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Posts Tagged ‘inspiration’

Tribute to an Inspiration

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Today, I’d like to pay tribute to Wally Funk, one of the early pioneers in flight and one of the first women to train with NASA. She didn’t get to be an official astronaut in the end, but she could fly just about anything, trained thousands at her own flight school, and much more. She also made a suborbital flight via Blue Origin’s New Shepard ship in 2021, becoming the oldest woman to reach space at 82.

Wally Funk, the oldest woman to venture to space, dies at 87

“I loved every minute of it. I just wish it had been longer.”

If you’re interested in the history of space, or women in space, or kick-ass ladies in general, I highly recommend the 2018 documentary Mercury 13 on Netflix. 

Here’s to Wally’s example of determination, perseverance, and all-around excellence, and to finding ways to make dreams come true!

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Photo by NASA on Unsplash

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Lessons Learned

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , , on July 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A brief selection of things I learned from my mother:

  • Be yourself, even if it takes a while to figure out what that means.
  • Look for beauty, it’s everywhere.
  • Keep going, even when the road is long and the night is dark. Tomorrow can always be better.

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Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

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Dare to Be

Posted in Holidays, tagged , , , , , on July 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Happy 250th birthday, America!

How far have we come? There are a lot of answers to this question, but here I’d like to focus on what life used to be like in the 18th century. 

Life in 1776 — Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress

Step back in time and explore the world of 1776. The features below offer a fascinating journey into the daily lives, culture, and events that shaped this era. Uncover the rich tapestry of life in 1776 and gain a deeper understanding of the foundations of our modern world.

For a (somewhat more recent) perspective on America’s evolution, journalist Derek Thompson takes a look back at what America was like a hundred years ago through the lens of a detailed report trying to capture history for future benefit (with excellent charts and graphs). 

What a Forgotten 100-Year-Old Government Report Says About Who We Are

The document is almost entirely forgotten. But today, for America’s 250th birthday, I’m blowing the cobwebs off this sucker and taking readers inside its yellowed pages for a look back at what life was like in the U.S. exactly 100 years ago, when the U.S. was celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary.

In many fundamental ways, we’ve come a long way. What will the next 250 years bring, and what will we need to bring to it?

“We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.” —Theodore Roosevelt

Here’s to our courageous future.

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Photo by Barth Bailey on Unsplash

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Our (Martian?) Future

Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Can you really survive on Mars? What science fiction gets wrong about off-world living | Space

Arnie said, “Get your ass to Mars”, but is it really a good idea? We asked the experts about our Martian future.

How likely is it that humanity will be able to live and thrive on Mars? Short answer, no. Longer answer? Still no! Doesn’t mean we can’t dream of new and exciting vistas in our future, though!

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Photo by Daniele Colucci on Unsplash

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Strawberry Moon Time

Posted in Food and..., Science!, tagged , , , , , , on June 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Tonight’s full moon is the first of the summer, and is also known for marking that sweetest of seasons, strawberry harvest time.

Strawberry moon: How to see the 1st full moon of summer

The moon will not actually appear dark red like a strawberry, but it may take on a slight orange or reddish tint when it first appears above the horizon. That color shift is caused by light scattering through Earth’s atmosphere, similar to the way some sunsets appear more vivid than others.

The farm down the road has pint baskets overflowing with red berries, and later I’m going to make a red and white dessert for Canada Day. 

As the moon watches from on high.

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Photo by Lucinda Hershberger on Unsplash

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A Bit of Magic

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , on June 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” — J.B. Priestley

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Photo by Laura Gilchrist on Unsplash

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Have Fun Exploring!

Posted in Other, Writing, tagged , , , , , , on June 25, 2026| Leave a Comment »

I have no idea what this “game” is supposed to be about but I love it.

Wiki Spy from Neal.fun

Check out all those images; so many interesting people, places, things, and ideas!

Hint: Hovering over an image will pop up a window with the title and source. If you want more info, click the image (a new round of related images will come up) and go to the top of the page. To right of the search field you’ll see a thumbnail of the image you clicked and (even further right) a “View on Wikipedia” link.

Have fun exploring!

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Photo by Chase Clark on Unsplash

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Every One of Us

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , , on June 24, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“Each and every one of you has the power, the will, and the capacity to make a difference in the world in which you live.” — Harry Belafonte

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Photo by Caroline Veronez on Unsplash

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Casually Heroic

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , , , , on June 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

It’s been storming here on and off, so Mr Man and I took advantage of a sunny break in the clouds to go for a walk in the neighborhood. The flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, and summer is just around the corner. It was a lovely stroll, made even nicer by a short encounter at the park. 

A man we didn’t know had a wheelbarrow and garden tools, and was trimming errant branches and vines by the walkway. We said hello (bonjour, actually) and he explained that he was a neighbor, just doing a bit of community service so that it would be easier for the city mowers to edge the pathways and open the way for the children who use the park.

How wonderful, I thought. How casually heroic.

“Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.” — Mary Roach

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Photo by Carl Tronders on Unsplash

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Let Yourself Chill

Posted in Other, Science!, tagged , , , , , , on June 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A storm rolled through today and now strong winds gust through the trees, making me more than usually aware of the weather. Which is why this bit of magic caught my eye.

Hypnotic Film Transforms Satellite Data Into Stunning Film

At first glance, Water World looks more like a painting than satellite imagery. Deep teal and silver clouds swirl slowly across a darkened sky, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. But every formation seen in the film genuinely existed above Earth, recorded in remarkable detail by a weather satellite orbiting roughly 22,000 miles above the equator.

The article goes into more detail on the how and the why, or you could just put the video onscreen and let yourself chill.

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Photo by Billy Huynh on Unsplash

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