Thursday, August 5, 2021

Thursday Art Date: Ditches and Holes



Hello Friends!! 😊😊

Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Ditches and Holes. What a way to travel, burrowing through holes in the ground! Bugs always forgets to take that left turn doesn't he? Poor Daffy Duck isn't too happy about getting lost!



My latest art tutorials are up on my YouTube channel! Click on the images above or the links below to check them out! I'm starting to do more "talkies" rather than just time-lapsed videos.

Let's Draw Daffy Duck (real time with voice)
Let's Draw Spinal Tap (time-lapsed)


When Marlene first came home with us in 2015, she STUNK. Stunk like skunk. Yes, she'd been skunked and it took a few months for her to "de-stinkafy". Once those skunks spray the animals, not much can get rid of that "fragrance". We tried home remedies, a product called Skunk Off...and they masked the smell, didn't get rid of it completely. Marlene STILL sticks her nose in holes, ditches and drain pipes when I walk her...


Eyes and Noses

Life is so busy! I'm working very hard on my YouTube art channel and I have a spiritual channel in the works as well. I have a huge list of house things to take care of before winter! Have I mentioned that I just love where I live??? The people here are so nice and the area is so beautiful and quiet. I feel like moving to New Brunswick was my destiny...to find myself, heal from past wounds and live a life of gratitude and joy. 


On the food front, it's been lots of leftovers, frugal meals like pasta and sandwiches...and one day of decadence. Baked Camembert in puff pastry. Oofa. Of couse it's one of my Cams...the many benefits of cheese making! 😁


I also made this Key Lime Pie. I found the recipe on Taste of Home and it was really easy and delicious! I'm going for simple recipes these days!


How could I get a portrait in this week's theme you ask? Well, how about a Black Hole? In a few Star Trek episodes, there were mentions of Black Holes...and impressive synonyms like "Black Planets", "Parallaxes" and "Quantum Singularities"...I'm not a big trekkie but I did read this on a die-hard fan forum!! Here is Mr. Spock from the original Star Trek Series (IMO the best version of Star Trek!). I went for a minimalist charcoal approach for this portrait. I recorded this tutorial in real time and it's scheduled to be uploaded on my YT channel at the end of August.

Photo: Space.com

Speaking of space!!! If you can get yourself to an area that is free of city lights and street lights, the best time to see the yearly Perseid Meteor Showers will be overnight on the 11th of August. The showers are happening now, but you'll be more likely to see them overnight on that date as they are at their peak. I watch the skies every August and seeing a shooting star is very magical! I'll be up on my roof watching the skies next week!



I'm linking up with these wonderful bloggers today, or at least trying (!!), 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 August 6th : Paint Party Friday
Saturday August 7th: Eileen's Saturday's Critters
Monday August 9th:  Angie's Mosaic Mondays


This week's highlighted artist/blogger is my friend Sandy from Messy Sketches All Year Long blog! Sandy is a lovely artist, this is just one of her many beautiful paintings. Please visit her blog! 💗💗 You can find her on Instagram here!

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU MAY BE NEXT WEEK'S FEATURED ARTIST/BLOGGER!


That's all for now folks! Please check out the link widget below for more "Ditches and Holes" creations! See you soon!!! 💗💗

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Upcoming Art Dates For Rain's Thursday Art Date:

August 12th: Weather and Weather Lore
August 19th: Reflections and Mirrors
August 26th: Rough Textures

Click on the links for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨

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! All spam and non-related links will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).

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46 comments:

  1. I am so very happy that you are loving where you live.
    I am also grateful that we don't have skunks.

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  2. Wonderful art, as always, and your food always has me drooling. Love the photos of your fur babies. Have a great day, take care, be happy, hugs, Valerie

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  3. Have a nice Thursday everyone.
    Luv the cute parakeets. Bravo

    Much❤love

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  4. lol my favorite this week is Mr Spock! If there are any shows I would like to watch again it is the first Star Treck! But that will not happen. I don´t think Swedes like SF.

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  5. ...Marlene seems to be a slow learner with it come to skunks! The baked Camembert looks gooey good. Thanks Rain for hosting, I'll be back in the morning.

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  6. Wonderful representations of ditches and holes did not think of black holes, good one. The first cartoon gave me a chuckle! I love that you love New Brunswick! Your food is delicious as always and Sandy is so talented.

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  7. I was going to say 'poor Marlene,' but then I realized poor you!

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  8. That picture of Bugs is one of the most iconic of my childhood. Thanks.

    I am so very glad that you made the move. You definitely seem in a much better place (also, somewhat selfishly, by you I get learn about a new geography!).

    Key lime pie really is the best. Yours looks delicious!

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  9. Oh, love Sandy's sketch of the two lovebirds! I had to laugh about Marlene smelling like a skunk. Definitely not funny, but......sorry, I laughed. Definitely watching the Pleiades this year. Can't wait for the nights, here you can see many falling stars. Have a great day, Rain!

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  10. Poor stinky Marlene. I remember our old Jack's encounter with a skunk. Not pretty!

    That cheese -- I am so very hungry when I look at this one! And the key lime pie, too!

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  11. The spock drawing is very good. The light/dark contrasts is appealing. Poor Marlene and you guys. Skunk smell is the worse to the point you can almost taste it. Speaking of tasting....that key lime pie looks delicious. Was it?

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  12. That was some commitment taking a dog home that stunk of skunk! But I would have too - just not sure what a skunk smells like as would only find it in a zoo in the uk lol! I like your star trek take on the black hole idea. I am a little bit obsessed with black holes - I think they could be timeslips and I wish we knew more about them.

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  13. Your baked cheese looks so yummy as does the key lime pie, which sounds refreshing. It’s so nice to hear that you love the place you live. It sounds beautiful there, Rain.

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  14. Very cleaver on the black hole. I love the art. You make it look so easy. I have been under the weather so I am off now to check out your new youtubes for this week. Oh and just send the Key lime pie to me please. LOL

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  15. I used to love watching those cartoons when I was a kid! Glad you're settling in and yes one of my dog's got into Skunk2 once

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  16. We actually use tomato juice on our dog to get rid of the skunk smell. How's the weather up there is it getting any cooler or your heading into fall? We finally got some real serious rain last week which was great and it's cooling off a little bit this next week. I'm ready for autumn! How's your garden going?

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  17. Eyes and noses. My favorite parts are the paws!

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  18. I can't believe Thursday has come round again!
    You've shared some more lovely art.
    I do like the mosaic of your fur babies.
    Your food looks and sounds wonderful.

    You really sound happy and are settling in so well in New Brunswick, I am so pleased for you.

    Have a lovely week ahead.

    All the best Jan

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  19. Hi, Rain! I'm going to try that Spock video, for sure. You captured him so well! Poor Marlene! Dad always swore by a tomato juice bath for skunk spray. Your Bugs Bunny cartoons are always fun. My post is scheduled for 2:00 am my time. Dare I hope I'm getting on top of things finally? Hugs to you!

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  20. Like the looks of that key lime pie and I absolutely adore those two love birds.

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  21. It's so wonderful you found your dream place rain. I hope we find ours once hubby retires. I always know when I open your blog that I will have a smile on my face over the Looney Tunes art:) Love the story of Marlene. we once had both our dogs sprayed late at night at the same time!!! Filled a child's pool with cans of tomato juice - and did what we could so they could at least come into the house. Not a Star trek fan but your drawing of Spock is super! You have so many talents my friend! Happy PPF!

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  22. Aw, Sandy's parakeets are so sweet. I love it when you make cheese; I find it fascinating. They make my mouth water.

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  23. My second try at this comment ... I wrote a long comment then pushed enter, duh, and of course the whole thing disappeared. So I will say again that though your Bugs Bunny is awesome as always, I think Daffy Duck takes the cake this time around ... love those asymmetrical eyes!
    As for the skunk, I can commiserate as Izzi got it right in the face when she stuck her head in the bushes one night. There is a recipe for a way to wash it out, which I used, but, as you said, it doesn't get it all and to make matters worse she was in the middle of a Agility Trial. Needless to say, nobody got very close to us the next day at the trial.
    Your food makes me cry ... I am on my Covid diet (lose all the weight I gained being shut in my house for a year) and your camembert looks good enough to eat right off the page. Key Lime is my favorite ... Mooan and who knows when it will be when I can sink my teeth into another piece :( But, I am sure you enjoyed it and if I could live vicariously through you, I would be happy :)
    Your Spock is the best of your portraits I think ... don't you? Even using the minimalist approach, it is right on. I think it is in the eyes that you really captured him.
    And on to space ... My father used to drive the whole family out into the country so we could watch the Perseids Meteor showers. We would climb up onto the hood of the car and lay back and watch ... it was so cool. I used to know most of the constellations and could spot the planets that were spotable(not a word, I know), but it has been so long since I have been able to see anything other than the north star and the moon, I am sure I have lost all of that knowledge.
    I think you have found your destiny and you are blooming ... I love that you have branched out into your YouTube Channel and your artwork gets better and better. It has been fun watching you grow ... So don't forget to relax once in awhile. You are truly a busy lady ...

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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  24. Hope that Marlene is doing well, Rain, and she most likely doesn't go digging in many ditches these days. That camembert cheese in puff pastry and the key line pie look so good. Yes, simple meal prep is a good thing and we have been doing a lot of sheet pan meals with veggies and chicken or fish cooked together. I'm going to watch your Let's Draw Daffy Duck video tonight, even if I won't be drawing. Glad the art channel is working out so well for you. Best of all it's good to read that you are so very happy living in New Brunswick!

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  25. Poor Marlene! You can't blame a dog for digging though, it's what they do. Of course living where I do I have never had the pleasure of whiffing skunk.

    I have been watching your tube and can just sense that you are relaxed and at peace with your life and your beautiful, quiet surroundings as those trees just sway in the warm breeze.

    Our granddaughter Isabella has been liking your videos on how to draw. I think you have another fan.

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  26. Your baked cheese looks so delicious, as does the key lime pie, it will make you hungry right away.
    How nice that you live in such a nice place.
    I wish you a nice weekend.
    Greetings Irma

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  27. Hello Rain,

    I always enjoy your Bugs and Daffy cartoon art, you are an amazing artist.
    Poor Marlene, I can only imagine the skink smell. It is not pleasant. The mosaic of eyes and noses is adorable, I love it. Your baked Camembert look yummy, I would be happy with pasta and sandwiches. Neat portrait of Mr. Spock.
    My hubby will be looking for the meteor showers. Your friend Sandy's bird painting is so cute! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post! Take care, enjoy your weekend! PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

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  28. I'll share those tutorial links with my kids. Hope they will like them. Marlene made me smile. Loved the featured sketch.

    https://craniumbolts.blogspot.com/2021/08/what-haul-from-saul-kere.html

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  29. The Bird is a Turkey Vulture ... not at all vicious, but will puke on you with it's acidic vomit if you scare it :). Our Turkey Vultures are playful ... they are a social bird and if humans are the only companion they know, they will play with you. I have a picture somewhere playing tug of war with Turkey :)

    Andrea

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  30. Awesome post ~ love the kitty photos the best ~ Xo

    Living in the moment,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka ( A Creative Harbor)

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  31. Rain,

    Your sketch of Bugs and Daffy made me smile. I remember those shorts with Bugs taking the wrong turn. lol In years past, we've seen the Perseids Meteor Showers which was always a lot of fun. We have to drive along way to get away from the city lights so we won't be doing it again this year with the peak time during the work week. Thanks for hosting. I'm sitting this out this week but I hope at the end of the month to do another recap post with all of August's prompts. Yum, that pie looks good! Have a great weekend, my dear!

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  32. Hi Rain, It does look like you are living the happy life and I send along my admiration. I noted that you are working on a spiritual channel. That is especially interesting to me. For the last couple of years I have been studying with Eckhart Tolle through his Teachings website and Sounds True. I have made some wonderful progress in what spiritual teachers might refer to as a more awakened presence. I hope you will tell me about your spiritual channel in a reply here or on my blog. Thanks! Best wishes to you from Seattle! John

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  33. Love all your art as usual, Rain! Your charcoal drawings tho are my fave. Yummy pie! I think simple recipes are the best bet in the long run. You have so many balls in your juggling air! I'm happy you are happy. Have fun looking at the stars, hope you see the showers, XOX

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  34. I've just had a lot of fun checking out your Youtube channel - I am just learning the skills of Youtube. You are such a calm professional at it!
    Have a great Sunday!
    Wren x

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  35. your words about your happiness calm my heart more dear Rain !

    i am really happy that you found your place of dreams to stay eventually and living a life that you longed for long ,i still remember your long search and desperation for new house and i am glad you have it now :)

    enjoying the sky watch is my fav hobby as well though i miss terribly my village sky .

    loved the expressions of daffy specially haha you are amazing indeed

    my heart felt best wishes!

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  36. Love Bugs and his misreading of the route. That cheesy bake and lime pie look delicious. Hugs Wendy.

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  37. Rain - I haven't had a key lime pie in a long time ... better do it before summer is over! This weekend must have been some sort of skunk gathering because I saw way more than the normal amount, as road kill. So sad. Thanks for the tip on the meteor showers - we are in the perfect location so far out of town! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!

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  38. Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny are cute cartoon characters. I am glad we don't have skunks here. Imagine having to carry that awful smell everywhere we go.

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  39. Rain, I'm a great Fan of your drawings. Again and again. They are fantastic. We, my husband and myself, love comics.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Happy MosaicMonday

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  40. Happy Monday. I am at #16 of the mosaic linky today

    Much❤love

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  41. Love those critter faces...and that cheese! So glad you are happy in your new home.

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  42. I'm awed by the way you can go from the theme "Musical " last time, which I knew I would enjoy to "Ditches and Holes" which I would guess I'd have zero interest in but then find out that you make that theme every bit as interesting! Amazing to see how your creative mind works! (I come to admire not to take part -- this world has to have some people who are here only appreciate the fine work of others and that is my role!) ... my admiration definitely extends to your beautiful camembert creation, your pets, and definitely your love of life and your gratitude.

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  43. Thanks so much for your comments!!! I enjoyed all of your "skunky" stories lol! I can totally relate. Did you know that they spray their anal gland "scent"? Kinda grosse huh? Blech!!
    I'm just responding to a few!

    Marsha: The key lime pie was gone in just 2 days and it was fabulous. I'm going to mix it up and make an orange one and maybe a cherry one in the next week or so! It's such an easy recipe! ♥

    Nancy (Little Homestead in Boise): Our summer has been cool and rainy...not usual weather. Makes for a crappy garden season here, but at least my garlic thrived!!! No signs of fall, actually as I post this, we are in a heat/humidity wave!

    Louise: Oh I hope you do the Spock drawing!!! If you do, let us all know!!! ☺

    Phil: Thank you for introducing your Isabella to my art channel! I hope she enjoys the Kermit video that I will be posting tomorrow!! ☺

    Shiju: Thanks for sharing the tutorials with your kids!! ☺

    Andrea: Thanks (I think) for sharing the vomit story lol...I will heed the turkey vulture!! ☺

    John: I really love Echkart Tolle, I think it's wonderful that you are making progress with your more awakened presence. I made an introductory video on my channel that explains what I'll be presenting, it may not coincide with your path, but I think you may enjoy it!! I'll have the link on tomorrow's post! ☺

    Oh and to those who mentioned they don't have skunks...I honestly had no clue they didn't exist everywhere!!!

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  44. SPOCK! 🖖


    I have an old friend who used to say she missed that left turn at Albuquerque whenever she was unhappy. Or happy, come to think of it. 😂

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❤ Thanks for your comment, I love hearing from everyone! ❤ Why not join me and my fellow artists every Thursday for TADD? That's Thursday Art and Dinner Date! It's a lot of fun!
Love,
Rain