apple phone. my phone; my camera has not changed; only suddenly i have HEIC
Yes — and your frustration is understandable. HEIC is one of those changes that can be very inconvenient because the technical advantages are mostly invisible to the person taking the photograph, while the compatibility problems show up later.
When did HEIC start appearing?
If you're using an iPhone, Apple introduced HEIF/HEIC with iOS 11 in September 2017. It became the default photo format on compatible iPhones, beginning with the iPhone 7/7 Plus generation.
The important distinction is:
- HEIF = the overall image-file format: High Efficiency Image File Format
- HEIC = the particular type of HEIF file Apple uses for photographs, compressed using HEVC technology.
- Therefore, the filename you see is .HEIC. Apple specifically says iOS stores its HEIF images using the .HEIC extension because they use the HEVC codec.
Why did Apple do this?
The simple answer is smaller files.
Why did Apple do this?
The simple answer is smaller files.
HEIC can preserve roughly comparable visual quality while using considerably less storage than JPEG. That means more photographs on your phone and less storage consumed by iCloud Photos. Apple Support
Apple was also trying to create a more modern replacement for JPEG that could handle things newer cameras were doing — such as greater color depth, HDR, depth information, multiple images, and richer metadata. Apple Developer
So from Apple's engineering perspective, it made a lot of sense.
From a normal person's perspective, however, there is a very real trade-off:
JPEG = enormous compatibility
HEIC = better efficiency, but compatibility depends on the device/software.
And that is exactly the problem you're noticing.
"Why didn't they ask me?"
This is the part that understandably feels irritating.
Apple didn't make HEIC an optional format that you had to consciously choose when it was introduced. Instead, Apple changed the default and provided an option called "Most Compatible" for people who wanted JPEG.
Apple's current instructions are:
Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible
Once you select Most Compatible, new photos are saved as JPEG rather than HEIC. Apple Support
So, yes, you can absolutely go back to JPEG.
One important thing: changing that setting does not convert the HEIC photographs you've already taken. It changes the format of the photographs you take from that point forward.
What about all the HEIC pictures you already have?
Those can be converted to JPEG. You don't necessarily have to lose or retake anything.
Apple also has built-in ways of converting HEIF images to JPEG when exporting them. On a Mac, for example, you can open an HEIC image in Photos or Preview and export it as JPEG. Apple Support
And there's another useful Apple feature: when transferring photos to a device that doesn't support HEIC, iPhone can automatically convert them to a more compatible format such as JPEG depending on how you're transferring them. Apple Support
So why does HEIC even need to exist?
Honestly, you don't need HEIC personally if compatibility is more important to you than saving storage space.
Think of it this way:
| JPEG | HEIC |
|---|
| Compatibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| File size | Larger | Smaller |
| Image quality for size | Good | Very good |
| Works with older computers | Almost always | Sometimes not |
| Easy to email/upload | Usually | Sometimes problematic |
| Modern camera features | More limited | Better |
| Best choice if you want "it just works" | Yes | Not necessarily |
JPEG has been around since 1992, so virtually every computer, website, photo program, printer and other device knows what to do with it.
HEIC is much newer.
And your "high-stakes compatibility" point is actually important
This is probably the biggest reason I'd recommend Most Compatible for someone who routinely sends photographs to different people, uploads them to websites, prints them, or moves them between different computers.
Apple itself acknowledges that HEIF/HEIC can have compatibility limitations and specifically provides Most Compatible for people who want the older, broadly compatible JPEG format. Apple Support
So if your reaction is:
"I don't care if the file is 3 MB instead of 2 MB. I just want my pictures to work everywhere."
Then JPEG/Most Compatible is a perfectly reasonable choice.
If you'd like, I can also explain how to convert all the HEIC pictures you already have on your Windows computer into JPGs, in the easiest possible way, without paying for anything.
Ah — that changes the answer quite a bit. You do not need an Apple phone for HEIC to show up on your computer.
HEIC/HEIF is now used by some Android phones, including Samsung phones, and Google Photos can store HEIC files exactly as they were created by the camera. Microsoft also specifically notes that HEIF/HEIC files can come from either iPhone or Android devices.
So there are several possibilities:
- Your Android phone's camera may have switched to "High efficiency" / HEIF. Samsung, for example, has a camera setting that can save photos as HEIC instead of JPG.
- Someone sent you a HEIC photograph. If another person's phone created the photo as HEIC, the HEIC format can remain attached to it when you receive it.
- Google Photos may be preserving the original HEIC file. Google Photos supports HEIC as a photo format, so it doesn't necessarily convert it to JPG.
- Your Windows computer isn't creating the HEIC file simply because it displays it. It may just be storing or displaying a HEIC photograph that came from a phone, Google Photos, OneDrive, email, etc.
But here's the important part
If you don't have an Apple phone, I don't want to tell you to change an Apple setting!
blah,
blah,
blah,
blah...
now i understand. -mrs sandra mickanen's open AI epiphany
details later, but
i do understand now. i understand what people have been saying for years; what people have been writing about, -all these different books and interviews i've been reading/watching
what people have been trying to tell and explain to me.. trying to tell everyone, everywhere;
with a couple pragmatic uses of chatgpt on my part,
yes.. i see; i see beyond my few experiments; i see the greater potential & applications
and now agree:
it cannot be exaggerated.
if i compare this AI era to when humans first discovered fire..
and began to learn all that fire can do for humanity; both for great and evil.. for creation and destruction..
i'm excited to be alive and get a glimpse..
... to new creatures and new worlds, in Jesus name..
halle -wowle, lujah & amen
"SLAINTE!" from Malarky's, Newport Beach, Southern California
and it had so much southern charm and hospitality; this iconic irish pub in newport
-we have driven by malarky's 9 years in a row..
"we've got to go check it out -those are me people!"
"next year,.."
NINE years in a row
but! at long last,
and the interior design, decor was awesome..
great vibe
excellent service; fun staff
delicious food
great drinks
fair price
10/10
"thank you!" so glad we finally got there! -we'll return to the scene of this great time
~the micks
****
i am a new convert to chatgpt..
much more on that coming up, but!
the above graphic -the text is direct from chatgpt request
then i used canva to create a speech bubble to put the text in, and designed a canva-man
because the speech bubble requires a source, and the chatgpt icon by itself; not enough
i thought i could give some personality, and relevant fashions..
i do want to distinguish between what i write and what i request from chatgpt
i'll probably keep canva~man moving forward, and just make figure and clothing adjustments..
why
BECAUSE ITS FUN!!
****
hallelujah, amen, "slainte!"
Spiritual Hemostasis; in the aftermath of an unexpected death -mrs sandra mickanen sharing
i could have sworn i wrote about this before, but the keyword is not pulling up anything from my blog.
essentially, it is the vision i see, -a solid analogy for:
when you learn of a death
when someone you love, someone you know, or once knew -dies; suddenly.
for all death really; but especially when that death is too soon and unexpected -what happens is that, friends and family, both close and distant, they will reach out, show up,
co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances; friends of friends who once knew..
a collection of people will contact and/or surround you.
this happens instinctively.. it is what we do; we are not taught this in school.. it is not something we learn to do or are obligated to do; it is something we naturally do
despite not knowing what to say.. despite understanding we cannot undo the death..
with only grace and understanding when we are met with resistance, anger, confusion
whether our loving condolences are welcomed and appreciated or resisted and rejected;
a collection of people with loving hearts and good intentions will directly or indirectly contact and/or surround you. and we certainly experienced this when robert's sister cynthia was murdered.
and the vision i have, is of hemostasis..
as hemostasis is for a physical injury; this internal & innate response our bodies already have which stops the bleeding after a physical injury; preventing hemorrhage
a type of spiritual hemostasis is what i see in the aftermath of the death of a loved one(s); this immediate gathering of loving people
their presence; their calls; their texts; their emails; their gifts; their meals; their desserts
their outreach;
they help stop the emotional bleeding; they prevent an emotional hemorrhage, if you will
-emotional coagulation; by whole human beings accumulating not just individual cells
they help absorb the shock; so it can be divided up and distributed; no longer an overwhelming, unbearable weight carried by one individual; or a stoic but unready, unequipped few..
the way the human body kicks into hemostasis gear automatically for the individual suffering a physical injury; a collection of human beings kicks into loving gear for people suffering an emotional injury; a sudden loss; a broken heart..
they target and slow the emotional blood flow..
form a temporary, but vital plug, of sorts..
serve as a kind of fellowship fibrin..
and all of it matters; all of it contributes to healing; all of this happens automatically.
we are beneficiaries of these rather miraculous automatic processes; both physical and spiritual
i am once again a witness,
extended family; in the distance... family members who have not connected for years.. -reconnected.
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family bonds do not answer to time, space or distance; once established; like love itself, they are eternal.
my last in person visit with my cousin Evan was circa 2011, in New York..
nothing but good memories..
our side, my side of the family.. despite long gaps between visits.. everyone reaching out to his dad, his sister..
everyone crying, hugging, in disbelief..
-having been forced to face and navigate life from a very young age without his mom, who died from skin cancer -my beautiful aunt susie...
-and now Evan's sister.. without a mom and brother..
-and their dad.. without the mother of his two children; and now without his one and only son..
just hurts. hurts for survivors on earth..
helps to envision the beautiful spirits of deceased loved ones reunited in heaven;
helps to turn to God for comfort.. to count on and receive that comfort.
helps to pray for that comfort to reach everyone who loved and knew Evan..
God's love embrace you
comfort and console you
in the epicenter of all you're feeling
God's love remind you
inside and all around you
love grieves a path toward healing
-reaching out with prayer, love, condolences -God's strength as you process and navigate through this very difficult experience. amen & amen
written in 2025
selah, amen. amen.
Evan's mom, my Aunt Susie
Memorial Mural in La Jolla, Ca
United Methodist Church Pre-school
where she was a Director.
and yet, of my own accord, i did text a rave review to an extra special, delightfully surprising: McDonalds! -mrs sandra mickanen sharing
used to be so seamless paying for things.. there was a natural flow..
such a lovely cadence..
a verbal compliment, a generous tip, that came from the customers heart..
used to be
used to be that total amount due: was in fact, the total amount due; -no more. now it's only a prelude to requests for more money
and, like many things.. i didn't realize just how beautiful, just what a wonderful experience it was being a customer back in the day
until they took that natural flow away..
if only one or two places where you shop, do business.. if only one or two did this: questionnaires, surveys, donation, round up requests.. review us online.. review us online.. QR code, review us online..
maybe not so bad; but this takes place at every single register everywhere; all the time.
i've gotten pretty efficient -skip. no. no. no. no. no. tap. no. no. confirm.
and i've been able to escape on a number of occasions before my hot coffee got cold
but.. exactly because i have such a disdain for repeated requests for reviews
well, it surprises no one more than me, that i.. (me!) mrs sandra mickanen, i
VOLUNTEERED. I VOLUNTARILY, PROACTIVELY, of my own accord..
went out of my way, in fact, to find and then write down the telephone number..
went out of my way to text a long compliment..
i was just so INSPIRED! i was so pleasantly SURPRISED & INSPIRED
-a catalytic combination for the writer in me, apparently
****
let me see if i still have the text, i'll screen shot and post it here. be write back
****
exemplary!
***
Gotta get to San Jose for Halloween -mrs sandra mickanen sharing
link to 2012 archives:
****
my waking imaginings this very morning: i have a youtube channel; it is primarily about San Jose, and my experiences living here -9 years now, i believe
and there are more serious posts; that cover more serious, consequential ground, like how it is a GIANT MISTAKE to close Great America and a GIANT MISTAKE to close/relocate the San Jose Flea Market..
but the post; the one i would create this week if i already had my youtube channel up and running;
the goal of it: getting WAY MORE PEOPLE in San Jose/Santa Clara County involved in celebrating Halloween..
like, you will be the exception, in 2027, 2028 and moving forward if you don't decorate/participate in Halloween vs. what we see here write now in 2026;
where your house is the great exception, if you do decorate & participate.
i would bring my cameraman -cameraperson, up and down blocks and blocks of my neighborhood; we are not far from Piedmont High School..
try and find a house with Halloween decorations.. -you can't.
it is heartbreaking. what the heck has happen to the Halloween Spirit in San Jose?!?
Let me please remind: Halloween is FUN! it is FUN for kids, -and anything fun for kids, is fun for the parents.. potentially fun for everyone; we all need more FUN; more play; more creativity
k,
what i've learned since living here, is that it has more to do with the demographics, -the variety of cultures, than it does, an entire population just abandoning a Halloween Spirit that once was..
a large percentage of the people living in San Jose today -October 2026
they come from far away lands, where they never celebrated or recognized Halloween in the first place. They've had no exposure; no trick or treating in their youth..
it stands out to me now, how.. enlightening, educational it was for me, only a couple halloween's ago, to learn our neighbor friend, had no idea who this was:
he was born and raised in India. And really, that's when I more fully realized, like, all these people here from other countries... they've never had exposure.. this must seem like the absolute strangest..
but,
what i'd like to do here is just educate & encourage everyone in San Jose, in Santa Clara County, to participate in this super fun, costume & candy, trick or treat holiday
it is a great way, to experience, by way of actual participation, in one of the USA's admittedly over-commercialized, under appreciated opportunities for JOY -playful, light-hearted, creative, silly, scary..
Halloween, -and I am a native Californian, born & raised: Halloween is one of the great, fun, memories from our childhood: my older brother, me, my younger sister..
It culminates Oct 31st with kids getting dressed in cute or scary or just creative costumes, and going door to door, (usually after dinner); knock, knock.. a cool parent, or older teen, answers the door -often also dressed in some type of costume, kids say, "trick or treat" -k, there is also a version
trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat...
-optional
but then, whoever answered the door, -oohs and ahhs a little over the cute/scary kid costumes.. because it really is great fun to see what the kids come up with
often, dressing up like the popular characters/celebrities of that year
and then.. kids open up their -when we were young, we used pillow cases to hold all the candy..
our own kids used actual halloween candy bags, with handles and everything..
and then the adult of the house, grabs some candy and puts it in your bag!
house after house, trick or treat... and "candy!"
then.. after a few blocks of that.. you return home, you dump out ALL your candy, and spread it on the floor.. your parents go through it.. they pretend to be checking only for safety reasons..
making sure none of the packaging is torn or compromised in any way.. tossing out anything suspicious..
and slyly taking a few pieces of whatever their favorite candy is..
and then, depending on the parents, and the -rules.. and all the vastly exaggerated sugar concerns 'cavity preventing - balanced diet' codes that are enforced..
then you get to enjoy your candy -pick out your own favorites! trade with siblings or friends,
two m&m's packs for your snickers..
or, i'll tell you a funny true story: my younger sister and i.. we loved candy more than our older brother..
over several days, we would have eaten all our halloween candy; it would seem as if,
as if,
we'd need to wait all the way until the next year's halloween before we could get a new supply.
not so.
because our older brother.. he saved his candy.
he saved his candy, knowing we'd soon be out of ours.. and then,
like the savvy young entrepreneur he was..
he would charge us a quarter per candy..
sure laugh it about now..
it was great fun! kids need fun! all kids, from everywhere around the world -they need fun!
and Halloween Fun, and Halloween spirit.. it starts way before Halloween night itself..
there is the deciding what or who you want to be.. which costume? sometimes you can buy an inexpensive mask, -sometimes DIY -do it yourself costumes, -sometimes very involved; theatrical..
lots of the younger kids, like to wear their costumes in advance -just for fun, -dress up, imagination..
when my kids were young, their elementary school, had the most wonderful, entertaining, charming Halloween parades.. by grade, i believe it was.. all the kids would kind of walk, march, around the perimeter of the recess playground, with all the parents/teachers watching, cheering them on, ooohing and ahhing and taking lots of pictures..
i could go on and on,
my goal.. don't let the Halloween Spirit slip away...
we believe it has slipped away not because people don't appreciate it; but rather because people have not had exposure to it; they don't understand it really..
add on, -a year doesn't go by that there isn't some news story about dangerous criminals ruining or threatening to ruin Halloween for kids, parents, families
the reality is, you do have to exercise basic safety practices
kids going door to door, -with a parent(s); or older sibling.. with adults; not solo.
kids wearing some type of -visible- something, as a part of, or in addition to their costume, -because you trick or treat in the evening, after dinner, it's october and gets dark early. you want people to be able to see you, especially when crossing streets..
and, no one ever eats any candy without it first being thoroughly inspected and approved by parents/adults.
the rewards and fun and joy, -the memories; make it very much worth the efforts.
so,
when my husband and i drove around san jose just this past week, running errands, and we looked,
block after block
looking on the left side of the street, and the write side of the street..
and we went BLOCKS without seeing even ONE HOUSE with a hint of Halloween Decoration.
it broke our hearts.
we know the joy! we know the joy from being kids ourselves and getting to trick or treat; we know the joy from watching our own (now grown kids) get to trick or treat when they were young;
and we know the joy from watching our grandkids..
[ here is where i insert a picture of one of the neighborhoods we saw recently.. with ZERO halloween decorations ]
and here is where i insert a picture of what we expect to see next year..
house after house with -something..
some kind, simple or elaborate, halloween theme decor.. let the joy of the kids inspire you!
and then,
a picture of a boring, uninvolved, indifferent.. same ole, same ole house..
contrasted with a picture of a house with a lot of halloween spirit!
and then pictures of halloween night, where you see, lots of kids in costume.. with trick or treat bags..
and the decorated houses welcome these costumed cutie pies..
and new generations get to accumulate these wonderful memories too..
****
and instead of writing/blogging/posting.. i share this on a youtube channel, -talk.
and of course,
it is translated into chinese, vietnamese, spanish, tagalog
****
hallelujah, happy halloween & amen
Berryessa Blue Zone Driveway HAPPY birthday HAPPY halloween HAPPY HOUR Oct 2026 #vellumdays
"it was the best driveway happy hour we've ever had!
but not the best one we'll ever have!"
"THANK YOU!!" for bringin' it, -like you do and making
this a great, fun, memorable celebration
-grateful for all your delicious food, drink, dessert
contributions.. your positive energy
your halloween spirit
your thoughtful bday cards/gifts
sharing your evening
and your kind company with others
and sharing your yard art pix with us!
Pirate Skeleton Bliss Oct 2026 Yard Art by (sexy! & topps!) robert & sandra mickanen #bliss & POM
#bliss
and "thank you!" again and so much, jerry heinrich!! love our pirate life & treasure map squares. turned out awesome! love & appreciate you xoxo
added a scavenger hunt w/this yard art -and we have been able to witness parents/kids participating which absolutely fills our hearts with joy.. also, put a tripod out, and invitation to take pix with the skeleton pirates; we placed 2 empty chairs between the pirate skeletons along with some photo props.
-the pix people are taking and sharing with us is -too much fun!! we LOVE them.. and, we have received some chatgpt enhanced versions also.. will post soon. -in one word; amazing.
/also, not a part of this scavenger hunt designed for kids, neighbors; but for my own personal treat; our yard art does include the fruits of the spirit; they are there for the people naturally inclined to notice such a thing. and as my "thank you!" prayer.
will return to share process pix/stories/details
but! highest compliments to my husband who really outdid himself, shape shifting the previous, flat, yard art installation, and -making it ship shape!
ship shape.
rearrangement & stacking of bricks & materials from previous yard art by roberta few people asked him if he used grout, glue.. adhesive..
answer: no. he has this special gifting which allowed him to stack and arrange the bricks & granite panels by size and weight, create the shape, perpetually checking for stability, and making adjustments accordingly.. fine tuning until..
i am a fan & admirer of my husbands work. /she says with a big smile..
this is only our 2nd up-write (erect; vertical vs. horizontal) yard art; and our 45th installation i believe
re-using, re-arranging, re-primering; re-purposing; re-painting the bricks & yard art materials.
this yard art was directly inspired by displays of skeleton pirates we saw last year at MB2 in santa clarita california; and a portion of the painting was directly inspired by being in attendance at Pageant of the Masters G.O.A.T. Sept 2026, and falling quite in love with van gogh's art that was featured..
honestly, it inspired in me, the desire to do van gogh deep dives.. the Greatest Of All Time artists were featured.. our exposure to great art was vast at this performance, but..
while it was all interesting, inspiring, educational, entertaining..
for my personal taste.. [however mysteriously that evolves]; everything paled in comparison to van gogh.. being able to see how much he enjoyed the process; -process so visible.. striking, mesmerizing, magnetizing, hypnotizing.. you just do not paint like that unless you love the process itself; not just the result. i more officially join the incalculable # of people, artists and art appreciators who are van gogh fans.. prior to this pageant of the masters, 2026, i would regard myself an appreciator; -aware of.. novice to advance knowledge of the most famous works; vague idea of biography -mostly from mass media re-tells; focusing on the ear of course..
but.. it is his actual paintings. -i know i'll be getting some more books soon; about.. but, my interest is greater for his process/painting/art; -craft; than his biography; although both always matter, don't they.
i wrote to POM to learn it; -and it is 'the sower.' there are many different versions of the sower by vincent van gogh if you look online; not one definitive painting of it; however,
the version of the sower, and how they presented it during pageant of the masters: i may have cried.
ok,
i did cry during pageant of the masters. specifically.. it was when i allowed myself to look up at the night sky during the performance; glance at the man i love, my husband, sitting write next to me.. take in the crowd, the incredible live orchestra, the natural beauty all around -and the human created beauty on stage; the master level creativity involved in honoring so many master level artists; our seats were the best seats we've ever had.. the climate, a dream. add on, prior to the performance we took in a live concert.. a beatles copy band; hard days night; and they did the beatles justice.. and the audience LOVED.. everyone responding.. and before that: just before that.. a phenomenal famous magician.. johnny ace palmer (?) -i'm close.. and speaking of close..
he performed the most remarkable, optical-illusion-ie, magic show AT OUR TABLE!!
write before our very eyes.. how? does? he? do? that? -turn a small red yarn ball into a
-potatoe? and then toss the potatoe in the air and it.. evaporates in thin air...
his magic is a WOW
and so, it was accumulating; and i shed a few gratitude, overwhelm tears.. whispered a thank you to Jesus..
is this our life today? -i do pause often to take it all in; recognize it.. express gratitude as it transitions into memory
how many times have i, have we, attended Pageant of the Masters?
if it was available in the fall, we would go every year, but it only goes june through beginning of september -so, we try to make it every few years..
this was the Greatest Of All Time to be in the audience: Fri Sept 4th; the grand finale for the 2026 season, with celebrity guests, live concert, festival of the arts, -and, most importantly,
and as the brochure promised; and why we even purchased the loge center tickets in the first place:
(robert's Christmas present to me.. us)
it was all because i read this: 8:30pm Final Performance of The Greatest of All Time. Conclude the evening with a one-of-a-kind Pageant of the Masters performance created especially for our season finale. And this time, the living pictures won't stay quite so still.
"honey.. know how you always wish the people camouflauged in the paintings would be revealed more often throughout the show..
read this!
and "thank you my sexy!" because look what you got me for Christmas! -for us..
it can be for Christmas, and my birthday and valentines..
and "thank you!" pageant of the masters for living up to & delivering on all the hype/promises in your brochure
****
million "thank you!" prayers..
p.s. they had real live goats being walked around the grounds at the festival of arts.. and a costumed mascot goat..
which, of course, reminded me.. of our most recent, most remarkable: 4th of july
let's call it.. 2026, the 250th of USA.. the year of the goat
# pageant of the masters 2026 G.O.A.T.
# van gogh
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