Wood Clogs and Recreating a Painting

This week has been frustrating for an unusual reason. Clutter. My office at work is filled with projects that I need to do. There is hardly any floor or counter space due to the volume of tasks to be done. 

One of the tasks was finding this pair of child-size wooden clogs that I used as part of a Christmas display. A co-worker had uploaded the information about them into CollectiveAccess and the next step was for me to photograph them so they could be added to the digital record. The challenge: I couldn't find the shoes. 

I searched everywhere in the collections storage area and throughout my office (or so I thought). I finally found them on Saturday afternoon - tucked in a box with the note: Ready to be Photographed. 

Working in such a chaotic-appearing environment has to change. It is known that clutter has a detrimental effect on mental well-being and can lead to feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. Studies have linked office clutter to increased emotional exhaustion, heightened stress, and reduced job satisfaction.

Equally important is that having a disorganized office can create a negative impression on visitors, volunteers, and other staff members. I just need a block of time - uninterrupted - to get things done. 

Anyway...on a more positive note, there was a location scout and film crew who came to the museum this past week with the goal of wanting to recreate a Carl Larsson painting (see below).

Although the building color is different in the back, we did have a birch tree and building from the 1800s that they liked. Hopefully, it works out, and they will return in Spring 2026 to film the scene.

Other than that, it has been raining for the past two days and is smoky due to the Canadian wildfires. Things should dry out by tomorrow and the smoke should dissipate by tomorrow afternoon. 

The irises are blooming - lots of purple irises and two-colored ones (white and purple, and yellow and purple). The yellow irises that my parents had at their home are blooming, and the bleeding hearts are still going strong.

A mother deer and her fawn walked down the driveway yesterday. They disappeared into the pasture before I had a chance to take their photo. Hopefully, they will be back.

Saw a wren and cedar waxwing today. The waxwing was in the crabapple tree, eating the little red apples. 

One of the big rabbits was in the driveway and front lawn. 

I love seeing all the wildlife here. It is one of the highlights of the day for me.