Tom
@tdieds1945
Member since: August 2023
Story Likes:189
Funds raised:$180
Reformed journalist. Reluctant Texan. Part-time shepherd. Online community builder. Social media whisperer and storyteller.
My Causes
About Me
Reformed journalist. Reluctant Texan. Part-time shepherd. Online community builder. Social media whisperer and storyteller.
About My Art
Funky
About My Process
Freeform
Earth’s vibrant palette,
In vast cosmos, our lone home.
Cherish and safeguard.
Palette of the Cosmos: Earth's...
One of my more memorable travels was to the island of Pohnpei, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and serves as the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia. On the island’s eastern shore...
The mysterious ancient city of...
The mosaic I've selected, which depicts various American pastimes, resonates profoundly within me. It's like a party, with each hobby serving as a guest with its own story. Whether it's birdwatching, ...
The American Hobby Quilt
Beethoven's 5th is not just a piece of music but a journey through a spectrum of deeply felt emotions conveyed through a powerful and masterful composition. It's a testament to Beethoven's ability to ...
Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C ...
Embarking on a journey in mechanical engineering is like stepping into a world where creativity meets practicality. This field is not just about gears and engines; it's a playground of innovation wher...
Explore mechanical engineering
In the vast expanse of the winter sky, each snowflake begins its journey in a unique and solitary way, much like the individual journey of every person. Just as no two snowflakes are ever identical --...
United in our uniqueness
STEM careers are some of the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs; thus, encouraging female participation helps bridge the gender pay gap and promotes economic equality. Representation matters: as ...
Bridging the Gap: The Critical...
School Without Suffering is a virtual school and academic coaching practice for students who struggle with anxiety. Mission: We help students feel and do better. We teach them to master their mindset,...
School Without Suffering
We need to ensure that underfunded public schools have access to art supplies and art teachers. Art is a human right!
Art is a right!
After-school sports programs offer a holistic approach to a child's development, encompassing physical, social, and emotional well-being. They provide a platform for learning essential life skills bey...
The benefits of after-school s...
This kitchen counter reflects a thoughtfully curated assortment of foods that align with the principles of a diabetes-friendly diet. The vibrant colors and fresh produce create a visually appealing ki...
Colorful Kitchen Counter
Growing up, my family joyfully decked the halls and trimmed the tree on the day after Thanksgiving, officially marking the start of the festive season. Through tinsel and time, this annual ritual has ...
Continuing a cherished traditi...
We learn when we experience new lands, new people and new things.
The Floating School
Education is literacy. Literacy opens the doors to anything and everything.
Learn to spread your wings
Education brings light to darkness and hope to the hopeful.
Learn like Lincoln
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) was established in Columbus, Ohio on August 22, 1899 as the "American Veterans of Foreign Service." The organization's founders included veterans of the Spanish-Amer...
Serving veterans since 1899
The Dayton, Ohio-based Gold Heart Quilters (GHQ) began its mission in 2018 to give love to individuals in need through the warmth of a quilt. It is a 501(c)(3) organization that makes quilts for distr...
Charity Quilting Circle
Ingredients for True Love (Equal parts of the following): Unconditional, selfless, respect, support, communication, empathy, patience, commitment, growth, passion -- and a dash of Joy.
The Recipe for True Love
In this enchanting late October scene, Vermont's autumnal splendor comes to life. The canvas is ablaze with the fiery hues of fall foliage, with the rich, warm tones of crimson and gold adorning the t...
Bridge to Tranquility 🍂🦌
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a classic holiday film enjoyed by generations of viewers during the Halloween and Christmas seasons.
A Christmas Classic
Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Veterans Day is every day
The history of the snow globe dates to the early 19th century. The first known snow globe was created by Viennese watchmaker Erwin Perzy in 1900, who invented a technique for suspending ground glass p...
We all love snow globes!
My cousin Jean "Bim" Diederich inspired me at a young age to regularly challenge my endurance by taking long bicycle tours across the Ohio countryside. Bim, who passed away in 2012, was a professional...
Bim’s Tour de France triumphs
The Hoolock AI’s rendition of "Declaration of Independence," a 12-by-18-foot oil-on-canvas painting by the American artist John Trumbull depicting the presentation of the draft of the Declaration of I...
'Declaration of Independence'
Before computers and printers, professional correspondences were created using the manual typewriter. Among them, the Underwood No. 5 typewriter was the most successful design in history and set the s...
Underwood Typewriter No. 5
The famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881 is considered one of the most famous in the American Old West. It lasted about 30 seconds, with nearly 30 shots fired.
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Ohio State is synonymous with football. October 6–8 marks the 111th year of the celebration of Homecoming as the Buckeyes face off against the Maryland Terrapins. Homecoming officially began as an ide...
Homecoming for the Scarlet & G...
School Without Suffering's virtual school program caters to elementary through high school students, offering a comprehensive curriculum that aligns with academic standards while nurturing individual ...
School Without Suffering
Man on a train in Pairs 1958.
The Commute
Oscar Hedstrom, co-founder of the Indian Motorcycle Co., hand-built the first Indian prototype in 1901. His engineering skills gave the early Indians a reputation for solid construction and reliabilit...
Oscar Hedstrom: Motorcycle Pio...
CBS Radio has been around since 1928. However, the actual CBS Radio Network (now CBS News Radio) was launched in 1927, when CBS was known as United Independent Broadcasters.
See you on the Radio
With limited resources and very little publicity, animal shelters help untold numbers of animals. Give back by choosing one or more ways to show appreciation for the groups that do so much for animals...
Animal shelters & rescues
In her book "Children Are People Too," author Dr. Louise Porter writes that superhero play can be beneficial because it helps children work out the issues of good and evil, power and subordination. Be...
The benefits of superhero play
A young family enjoys one of the last picnics of the year as the sun sets on summer.
Picnic at Sunset
The Apollo lunar flights ended in 1972, but the Moon remains of great interest to NASA and the world. In the near future, the Moon will be a proving ground to test technologies and resources that will...
Apollo’s Legacy Is NASA’s Futu...
The Hoolock AI's take on the classic movie trilogy. Text prompt: The background is a sprawling cityscape reminiscent of a cyberpunk metropolis, characterized by towering skyscrapers illuminated by neo...
The Matrix: A Digital Odyssey
November is National American Indian Heritage Month (also known as Native American Indian Month). “American Indians were the original inhabitants of the lands that now constitute the United States of ...
National American Indian Herit...
A boy and his loyal companion share a moment of pure joy.
Unbreakable Bond
Please consider adopting a stray the next time you and your family seek a pet dog. On average, 670,000 dogs are euthanized annually in animal shelters across the United States.
Adopt your next best friend
In the 1950s, the local diner was a place where friends gathered for a hot meal and a cup of coffee
The Diner
Just a page from the artist's sketchbook
Sketchbook art
Meanwhile in a parallel universe... the Presley brothers' life story began when Elvis Aaron Presley and his twin brother Jessie Garon Presley were born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house...
The Incredible Presley Brother...
Meet Officer Mike: The Heartbeat of NYC Traffic, Spreading Smiles One Wave at a Time 🚦❤️ #NYCLove #TrafficHero"
Officer Mike ❤️ NYC
In August 1814, British troops sailed into the Chesapeake Bay and up the Patuxent River, then fought their way towards Washington. On August 24, using torches and gunpowder paste, they burned the Capi...
The Capitol’s Storied History
Saturday, September 23, 2:50 A.M. EDT marks the Astronomical Start of Autumn.
Goodbye Summer; Hello Fall
The primary solution to homelessness is affordable and accessible homes and supportive services to help individuals address other challenges.
We can end homelessness
In the dimly lit room of his Vienna apartment, Ludwig van Beethoven, the great composer, sat at his piano. His frail fingers rested on the keys, and the candles flickered in the evening light. He knew...
Beethoven's Final Prayer
Teddy Bear TVLand: Where Imagination Takes Center Stage 🐻📺✨
Teddy Bear TVLand
Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on Oct. 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In t...
The History of Halloween
Journal Entry No. 57
April 21, 1838
"The Colorado Wilderness"
By Johann Diederich, Naturalist
The verdant forest gradually gave way to a rugged terrain marked by boulders and craggy outcrops before I...
Journal Entry No. 57: "The Col...
2023 marks the 50th celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The 2023 Hispanic Heritage Month national theme is "Vive tu cultura." The national ob...
Hispanic Heritage Month
The maternal haplogroup J1c2c traces back to a woman who lived approximately 4,500 years ago. Her ancestors migrated to Europe from the Middle East as the Ice Age receded between 14,000 and 11,000 yea...
Maternal Haplogroup J1c2c2
Blue Öyster Cult's new album cover (fictional depiction)
The Album Cover
Dorothy returns to Oz after 10 years with her fiancé for their wedding.
A Marriage Made in Oz
A paper-thin veil separates us from infinite parallel versions of ourselves.
Small town in a parallel unive...
Once upon a time, in a cozy little house, there lived a two-year-old boy named Theo. Theo had a best friend: a special stuffed dinosaur named Dino. Dino was no ordinary stuffed animal; he was a magica...
Theo and his best friend, Dino
Dino the Dinosaur is baby Theo's best friend.
Real-life Theo & his Dino best...
The year 1105 was a time of great historical significance in England. The country was ruled by King Henry I, the youngest son of William the Conqueror. It was a period marked by the consolidation of N...
London in the Year 1105
A fictional scenario set in 2023 in which John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt discuss the human rights violations in the occupied regions of Ukraine as a result of Russia's invasion.
Conversations with JFK & FDR
Officer Takizawa completes the final arrest report of this shift at police headquarters. Crime rates have climbed at the International Moon Base since the illegal introduction of the highly addictive ...
Just a cop... on the Moon.
A snapshot of Amsterdam in late summertime.
Painting by Numbers
Home-companion robotic humanoids will someday replace the need for traditional caregivers -- and eventually, become indispensable members of well-to-do households.
Hank the Home Companion
Royal priests prepare the body of Cleopatra for mummification in August 30 BC. Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator was queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler. He...
Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator
Three brave explorers make the perilous trek to the Earth's core.
Journey to the center of the E...
Practice, man, practice.
How do I get to Carnegie Hall?
Claudia Acte was a freedwoman of ancient Rome who became a mistress of the emperor Nero.
Claudia Acte
The crew had no idea of the fate of their vessel.
The Last Voyage
Sound check: Under a Blood Red Sky is a concert film by Irish rock band U2. It was recorded on 5 June 1983 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado
U2 Live at Red Rocks
An artist's take on the schematics of the Wright Flyer.
The Wright Stuff
Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo collaborated on a masterpiece. But which was the subject?
The Michelangelo Da Vinci
Following the teacher's instructions for the day.
Leonardo Da Vinci's Apprentice...
A view of the Sistine Chapel as it was in the early 1500s.
The Sistine Chapel
Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Japan in the fifteenth century, was a renowned samurai warrior. He has become a martial arts icon, known not just as an undefeated dueler, but also as a master of battle...
Musashi Miyamoto (宮本 武蔵)
Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Japan in the fifteenth century, was a renowned samurai warrior. He has become a martial arts icon, known not just as an undefeated dueler, but also as a master of battle...
Musashi Miyamoto (宮本 武蔵)
Pass at your peril.
The Guardian
Celebrate Americana with fascinating points of interest from around the United States.
The United States of America
Guests check-in but don't check out...
The Haunted Bed & Breakfast
Would you go inside?
The Haunted House
The crew, having been lost in time for months, run calculations to find the path home.
The Time Machine
Plotting a course back to Earth.
The Captain
With a blank canvas and the right supplies, an artist can create bold new worlds.
The Planetary Painter
Sea creatures of all shapes and sizes find sanctuary in the accidental reefs that shipwrecks create.
Meanwhile, somewhere under the...
The expanding universe holds many secrets.
When Planets Dream
Always navigate to your True North.
The Compass
Love keeps us calm in tough situations and dire times.
Love will keep us together
Climate change has left this lighthouse high and dry.
Lighthouse on the Mountain
The Greys have been consistently described as short, thin humanoids with grey and hairless skin and a conspicuously large cranium
Anatomy of a Grey Alien
Rediscovered knowledge.
Ancient texts
The architect overlooks his drafting table at his detailed plans for a new green city in Texas.
The Architect
Small towns are all about community. Neighbors helping neighbors and welcoming strangers.
The Happy Hamlet
Planning a better tomorrow for the children.
Contemplations
The Apostle prepares to cast his net.
The Fisherman
Futuristic James Dean walk
Walking, West 68th Street NYC,...
Celebrating motion picture classics like 1984's "The Terminator" directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"I'll be back"
Hemingway's desk inspires future writers across generations.
Hemingway's desk
Daring pioneers in the world of aerial warfare.
The WWI Aviator
London of old... echos from the past.
Day in the Life
A retro-modern take on the "drawing room," a name derived from the 16th-century term "withdrawing room." Both refer to room in a house where visitors are entertained.
The Withdrawing Room
Disaster management depends on volunteers. But for every person on the ground, many more behind the scenes support the overall effort.
Volunteering comes in many for...
Mr. Fuzzybottoms likes to dress for every occassion.
Mr. Fuzzybottoms
Every dog is Wonderdog!
Wonderdog!
The WWI soldier is reunited with his dog following the battle.
Man's Best Friend
The Way of the Future.
The Aviator
The quest for higher learning can be daunting. Keep climbing until you reach your goal.
The Ascent: Reaching Higher
Eco-cities of tomorrow.
The corporate ladder
The walk of life.
Memory Lane
Your life in paintings
The Museum
The First Supper of the Round Table
Suppertime
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table.
The Round Table
....and again, and again, and again....
On the Road Again
Deadheads never fade away.
The Grateful Dead
We all need the quiet places from time to time.
Silent Night
Tracking my life by the numbers.
The Painted Journal
The tools of the trade include a blank canvas.
Painting by Numbers
When art imitates life.
The Painting
Abraham Lincoln has been cloned and is the captain of the starship Enterprise in the year 2525.
The Captain
300 years of living history continues.
The Temple
Throughout Sacred Scripture, we are told to "seek the face" of the Lord, which means that we are told to always strive to be in His presence.
The Face of Jesus
Message in a Bottle
Damp Dry Dock
Sailing the Seven Seas
Ship in a Bottle
She sees all; hears all but knows nothing.
Alexa, are you there?
When output exceeds imput.
Young Einstein
A place to rest and dream of a brighter new day.
A bed of her own
Local news is foundational to a free press.
The paperboy
Bright light city gonna set my soul on fire!
Viva Las Vegas
This is how Jiffy Pop rolls in Nintendo land.
Digital Popcorn
A fire in the hearth, the smell of supper wafting in from the kitchen... and perhaps a warm brandy on a winter's night.
A warm meal awaits...
A fresh take on the perpetual beginning of Snoopy's classic tale.
It was a dark and stormy night
A six-word story attributed to Ernest Hemingway.
For sale: baby shoes, never wo...
"My big brother is always there for me!"
The first day of school
The first day of school is absolutely one of the most important days of the year for teachers and students -- and parents, too!
The first day of school.
Transforming Businesses with Advanced Automation
AI Automation
Giving students access to art supplies and art instruction opens doors we can not even imagine -- yet.
The reluctant painter
In the distant future, a lonely robot awaits the fleeting service repair call.
The Maytag Repairman: 3030
Robotic teams building the infrastructure for eventual human arrival and extended habitation.
Workforce Mars Team Alpha
In the not-so-distant future, cyborgs and other robotic beings will build the foundations and infrastructure for later human arrivals.
Robot societies on distant wor...
No drums no bass? No worries!
The air-band Beatles
A fresh perspective on the Fab 4.
The would-be Beatles
Love can work wonders
Making a Wish
Rock 'n' Roll will never die.
Alien Rock
A new perspective sheds light on the darkness.
Distant Worlds
Working together, the nations of the world can curb climate change.
Leading the fight against clim...
Imagine the impossible
In a world far, far away
Exploration of distant places ensures mankind's future.
Mars Base Alpha
Exploration is the essence of opportunity.
Marscape Alpha
Solar and wind power will change the world.
A City of Lights powered by su...
City lights make for creative flights of fancy
The future's so bright....
In a world where there is only song and illumination.
Urban Suburban
We all need a helping hand from time to time. Give a little and get a lot.
Coming together to help the he...
Journalism is a profession -- unbiased reporting. Everything else is propaganda.
The newscasters of tomorrow
Education opens all doors.
Spirit of Tomorrow
Doing good isn't always easy but it's always pleasing.
Hachi the Supersonic-Intergala...
Creativity is contagious
The Supersonic-Intergalactic C...
Animals are love -- so love them back with care and compassion.
Perfection in the imperfect
Karma is as karma does.
The dawn of an amazing new day
Animals help us so please help them!
Spirit of Lincoln