iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

2/2 M found a solution: He ordered a bag of dried clitoria flower and added it to the faded Sharish Blue gin. Voila! The blue color has been restored.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 4h

We tried a new gin, Lundey, when we were in Myvatn, Iceland. When tonic water is added to the blue gin, the pH is changed and the color turns from blue to pink. A bartender in Porto, Portugal showed us this trick using Sharish Blue Magic gin. We like Sharish but overtime, the color fades. 1/2

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 15h

Some mornings are like this. We were walking along in the dark with moon overhead when Sóla began to growl and pull. Out on the dark field, reflected in my headlamp, two little green eyes glowed. It was a fox and she was pretty close by but not for long. She ran off pretty quick. Quiet walk today.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

New glass class this PM, Strip Cutting. Discussions today: The Ondt and the Gracehoper; the sky is falling, chicken little; taking the high road; RUS; the new resident; Sóla met her pal Rod, our neighbor, beside the field. She did a collie belly crawl, she was so happy to see him. Drizzle felt good.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Nothing puts a smile on a face quicker than watching vids of Alice, running around with her tail cocked in that cat crazy angle and hearing her chitter chatter as she interacts with you! Thank you so much for making us smile, the Alice fan club.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The four test pieces made in Fusing with Frits and Powders glass class are going into the kiln tonight. Techniques: mix of medium and fine frit; cold comb using medium frit w/Glytac gel; displacement; powder. Selected colors: Tomato Red, Black, Orange, Yellow, Spring green and French vanilla.

Powder and scrafitti technique with hairspray. Colors: black; tomato red; yellow; spring green and French vanilla.

Cold comb technique using medium course frit. Colors: black, tomato red, orange, yellow, spring green. Glytac gel mixed with course frit.

Mix of medium and fine frit used to create a landscape, Icelandic theme. Colors: black; tomato red; orange; yellow; spring green and French vanilla. Glytac liquid dropped on top to hold frit in place.

Displacement technique using clear course frit and fine colored frit. Colors: clear; blue black; black; orange; yellow; spring green and tomato red.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Today’s glass class- Fusing with frit and powder. I’m calling it “fusing with grits and black powder”. Actually using black glass has been disappointing for me because it the color absorbs too much heat & has taken over the composition. Worked on the projects yesterday until 1800. Trying to finish.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Worked hours yesterday on design a stained glass clock. Loads to do today, with 3 additional pieces to build. Must have everything ready for soldering on Sunday. Not sure where these individual pieces will end up- mobile maybe?

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The motorcycle is made by Victoria. Have to say I’ve never seen this make of cycle before. It is pretty sharp looking and loud.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Heading into the vortex this morning. Nice ride parked at the curb. From a distance, it looked like a paper wasp.

Man and dog walk towards a hinged wooden box with VORTEX printed in it.

Brightly painted motorcycle in yellow and red. Victoria make.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Charlotte as in the web. Perhaps you are seeing offspring of the first rescue.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Collecting ideas for the project. Do not want to waste time and materials throwing something together just for the class. Been playing with scrap glass, shards and rings. If I would not like it in my own home, I don’t want to make it. This is a class about glass sculpture, the way I see it, 3-D art.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I tell people to take photos for this reason and it is why I take photos of people. You just never know…and those photos are pure gold.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This morning’s walk with Sóla. Rained overnight so there was a lot of water on the plants and ground. Found one sleeping bee, in the goldenrod. Cooler temps now, better for walking. Thought so much about the glass project yesterday, it made my head hurt. Keep an open mind. Don’t think, just do it.

Red rose with droplets of water. Leaves have been eaten by an insect.

Red rose with water droplets. Green partially eaten leaves.

Yellow flowers, goldenrod, with black bee sleeping amongst the blossoms.

Man with a dog on a hill and the dog is looking at the photographer. Let’s go! Red brick building in the background. Green playing field below. Gray clouds in the sky.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The worst part of working in glass happens at the start of a new project. I call this “the I don’t know what I’m going to effing do” stage. Extreme Stained Glass, a class where you mix media, begins this AM. Our assignment: bring all the stuff you have been collecting and an open mind.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Sunset over Baltimore last night as we were landing, in the “Fish Express,” Icelandair flight from Reykjavik. This morning’s read with a cup of coffee. Sóla was overjoyed to see her parents return home. She checked on us, touched paws to us, all through the night. She was well-looked after.

Photo taken from the air of the sunset over Baltimore last night.

Cover of a book, Salmon Flies, Flies of Icelandic rivers. Photography, Lárus Karl Ingason, authored by Bjarni Róbert Jónsson - Valgarður Ragnarsson.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Note: former Prime Minister. “Also bought…”

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Dinner at Sumac. Recommended by M’s Bsky friend @Samer.is, we visited a Lebanese restaurant on Laugavegur last night. It is Michelin “adjacent” and it is pretty good. We got a chef’s tasting menu and it did not disappoint. I could barely eat all of it as it was so filling.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Books bought in Reykjavik, plus a new mystery, “Reykjavik,” by Ragnar Jónasson, co authored by the Icelandic Prime Minister, Katrin Jakobsdottir. Aldo bought, “The Little Book of Icelandic People.” We stayed with family who live here and they told us interesting stories about customs and such.

Hiking Among the Natural Wonders of Iceland. This so I can read about the difficulty of the hikes before M takes me on them.

Discover Icelandic Architecture, book by Birgit Abrecht. Already started reading this one and it is very good.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Good things come to ye who wait - a cat waits for a handout at the staff entrance to a fish and chip restaurant in Reykjavik.

A dog walks into the picture and the cat is not pleased.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

That is a great house, been here for years.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Favorite houses in Reykjavik

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Swans and other avian life a swimming on the pond in Reykjavik

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Tell me where you are without telling me where you are.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Stained glass, stenciled graffiti, cats and dogs.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Walked to bookstore to find an updated map of NE Iceland and there are no updates. Saw some nice residential architecture on the way.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

My friend made this for me.

Magazine cover with two people standing in front of two lakes in Askja, a caldera in NE Iceland.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

This stuff is awful. Warned a German man not to put it on his skyr.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Glaciers and glacial stream with harlequin ducks.

Harlequin ducks on the bank of the river.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Bulldozing the stream getting ready for winter.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Geothermal area in the Highlands of Iceland.

Man walking on a boardwalk into the steam.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Hveravellir, a place with geothermal hot springs we visited once before. Here for lunch. Next o/n stop is Reykjavik. Hoping the strike will break before Friday.

Sign for Hveravellir with atmospheric clouds.

Geothermal springs for soaking and bathing.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Runs chills this. Not surprised, could see it coming. The background run on anyone foreign born (or holding a 2nd passport) working in “sensitive” areas is and has always been deeper, more intensive/lengthy and the people doing the questioning more aggressive and bullying. Been living this already.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

We left Vopna and are heading back towards Reykjavik. Got lunch in Akureyri at the restaurant in the botanical gardens then drove through Dalvik and Sóla’s valley. Icelandair mechanics are threatening to strike so we may get stuck here or not. Nothing we can do about it. Just keep calm and carry on.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

“Sóla’s valley,” where we met the first Sóla,10 years ago, in Iceland. A farmer was carrying a young black and white border collie. We asked him the name of the dog and he said Sóla. We said if we ever got a dog, it would be a border collie and we would name it Sóla. A year later, we did.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Last day in Vopna, scenes from yesterday.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Sandvik beach with people and a dog

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Golden retriever found herself something smelly on Sandvik, near Vop, Iceland.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The guide said they use a six wheeler on the farm for the sheep. They have hundreds of sheep here all over the hills and spaced out for miles around.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

It is truly gorgeous scenery and color! Love the six wheeler bike. My dad would have found all sorts of uses for it on the farm.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

On the way back to the farm where we are staying, we drove the old Route 1 road, a gravel road with grades of 12% in places. Speed limit of 80 km with gravel twisty roads. Did not drive that fast.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Patchwork barn with sheep(s), as they say in Iceland. Some Icelandic hotdogs at last. Bacterial biofilm in a stream of many colors.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Canyon known as Stuðlagil - we have visited here before but never in the fall. Nice colors!

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

River crossing, one of many, in the Disco on the way to and from Askja. We were told we could maybe try to drive ourselves there in the rented Rav 4 but I said no way. I’m so glad I didn’t go there driving the RAV4.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The dragon’s canyon of Askja is just behind the ranger station, the police house (when they visit) and the buildings of the hostel.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The Reverend Dr Bryan Jones, saving souls or whatnot.

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JBR @jbred56.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The trip to Askja and back. We left at 0810 and returned at 1810. It was a long and tiring day and I’m so grateful we found a guide to take us there and to bring us back safely.

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