Creative Fat Grrl

Creative Fat Grrl was a name I invented for myself when I wrote a web column for Lockergnome. I was looking for something that felt like me, not one of the bright, trendy and excitable young people who create energetic YouTube video posts on the side. It was something I could live up to without feeling left out. I kept it going for a couple of years. The name still works for creative arts sort of posts. Most of the posts in this category will be written for that column or others.

There are 2,542 posts filed in Creative Fat Grrl (this is page 3 of 424).

Why Add Hoods to Sweatshirts?

I like sweatshirts, they’re comfortable, usually warm, and easy to wash. But, why do they add hoods to them? The hoods pull down on the back and leave the back of my neck cold. I try different things, like rolling it up and pulling the string tight to keep it from dragging down my back. I’ve tried stuffing it inside down the back. But, none of these stay put well enough. I’ve read about people cutting off the hood and sewing the remains together to make a collar. This seems the best solution. I haven’t done it yet.

Mostly I avoid buying sweatshirts with hoods. That works better than anything else. But, I wonder, does anyone actually wear the hood? Not as a fashion thing, but for practical reasons, or just because the hood is comfortable, or warmer? Maybe this is something men, or people with short hair would like. With longer hair the hood doesn’t work. Not for me anyway.

In the end, I wonder why they add the hood. There must have been some reason for it.

Glass Handles/ Pulls for a Set of Drawers

GOhandles on Etsy.

One of the handles on my dresser broke. I’ve had the handles replaced once since I got the dresser and matching bedside table/ dresser. The handles I had on it for years were nice looking but plasticy. So, I wanted to find something I would like better this time.  But, not something that would outshine the dressers. Plain but not dull. I’m trying to picture how these handles would look. I may not like them at all if they look cheap. Or, I might love them if they look sort of antique and a little rustic. Being glass, I will be able to see all the carving on the dresser drawers, nothing will be covered up. So, I wrote to ask for a photo of them (on a dresser) from the seller. I’m going to need ten, plus a small knob. I think I will like them.

Posted to Ontario Barn Preservation – Wind Farms

This is my post for the Ontario Barn Preservation newsletter for April, 2022. My first couple of newsletter posts were a bit bland. But, I’ve started thinking of more interesting topics, I think. So I’m going to re-post them for myself here at my own site.

Spring has me thinking about wind farms.

Ontario has wind farms (wind turbines and wind power farms). To me they seem to be a good way to have the land pay for itself, especially if it is no longer being farmed in other ways. But, others don’t like the wind farms at all. Some claim they are noisy. But, we parked beside one on a country road, turned off the car and listened to it turning. There seemed very little noise. I think the main concern are birds flying into them. People are coming up with solutions for this but nothing works 100%, so far.

If you have thought about having a wind farm, there are a few things to consider:

  • Average wind speeds. The location needs enough wind, year round. You can use an anemometer to measure wind energy. Keep track of the wind over the year and see if you have a good location.
  • Location regarding access to roads for maintenance, transmission lines (if you plan to sell energy back to the power company), bird migration patterns, air traffic and radar signals (check with the government offices), water in the area (a tall structure needs a solid base to build on).
  • Even if this is a DIY project you need to get permits. You will need to know all the above for getting a permit.
  • Construction of a turbine requires, among other things, an electrician to set it up. They also require regular maintenance. They may not be trouble free but once a wind turbine is up and working it does seem practical for generating power and income if you sell it back to the power company.

Canadian Renewable Energy Association – Wind Energy

David Suzuki Foundation – A post about Gunn’s Hill Wind Farm, Ontario’s first wind community. Located in Oxford County.

Henvey Inlet – the largest single-phase wind project in Ontario. Generates enough clean, renewable energy to power approximately 100,000 Ontario homes.

Wind Concerns Ontario is a province-wide advocacy organization whose mission is to provide information on the potential impact of industrial-scale wind power generation on the economy, human health, and the natural environment.

Wikipedia – List of Wind Farms in Canada

The Wind Power – See more about wind power from around the world.


Image from Forest History Society of Ontario.

Tom Carter – Art from Vancouver

Tom Carter, artist, Vancouver, BC. His style reminds me of the old postcards, hand drawn looking with that sort of range of colours. I would call it muted, for lack of a better word. They look like something you could find (if you were lucky) in a thrift shop, a little time worn and dated but a treasure still.

Tom Carter Gallery

Tom Carter Artist on Facebook

I made screenshots of two of his set of Christmas cards, posted to Facebook, this year. I am far too late to order a set of cards. If I can afford a set, they would be great for next year.