Radically Retired

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  • Velkommen

    Velkommen

    Those of you who have been following me for a while, may remember that I’ve been trying to learn Norwegian Rosemaling, a decorative folk art.

    My goal was to do some pieces using palm husks that I pick up here in south Texas after a strong wind forces them to shed the ground. The canvas is free, so what’s not to love about that?

    Although hubs is third generation Canadian, he’s of Norwegian ancestry – 100% on both his mother’s and father’s sides, as far back as they can trace their roots (which a family genealogist has done), thus my interest in their culture. When I came across Rosemaling, I fell in love with the colours, the sweeping scrolls and swirls, and the simple flowers.

    It looked easy. It isn’t.

    I’ve practiced and practiced in sketchbooks and finally decided it was time to try it out on a palm husk.

    To my eye, the end result (left in feature photo) was a disaster.

    I submitted the left photo to ChatGPT and asked for suggestions on how to clean it up.

    Not only did the app correct it perfectly, using my design as a guide, but with further questions from me, it provided step by step directions for the brush strokes of Telemark rosemaling – my style of choice. I’ve watched YouTubes and researched other step by step tutorials, but the one provided by ChatGPT gathered the information quickly and provided exactly what I needed, based on my skill level (or lack of skill).

    Velkommen means welcome in Norwegian, so I wanted to make one of these husks for the back patio of our home.

    I think now, that I’ll follow the design sent back to me by the app, but make the background sage green.

  • Uncomfortable Wall

    Uncomfortable Wall

    The wall in my feature photo has bothered me for some time.

    It was uncomfortably out of balance and felt awkward. I knew the basic thing that needed to be done (changing the elevation of the things on either side of the TV), but even when I did that, it still felt wrong.

    I submitted the photo to ChatGPT, and with the suggestions it gave me, I was able to come up with an arrangement I could live with.

    The pieces on the right are palm husks that I’ve painted.

    These photos were taken at a different time of day (feature photo daytime with natural light coming in from the sides and this one early evening with light from table lamps coming from the front), thus the colour difference.

  • According to Richard

    According to Richard

    As promised in a previous post … in a few upcoming posts, I’ll document my experiences as a newbie to ChatGPT.

    Why the title of this post?

    In a phone conversation with my sister, who encouraged me to give the app a try, (and with very convincing reasons), I decided it would be fun to give my virtual assistant a name (more on that in a future post)

    My first mission was to choose paint colours, countertops, and backsplash for my kitchen and dining room.

    I noted in the ChatGPT app that I wanted to soften it, but not have too much of a feminine feel (because hubs lives here too), to have it go well with the new light oak LVP flooring we’ve had installed, and a compliment to the Tex Mex theme I have in our South Texas winter home.

    It asked me about budget and general location, so I said I didn’t want to break the bank and that we’re in the Rio Grande Valley.

    I was amazed at the quick and perfect response. Not only did it give me a mock-up of the end result, but it told me the paint brand and colour, the name of the backsplash tile, and the type and name of the countertops. It advised me which stores in the RGV carried all of the needed supplies, and it calculated the total cost of the project.

    This experience alone sold me on the app.

    My feature photo is before and after of a the big, outdated China cupboard in the dining area adjacent to the kitchen.

    Here’s the before and after of the kitchen.

    I can’t wait for the photo on the right to be our reality

    All I had to do was submit a photo, explain what I wanted, give my general (not exact) locale and my budget, and the rest was taken care of in minutes.

    Sold!

  • Addictive

    Addictive

    Everyone, both here in the blogosphere, and among my family and friends back home have been talking about ChatGPT.

    I’ve been resisting… until two days ago when my closest sister posted on Facebook, the cutest caricature of herself.

    I called to ask her how she made it, and of course, it was through ChatGPT.

    I succumbed and downloaded the app.

    I spent the next several hours making caricatures and laughing so hard at the results.

    I then submitted a photo of my kitchen here in south Texas, and asked for ideas for cabinet paint and countertops.

    Before I knew it, I was asking for a printed schedule for my hourly and weekly activities.

    Every single experience was interesting, fun, and rewarding.

    I can see how people can get addicted to this stuff … because after just two days, I already am.

    More on that in an upcoming post.

  • Iconic in the Valley

    Iconic in the Valley

    Pharr, Texas is four miles down the road from where we winter.

    Hubs’ favourite street in Pharr is Cage Blvd because of the iconic cowboy welcome sign that sits high above the entry to the street. Hubs says it reminds him of the famous neon “Welcome to Vegas” cowboy.

    My fave spot is up a couple of blocks on the corner of Cage Blvd and Kelly Ave.

    Although weathered and missing an A on one side of its tall vertical column sign, this place just begged to be researched

    The long vacant Texan Hotel and Chung Mei Kitchen restaurant has always intrigued me.

    Through looking for some history of the hotel, I learned that the welcome to Pharr cowboy originally sat on top of the Texan Hotel sign.

    Web Image

    In 1984, Du Ong Lee, long time owner of the hotel and restaurant was featured in a local newspaper.

    Now, it’s my mission to visit the Pharr Memorial Library. Isn’t it funny how once we start researching, one curiosity often leads to another?

    It was fun to learn that the two things that hubs and I love most about Pharr have a strong connection.

  • Salty Squadron

    Salty Squadron

    After seeing a group of 15 Javelinas coming up from salt flats near here (another post coming about the flats), I learned that a group of these characters that look like wild pigs, but are another species altogether, is called a squadron.

  • KRINGLA

    KRINGLA

    Like hubs, our neighbour here in South Texas has Norwegian heritage.

    The day that we made Lefse, she stopped by to see how our recipe differed from hers.

    Yesterday, she stopped by with a gift of several Kringla cookies that she always bakes to perfection.

    We’re so very blessed to spend our winters in a diverse, loving, and caring 50+ community.

  • “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

    “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

    Every year at this time, McAllen, Texas (our neighbouring city) hosts “The Golden Age Olympics”. It runs over several weeks and includes every event from race walking to jigsaw puzzles (yes, you read that right – it’s a timed event) and winners come away with medals as well as bragging rights.

    Each year, there is a different overall theme, and this year, as you’ve no doubt guessed already, the theme is Mardi Gras.

    My feature photo was shot at the community hall where hubs registered for the poker event.

    The title of my post, translated to English on this banner, is always the theme for New Orleans Mardi Gras – and is so appropriate for the fun and games happening daily at the
    Golden Age Olympic Games

    I had planned to enter the 5K race walk this year, and am ready for it. Unfortunately, it was downsized this year to a 1.6 K (one mile) race. That’s about the distance I walk at my warm up pace.

    I could figure out a way around it, I suppose, but decided not to this year. I’d have to find a warm up spot close to the race path and then work on it. I have neither the time nor the inclination to do that this year.

  • Bread Knows …

    Bread Knows …

    Yesterday was bread baking day.

    I wasn’t in the best of moods when I started. In fact, you could say I was downright grumpy (another story).

    When I took the first baked loaf out of the pan, my ocd-ish personality wasn’t pleased, and now, even more grumpy.

    I took the photo, sent it to our daughter, and told her about my mood.

    Her reply was, “Oh Mom … bread knows, and it’s manifesting you!”

    With that, I cracked up laughing and got on with my day.

    By the way, the other two loaves came out perfect.

  • Palms Unlimited

    Palms Unlimited

    Just when I thought I must have seen every type of palm tree known to man, what should appear, but a Ponytail Palm?

    I decided to check with Professor Google, and apparently, there are over 2600 species of palm trees, so no, I’ve definitely not seen them all, nor will I live long enough to do so.