Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Thursday Art Date: May Flowers - Pollination - Birds!! 🎨 Share Your Art! 🎨

Welcome my Friends, to Thursday's Art Date (posted on Wednesdays)!! 😊😊 Today our theme is May Flowers - Pollination! Following the prompt is optional! Please feel free to share any of your art, we would love to see it!

Tweety Bird is happily spreading pollen to the sunflower patch that Granny planted for him 2 weeks ago! He's eager to snack on those sunflower seeds!

I'm so happy to say I've spotted several Hummingbirds at my feeders lately! I caught what I think is a male Ruby Throated Hummingbird, hovering and feeding. It's 14 seconds long, if any of my bird-loving friends would let me know if it's a male, I'd appreciate it! I slowed down the first part of the video while he was hovering!


This is my watercolor Hummingbird painting. I really enjoyed doing this painting!


We splurged and bought a screen house! I can't express how happy I am! We don't have the budget to build a screened-in deck for a few years, so this is just perfect! It's in the backyard and faces the bird feeders and the backwoods! Black flies, deer flies and mosquitoes...do your worst!!! ☺


Speaking of birds, you will likely laugh at this! While I was walking Jack on the blueberry field trail, I kept hearing a wolf whistle. For those of you who don't know what a wolf whistle is; it's the whistle that (usually) men make when they see a pretty woman. (Though I've been known to spurt out a good wolf whistle when I sees what I likes lol!) 😁 So here I am thinking there is some creep in the woods laying it on thick lol...after some research I found out that it was an Upland Sandpiper. I drew this in ink and graphite - a quick doodle. 

This isn't my video, but I've embedded it so you can hear that wolf whistle...tell me ladies...if you'd never heard an Upland Sandpiper wouldn't you have thought the same thing??? ☺☺ Maybe my ego needed a little stroking lol!

Lots of videos to share! On Rain Frances Art YouTube Channel, I have a real-time painting lesson How To Paint a Hummingbird in Watercolors!

On Rain Frances Art For Kids, my latest drawing lesson is up: How To Draw A Blue Whale!

On Rain's Kitchen and Garden, I have a few videos. Why My Seedlings Didn't Make It. Sigh...not all of them died, but some of them - I have replanted!




Food, glorious food! I made the baguettes again and I think I have the recipe right. Next time I make them I'll record myself for a video. We had them with Smoked Cheddar and Apple Cider Fondue, very delicious! I'm linking up with Kathy's Food Wednesdays - why not check it out? Lots of great foodie ideas! ☺



Baked Fettuccine. I boil the pasta, heat up some of my home-canned spaghetti sauce, top it with Parm and Cheddar - and it goes under the broiler until the cheese is nice and brown! We had the leftover baguettes with this pasta dish! ☺ 


I tried a new recipe this week, Veggie Pot Pies! I usually make my pot pies in one big dish, but decided to try them in individual pans. This was my first time using a hot water crust pastry recipe and I'm so glad I tried it! It was a learning curve, but I plan to try this method again! It's somehow really healing for my hands to knead warm pastry dough!! 


I had a spinach salad as a side and Alex had steamed broccoli! Oh they were so good!




Lemon pie with graham cracker crust. So delicious! I used a boxed pie filling, the brand is Shirriff's. I just followed the directions on the box and it turned out really yummy. It's funny, I feel like I'm transitioning from all-scratch baking to sometimes boxed/prepared baking. Maybe I'm just too busy these days?


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

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Upcoming Art Dates For Rain's Thursday Art Date: click on the links below for a description of the prompt and inspiring images!

May 26th - May Flowers: Flowers Blooming

June 2nd: Colourful June: Pink
June 9th: Colourful June: Yellow
June 16th: Colourful June: Red
June 23rd: Colourful June: Purple
June 30th: Colourful June: Silver and Gold

This art date is all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! You can follow the weekly themes or post any art 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 will be available until the following Wednesday!

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33 comments:

  1. Good morning Rain, I really enjoyed your post very much. we love birds and wildlife so I enjoyed the videos, and your art-too cute pollinating the flowers.
    I think that is a male hummingbird but I did not see the red as he was so fast, but his head looks darker than the females.
    Yum your food dishes all look super delicious! Your pot pies turned out so good. thank you for sharing with us for Food Wednesdays
    oh and I love your backyard getaway space-keeping those biting critters Out-smiles. hugs Kathy

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  2. Wow you have been busy with the garden, cooking, art and a new out door screen in living. I certainly can't put that up with the wind we have all year round. Enjoy it.

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  3. Lovely art pieces Rain, Tweety is so cute. I should try that lemon pie filling. The food looks amazing. Sorry about some of the seedlings but love that you are not giving up.

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  4. I love your watercolour hummingbird and peony -- so beautifully done!

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  5. That DOES sound like a wolf whistle. I would love to hear it for myself (from a bird) and envy your hummingbirds which are feathered enchantment we do not have.
    Love your drawings and, before dawn, am drooling over your food.

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  6. Hello,

    Love Tweety Bird with the sunflowers. Great captures of the Hummingbird, they are quick movers. Love the watercolor. Your new screen house looks great.
    I have never seen or heard the Upland Sandpiper, they make a cool sound.
    Your fondue, baked pasta and bread all look yummy. The veggie pies look great too. Take care, enjoy your day!

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  7. Nice art, Rain! The hummingbird painting is beautiful! Mmm the lemon pie looks yummy! I've pulled back in Blogosphere. Hopefully sometime in the fall I can begin participating in more things. Have a doodletastic day

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  8. What a super post, chock-a-bloc full of good things to look at and watch.

    Have a great week ahead.

    All the best Jan

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  9. I really enjoyed reading your post. Your food really does look fantastic! Love that you will be able to eat outdoors now, hugs, Chrisx x

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  10. It is always exciting when the hummingbirds are back, isn't it? I've been seeing them a lot at my feeder. It makes me wonder how many hummers actually migrate and come back to this whole part of the wall. And I love your screen house. We have all those bugs here too so I can relate to needing something screened in. And I haven't heard of the upland sandpiper, but your learning about this new bird makes a great story. And since I'm by from Kathy's Food Wednesdays, I have to say your food photos look like they taste amazing. I love the idea of a veggie pot pie. And your bread looks amazing. Well all the food looks amazing. Too bad the Canadian Maritimes are just a little too far from NH otherwise I might be knocking on your door for dinner. Smile. hugs-Erika

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  11. Love your art and wow - never heard of a screen house - cool idea!
    And your food sure made me hungry, too, hmmmm.

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  12. Hi Rain, you have been very busy again. I don't grow any veggies on my balcony, but I hope yours all turn out well. Lovely art, and your pot pies sound delicious. I used to make hot water pastry for pies, but these days I am just too lazy! Your food looks wonderful. Hugs, Valerie

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  13. I love your hummingbird and of course the peony which makes me sad. Sad because my neighbor cut it down when he built the fence out front. This is a beautiful watercolor painting.

    I loved seeing the food you created. I love your vegetarian offerings. They look so delicious.

    I was sorry to read you lost some of your seedlings, but you didn't give up. That shows your true character.

    I love your new screened in seating area. It wouldn't work here, because it gets so hot in the summer here I'd never be able to sit outside for more than a few minutes.

    Thanks again for opening the TAD to support all kinds of art.

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  14. This is a theme that should be easy for everyone, Rain. Point the camera outdoors in late May and it seems to me you can't miss. We are on Grand Manan right now and as I look out the window I can see American Goldfinches, a Black-capped Chickadee and a gorgeous wine-dipped male Purple Finch - and dandelions galore!

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  15. All that gorgeous food and art. Bravo!!!!

    Have a nice day everyone

    much💛love

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  16. sadly I have no garden and my balcony turned south is too hot for plants to thrive. The hummingbirds I always miss. I have only seen them on travels.

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  17. You keep so incredibly busy Rain and put me to shame.. I watched your Sandpiper video.. cute.. lol I don't usually take the time to watch videos . All your food looks incredible! Happy Food Wednesday! Hugs! deb

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  18. Hello Rain, nice name full of wonders, my name is Lisa, I join through Christine

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  19. I love that you're branching out to kitchen and garden videos. All your food photos are fantastic! I confess to keeping a few ready-to-make foods on hand. Sometimes, after working on a project all day, it's a relief to whip up something quickly.

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  20. Hi Rain, enjoyed looking at your art. Nice screen room! So sorry you lost some seedlings, good for you on the replanting. Honey sprouted what he called some Hail Mary seeds recently, so ya never know! Both the veggie and lemon pies looks scrumptious, and hey, good to be able to do from scratch and with help both! Not 1920 anymore so enjoy! Good weekend, xoxo

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  21. The wolf whistle story made me laugh! I like your solution to the biting critters this season ~ Your going to enjoy that a lot. Great artwork, videos and food too ~ Enjoy the weekend :)

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  22. Rain, I bought a hummingbird feeder for The Ravishing Mrs. TB for Mother's Day because we have some at New Home and we saw so many wonderful ones in Costa Rica.

    The screen house looks amazing (and rather affordable instead of a screened in porch). Hopefully the trip between the house and there is quick and with insect incident.

    The pot pies look good, although to be honest I may be scarred by industrial pot pies growing up.

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  23. Very varied post ~ Your hummingbird watercolor is stunning ~ Xo


    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    (aka A Creative Harbor)

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  24. Rain - hummingbirds have been in Montana for at least two weeks, and I don't get it since there is nothing for them to eat or pollinate! Good thing our feeders are out! The baguettes and pot pies look delicious! Enjoy your weekend!

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  25. ...Rain, you sure are busy like a bee. How to do you doall of this? Thanks for hosting the party, take care and stay well.

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  26. How do you do it all, Rain? You are amazing! I did get three photos up for TAD. Next week my post will be strictly TAD, or not! At least I have Schrödinger's cat out of my system ~ lol! I want to make some individual chicken pot pies. I have the small pie pans, and you are inspiring me. I think I'm finally getting on top of most things in the house. I really got behind over the past thirteen months. So maybe I can start watching more of your videos. I want to draw the starry night piece. Kudos to you for getting a screened house! I will never forget the scourge of black flies, deer flies, and mosquitos when I worked in the field in the Atlantic provinces. They would almost drive me crazy, and they will follow you for miles! I know that you and Alex will make good use of it. Have a lovely weekend, my friend! XOXOX!

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  27. Sweet little Tweety Bird [pollinating the Sunflowers ... maybe he is thinking of the Ukraine and that he could maybe help them by lifting their spirits). As for the Hummingbird, it is a male. The Ruby color on the neck doesn't show unless the light hits it right, but if the neck is dark it is a male ... the females and the juveniles are much lighter around the head. I love your water color of the hummingbird and I watched your video and learned techniques I didn't know ... you are an awesome and gentle teacher, Rain. I laughed at your Wolf Whistle story. The Grackle also has a perfectly clear Wolf Whistle. When we lived by the lake, my neighbor and I would kid each other about who he was whistling at :) Your food looks delicious especially the Fettuccini ... oh yummmmm. I wanted to dive right into the screen and grab a bite. Everything else is awesome as well ... Veggi pot pies? I have to wonder how you have time to do all you do. Do you sleep at night? The Lemon Pie is another " want to grab a bite or even just stick my finger in and scoop out a mouthful. You make me drool ... and you make me hungry when it isn't time to eat :( You are so talented. I think you should have your own TV show :) I think we won't be planting potatoes, but you sure make it sound doable ... maybe next year. So I hope you are taking time out for yourself ... you are so busy doing for us and I know you deserve "You" time. Stay well and relax once in awhile.

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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  28. I love your Tweety Bird in the sunflower patch!

    The Hummingbird is so cute! I wish we got them here. Your hummingbird painting is lovely. Nice job on the flower too!

    Your Screen-house is what we would call a Gazebo here though they aren't normally screened — though some are. Love it! How nice it will be for you to sit out there with a cuppa and a snack, even read a book. Beautiful setting!

    How funny about the wolf whistle being an Upland Sandpiper. Our butcher birds and magpies have some pretty good vocal ranges too. When I was a child, every morning, I would lie in bed listening to a sound that I thought was a neighbour's squeaky swing set swaying back and forth in the breeze. Years later, I discovered that it would have been a butcher bird all along as I witnessed one making that same sound. lol

    Sad that you lost so many seedlings. Good luck with the new crop. How you prepare the potatoes was very interesting. I saw the tyre method on a gardening show years ago. He said it worked very well too. I enjoyed your gardening videos a lot even though I have no veggie gardens. Good luck for harvest time.

    You can't win with the black flies. I love our winters, even though they're short, which are much like a Wyoming Fall and the cooler weather keeps the flies stay away.

    Love baguettes! Those veggie pot pies look delicious!

    I hope to join you next week for the Thursday Art Date.

    Have a great weekend,
    Serena x

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  29. What a great idea to get a screened in house for the back yard. I should think about that. My back yard is buggy so I don't really spend time out there and it doesn't have a patio or any "firm ground." The screened house is terrific. Love your tweety bird and the goreous humming bird. And oh! That fabulous food. You certainly have the most mouthwatering dinners and snacks. And I still love that you make your own cheese. I'm in awe of that! Happy week!

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  30. Rain thanks for linking to Art For Fun Friday

    Much💛love

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  31. I see that screen house has a nice seating are, Rain, and maybe you will add a table and some sort of lighting. Hope you get to spend time there without any unwanted visitors. Again the baguettes look so good so will be looking forward to your recipe and hopefully it can be used without a specialized pan as I am trying to cut down on kitchen ware. The veggie pot pies look good and I am hoping to try them as soon as I locate my small pie pans.

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  32. Hello Rain - It was lovely to catch up a little, you have been busy and on YouTube such fun seeing you there. You're are inspiring me to get back to YouTube. Loved your hummingbird.
    Wren x

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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