Category: Laura’s Sumatra (Page 14 of 16)

my mixed bag of ideas, reflections, happenings, commentary

One Year Later: On the technical aspects of blogging

August 3, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

(Hard to believe, but I am coming up on the first anniversary of the launch of this website/blog the end of this month.)

This blogging gig has proven to awaken my inner geek, requiring her to be on-call 24/7. In that respect, I can be quite grumpy and reluctant as regards the technical aspects of blogging. So time consuming! However I am greatly appreciative for the huge learning curves thrown my way that need to be fielded because they require an active attitude of ‘lifelong learning.’

For instance, the issue of updates and backing up data and the website in general has been an on-going concern. This being a self-hosted WordPress site, most of what needs to be addressed on a regular basis is done by myself rather than WordPress. The choice to be self-hosted was a deliberate decision as it offers a greater freedom in use of customizing WP templates and purposes. Learn-as-you-go works for awhile, but after awhile, much of what is labeled, ‘maintenance’ is far from being routine.
Case in point: a few months ago I took the bull by the horns looking for new options for backups in order to address the compounding update issues that cannot continue to stay ‘on hold.’ I realized my original ‘UpdraftPlus’ plugin wasn’t pulling its weight, so I went on a Google research rampage in search of a more suitable solution. Several hours later, I found an-in-your-face-obvious-option I hadn’t noticed at first sight, right on the cPanel of my website host service. A simple button named -you guessed it- Backups.
While I now have a better back-up plan, the updates are still continuing to accumulate. The next step is for me to learn how to implement a ‘clone website.’ That way, I can do updates and see how they change the overall site while not interfering with the live site. The fun part of establishing a clone site is that it will enable me to do all sorts of experimental things while not interfering with the live site. That is indeed a geeky creative desire on my part, I know. We’ll see. Continue reading

WIP: Coffee Beans Means Love to Me

July 30, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

Note: the title of this post refers to the name of my current quilt WIP
As mentioned in a prior post, I’m a quilter from way back when. For the most part, I prefer to work with what is at hand, supplementing materials as needed during each individual project. As a result, my projects display differing degrees of scrappiness appropriate to their ultimate use. Whether utilitarian or artistic, literal quilt blankets or wall hangings, craft or fiber art projects, the underlying theme is always one of creating pieces from what I have on hand. Very much in keeping with the fundamental value of making do with what one has, then augmenting as the need arises.
While living on the compound in the desert outside Las Cruces, NM, I worked retail at the JoAnnFabrics in town. Just being in the store each working day was creative eye candy to my soul. I couldn’t make quilts due to our living circumstances, but those creative juices had free roaming privileges within my mind. Continue reading

Peace Post – John Lennon

July 23, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

John Lennon in Lafayette, Colorado

“You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.” John Lennon

Creative Confluence

July 15, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

Confluence.

I love how that word rolls about in the mouth; how it feels like its verbal definition.

Confluence.

Defined as a coming or flowing together, meeting or gathering at one point.

Most often used in reference to the joining of different rivers forming a larger waterway, it offers up a powerful image describing the perpetual movement of life. Regardless of point of origin, the joining up of these liquid forces produces newborn paths, vision and vitality.

The confluence of the Mississippi River & Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. (© Nathan Benn/Ottochrome/Corbis)

Confluence itself is sort of ‘messy.’ Look at the bottom tip of Illinois where the Ohio and Mississippi rivers come together. During our first year on-the-road between-homes, we often traveled the bridges over these two rivers around Cairo, IL. Continue reading

Bengal Tiger Inspiration

July 9, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

Bengal Tiger Nashville Zoo, Amiee Stubbs Photography 2012

That gaze is arresting; so peaceful yet focused and in the moment. What a glorious creation; breathed forth into existence by the imagination of my Lord.
Reaching out to me from the image; that gaze. The earthy balance of body, pattern and color palette; eye – candy ‘au naturale.’ It fills me.
The glow of the glimmering candles cast orange upon my workspace. Against a grey backdrop day, I am surrounded by supportive stuff; bits of inspiration, all within view of that gaze.

The Rusty Quilter

June 22, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

Detail of rows 1 & 2 of my quilt WIP

“Hello, my name is Laura and I am a rusty quilter who’s picking up the needle again.”
Geesh, that sounds kind of illegal. No matter, quilting is and has been a very important part of my life since well, forever. Put another way, when the country was re-discovering quilt-art in the 1960’s and 70’s, I was among those who tried my hand at it…and kept my hand in it ever afterwards.
Basic to those early projects was a deep desire to stay true to my own set of ‘quilt values.’ Specifically: recycling used clothing and jeans into quilts and wearables, both utilitarian and artistic. One of my first quilt-based projects used old jeans pockets as squares to make a lounge pillow for my younger brother.
Yes, the times they were a-changin’.* Continue reading

Fun with Sourdough

May 30, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

I love to cook and bake. Since I have featured my homemade sourdough breads in two previous articles (click on recipe name for article or here & here), I thought it appropriate to share my original recipes. Also included is a muffin/quick bread recipe that I adjusted to help use up excess starter. (Which is great with a cuppa joe!)

The following recipes assume one has sourdough starter on hand (Mother). If not, there are numerous ways of obtaining some, including starting one’s own via bread cookbook recipes. However, sourdough starter is kind-of the ‘zucchini’ of the baking world. When one begins baking with homemade starter, it usually overtakes the kitchen! Hence the infamous ‘Friendship’ breads make their rounds among neighbors periodically with an accompanying ziplock baggie containing 1 – 2 cups of starter.

Are you ready to have some fun? Continue reading

Hope Quote

May 23, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”
-Lady Bird Johnson

View from my front porch lounge chair

Calibrachoa in Michelle’s pot

May 4, 2014 / laura bruno lilly

Note: tonight’s update has been great fun for me to research. While tracking down more songs with cowbell (added to the list below), I veered off into the realm of cowbell as an instrument. As an added twist I am including two short videos on various ways percussionists play the cowbell.

Here’s the IN PROGRESS list so far. I listen to each entry to verify cowbell sounds. Often other percussive elements are mistaken for cowbell to the untrained ear! Continue reading