Hello Friends! :)
Welcome to Thursday's Art Date! Our theme today is Patterns. I'm not really a fan of Andy Warhol, but I thought that borrowing his idea might just turn into a great pattern of Tweety and Sylvester! I was just doodling with Sharpies and Prismacolor Pencils for this one!
The patterns in Nature are all around us! This is a grassy shore by the river done in watercolour.
The patterns in Nature are all around us! This is a grassy shore by the river done in watercolour.
This was my challenge for the art date! I followed a tutorial to make this 3D drawing. (Kind of makes me want a Spirograph!!) About halfway through I was cursing myself for choosing "patterns" as the theme lol...it was hard on my hand but I'm glad I challenged myself!
There is a behavioural pattern forming in my home...I can't stop making cheese lol!!! I'm really enjoying it this time around. From left to right: Monterey Jack, Jarlsberg and Parmesan.
The Monterey Jack just came out of the brine and it'll be ready in a few months.
The Jarlsberg is a few days old in this photo and you can see the rind is starting to form. This is also ready in a few months (fingers crossed the "eyes", or holes, will form on the inside!!).
And the Parmesan...it SMELLS LIKE A PARM!! And it's developing quite the rind! That's a 6-monther. I didn't have a big enough pot so I had to half this recipe...that's why it looks so flat! I now have 6 wheels of cheese aging! :) I'll be posting all of the recipes and photos on Rainy Day Cheese Making very soon! In fact, I wanted to just let my friends who follow that blog know that I'll be revamping it in the near future, so if it goes offline for a bit, don't worry, it'll be back!!
The Monterey Jack just came out of the brine and it'll be ready in a few months.
The Jarlsberg is a few days old in this photo and you can see the rind is starting to form. This is also ready in a few months (fingers crossed the "eyes", or holes, will form on the inside!!).
And the Parmesan...it SMELLS LIKE A PARM!! And it's developing quite the rind! That's a 6-monther. I didn't have a big enough pot so I had to half this recipe...that's why it looks so flat! I now have 6 wheels of cheese aging! :) I'll be posting all of the recipes and photos on Rainy Day Cheese Making very soon! In fact, I wanted to just let my friends who follow that blog know that I'll be revamping it in the near future, so if it goes offline for a bit, don't worry, it'll be back!!
BCLT's and fries. (That's bacon, Cheddar, lettuce and tomato) I love these dollar store fry cups! The red and white patterns are very diner-style and I'm sure it made the fries more delicious presented this way! :). In case anyone is curious, the little round thing on the top right of the photo is a chewable multi-vitamin. We each take one with dinner, so that's why you see them in a lot of the food photos!
I've been spending as much time outside as I can. Yesterday, I had a little quiet time, sitting in the sun, reading and sipping on a spritzer. The yoga continues to help my sciatica and piriformis pain I'm happy to report! I made the mistake of skipping it one day last week and I really felt the difference - never again!
In fact, I wanted to share this with those suffering, or those who know people suffering, especially of piriformis pain. Get yourself a tennis ball and do a self-massage! It REALLY works! (And it ALSO works on a tight BUDGET for those like me, who can't afford physio-therapy)
The tennis ball self-massage hurts a bit at first, but it's a great way to really get deep into that muscle, I find almost instant relief when I do this each morning. The video above is very informative. The therapist explains how sciatica develops, how to self-massage using both a foam roller and a tennis ball, how to stretch the piriformis and how to strengthen it. I do all of these things daily. The only problem I have is that Jack thinks it's a game of hide and seek with the tennis ball!
In fact, I wanted to share this with those suffering, or those who know people suffering, especially of piriformis pain. Get yourself a tennis ball and do a self-massage! It REALLY works! (And it ALSO works on a tight BUDGET for those like me, who can't afford physio-therapy)
The tennis ball self-massage hurts a bit at first, but it's a great way to really get deep into that muscle, I find almost instant relief when I do this each morning. The video above is very informative. The therapist explains how sciatica develops, how to self-massage using both a foam roller and a tennis ball, how to stretch the piriformis and how to strengthen it. I do all of these things daily. The only problem I have is that Jack thinks it's a game of hide and seek with the tennis ball!
Dog days of summer? Jack, Marlene and Charlie snoozing in the sunshine. (The huskies are shedding...oh, the horror...) Seize the day my friends...life is short! :) (I wish I could have told my 20-year old self that!!!) :)
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| August's Waxing Gibbous Moon (I love my zoom setting!!) |
August 15th: Next Thursday's theme is Moon Sun and Stars. 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 don't include a link unless you participate in the art date!
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hi dear Rain this is magnificent post !
ReplyDeleteyour art for theme pattern is exquisite :)))
all my so very favorite characters here :) grassy shore is gorgeous ,ice free shore looks much alive and vibrant
your 3d painting oh my God what an intelligent person you are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you stunned me with such incredible job ,absolutely remarkable ,i may could have taken months to do it as finely
either i am enjoying your passion pattern for cheese dear Rain :) looks inviting even i am not fan of cheese :)
food is awesome too ,dollar store cup is not familiar but really pretty .your fries make it more delightful i bet :)
thank you for the wonderful video !
at first look it seem hard to do same but once one gains flexibility it is effective i am sure ,years back i followed some step for backache and it was gone withing two weeks ,though i have to continue it when i leave it for long pain is back too
sitting under sun is soothing and spiritual , i am glad you did this ,it must be done often ,bones need sunlight indeed for while in a day
haha how your pets are enjoying the sun more than you i guess :)
wishing you a healthy happy days my friend !
hugs!
Stretching definitely helps with that. Love that photo of the dogs chilling.
ReplyDeleteOMG - I need that sandwich and fries right now, please. It looks totally yummy! The dogs look totally relaxed and comfy. Tweety Bird is one of my faves. At one time, I had so much Tweety stuff in the house it was overflowing! Hugs, RO
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of Andy Warhol??
ReplyDeleteHa ha...me either, but I like him. Is that odd?
Beautiful moon.
You have a beautiful array of patterns for us today, well done Rain! Your food looks delicious, complete with multi vitamin.
ReplyDeleteyou sure nailed it again with tweety and sylvester...amazing! those sandwiches look 'to die' for! the pups are so funny. mine do the same except inside in front of the fans. you should do some mandalas sometime. they are lots of fun and super cool when you are done with them. i went through that faze a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteThank you Baili :) I'm glad you enjoyed it, even the cheese!! :) I'm obsessed with it...I have to force myself to stop lol! The 3D art was all geometry! The hard part was colouring in the right places! I'm glad you find relief for back pain. I think the key really is prevention when you can do it. I waited far too long to take care of the sciatica and it's a tough journey ahead, but I will be doing strengthening exercises after I heal a little more - just to make sure it doesn't come back! I learned my lesson! The pets almost IMMEDIATELY fell asleep in the sunshine, it was so cute!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristina :) The dogs are so sweet...and yes, the stretching really does help.
ReplyDeleteHi RO :) Oh you had Tweety stuff!! How neat! :) The sandwich is so good with the homemade bread too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandi :) I love my camera! It really takes great zoom shots. Andy Warhol...yeah, not a fan. Lol...but I did like the Velvet Underground so I guess he can't be all that bad lol!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine :) Your multi-vitamin comment made me laugh! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Joyce :) The sandwiches are really so good! I have mine without the bacon and I don't miss it at all. Actually we are going to go off bacon completely. Almost completely vegetarian now, weird for me. Though I'll always eat fish. I can imagine the W's by the fans! Charlie gets really hot and she plops herself in front of the a/c now and then too. Mandalas are a great idea!
ReplyDeleteA BLT with cheese. I never thought of doing that. Every Saturday I make BLTs for David and me. Because it's so hot that is the meal of the day. I have to try them with cheese. David will go crazy. Sipping wine spritzers is so nice. Perfect for a hot day. Seeing the "dead dogs" of summer enjoying the hot sun. I bet it feels so good on their joints. Personally, I want so much to go outside and lay on a towel in the courtyard and let the hot sun beat on my back. If it wasn't for my blasted Lupus I would be out there listening to Chopin and sipping a wine spritzer while the sun works on my back.
ReplyDeleteYum! Yum! and ...Yummy!!!! Can't wait to start some cheese! We just keep plugging away at getting the freezer and canning shelf filled with our garden bounty! Thankful, for sure! Still no pumpkins, but the green leaves are looking wonderful...fingers crossed! Your pups look very contented and relaxed! Have a marvelous week-end! Thanks for the video...I'll share it with Mom!
ReplyDeleteI am glad your sciatic nerve is doing better. That sandwich looks so
ReplyDeletedelicious. Nancy
All that glorious cheese! And so pretty. Some of them I just have to admire and sigh over, because I have no way to properly cure them. I'm happy with what I am able to make, but I'd love to make real Parmesan. That's the only cheese I buy nowadays.
ReplyDeleteLove the pooch and moon pics! Great zoom. What camera do you have?
Rain,
ReplyDeleteI like your Tweety and Sylvester pattern - good job! Those blades of grass look quite real. And, your circular checkered pattern turned out nice. I doodled something for this but I'll share it at the end of the month. I can't say that I'm excited about how it turned out but it is what it is. Maybe, I'll find another direction to go the theme if it hits and if not then purrhaps another time. Your food looks so yummy always! We take vitamins, but it's more than one. lol Chewables would be easier to take. Sometimes both of us have a hard time swallowing ours only to have them get stuck before coughing them up. I hate that feeling and it's a bit scary. Oh yeah, I love your moon photograph! Great job on the capture!! Have a artastic weekend!
I love the painting, I love the sandwich, I love the dogs....and I am so SORRY that I have not been playing along in your ART DATE. I am hoping to get my life on track at some point and hope to start playing along. You do Bugs and friends so GOOD. I think I will actually get my paints out today and try to finish the deck rug. But I also have a couple of projects I need to do for my up coming vendor show.
ReplyDeleteHi Leanna :) Yes, cheese makes everything better! :) I love a wine spritzer on a hot day! The idea of sipping one one in the sun with Chopin playing is marvelous! I think that the sun really helps the dogs too, both Jack and Marlene are in their early teens (we think) and we know that Marlene has issues in her back legs, so she loves to lie in the sun!
ReplyDeleteHi Dino :) You mom would benefit from that video if it's the piriformis that's bothering her, but he has links to other videos you can do if it's about a disk problem too. I have ONE pumpkin growing! ONE is better than none lol! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy :)
ReplyDeleteHi Leigh :) Having the cheese cave is SO helpful. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to make all of those cheeses at all. I have a Canon "Power Shot". Alex got it for me in 2015 for my birthday. I really love how well it does the night shots. I have to take it out more often, I just get lazy with the cell phone camera!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy :) I look forward to seeing your patterns, even if you're not too happy with them! It was a challenging one for me that's for sure! We can't take the regular vitamins, I call them horse pills. I have trouble swallowing pills anyway, even tiny little ones...I even have to crush up my Tylenols in yogurt when I need one! Those chewables work well. They make gummies for adults now too which is really great!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam :) Enjoy your painting! I hope you have a good day for it! It's important for you to get your life back to where you feel comfortable, no pressure to join the art date - it's not going anywhere I promise!! :)
ReplyDeleteYour 3d art challenge is amazing, I would never had the patience or been able to keep to acurate measurements, its brilliant.
ReplyDeleteAlways love your art. Have you seen the squirrels lately?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Betty :) Honestly I was cursing myself halfway through!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy :) No, I think the squirrels have "flown the coop"!! Kind of sad...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the video, I'm pleased that your sciatic nerve is doing much better.
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing all of your photographs - your art, your cheese, the dogs and the moon so nice to see.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan :) I'm happy you enjoyed the post!
ReplyDeleteRain, that 3-D picture is amazing! And I love the grass on the shoreline. Re: tennis ball and back pain. I get to work with a tennis ball between me and the wall whenever I get a knot in my back. High or low. When I feel the pain is when I know I've found the knot. It usually takes a few sessions as the knot moves before it completely relaxes, but within a day (or two at most) anymore I usually have success with this simple technique.
ReplyDeleteI'm way too love in cheese to, Rain! (lol) RO
ReplyDeleteYour art was wonderful to see, Rain, especially the 3-D looking graphic. My eyes would have had a tough time focusing in the squares to shade in. The cheese looks wonderful and all favorites of mine, which pretty much describes any type of cheese! We also like BLTs and a vitamin makes them healthier with fried on the side😊. We also take out daily vitamin supplements so definitely understand that. Glad the back pain is easing. And, the dogs have the right idea about relaxing.
ReplyDeleteI immediately thought Andy Warhol when seeing 'Patterns'.
ReplyDeleteYour BCLT and fries looks like you're at a restaurant!!
Take care!
I am always in awe when I see your homemade cheeses. Is Jarlsberg like a swiss cheese? Love the laid out, dead dog pose of your wo-wo's. How they love the sun.
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed that you did that blue and white patterned sphere, Rain! Just looking at it makes my eyes spin, and I would never have the patience to create something like that. Too many ants in my pants! However, I do much better with photography, and the endless patterns in nature fascinate me, especially patterns expressed in texture. It's ten thirty at night, and I'm trying to fast between dinner and breakfast. Looking at your yummy food and that spritzer is just killing me! LOL What I wouldn't give to have one afternoon snoozing in the sunshine! I often envy dogs and cats! I'm glad that the tennis ball is helping you! I can't roll a single tennis ball under my body. It triggers too much pain for me to handle. I can just imagine your adorable Jack looking for that tennis ball. Wishing you all the best as you search for relief!
ReplyDeleteI love that video! Thanks for sharing it Rain! Truly love all your art pieces! That Spirograph is cool! I love your cheese! LOL! You are lucky I don't live closer! LOL! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThanx for sharing the video. I really liked it and such good tips.
ReplyDeleteI also really like the cheese...lol and the sandwich ;)
Your patterns are beautiful !!!