Jam batchette, Nature vs Man, puzzling

 Yesterday I made a tiny batch of strawberry jam, just about a dozen large strawberries

In the bowl is the foam I skimmed off, cook's privilege, with a sugar cookie. Afternoon tea in June.

Today's cleaners' day, and after I left them a bunch of lavender along with their payment, I came to the library, great destination in pouring rain.

I did a bit of the public jigsaw

That bit

And noticed this

If anyone has any and would like me to donate for you, get in touch, and I'll be glad to. Elexexadamsatyahoodotcom. The donations Rose made are very well used, really popular.

This month's Library gallery exhibit, caught it just in time, is an interesting concept, created by three local camera club members.

A lot of lights and reflections, but I did my best

This one shows a 200. year old tree which fell on an equally old house. The  roof was so sturdily built it survived and was repaired. So I guess Nature and builder were a draw that time.

 

These are just my favorite choices. One of them, the barn, looked great for Magpie's Mumblings, for a quilted artwork. And I thought of AC, and wondered if these would appeal. There were a couple of fally-down houses for Mary.

Happy day everyone. Pouring here and I saw a huge beautiful merle collie, trotting by, marvelous coat. In the rain. I'll bet he's rolling about on the rugs at home now, drying off and shedding up a storm. Too bad humans dry off less dramatically!

Going home soon to a lovely clean house soon, wheee!

 

The Before Times

 Cleaners here so I'm out from underfoot, at the library after a couple of errands. So great to be able to come inside. This will be wonderful in cold weather.

Before I landed, I took a walk around the square in the sunshine, and could hear every word, all over the square, this man was bellowing into his phone, as he walked back and forth.

He literally never took a break, so whoever was at the other end never got a word in. It was not a recording for a lecture, just chat.  His voice certainly carried.

Here's where I am now.

There are three floors, but the third is the children's department, so it's not as obvious from down here, and the up elevator stops one floor down, security. Coming down it goes all the way.  You can override to get up the last floor, if stairs are a problem. The idea is that you are observed as you come up the last flight, by the children's librarian's desk. So known hinky characters can't just stroll in. 

On the half wall up there are engraved quotations on the glass from favorite books suggested by various involved folks. Mine is the first sentence of a Barbara Pym novel

There's someone studying where it is, so it would be awkward to take a pic of the sentence. You can look it up!

In the gallery there's a photography exhibit about the before times, with a question whether these casual scenes will return.

I've included the few with women featured. It's testosterone heavy. It may be that women avoided pictures, not necessarily the photographer's choice. 

The reason the images are sideways on and a bit distorted is the reflections on the glass, best I could do.

And I wonder if "will those carefree times return?" is the right question. Once the world has changed, there's really no going back. I think there's living in the new normal, while remembering the past.