Wednesday, November 13, 2019

I dig carrots!


I want to start today by sharing what I did a week ago on Tuesday. 

Tuesday November 5 was voting day for some areas of the U.S.  We voted for local things, like a new mayor, the school board, and city council, and an amendment.  Since it was an "off" year, meaning we were not voting for a national official, voting was not expected to be high.  However, there was a contested mayoral race, which brought tons of people to the polls for a change.

I normally vote early, but this year, due to some personal issues I won't go into that have kept me away from the computer or out and about, I didn't take time to vote early this year.  I'm always glad when I don't vote early, though, because my assigned voting place (you can vote anywhere that is open when voting early, but must go to your assigned voting place on voting day) is in a local church and the church ladies bake wonderful cookies for those of us who show up on that day.  They also provide coffee, hot water for tea, and ice water, too.

They provide a LOT of cookies and I even saw cupcakes this year.  For my international friends, that black thing you see in the far distance is one of our new to Wichita (as of two years ago) electronic voting machines.  I hope wherever you live, if you have an opportunity to vote, you will exercise your right to do so.  It's very important you do, so your voice can be heard, too.

Now let's get to the art.  I'm once again joining Rike at Rike's Art our host this month at Art Journal Journey with her theme of Fruit and Veggies

I'm "Digging these carrots


Up!" 


I hope I kept the secret of the surprise word for a couple of images.




For this page, I began with a sheet of heavy cardboard recycled from the back of a pad of watercolor paper that I painted using various colors of fluid acrylics.  I found the focal image in a magazine and cut it out.  However, the image dwarfed when I placed it on the cardboard.  That's when I decided to cut the cardboard to approximately 10 inches (25,4 centimeters) square.  Finally, I printed the words on my laser printer.

I'm super pleased you decided to visit today.  Your support of my art means a lot to me.  I also hope to see you at AEDM and Art Journal Journey

This is Day 13 of Art Every Day Month (AEDM), hosted by Leah Piken Kolidas
and I created a journal page for Art Journal Journey.  I also showed you one of our electronic voting machines like the ones that got hacked by Russians in 2016.

24 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

Voting is important. Our voting place is the local school, but we never get cookies or drinks! Fun journal page. Have a nice day, Valerie

Iris Flavia said...

Oh, no wonder people come - you get (free?) coffee there?
You vote anywhere when early?! You get cookies?!!! What?! Church?!
Catering that is, LOL!

We get nothing! It´s usually in a little school. Give your paper, vote, go.

Electronic voting machines? I think I´m Wilma Flintstone!

Yes, come voting time we always go (anyways, heck I will tell them of how it´s in your place, too! I want Pizza then!).

I like your artwork very much, but... when I was working in Wolfsburg I had (homemade) carrots with olive oil nearly every day for lunch for 2 years and, brrrr. I think I continued even for a while here in Braunschweig and now, just seeing carrots... I´m done for a while ;-)
But: happy digging and enjoy yours (once in a while)....

aussie aNNie said...

Great digging carrots images,nothing like fresh bunch of them. My dog loves carrots..x

NatureFootstep said...

how fun, love the idea and the carrots looks yummy :) I used to like them straight from the dirt, but you don´t get that in a shop, do you?

Cath Wilson said...

Love the background behind those carrots...such a shame to cover it up, Elisabeth. Great words for the image, too. I love carrots :-)
Cath x

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Voting is one of the most important things we can do and we should never dream up excuses not to vote. I am always reminded of the privilege it is when I see immigrants, having recently become Canadian citizens, express their joy at being able to vote. Can you imagine what might have happened in Syria had the people been allowed to vote against Bashar al Assad? Now they can rejoice in being able to make their choices known here. Welcome New Canadians!

My name is Erika. said...

I've never seen cookies or cupcakes at voting in my town. Nice. And because my town is so small we vote in the school. And because the district doesn't close for the day, there is always a high police presence for the kids safety.(Mainly because it is still legal to carry concealed weapons when they come into vote-and our governor doesn't seem to believe that could be a problem.) But I often run into people I haven't seen in a long time and of course voting is important. I am loving the carrots page. It is perfect for fall. And who doesn't like a carrot? Hope it's a great week. Hugs-Erika

Rike said...

Never saw an electronic voting machine, very interesting!
Oh carrots - I am glad you used this healthy vegetable for your wonderful page! The background you made is gorgeous and with this red and orange it fits perfect to the carrots! I have some carrots in my garden, but they are much smaller :)) I seed them too narrow - every year!
Thank you for linking your carrot page to my theme, dear Elizabeth!

Jeanie said...

The church where I vote doesn't do that. Too bad -- it's a nice tradition. I like the image -- it reminds me of this summer and pulling carrots from Rick's garden!

Eileen The Artful Crafter said...

Fabulous background, Elizabeth. You always find wonderful images for your pages. Eileen xx

Meggymay said...

Our voting place, could be the village hall or a specially brought in cabin.
You are lucky to be offered drinks and a cookie. However we choose to get postal votes.
Your carrots look as if they will taste lovely, fresh from the garden is unbeatable.
Its a fantastic page and super photos.
Yvonne xx

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Clever carrot artwork.

Here in Connecticut, we're back to paper ballots, that then get scanned by a single machine near the exit. They have "special" markers to fill in the ovals with. They have desks with side partitions that one sits at, to fill in the paper form, but anyone can look over your shoulder and see how you voted. I don't like that. There is no privacy. The "old" machines had a curtain, but they did away with those awhile ago.

I'm hesitant about Scott saying all you need is a router, then you don't need an anti-virus program. If I download a file from the internet that's infected with a virus, a router isn't going to stop me from doing so. Right now, no matter what site I download from, I always virus scan the file(s) before doing anything else with it. I also read, during my Linux research, that a Linux site got hacked, and a modified ISO was swapped in for the download image. The article said that is why it's important to verify the file checksum, in addition to doing a virus scan. Needless to say, I did the checksum verification on the Linux ISO I downloaded, besides virus scanning it. But Norton is almost like a virus: I keep getting popup ads from it now. It's becoming beyond annoying. Someone said they just use Windows Defender, but in the past, my research said it wasn't very good, and not to rely on it as your anti-virus. Ugh.

Cindy McMath said...

Fun page! I can tell you are enjoying this month’s theme. As for voting, I have never had anyone serve cookies and beverages at the polling station. Great perk!

Divers and Sundry said...

It is always a shocking thing to me when I hear people say they don't vote. I mean I get thinking your vote doesn't really matter (I am a liberal living in Memphis, which is a blue city in a red state), but still... Local issues can be just as important, and there's no excuse for not voting :( Thanks for being one of the good guys :) and setting a good example :)

Divers and Sundry said...

Anne, I don't know if you follow comments and don't know if you'll see this, but while I'm thinking about it I wanted to suggest that Windows Defender has improved and might be worth exploring. "Some years ago, Windows Defender routinely earned truly awful scores from the independent testing labs, coming in below zero at times. It's been improving steadily, at least with some of the four testing labs that I follow, and its scores now range from so-so to perfect." https://www.pcmag.com/review/171496/microsoft-windows-defender-security-center

sheila 77 said...

Hello Elizabeth. First of all thanks for the great comment you left on Orange E. just now. I so very much appreciate it. I'm glad you liked my Runner Bean and I'm so glad you enjoyed the Coastal Path photographs.
About voting - we still use the old-fashioned curtained cubicle and mark with a cross on the voting paper. I certainly like it that way.
Cookies and coffee! - wouldn't that be marvellous and an extra incentive to vote. I'm a bit puzzled that you can vote anywhere earlier on. Here there is one day for voting and you must go to a specific local place where they have the local electoral register list and your name is scored off. Fascinating to read how you do it differently.
I like your carrots being pulled very much. I would love to grow carrots but one year the fox decided to either play with them or give them a little bite and then toss them so that put us off. We used to find a couple of nibbled carrots every morning scattered across the garden. Meanwhile I shall enjoy your picture of the carrots and maybe try growing them again next year.
Love from Sheila

craftytrog said...

Ugh! We have to vote next month, and sadly it never goes my way. I'll keep trying though! Our politics is such a mess at the moment!
Great page Elizabeth, those carrots look tasty!

DVArtist said...

I am so fortunate to live in a state, Oregon, that we vote by mail. All elections are sent to us, we vote and mail it back or can use the drop off boxes. It makes it so easy. With voting suppression in our country I see why this is not adopted in every state. With that I love your carrot art. Hugs N

froebelsternchen said...

I love carrots, and such fresh carrots are the best.
Your page is amazing! A fantastic entry for RIke's topic!
We never get soemthing offered when we vote here in our village... and all is done by hand here....

Big hugs, Susi

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Such an interesting post Elizabeth and yes I agree with you voting should never be taken lightly or worse ignored. I'm always fascinated by the voting system in the US, it seems so much more complicated than here in Australia. Here in National elections it's compulsory to vote, it's on a Saturday so most can get there, but postal votes are the way if you can't make it. Always enjoy seeing creatives at work, wish I was more arty 😉

Sami said...

Voting is compulsory in Australia which I find a great idea. If you don't vote you must have a Drs certificate to prove you are not fit to do so, or otherwise pay a fine, it's not much but it's the principle. But we don't get food :)

sirkkis said...

What awesome carrots! Brilliant idea to have them be as the head role at the challenge.
Have a great time ahead xx

Let's Art Journal said...

We can vote at a polling station or by mail, no cookies and coffee though 😁. That's such a great page! I'm loving the colourful background that you created for those fabulous carrot images - perfect 😁. Happy and creative wishes! Hugs, Jo x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Ooh! Lovely fresh carrots - such a beautiful aroma - a real childhood memory! I get to vote on my birthday as we have a general election - yes, I will be casting my vote! Chrisx