Pictures From A Typewriter

Humbling to view the pictures below. Imagine the mind and determination!

"Pictures from a Typewriter"

He lived at Rose Haven Nursing Home ( Roseburg , OR ) for years. Paul Smith,the man with extraordinary talent was born in Philadelphia on September 21, 1921 with severe cerebral palsy. Not only had Paul beaten the odds of a life with spastic cerebral palsy, a disability that impeded his speech and mobility but also taught himself to become a master artist as well as a terrific chess player even after being devoid of a formal education as a child.

"When typing, Paul used his left hand to steady his right one. Since he couldn't press two keys at the same time, he almost always locked the shift key down and made his pictures using the symbols at the top of the number keys. In other words, his pictures were based on these characters ..... @ # $ % ^ &* ( ) _ . Across seven decades, Paul created hundreds of pictures. He often gave the originals away. Sometimes, but not always, he kept or received a copy for his own records. As his mastery of the typewriter grew, he developed techniques to create shadings, colors, and textures that made his work resemble pencil or charcoal drawings.

"This great man passed away on June 25, 2007, but left behind a collection of his amazing artwork that will be an inspiration for many..(These pictures are unbelievable. Strange we should just now be hearing about him. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.)

Can you believe that this art was created using a typewriter?

Strawberry Fig Jam

It's Fig Season!

I have a Fig Tree I dug up from my Parent's house some 15 years ago. I love this tree! It was a seedling back then, from their tree. Since, it has grown and produces the best tasting Figs.

My backyard birds agree! But we have come to an arrangement. I leave the ones on top I can't reach for them & they leave the bottom ones for me ;~)

Since I'm really the only one here that really loves Figs (the best way to eat them is off the tree for breakfast!), I've had to come up with a way to use them up as so none go to waste.

Here's one of my favorite Fig Recipes:

***

Strawberry Fig Jam

**

3 Cups mashed figs

3 Cups sugar

1 Large Box Strawberry (or 2 small boxes if large isn’t available).

** Combine together in your large jelly-making pot. Bring to boil on medium/high heat stirring often so that it does not scorch. Bring to a boil, and boil on a hard rolling boil until the mixture coats the spoon and changes from a bright red to a dark ruby red, approx. 10-15 mins.. Immediately fill hot jelly jars with boiling preserves, seal with lids and bands, and immerse in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars to dish towel on counter to cool. Listen for the “ping” as the lids

seal on the jars.

YIELD: Approximately 4-6 small jelly jars (8 oz. jars)

Everyone loves this Jam. I have recently heard you can also use Raspberry Jello. Gonna try that next!

This goes well on biscuits, pancakes, PBJ sandwiches, ice cream and is simply divine on plain old toast.

Now to try to figure out what to do with all these fresh Grapes you see on the background..........