Recently, I reviewed This is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch, and I noted several things I have been a huge fan of. One thing I forgot, because I didn’t see it as a fandom, is jigsaw puzzles. Not only do Nick and I do then, typically, they get framed and out on the wall. We had two framed Christmas puzzles that just got put away (we took down our Christmas decorations January 16th), but here are the framed puzzles that bring me simple joy.
Jane Austen image of puzzle, which is currently being framed as I type. The Christmas puzzle we did NOT frame because it made me angry.
Typically, we put the last piece near where it goes, we each put a finger on it like we’re using a Ouija board planchet, and push it in together.
What are some carrots you noticed this week?
Grab the Lapels 
Very cool puzzles!
My carrot is that I notice it’s getting lighter here later at night. It’s not totally dark at 6:00 pm! It makes me very happy. 😊
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I just noticed the same thing tonight!
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Nooooo … that means it’s getting darker here! Too soon, she cries! But, I am glad you are happy.
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We had deer very close to our house most days last week, and it delights the baby to see them up close, through the windows. (My feelings are more mixed. They eat all my plants and poop everywhere and spread their ticks and they’re not afraid of people. I’m afraid one will come crashing through our big floor to ceiling windows in back one day.)
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I was born and raised in Michigan, and there, deer are pretty much considered giant rats. They spread all kinds of diseases. Then again, hunting is super popular. I’m so happy that your grandbaby adores them!
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Before the internet — or more realistically, before the advent of cheap internet access via wifi instead of dial up — I used to do jigsaw puzzles after work. I found them such a great way to relax, almost like meditation. I never got them framed, but would give away or donate to charity shops. I love your jig saw of the beer bottles!
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Nick loves craft beer, so after we finish the puzzle, we put it in a frame for him to hang in his home office. Some puzzles we let go of, but the more artistic ones we tend to keep, like the Jane Austen and the Frida Kahlo.
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My mate, whose place I park my truck at, has a house on 5 acres with of course lots of trees. He routinely has bandicoots (a marsupial about the size of a possum) running around his back verandah, but last week he had a largeish kangaroo casually eating the grass on his back lawn while my mate drank his coffee outside nearby. So that’s his carrot. My granddaughter who lives with me is pulling her weight around the house, so that’s mine.
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You may laugh at this, but I did not realize that bandicoots are real. The only time that I’ve heard of them before was this one video game called something bandicoot. I love the idea of looking out and seeing a kangaroo. Just hanging out in my yard. Then again, I assume that you guys feel the same way about kangaroos that I do about deer giant rats. I’m glad to hear that your granddaughter isn’t driving you nuts and actually helping out!
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How do you feel about deer giant rats? (What are they? Or, do you mean deer and giant rats?) I don’t know about Bill, but I love kangaroos. They always make me smile, and I see them pretty regularly. They, however, are not my carrot. My carrot has been some great social connections over the last week, and I have a friend’s birthday lunch tomorrow. I;m looking forward to that.
The other carrot is that our daughter started work last week after taking a long-burnout break, and I am so happy because I think they are going to love her. I just hope she likes it. But, if she doesn’t she will have a new and different experience on her CV.
I like jigsaw puzzles too but haven’t done one since we moved. I plan very soon to get one out on the table for us to work on as we walk by. I have a board that I can put it on and move it out of the way when needed. (Actually I have done puzzles since we moved, but that have been kids’ puzzles with the grandkids.)
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Oh, to clarify, where I live, people equate deer with rats because both carry diseases. My impression was that Australians felt the same way about kangaroos, which is funny, because in the US we would all go gaga if we saw a kangaroo just bopping around.
I’m happy to hear that you’ve been so social! I recently saw a news story about how socializing is one of the greatest indicators of your overall health. This oncologist listed it above diet and exercise even.
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I guessed it was something like that Melanie. I don’t think Australians do feel the same way. Certainly they create problems for farmers when they are in large quantities and there are culls in various jurisdictions including my own but these aren’t because of disease. Most of us hate the culls but in good times kangaroos can become numerous so culling is argued for to control overpopulation, prevent ecosystem damage caused by overgrazing, and to managing conflicts with agriculture (farmers’ crops/pasture) and urban areas (vehicle collisions). The latter is a big issue in my city. We see dead kangaroos on the road frequently. Most of us would like to see other forms of population control than killing.
And yes I have heard that about socialising. If that’s all I needed to do to keep well I reckon I’ll live a long time … if I don’t wear myself out!
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To be clear, lots of folks do love deer here, but they carry diseases and ticks and are a problem for farmers and commuters. When I was a kid, they banned feed piles in Michigan (a pile of corn, apples, whatever to draw in deer for hunting) because then eating from the same pile was spreading chronic wasting disease in the deer population. They were very sick. I think the Department of Natural Resources has a pretty good handle on it now, but we still need to be careful so we don’t get deer ticks or Lyme disease.
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Sounds similar to kangaroos EXCEPT for ticks and diseases. I never hear people talking about that but I did a search and this is what I found “The risk is generally low for the general public, but high for those with occupational exposure (e.g., land managers, rangers, farmers).” This is an AI conclusion but seems correct from the various individual results I checked.
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I was thinking about Uncle Ralph’s carrots just the other day so I am so happy right now! I love that you actually frame the puzzles and hang them. The Gorey’s and Frida Kahlo are awesome! I love puzzles too. Have one out on a table right now 🙂 We don’t glue or frame them though. We take them apart and keep the ones we really liked to do again in a year or two and then give the others away to our Buy Nothing group. Have gotten some puzzles from them too.
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I’d forgotten about it, but I still hear lots of stories about Uncle Ralph from my mom. Recently, he was playing bingo or something wearing Spiderman glasses, lol. We don’t frame all of them, just the ones that look neat or artsy. Most go to Goodwill or the Buy Nothing group.
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Fun! I’m not hugely into puzzling but I did get a World of Charles Dickens puzzle for my birthday that was fun to put together.
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I wonder if your Charles Dickens puzzle was part of the same series from which I got my Frida Kahlo and my Jane Austen puzzles.
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It is! I haven’t seen the Frida Kahlo one but I’ve also done a Hercule Poirot puzzle in that series. All the details are really fun.
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I did a Shakespeare puzzle and a constellations/night sky puzzle during the pandemic, and enjoyed them both! That paint daubs one is lovely. In terms of carrots, I have noticed that it’s no longer completely dark at 4pm! That’s a source of joy. Also, I joined a choir a few months ago, and last night we had our first rehearsal since Christmas, so that was fun too.
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I did not know you were a singer! Quite a multi-talented person, you are. What kind of music does the choir sing?
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I’m not very good! But I’m good enough to hold an easy alto line in a small community choir 🙂 We mostly sing gospel music – a few other bits and pieces here and there but normally in a gospel arrangement.
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I imagine the paint daub puzzle would have been really hard with all the white space? I also appreciate that you made sure to give Nick the credit for finishing it LOL
That one image at the top – is that of kids getting thrown over banisters and falling down stairs??? Or…what’s going on there? Some famous literacy scene I should be aware of?
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Haha, well, sorry of literary. It’s Edward Gorey, an artist who also published “children’s” books, like the ABC’s but they are all about poison or getting whacked. And yes, they are tossing the baby over the banister! Google Edward Gorey; he’s a hoot.
I thought the paint outside would be easier because of the color. It wasn’t. And Nick struggled because he’s color blind!
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He’s color blind? It’s extra impressive he did that puzzle then haha
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