Standing Into Danger

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

IWSG Day: Wednesday, November 4, 2026 ~ Bound to Place and Time

It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are

Kalpana, Kim Lajevardi, Rebecca Douglass, Jennifer Lane, and Cathrina Constantine!

Stop by their posts and thank them for hosting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.

This month's optional question is:

As a writer, do you have favorite themes that you like to explore in your stories? If so, what are they?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy November, Everyone!

I hope all is going well for you.

Terry and I have been enjoying the mellow fall weather.

Our brilliant fall leaves have faded and many of them have fallen.

My world is resting before the arrival of winter.

Looking Down on the Path Leading into Our Nearby Park

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 31, 2026

Throughout my life I have felt deeply connected

to the natural world and its landscapes and seascapes,

and this fascination has impacted my writing from the time I wove my first stories.

I have been particularly interested in how different environments

shape the lives of the people who live in them.

Not just people, but all living things,

are bound to their place and time on our beautiful Earth.

A Mule Buck That Hangs Out in My Neighborhood

Heritage Eagle Bend

Aurora, Colorado, USA

November 1, 2026

This magnificent mule buck looks so comfortable on the lawn across the street from me.

Based on his physical characteristics and antler structure, he is about 4.5 to 5.5 years old.

Technically he is a 4x4 with eye guards (when counting antler points).

He was born nearby, somewhere along Piney Creek, likely in 2021.

He has never had to worry about being harassed or hunted by people,

so he lounges contentedly, unconcerned about me stalking him with my iPhone.

He may even remember me, because I've been watching him for years.

He is absolutely a product of his place and time.

The Mule Deer Lying in the Grass Is Likely Him (Note the Nose)

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 13, 2021

I am interested in the bones of the Earth, how they've shaped living things throughout time.

And I wonder about life beyond the Earth throughout our galaxy and beyond.

I think about the Fermi Paradox:

Why haven't we found evidence of extraterrestrial civilizations?

A trillion galaxies in our universe.

One hundred billion stars in each galaxy.

Trillions of potential worlds.

Intelligent life should be out there somewhere.

Why haven't we found it or made contact with it?

Our Deepest View of the Cosmos Via the Hubble Telescope

Hundreds of Galaxies in All Shapes and Sizes

Hubble Ultra Deep Field Photo ~ Wikipedia

I think about an amazing science fiction novel written by Kim Stanley Robinson,

published in 2015, Aurora.

It's one of the best books I've ever read.

I've never forgotten a phrase:

"... life is a planetary expression..."

Wikipedia

The full quotation is this:

"That's why you aren't hearing from anyone out there. That's why the great silence persists. There are many other living intelligences out there, no doubt, but they can't leave their home planets any more than we can, because life is a planetary expression, and can only survive on its home planet." (Robinson, Kim Stanley. Aurora. Orbit, 2015, p. 428)

Life is a Planetary Expression

Source

You may think I have wandered far afield from Piney Creek

to the far reaches of galaxies in space and time.

But the principle remains the same:

Living things are shaped by their environments,

by their landscapes and seascapes,

by their particular places and times.

I can't think of a story I've written, long or short, published or unpublished,

that isn't founded on a specific location and how it impacts the characters in my tale.

Setting has always inspired and driven my writing.

I keep thinking of life as a planetary expression.

We are an expression of our planet.

We need to take better care of our earthly home.

Our Blue Marble Photographed by the Crew of Apollo 17 in 1972

Image Credit: NASA’s Earth Observatory

I used to dream of living on the moon, on Mars, and beyond.

(Even wrote a few stories, thankfully lost in time. 😂)

But no more. I'm grateful and happy to hang out in my place and time,

along with my muley buck, Old Man Cottonwood, and ever-changing Piney Creek.

Old Man Cottonwood

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 20, 2026

Wispy Cirrus Clouds and a Bright Patch of Sun Dog

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

November 3, 2026

Happy creating in November!

May life be happy and safe for you!

Take care!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be Friday, November 13th. 🤞

Just so you know, I monitor my comments before publishing them. This means your comment won't appear immediately. I will not publish mean spirited or commercial comments.

Friday, October 30, 2026

Playing with CHAT GPT as Fall Lingers

Our fall has been lingering and lovely,

and I've been getting out and enjoying nature as much as I can.

Cottonwood Leaves in Autumn Sun

Along Piney Creek

October 27, 2026

Nature is a great antidote to the stress of an overloaded calendar

and too many pressing projects.

I love the fall colors, the plants and wildlife,

the bright rabbitbrush and migrating monarch butterflies.

Rabbitbrush and Monarch Butterfly

Along Piney Creek

October 6, 2026

Rabbitbrush and Monarch Butterfly

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 6, 2026

I'm always curious about what I'm seeing, and monarch butterflies have been struggling.

They passed through Aurora earlier this month

on their migration to their wintering grounds in Mexico.

Aurora city naturalist David Footle says larger numbers have been migrating this fall,

rebounding from a population decline in the past. Aurora TV

This is wonderful to learn.

Certainly we have lots of milkweed and rabbitbrush for them.

Yellow Rabbitbrush and White Milkweed

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 6, 2026

I have a friend Jon who is a prolific publisher of vlogs, and he uses AI extensively

in creating his videos, enhancing his photos, and providing music for the songs he writes.

And since Jon has been raving about what success he has had

using Chat GPT to enhance photos, I decided to check it out.

I experimented first with a photo of some mule deer I captured with my iPhone recently.

Here is the humdrum photo I took off my deck with my iPhone:

Mule Deer Grazing (Original)

Heritage Eagle Bend

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 23, 2026

Like I often do, I played with my photo in Apple Photos and tried to improve it:

Mule Deer Grazing (After Editing with Photos)

Heritage Eagle Bend

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 23, 2026

Hardly much of an improvement and not really a photo I would normally post on my blog.

So I learned how to upload it to CHAT GPT and see what it would do with the photo.

It even offered a title for its improved photo, Serene Deer Gathering on the Meadow:

Serene Deer Gathering on the Meadow (CHAT GPT Enhancement #1)

Heritage Eagle Bend

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 23, 2026

Definitely an improvement, but the photo has changed almost indiscernibly.

The mule deer on the left has its face subtly shifted to enhance its second eye.

Then CHAT GPT offered:

"Would you like to take it a step further?

I can also help you create:

- A sharper, more detailed version that brings out the deer’s fur and facial features.

- A closer crop that makes the four deer larger in the frame.

- A professional wildlife photograph look with richer natural colors and balanced lighting.

I'd recommend the sharper, more detailed version to make these beautiful mule deer stand out."

Well why not, since I'm exploring and learning?

Deer Resting and Grazing on Green Turf (CHAT GPT Enhancement #2)

Heritage Eagle Bend

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 23, 2026

Whoa! Definitely a much better photo than my original ~ lovely.

But do you see what has happened?

The left deer's face is now straight on, and it has been moved closer to the second deer,

and the right (fourth) deer has been moved closer to the third deer.

It's beautiful, but it's not real.

I want my photos to be real, to accurately capture what I see.

This really bothered and continues to bother me.

An Invitation to Play ~ I Still Love to Kick Through Leaves

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 27, 2026

After experimenting with the mule deer, I decided to enhance a flawed family photo.

I took it at my niece Natalie's wedding, and the lighting resulted in a disappointing photo:

Natalie with Her Parents and Grandfather

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

September 12, 2026

Wow! What a difference! Joyful Woodland Wedding Portrait.

CHAT GPT described this version as "Classic portrait version: Natural-looking colors and a traditional family-photograph feel."

Joyful Woodland Wedding Portrait (CHAT GPT Enhancement #4)

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

September 12, 2026

Chat GTP offered me several options, including one with the background muted.

It described this version as "Romantic version: Warmer, with a dreamy woodland background."

Joyful Wedding Family Portrait (CHAT GPT Enhancement #4)

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

September 12, 2026

What do you think, classic or romantic?

CHAT GPT also offered me some advice when it comes to family photos:

"Image generation can recreate a photograph rather than simply retouch it. Even when the result looks wonderful, small facial details, clothing features, or other elements may change. That's especially worth watching with treasured family photographs.

"Since this is a family keepsake, I’d recommend keeping your original photo alongside the enhanced versions. AI enhancement can occasionally subtly change small facial details, so the original is always worth preserving."

I'm thinking of the manipulated deer. 😂😂😂

Just for fun I thought I'd throw in a couple of photos from my childhood.

Natalie's parents, Bertie and Peter, now own my Grandmother MacDonald's property,

and Natalie and Jake's wedding took place in a very different space

from when I was a little girl.

The first photo is of me walking through the field behind Grammie's home

before it became the "woodland" it is today.

The apple trees in the background around Grammie's home are now gone,

and many tall trees have vanquished the flowers and grasses I walked through.

Me in My Ubiquitous Harness (I was a runner.)

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Summer 1953

And, of course, I had to run it through CHAT GPT out of curiosity:

Vintage Toddler in a Wildflower Meadow.

Vintage Toddler in a Wildflower Meadow (CHAT GPT Enhancement #1)

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Summer 1953

I like the nonvintage me. 😂 😂 😂

The last one I promise.

This photo shows my three sisters, Donnie holding Bertie (Natalie's mother) and Barb.

The apple tree behind them is only a memory,

but my grandfather's workshop still stands

reincarnated as Peter's workshop and Natalie and Sara's Hummingbird House.

Donnie (with Bertie) and Barbie

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Summer 1960

CHAT GPT worked its magic.

Vintage Backyard Family Snapshot:

Donnie (with Bertie) and Barbie

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Summer 1960

Pretty sad reconstruction.

Their faces are subtly altered; well, not Barbie's.

Barbie doesn't look like Barbie at all, and her characteristic skeptical scowl,

which made the original funny, has been changed into a smile.

This is why you should always preserve the original photo!

😱 😱 😱

In my writing group, the Insecure Writer's Support Group,

we have frequently discussed the use of AI in writing.

This new and rapidly changing technology poses all kinds of ethical questions.

Where do you draw the lines in its use?

How do we know what is real and what isn't?

In writing? In photography? In art?

In business? In science? In politics?

Will AI usher us into an amazing future and help us solve our serious problems,

or will it lead to our extinction?

An original photo? An improved photo? Or a distortion of reality?

A cupcake baked from scratch? From a cupcake mix?

Bought from the deli, piled high with buttercream frosting,

and made from questionable or fake ingredients?

I guess we each make our choices,

but we should be intentional and clearly indicate where we draw the lines.

What are your thoughts?

Fall Continues to Linger

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 27, 2026

Have a great weekend!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be

IWSG Day, Wednesday, November 4th, 2026 🤞

Confession: Actually I quite like deli cupcakes, especially if they're chocolate or red velvet topped with copious buttercream icing. 🧁🧁🧁

Friday, October 23, 2026

Have You Voted?

Tuesday, November 3, 2026 is fast approaching.

Have you voted?

I'm fortunate to live in Colorado where we have had voting by mail

safely, securely, and successfully since 2013.

As Governor Jared Polis said earlier this year:

"Many Colorado voters have chosen to vote by mail for decades, and since 2013 the State has had universal vote-by-mail for eligible voters. Colorado’s vote-by-mail system is one of the most secure and successful in the country, achieving a turnout rate of 73.4% in the 2024 general election as compared with the national average of 64.3%. Of these voters, 92.2% chose to return a mail ballot, while only 7.8% of voters chose to vote in-person." Source

I love voting by mail, because my ballot has never failed to arrive,

and I can return it by dropping it in a secure drop box

next to the library and police station a mile away.

I vote early and I drop it off early, always.

Thanks to Ballottrax, I can choose to get an email

when my ballot is officially received and another when it's counted:

"Hello MYRTLE BARBOUR,

Thank you for voting! Your 2026 General Election mail ballot has been counted by Arapahoe County Elections."

To me the best thing about early voting by mail is that I have time

to carefully research and fill out my ballot.

My Colorado ballot this year was four pages long,

contained seven amendments to change our state constitution,

seven propositions to change our state statutes,

four City of Aurora ballot issues,

about a dozen judges to vote to return to the bench or not,

(including the Supreme Court of Colorado),

a federal senator, a congressional representative, a state senator, a state representative,

a sheriff, and a number of other officials like a coroner,

and a couple of random things like regional transportation decisions.

The voter information books I received from the State of Colorado

and Arapahoe County contained a total of 156 pages. 😱

Thankfully, I can sit down several times and thoughtfully fill out my ballot.

This time it took me seven or eight hours, maybe a little longer.

(Yes, I know I could plan in advance and carry a sheet into a voting booth

to help me as I vote in person on Election Day,

but there is something very reassuring about physically inking in a paper ballot

and not having to worry about screwing up technologically in the voting booth.

Technology and I often fight.)

Not one of our amendments, propositions, or ballot issues was simple,

and I had to dig into the details to be sure what I was voting on.

It can be difficult to track down unbiased and balanced voting information.

One resource that's available nationwide and that I have found very helpful is Ballotpedia.

What I appreciate about Ballotpedia is that it thoroughly discusses

the pros and cons of an amendment, a proposition, ballot issues, and candidates,

discloses who is supporting or opposing an item or person on the ballot,

and who had spent what regarding the item.

I always check out Ballopedia.

Absolutely, for sure, I think this should be the case! 😂

A second thing I like about early voting by mail is that I don't have to worry

about something unexpected happening on Election Day that prevents me from voting.

If my ballot doesn't arrive, I have time to find out what the problem is.

If something unexpected happens when I want to drop off my ballot,

I can go the next day or Terry can drop it off for me.

I consider voting an important responsibility, and I know I can get it done.

I hate to admit the third thing I value about early voting by mail.

But I'll admit it. I'm a senior. I'm 76.

I do not want to shuffle through hours in line waiting to vote,

especially if the weather is bad or I am sick or in pain on Election Day.

There are lots of people who find it challenging to stand in line and wait,

not just seniors.

Dropping a ballot off or returning it by mail solves these problems.

I prefer to drop my ballot off in a drop box.

Then I don't have to worry about the USPS getting it back in time.

So, have you voted?

It is a privilege. It is a responsibility. Make your voice heard.

Have a great weekend!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be

Friday, October 30th, 2026 🤞

Books Read in 2026

"18 Days in Heaven" by Gale Poirot
"A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Hope, Love, and Overcoming" by Kerrie Rawson
"Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life" by Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD.
"Is Math Real? How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics Deepest Truths" by Eugenia Cheng
"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir
"Tell Me Everything" by Elizabeth Strout
"The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese
"The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity" by David Graeber and David Wengrow
"The Life Impossible" by Matthew Haig
"The Lord go the Rings" by JRR Tolkien
"The Match" by Harlan Corben
"The Night the Path Disappeared" by Terri Bergen
"The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper" by Roland Allen
"Theo of Golden" by Allen Levi
"Think Twice" by Harlan Corben
"Why Christianity Must Change Or Die" by John Shelby Spong

Standing Into Danger

Pages

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

IWSG Day: Wednesday, November 4, 2026 ~ Bound to Place and Time

Friday, October 30, 2026

Playing with CHAT GPT as Fall Lingers

Friday, October 23, 2026

Have You Voted?

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