W^2 or W squared for Wordless Wednesday, June 18, 2025
This Wednesday finds me home in my summer office praying the birds I have neglected, return to my feeders. Yesterday, both my wife and I drove home from the lake after spending almost two weeks away. The yard needed mown, the feeders were empty, and there was a package waiting on the doorstep when I arrived.

Summer always finds my days full and it is difficult to wrap my mind around the idea that in three weeks I will be in London. When I traveled to Europe fifteen years ago, I carried my laptop and blogged from my hotel room at the end of the day or wrote at the beginning of the following day. In all I posted six times, with a seventh the day I returned. I think my mom and wife were the only readers at that point. When I go back to see what I wrote fifteen years ago, I cringe, and realize I have grown as a writer. I also realize that my posts have not ‘aged’ well. The photos need to be updated and refreshed and I’ll do that later – but I’ll be using my Mac.
This trip I plan to write and post, but I think I can use my iPad and I am giving it a whirl this morning. I was successful last summer with a post on the trip home from California and a post from 35,000 feet. So this post will be entirely produced with the iPad!
This week’s images are the yellow peonies from the lake. These were just beginning to bloom as were were packing up and finishing chores late Sunday and Monday. I took the photo Tuesday morning before leaving. Peonies are my wife’s favorite late spring flower and we have several peony plants in or garden at home, but only one at the lake. I have a feeling that may change.
The second image is of two peonies on the kitchen counter. I removed the background so I wouldn’t be showing the clutter on the counter or at the kitchen table! I suppose we all have something we want to hide.

So that’s it for this morning. I have a few chores and errands to do but most of the day is going to be spent on making the days count, one day at a time, working on being better today than I was yesterday. So, I better jump up, jump in, and seize the day.
What do you use to write and post?
This is beautiful.
Yers they are. thank you for stopping by.
Wow… gorgeous peonies! I agree, good to have iPad with you when travel. Enjoy your upcoming trip!
Amy – thanks for bopping over to visit. I follow your blog and have for a while. Thank you, my wife loves them, but they are done for 2025. I am ‘practicing’ with my iPad now replying to comments! It will much light than the Mac and it can do what I will need it do! Have a wonderful Sunday.
Thank you for following my blog, Clay! It’s wonderful that we can share our photos through WP. Hope to read more of your stories.
Good morning, summertime is my time to create and write. I am a teacher and I am on summer break until mid-August when school resumes. I think summer break is an annual audition for retirement which each year gets a little closer. I started blogging in the 2010 summer and wrote a lot, but as time marches I only write or post a few times a week during the summer and sparsely when school resumes, I do hope to be more regular in my postings and readings. There is so much to see in other’s work. Thanks for the follow and I do hope you stick with me. Peace.
A post from 35,000 feet is awesome. I am not tech savvy, but for some reason ipads just make everything not work for me. I tried booking a carpet cleaning on my ipad the other day and I was having the hardest time even getting onto google. My 6 year old grand duaghter had to show me how to do it.
Teresa, thanks for stopping in. Learning new things isn’t easy, but in order to stay sharp, present, and grow as we age we must learn to take on new challenges which encourage to create, rather than dwell. Have a great day and keep making your days count. Peace.
Well aren’t you the lucky one headed to London!! Have fun.
And, I love the peonies.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Patricia – I hope you are doing well. London will be interesting, I am really looking forward to Paris and Amsterdam and a visit to the area where my dad’s remains were spread. It’s near a Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, it’s from WWI. My dad took us there when my wife and visited in May of ‘97. There is another American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery on my list – Netherlands American Cemetery, its from WWII. I’ve written about it before, but I’ll write about it again, and after our visit. The main focus is to celebrate the life my stepmother who died in January 2024. We didn’t do it last summer because all of us over here were just too busy and we wanted to plan a get together which included her side of the family who live in England. We’ll get to see the sunset over the Mumbles or the Atlantic Ocean looking towards Ireland. We’ll leave in a little less than two weeks and it is getting to the point of ‘objects are closer than they appear!’
Oh how lovely. As far as I know, we do’t have yellow peonies here. Just pink and white. Don’t worry about the kitchen clutter. I’d feel quite at home!
My wife’s love of peonies comes from her mother….. I remember when we lived in San Francisco my wife, then girl friend, would bring them home with her and fill our apartment with them. After her parents died and she sold their house, she harvested her mother’s peonies and transplanted them in our gardens. The yellow peony at the lake is the only yellow in her ‘collection’ all of the peonies in our gardens are white, pink, salmon, or red. But they do bring a pop of color to the garden, don’t they? Thank you for stopping in and enjoy your Thursday.
Oh my. A yellow peony. There is one about a mile down the road from here, the first yellow peony I’ve ever seen. I think they are beautiful and might just have to find a place in my yard to plant one.
I like to take my laptop on big trips so I can download photos regularly. Like every night. There are always so many photos. But I know lugging it around Europe is not fun. The Ipad should be a good compromise. Can’t wait to see your adventure!
My wife got her love of peonies from her mother and planted the peony after she died almost ten years ago. It has really grown into the space and the brilliant yellow peonies remind me of her. Thank you for stopping by MtDC.
I do like the laptop with the mouse, but I have a pencil that that I can use with the iPad. Also, I use to carry a camera, but now, almost exclusively, I use my iPhone. My camera is sort of like the Maytag repairman of old, if you know the commercial. I am going to experiment as the trip gets closer. Have a great day!
Ah, the growth of a writer. I think that exemplifies your willingness to learn. Wouldn’t it be worse to look back and nothing was different?
Love the peonies and the plan not to take your laptop! Hope you have a great trip, Clay! <3
Wynne, thank you for your encouragement….oh yes indeed writing and styling have GREATLY improved. I discovered that almost all of the images I posted in the early days did not make the transition from http to https and some of the links I added years ago have evaporated. It rained most of yesterday and the peonies took a hit, but there are more flowers in the garden. Enjoy your day and thank you for stopping by.