Assembly and review of an absolutely beautiful puzzle, research about the image and its artist, and a very long digression about Cow Parsley and Poison Hemlock (about 3000 words; 17 pictures)
So, thanks Bill. Being from aforementioned FB group... I read YOUR write-up and had to order one of these for myself! (I get what you mean by other people influencing your buys). Being discontinued and on sale did push me over the edge. It's a very pretty puzzle and a great write-up as usual. Thanks! :)
Personally, I consider this your best post so far. The featured puzzle is indeed lovely. The information about the two invasive plants (one dangerous) was information I was glad to learn. I also liked the pricing information, and also the 14th picture (the gathering together of whimsies), though I realize some puzzle fans might prefer to find out about these for themselves. I would like to add the comment, though, that I always enjoy using as a guide the full depictions on a poster or the box of every wooden or cardboard jigsaw puzzle I assemble. I'm not telling you how to best enjoy your puzzles. I'm just saying that it would frustrate me to avoid "peeking." Thanks for your work on this essay.
Thanks, Greg. I am finding that the research that the puzzles inspire ends up taking about as much time as assembling the puzzle itself. It usually begins with questions that come to me while I am working on the puzzle. Sometimes I take a break from assembly and go right to google. Other times I defer the research because doing so would/might lead me to the image and that would be peeking.
I know that my choice to do them blind is not for everyone. I was inspired to do it that way partly by the fact that it is part of jigsaw puzzling's heritage (that was the way adult puzzles were usually done until the 1930s) and partly to make the assembly last longer because wood puzzles are more expensive than cardboard ones. When I first began doing it that way I did peek at the pictures when I began to feel frustrated, and I kept track in my log of how many peeks I needed. But before long I recorded that I didn't need any peeks for a puzzle, and that began a streak.
So, thanks Bill. Being from aforementioned FB group... I read YOUR write-up and had to order one of these for myself! (I get what you mean by other people influencing your buys). Being discontinued and on sale did push me over the edge. It's a very pretty puzzle and a great write-up as usual. Thanks! :)
Thanks, Robyn. I was pleased to hear in the Facebook group that you got your order in before they ran out. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.
Personally, I consider this your best post so far. The featured puzzle is indeed lovely. The information about the two invasive plants (one dangerous) was information I was glad to learn. I also liked the pricing information, and also the 14th picture (the gathering together of whimsies), though I realize some puzzle fans might prefer to find out about these for themselves. I would like to add the comment, though, that I always enjoy using as a guide the full depictions on a poster or the box of every wooden or cardboard jigsaw puzzle I assemble. I'm not telling you how to best enjoy your puzzles. I'm just saying that it would frustrate me to avoid "peeking." Thanks for your work on this essay.
Thanks, Greg. I am finding that the research that the puzzles inspire ends up taking about as much time as assembling the puzzle itself. It usually begins with questions that come to me while I am working on the puzzle. Sometimes I take a break from assembly and go right to google. Other times I defer the research because doing so would/might lead me to the image and that would be peeking.
I know that my choice to do them blind is not for everyone. I was inspired to do it that way partly by the fact that it is part of jigsaw puzzling's heritage (that was the way adult puzzles were usually done until the 1930s) and partly to make the assembly last longer because wood puzzles are more expensive than cardboard ones. When I first began doing it that way I did peek at the pictures when I began to feel frustrated, and I kept track in my log of how many peeks I needed. But before long I recorded that I didn't need any peeks for a puzzle, and that began a streak.