A blogsite (daily.edifyingnonsense.com) that offered at least 25 entertaining oddities each month from January, 2000, through 2024, now slowed in its output, but continuing as an archive for almost 2,000 accumulated posts. Images -- poetic, photographic, and computer-simulated -- were drawn from professional pursuits, family-life, travel and fantasy. Poems and wordplay grouped by topic can also be found grouped on our ongoing blogs "Edifying Nonsense" and 'Silly Songs and Satire'.
May 25, 2023
MAY 25, submitted palindromes: RANDOM PILES 17
May 24, 2023
MAY 24, lexicon of word-pairs, rhyming binomials O to Sl-
These include "poop and scoop", "shake and bake" and "red or dead".
And, for those with a musical bent, we have a song-cycle of 9 songs displaying the spectrum of these binomial expressions. They have lyrics stuffed with word-pairs, arranged to familiar tunes. You can readily access this singable treasure trove of binomial expressions of various types by clicking on the link for the first song, "WORD PAIRS", HERE.
You can proceed to the next blogpost in the lexicon series (rhyming binomials Sm- to Z) by clicking HERE.
May 23, 2023
MAY 23, classic palindrome: Mr. Owl
May 22, 2023
MAY 22, lexicon of word-pairs: rhyming binomials M to N
Matching the selection shown, these include "near and dear".
You can proceed to the next blogpost in the lexicon series (rhyming binomials O to Si-) by clicking HERE.
May 21, 2023
MAY 21, excursions: views around Toronto, Victoria Day
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| Lishman's sculptures at sunset (see also the post of March 21) |
May 19, 2023
MAY 19, organic brain poetry: hyperthyroid mania
Hyperthyroid states in which the level of TSH is reduced include Graves' disease, subacute thyroiditis (inflammation of the gland), autonomous thyroid nodules and excessive thyroid hormone replacement. Hyperthyroidism in which the blood level of TSH is found to be elevated is extremely uncommon, related to very rare functioning tumours of the pituitary gland.
The operation of the feedback loop in relation to states of thyroid deficiency is discussed HERE.
May 18, 2023
MAY 18, lexicon of word-pairs: rhyming binomials I to L
Matching the selection shown above, these include "itchy and scratchy".
And, don't forget! For those with a musical bent, we have a song-cycle of 9 songs displaying the spectrum of these binomial expressions. They have lyrics stuffed with word-pairs, arranged to familiar tunes. You can readily access this singable treasure trove of binomial expressions of various types by clicking on the link for the first song, "WORD-PAIRS", HERE.
You can proceed to the next blogpost in the lexicon series (rhyming binomials M to N) by clicking HERE.
May 17, 2023
MAY 17, palinku (poetic novelty): denial
In this post, we continue with our novel form of poetic wordplay. Inspired by Japanese haiku poetry, the "palinku" is a terse verse with a total of 17 syllables displayed on three lines. Unlike its earlier English-language forerunners, this concoction does not mandate the precise distribution of the syllables among the three lines, but does stipulate that each word in the poem be included in a palindromic phrase or sentence (i.e. one that can be read either forwards or backwards).
To help the reader discern the origin of the lyrics, each palindrome, generally occupying one of the three lines of the poem, has been color-coded. Readers will note that we have been publishing verses of this type on the 17th of each month.
May 16, 2023
MAY 16, lexicon of word-pairs: rhyming binomials H
Quite a few rhyming binomials have been hightlighted in short verses by the authors:
Matching the selection shown, these include "haste makes waste", "he and she", "by hook or by crook", "healthy and wealthy", "high and dry", and "hot to trot".
And, for those with a musical bent, we have a song-cycle of 9 songs displaying the spectrum of these binomial expressions. They have lyrics stuffed with word-pairs, arranged to familiar tunes. You can readily access this singable treasure trove of binomial expressions of various types by clicking on the link for the first song, "WORD PAIRS", HERE.
You can proceed to the next blogpost in the lexicon series (rhyming binomials I to L) by clicking HERE.
May 15, 2023
MAY 15, "pictures at a renovation":
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| vestibule (office on L, coat closet on R) |
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| office |
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| breakfast nook |
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| den |
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| LR |
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| studio |
May 14, 2023
MAY 14, holidays and celebrations: Mother's' Day xxxxxx
A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all:
And some personal reminiscences ...




When You're Smiling
PlayingNotes: F#7 = 3423; Bm7 = 2222; Bm6 = 1222; D7+5 = 3223; AmM7 = 1000
G D7 G D7 G D7 G F#7
I saw a blind man, he was a kind man, helping a fel-low a-long
Bm F#7 Bm7 Bm6 D D#dim Em7 A7
One could not see, one could not walk, but they both were humming this song
CHORUS:
D7 G GM7 E7 Am
When you’re smiling, when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.
Am AmM7 Am7 D7 D7+5 G
When you’re laughing, when you’re laughing, the sun comes shining through.
G7 C
But when you’re crying, you bring on the rain,
A7 D7
So stop your sighing, be happy again.
D7+5 G E7
Keep on smiling, ‘cause when you’re smiling
Am7 D7 G D7
The whole world smiles with you! (Coda-“The whole world smiles” X3)
I used to worry, I used to hurry each time it started to rain
Bm F#7 Bm7 Bm6 D D#dim Em7 A7
Now I see light, learned wrong from right and you’ll never hear me com – plain
CHORUS (When you’re smiling….)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
C#m = 4446; C#m6 = 3444; Bm7 = 2222; AM7 = 1100; Bbdim = 0101;
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue
D6 Dm6 AM7 F#7 Bm7 E7 AM7 E7sus
AM7 F#m Bm7 E7 Bm7 E7
AM7 F#m G#7
Somewhere over the rainbow blue birds fly,
D6 Dm6 AM7 F#7 Bm7 E7 AM7 E7sus
A F#m Bm7 E7(sus) A
If happy little bluebirds fly above the rainbow, why oh why can't I?
May 13, 2023
MAY 13, duplication: dilly-dally
Another view of wordplay competitions in Palindrome Valley can be found HERE.
HERE is an example that we have published, involving the synonymous expression shilly-shally.
May 12, 2023
MAY 12, folio-entry, couples: bros
You can view this sample from our portfolio of 'Couples' portraits in a wider context on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense" HERE.
May 11, 2023
MAY 11, Carolina lowcountry: farewell, wildlife!
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a green (Carolina) anole, on patrol |
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Carolina anole at leisure, sunning on our front-yard sago palm |
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a handsome southern toad, occasional visitor to our backyard |
brown pelicans strolling after dinner at the neighborhood 'pelicatessen' |
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wood stork and Canada goose |
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a white ibis sits for a portrait |








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