Hello Friends!! 😊😊 Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Board Games and Game Night. Tweety Bird is having a grand old time playing Jacks. (I personally don't have the dexterity and was never good at that game!)
🌟🌟 Remember the link party is open until Friday nights around midnight so you have plenty of time to join in! It's a great way for people to see your art, your photography, your creativity! And you can meet lovely people this way!! Also, instead of answering questions on your blog posts, I will be answering them in the comment section from now on, so check back! 🌟🌟
My favourite game as a kid was Snakes and Ladders! I remember playing this game with my beloved Grandfather - great memories!! (Drawing done with ink and graphite).
"You've gotta know when to hold 'em..." - Kenny Rogers, The Gambler. When I discovered Kenny's music in the 1980's, I was a hardcore punk/alternative chick, so I had to hide my country music leanings 😊. ... I drew this with charcoals.
I loved Kenny Rogers, I got to know him with his song The Gambler - a song about a poker player.
His song "Lady" is unbelievably romantic.
Another favourite, "Islands In The Stream" with Dolly Parton. (Dolly is so cute in this video!)
Critters...Leo sunbathing - omg isn't he cute?
"The Twins" Jack and Marlene - always joined at the hip!
New birds at the feeder! A lonesome crow.
Woodpecker (Birding friends...is it just "Woodpecker" or "North American Woodpecker" or "Hairy Woodpecker"??) I think this is a female.
A lovely surprise, Evening Grosbeaks!!! It took me some time to identify these lovely birds!! They LOVE the black sunflower seeds!
Chickadees in flight.
Redpoll landing.
Alex's birthday brunch: Toasettes and a Strawberry Gin Fizz.
And a birthday dinner.
He asked for Pinwheel Sandwiches...
And two desserts, the first was a Strawberry Mousse Layer Cake. (My first 4-layer cake!!)
And the second dessert was Milles Feuilles. I challenged myself on this one, and they were so delicious!!
Are you a red wine fan? The Puglia region of Italy produces some AMAZING red wines, full-bodied, rich and smooth. This was a good one. No sourness...just a lush and flavourful wine. Stains the teeth and tongue a little black though lol...my Grandfather used to say that a black tongue after a bottle of wine indicates a great wine! 😊
I also made a Smoked Cheddar and Apple Cider Fondue, Veggie Stew and a Cream of Chicken Stew with Dumplings...wow...I haven't had dumplings since I was a teenager at my Grandpa's house! I need more dumplings in my life!!!
I'm linking up with these wonderful bloggers today, please visit them for some really interesting posts! And why not join in on the link parties? You can meet some really nice people!! 😊
Friday January 22nd : Paint Party Friday
Saturday January 23rd: Eileen's Saturday's Critters
Monday January 25th: Angie's Mosaic Mondays
That's all for now folks! Please check out the link gadget below to see more Board Games and Game Night artwork!
*******************
 |
| "Night On Bald Mountain" from Fantasia (Ink and Graphite) |
January 28th: (Really??? End of January already???) Next Thursday's theme is Mysterious and Dark. Click on the link for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨
Thursday Art Date With Rain. Click on the link for a description of the art date as well as a list of upcoming themes.
Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! Also, if anyone adds a link that has nothing to do with the art date theme, it will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).
********************
Your art, your critters and your food always blow me away - and this week is no exception.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday to Alex.
I may join you later, but for now, I had to post my 2nd Thursday Tutorial (a week late, in fact. I'll be back next week, but I'm going to have to skip February, I fear. I know nothing about films and never go to any. Since I don't have Netflix, Hulu, or Prime, I am sadly uninformed.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was clever to show Tweety with jacks. I never considered them. I had never heard of Snakes and Ladders until my friend Valerie and I were in a swap and she used them in another person's swap tip-ins.
Your food looks wonderful and Alex sure got spoiled on his birthday. Those Milles Feuilles are gorgeous.
Your trail cam is amazing. You got some unbelievable shots of the birds. Most amazing and enjoyable to see them in still life like that.
Squiggles wants to know if you kidnapped Bleubeard. He said you could have him, but I explained that was Leo and he suddenly got very disappointed (grin). Have a super week, dear Rain.
Congratulations Alex on his birthday and you cooked and baked him great delicious food.
ReplyDeleteYou drew interesting things on your topic and the videos.
your cat oh how cute how it basks in the sunbeams and the dog gang in the snow.
These are beautiful flocks of birds, word gets around in the bird world what delicious food you offer them, I think.
Have a beautiful Week, hugs Elke
I love Dolly Parton. Your camera is brilliant it must be exciting to check what it has captured every day. Happy birthday to your partner, those mille feuilles are incredible, they look completely professional.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series of photos Rain.
ReplyDeleteI love the dogs, the food looks delicious.
Watch out and stay healthy.
Greetings Irma
Hi Rain, I remember this song with Kenny Rogers. It is a great one. And you painted his portrait beautifully.
ReplyDeleteLoved to see all grosebeaks at your feeder. We have a simiar one but I never see them. They are further up north. You got lots of great shots of the bunch. So fun to watch.
Take care. :)
Hello Rain: Board games take me back, and I think my favourite as a child was Snakes and Ladders, as was yours, and in my teens I got into chess in a fairly major way. Your visit from the Evening Grosbeaks must have been quite delightful. Small flocks were in this area earlier this winter but have not been seen of late, as far as I know. As for the black tongue, that's new to me, but I may have to check closely from now on! Last night we opened a bottle of good Italian red, Masi Campofiorin, to toast the victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Just watch that woman. She is going to make a difference.
ReplyDelete...Snakes and Ladders? We had Chutes and Ladders, a game that NEVER ended.
ReplyDeleteI, too, appreciated Kenny Rogers though in secret. He certainly made quite a career for himself. The Gambler was the first song I heard of him.
ReplyDeleteThe bird pictures are so amazing. So busy (so much snow!).
For Red Wines, I am partially to Old Zinfandels. Merlots are also a favorite.
Happy Belated birthday to Awesome Alex, and looks like he got some great goodies! I had the chance to meet Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton a zillion years ago when they came to the fair in North Dakota, and I was totally star struck. Truly loved your amazing artwork, as always! Hugs and more hugs, RO
ReplyDeleteRain,
ReplyDeleteAhh, great Tweety playing "Jacks". I thought about illustrating playing jacks but I kept thinking board games. I nearly didn't sketch something this time until I decided on charades. :) You did a fab job of Kenny Rogers. You're amazing, my friend! The web cam is picking up the feathered friends nicely. How fun! Oh good heavens, just look at all of the wonderful birthday meals Alex had on his special day! That boy sure is lucky. Thanks for hosting the art party.
One thing before I go, to visit me please clicking #6 on the linky party. I discovered some are clicking on my Blogger profile and don't know to select 'My Web Page' as my main blog (Wordpress) to visit. Instead, they click on my secondary blog (Blogger) where it says "My Blogs". Although that one is active, I only blog on Mondays there. ;)
Wonderful pieces this week Rain and the food looks amazing. I must say you are in your perfect world so happy with your dogs and all the wildlife around you.
ReplyDeleteYour portrait of Kenny Rogers is fantastic! And so are the desserts you made for Alex's birthday -- wow, so fancy! And I don't want to brag or anything, but I was a whiz at jacks way back in the 1960s, LOL!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely amazing as always! I was a total rocker back in the old days but I loved Kenny Rogers too. So many fantastic critter shots this week and all the food looks so amazing. You are unbelievably talented Rain!
ReplyDeleteAlex is a January baby like me. I love the birthday card with the colorful bird. You are such a talented chef.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a full and wonderful post. Snakes and ladders, a great drawing. Animals, and those birds! Food galore. A 4 layer cake!? Girl you nailed it. LOL Have a truly wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteA totally interesting post with lots of fun and games. My special favorite is the portrait of Kenny Rogers. Loved that so much.
ReplyDeleteI just always love seeing what you have cooked and made. LOOK at those layers on that cake. WOW. I love Dolly, always loved Kenny too. Hope you are doing well and not freezing to snow chunks! Is Leo gray? Looks like a Russian Blue. That is what Misty is. Do you know about Misty? Can't remember if you visit the furs blog or not. Anyway, Misty is 3.5 months old, I adopted her at five weeks. Her mom was a feral and she abandoned her. My sis in law took her in and when Kim was working and my brother was not there to feed the little one, I would go over and bottle feed her. When she was tested and we knew that she did not have any feline illnesses that Lily could catch, I brought her home. She is a totally mess, being bottle fed till she was eight weeks old, she is attached to me. A mommas baby. Love your art work always.
ReplyDeleteI played jacks all of the time when I was a kid and then I tried to teach my granddaughter and she wasn't interested ... sadly none of the kids now play jacks and it is such a fun game. I think if I got down on the floor to play now, I would have a hard time getting up (don't get old :). so, of course Tweety looks like a pro at it even though he has a worried look on his face like "I'm not sure I can do this". Other then the fact that your ink drawing is perfection, I never played Snakes and Ladders ... in fact, I am pretty sure this is the first time I have even heard of it. I will have to look it up on Google and see what it is about. Ahhhh Kenny Rogers, who doesn't love Kenny Rogers? And as I have told you before, you have the white on black portraits down ... just awesome. And you must know I am listening to Kenny as I am writing this comment :)
ReplyDeleteOh Leo ... you remind me so much of my Fonzi. He is so beautiful and his coat looks so healthy. What are you feeding him? Oh I know ... homemade all natural goodies, right. I would like to know though as I am never sure what the food in a can has in it or the quality of what they claim is in it.
My cats always had Buddies ... in Chachi's case his brother Fonzi. Now that Fonzi is no longer with us, Buffy our little huntress has taken over being Chachi's Buddie ... Don't know what Buffy will do when Chachi goes. Your "twins" have such a good time together. I have never had two dogs at the same time ... and it is really too late for me to try it. Missed opportunity, I am thinking.
Do you get to see the beautiful birds on your feeder or do you just see the pictures. Your evening Grossbeaks are gorgeous and we don't have them here at all. In fact this is the first time I have ever seen even a picture of one. Sooo beautiful.
Here we go again with your food (spoil your Alex much?) If I ate the way you do, I wouldn't be able to get in or out of my chair. I don't know how you do it ... I guess you have just been blessed with a high metabolism. My Mother was that way ... she could eat anything and everything and was still a size 6 when she passed ... and to think, I could have (should have) inherited that trait :( Well, enough said for now ... as always your post is wonderful and interesting and in some ways mind blowing ... What fun you are :)
Andrea @ From the Sol
Everything you cooked or baked looks delicious! I enjoyed seeing the birds around the feeders and of course your art is always fun to see! Good job on Kenny.
ReplyDeleteHi Rain! Kenny Rogers and Dottie West did many songs together, and my favorites are -Everytime Two Fools Collide, and Together Again. Your pic of Kenny... well done! Don’t know if you saw me reaching through the computer to that cake... mighty fine!!! Lol. Have a fabulous week end!
ReplyDeleteRain!! You spoil us girl! You are so talented in every way! I truly mean that! I love Tweety Bird, so cute! You rocked Kenny! Your fur babies are adorable! Your bird pictures are AMAZING! WOW!! And, love, love all the food/recipes!! Thank you! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteHi Rain. Your bird ID is coming on fine. You already made me jealous with the Evening Grosbeaks, one I never caught up with at Long Point. Did you get the book I sent on 11 January? Maybe any day now if you include the weekends.
ReplyDeleteThis Christmas we bought our granddaughter Isabella the "Monopoly Cheaters Edition" - yes it's true. She hates to lose at board games. So she won straight off with her dad in the handcuffs supplied in the box.
That KR and Dolly song is one of my favourites too. Dolly Parton is a fine singer. Another blogger reminded me this week of three great singers that you will know and probably;ly like too – Linda Rondstat, Anne Murray and Skeeter Davis.
Alex is a very lucky guy to have you making both milles feuille and that rather large 4 layer cake. Red Wine? You bet. Puglia that too, with an expensive Amarone or D'Abruzzo next.
I decided to join in your blog party today although strictly speaking my post isn't art. Hope you don't mind.
Yummy food for the birthday dinner! I really like your charcoal drawing of Kenny Rogers. Fantastic! And all the birds at your feeders. My feeders are not much visited these daysand for weeks only some sparrows were coming now and then. But many people told me the same. Hopefully the birds are not gone, but find enough food in the forest. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteHi dear!
ReplyDeleteI don't know the game Snakes and Ladders but your drawing looks very impressive. My favourite game since years and years is Carcassonne - do you know it? Sunbathin Leo ist really cute - and so are the dog-twins :-)
Such a nice bustle at the bird-feeder! And I drool over all the food photos.
Hugs from Austria,
Traude
I used to see Kenny Rogers around town all the time in south Georgia. Ya gotta love his gravelly voice. Dumplings...yummy. I used to go to Cracker Barrel restaurant and order their chicken and dumplings with a side of dumplings. LOL Now I just make them.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY THURSDAY, HAVE A SAFE WEEKEND
ReplyDeleteMUCH❤LOVE
You have served up a very nice variety of art, entertainment, food and especially (for me) the trail cam views of the feeders.
ReplyDeleteI used to play jacks and snakes and ladders, have a 3D one somewhere. Great art and love all the photos of the birds, very different from ours in the UK, especially that woodpecker and the grosbeaks.
ReplyDeleteaw, sweet tweety bird. I remember playing jacks as a young child but am not familiar with the second game you nicely drew.
ReplyDeleteLove the bird pics- those grosbeak shots are especially fab!!
Most woodpeckers- the males will have a larger spot of red on their heads and the females either none or just a small patch.
You manage so many wonderful looking meals and they always make me hungry when I visit here. Such a wonderful birthday treat for Alex!
I love Kenny’s portrait. I also played snakes and ladders. It was fun until I ran into that snake at 98 or 99?
ReplyDeleteThat always made me laugh though.
Your four layer cake and other wonderful food looks so tasty.
Lovely birdies too.
Kenny Rogers was a good choice for a portrait, Rain, And I also enjoyed hearing some of his best known tunes through your links, so thanks for the musical treat. Looks like Alex did very nice for his birthday brunch, dinner and desserts. The Milles Feuilles dessert reminded me of a dessert called Napoleon.
ReplyDeleteWe love snakes and ladders! My 3 1/2 year old granddaughter is in love with snakes. She wanted everyone to have snakes in their Christmas stockings. Her mother obliged. Me - not a fan:):)
ReplyDeleteMight have to check out that wine. We are always on the hunt for a good wine.
Cute illustrations. And the portrait looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteYour portraits, your critters, your birds, wow! And that glorious fondue. I've never seen an evening grosbeak (I think my neighborhood, Grosbeck, was named by someone who didn't know how to spell!). The series of flight photos is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHaha … the top drawing is adorable. I once played Jacks, which I recall as being stressful and joyful all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI like your snakes and ladders.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and what delicious sounding foods ~ love your game artwork ~ such fun and creative ~ Great charcoal portrait of Kenny Rogers ~ wonderful post ~ thanks ~
ReplyDeleteMoment by moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Hello Rain,
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your cartoons each week, Tweety bird is a favorite. Great Kenny Rogers portrait, I enjoy his songs. Adorable furbabies, Jack and Marlene are favorites. I do love the puppy dogs. The brunch and desserts look fabulous, I will write down that wine. I would love to see the Evening Grosbeaks here, I had them in my yard once years ago. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your weekend! PS, thank you for the comment.
I love those Grossbeaks, and the cake. Happy Birthday Rain and enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh I love all your bird photos! What a great variety. Your art is amazing as usual and love all of your food photos!
ReplyDeleteFabulous birds at your feeder! The action shots really are amazing.
ReplyDeletebe well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
What a fun post! Fun of yummy photos and art. My favorite is the kitty in the sun lol ♥ happy ppf
ReplyDeleteRain, your portrait of Kenny Rogers is amazing! And look at all that wonderful food. Sounds like it was a nice birthday celebration. xo
ReplyDeleteHope your hubby had a happy birthday, he should be full still! lol Hey, I know exactly now what you can be if the current life ever falls through: a restaurant chef who does sidewalk portraits in between courses or orders! Dang, you can draw good. Always enjoy just gawking at everything. xoxo
ReplyDeleteJust came back to check on you! Hoping all is well. Reading over your blog again I thought about a Dolly story to tell you....a lady I went to school with had a daughter, Leigh Allen that had Cystic Fibrosis. She was not expected to live past her teen yrs. She was the same age as my son and in her 20s when her life ended. Her granny worked in Dolly's office here in Nashville. When Leigh Allen past, Dolly paid for all the funeral cost. Dolly is an amazing, caring and loving woman. Yet another story...when Gatlinburg, city next to Sevierville, where Dolly is from, caught on fire a few years back, Dolly gave money to folks that lost homes. I also have a story about Kenny Rogers...this one is about me and totally funny. I went to his concert. I was like five rolls back and my friend brought binoculars that we were passing around. Just so happen I was looking in them when Kenny mentioned me, he asked me what I was hoping to see that close up. I almost crawled under my seat....
ReplyDeleteI loved everything about this post ... but especially the food! You are really a five star chef! The trail cams are so fun! You have a wonderful nature area right in your own backyard.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful birthday feast! I love your birdfeeder cam! You have the most interesting looking birds in your backyard. Love seeing your fur babies. I really like the details in your snake.
ReplyDeleteAlex's birthday food and drink looks wonderful, hope he had a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see all of the birds and your wonderful fur babies.
Great art, and thank you for posting Kenny Rogers :)
Enjoy these last January days, this month has flown by.
All the best Jan
Rain - I love games, and I just wish I had more people around me that liked to play too! Kenny Rogers was very talented, and I am a HUGE Dolly Parton fan - did you see her Christmas special? I think that was a Hairy Woodpecker. I was so impressed to see all those Evening Grosbeaks. Aren't they an amazingly handsome bird? I will be forwarding your recipes to my Head Chef! Thanks so much for linking to Mosaic Monday!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I was able to identify Tweety Bird and then I got jealous with all of your Evening Grosbeaks but then all your delightful food made me hungry so I'm off to the kitchen while humming "Islands In The Stream" which I'm certain will become an earworm for the rest of the day.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Rain!
Seeing your photos has me thinking about food. Wish I could just grab your dishes out of the photos. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm so far behind on commenting. I love Dolly and when she sang with Kenny it was always pure magic. I miss my birds and feeders but love your trail cam photos, they take wonderful action shots. Aww Tweety playing one of my childhood favorites.
ReplyDeleteDawn aka Spatulas On Parade
Leo is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice new week ahead and thanks for visiting my blog.