tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50354557461553340782024-03-28T23:30:01.230-04:00Feather GardenDebrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.comBlogger206125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-89772347097881896962024-03-16T11:56:00.001-04:002024-03-16T11:56:08.487-04:00Stop the Bots PLEASE!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULWwbk_p9oimNFKEyBt0YVqDt14C4t4xMl1XxfApktyDmUia69gd3VV5P8cWHbuWaQVgT36ZvAXeBqrAEzIItSgvQQEF2zfDWphgNqkE49HchcCOYtotTwMZ38LVI4z2w6hQJzNuP9QEL7QqXX38DdRHPyShTA4PcWt1jzjQYU5hW1CFNPLKBkrR9MRQL/s1106/cwren1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1106" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULWwbk_p9oimNFKEyBt0YVqDt14C4t4xMl1XxfApktyDmUia69gd3VV5P8cWHbuWaQVgT36ZvAXeBqrAEzIItSgvQQEF2zfDWphgNqkE49HchcCOYtotTwMZ38LVI4z2w6hQJzNuP9QEL7QqXX38DdRHPyShTA4PcWt1jzjQYU5hW1CFNPLKBkrR9MRQL/s320/cwren1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Itis very annoying to find hundreds of hits from Hong Kong and nearby countries on my blog. If a person is doing this, kindly stop.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Any help from readers is appreciated. I thought this problem was resolved.</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-32664054125872764522024-03-01T09:17:00.003-05:002024-03-01T09:17:39.427-05:00Fabric bird work<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0b4AuvvoAmOPqZeeGAT6toK5mMYUo_2Fvp4nNnnIgVcdqRsEF9HE8GPjWvqn9ONnjL3tRrvTMjMGf85LoSIWfgPWYfYL0dsfps1p-1CIGWQofbFQn1sn9Ouc3h5LMUa5UOzvFlVLkoNonBvTX-BF3KuA3Y-_OSBQWi4j-UJB-llSSwX61L5w1Mv2x2pI/s2200/fabricbirds1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="1700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0b4AuvvoAmOPqZeeGAT6toK5mMYUo_2Fvp4nNnnIgVcdqRsEF9HE8GPjWvqn9ONnjL3tRrvTMjMGf85LoSIWfgPWYfYL0dsfps1p-1CIGWQofbFQn1sn9Ouc3h5LMUa5UOzvFlVLkoNonBvTX-BF3KuA3Y-_OSBQWi4j-UJB-llSSwX61L5w1Mv2x2pI/w494-h640/fabricbirds1.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Some appliqueing I'm doing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We are heading into Spring, and it's wonderful.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you are well.</div><div style="text-align: center;">XXOO Debra</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-52433280953324617792023-12-22T10:29:00.003-05:002023-12-22T10:31:40.543-05:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Saq0BbH2OviRTii7uTtwG1ClgY9nmOGRkL-BS0mEJexWEsQ-UhgyWVDQgAkUORAnNs3XEXo5kZsEj9vIZsOLpH7cUM8Uo8nWVDMLVLm2R3AEvYYB_jI5lHgAP_C48ZM9F7pQA-TE-WVnYqFNwRROG0Oa4aERegQFOwk9MA9eoxQk9aDfDEnXdENrvpNk/s1642/sparrow1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="1633" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Saq0BbH2OviRTii7uTtwG1ClgY9nmOGRkL-BS0mEJexWEsQ-UhgyWVDQgAkUORAnNs3XEXo5kZsEj9vIZsOLpH7cUM8Uo8nWVDMLVLm2R3AEvYYB_jI5lHgAP_C48ZM9F7pQA-TE-WVnYqFNwRROG0Oa4aERegQFOwk9MA9eoxQk9aDfDEnXdENrvpNk/w398-h400/sparrow1.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Have a wonderful Christmas and</div><div style="text-align: center;">New Year!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">acrylic on black paper</div><div style="text-align: center;">Debra Smith, 2023</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-63819962357498356582023-12-11T12:31:00.002-05:002023-12-11T12:31:29.300-05:00The Snow and the Trees<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHTiRxEMiniaEy_f0WEZewv0xSTXNHLeqqNNJZtuB_oT7AbERZwZFOsHzm26RNbvqhux4rl3etyJZDzKl3ZLp8cvSJiXhZQvPBWSNGx5a_wtTc0HT8OveqXP8V4mqMPw0F9_9VvOZPQgCwJHi51K3P065n3tKh5WG1sBpRzIdMYu_NQDzXn9YYMmJsi8I/s1474/deer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1474" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHTiRxEMiniaEy_f0WEZewv0xSTXNHLeqqNNJZtuB_oT7AbERZwZFOsHzm26RNbvqhux4rl3etyJZDzKl3ZLp8cvSJiXhZQvPBWSNGx5a_wtTc0HT8OveqXP8V4mqMPw0F9_9VvOZPQgCwJHi51K3P065n3tKh5WG1sBpRzIdMYu_NQDzXn9YYMmJsi8I/w640-h574/deer1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> He had walked a long time. Snow was starting to cover his fur.</div><div style="text-align: center;">There was a place on the path where trees would bend over and cover him for the night. He pressed on through the low brush. It would be dark before he found the trees.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He stopped and listened. There was no wind, no sound, especially with the cold air full of snow falling faster than his breath. He shook his head and moved on.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Alone, all alone. The trees would seem like his kin-they would be comfort. They would protect him from the worst of the storm.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">At last, there were the trees. He dug a shallow nest and curled up on the wet ground. Soon sleep covered him like a soft blanket.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was time to dream.</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Art and story, Debra Smith 2023</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-91487268192403271282023-12-05T10:52:00.001-05:002023-12-05T10:52:53.332-05:00Here I am<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYb__PNbQ0WmcmbZst4htFSGXjA7DihR1xIWIAFByMNRys8Fs9GxgYZbrseKth92jwH8ghscrmi46x0oQgtR8HWBLz-tAwiWMvGMlVVK7PkbsNCztjcKAc6jHRg53HN1_QkB2oYRAvgqm8R5NTNGnzVb0Kh_T2ScFLIsL8MaECYQFhiNEwYieC7xm1Gme5/s2048/DSC06744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYb__PNbQ0WmcmbZst4htFSGXjA7DihR1xIWIAFByMNRys8Fs9GxgYZbrseKth92jwH8ghscrmi46x0oQgtR8HWBLz-tAwiWMvGMlVVK7PkbsNCztjcKAc6jHRg53HN1_QkB2oYRAvgqm8R5NTNGnzVb0Kh_T2ScFLIsL8MaECYQFhiNEwYieC7xm1Gme5/s320/DSC06744.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uNzVsbxaVyL8vjCvgCJVCZKb7L3RKxeiGTlA-oNcRa3c7zt0jIlEaTlkNvjOOIcLn90HUfr89HXHr1cX4Jut1ogw4ejJ4E3ABmOPzw93eqMzveNe8Z_TAwE0evq_nBDOhB2ECdqlg2pU7RIXqSRHtChzLS5slX3HN4awoh0xq5YePd8f-CfTKXlYbqgA/s2048/DSC07345%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="2048" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uNzVsbxaVyL8vjCvgCJVCZKb7L3RKxeiGTlA-oNcRa3c7zt0jIlEaTlkNvjOOIcLn90HUfr89HXHr1cX4Jut1ogw4ejJ4E3ABmOPzw93eqMzveNe8Z_TAwE0evq_nBDOhB2ECdqlg2pU7RIXqSRHtChzLS5slX3HN4awoh0xq5YePd8f-CfTKXlYbqgA/s320/DSC07345%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbrgWWyPtXw-tjMFUPVG8fqzpCN15QHPokyrEWaek44hCi3vbE2ms6IZEUeDb9nGBlO8yO5XhOkld2zPFkIm4lCOTkGbYdFBQE3xxsJCXK2thtLZfRNe2LkSBkoMPS24-Hb2XP4m1s0oq7mau9oUZuWvEGaI0CNKTSgwrlEkxpC-N3xiKIojrz5X6fbOD/s1106/cwren1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1106" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbrgWWyPtXw-tjMFUPVG8fqzpCN15QHPokyrEWaek44hCi3vbE2ms6IZEUeDb9nGBlO8yO5XhOkld2zPFkIm4lCOTkGbYdFBQE3xxsJCXK2thtLZfRNe2LkSBkoMPS24-Hb2XP4m1s0oq7mau9oUZuWvEGaI0CNKTSgwrlEkxpC-N3xiKIojrz5X6fbOD/s320/cwren1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I wanted to write something about myself and this past year. But the more I thought about what I would say, the less I wanted to write about it. It seems that the world is in a mess, and lots of people are going through very hard things. So I decided to just try to jump back on here...<p></p><p>So many Scriptures have helped me. So much calling, "Help!" God hears. </p><p>It can be embarrassing to have anxiety-you feel that you have to explain yourself to some people, and then you feel foolish. You don't get it until you have experienced it-that's all. </p><p>My husband has been so wonderful. He doesn't seem to get tired of my need for reassurance. He is beyond good-there just isn't a word big enough for how wonderful he has been.</p><p>And my blog friends who have thought of me and prayed for me-I thank you with my whole heart. I love you all.</p><p>God bless you and keep you...</p><p>Till next time-take good care.</p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-24537683208115795332023-11-16T13:51:00.000-05:002023-11-16T13:51:21.392-05:00Hello<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pstElpbmVFnYNQrAyrqIiooFbIS8UGAaUQrVD_nJefvmsEFsvbHglM0d_WIeyeG4XT-8pD7nUxErSFuKFxYeBs2i7zSJvhiV0ykyuz8juZX1ZzmbCvTL9W4g8M526ZNOeoONq_cv_S8ruLOthHTAjvExmn_IXYyUHjo_lO9fIXn9hM4DfUY1ttzHmd_-/s1632/1f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1632" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pstElpbmVFnYNQrAyrqIiooFbIS8UGAaUQrVD_nJefvmsEFsvbHglM0d_WIeyeG4XT-8pD7nUxErSFuKFxYeBs2i7zSJvhiV0ykyuz8juZX1ZzmbCvTL9W4g8M526ZNOeoONq_cv_S8ruLOthHTAjvExmn_IXYyUHjo_lO9fIXn9hM4DfUY1ttzHmd_-/w640-h480/1f.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I have not taken such a long break from my blog ever, I think. <p></p><p>First I want to thank everyone who prayed for me. I needed prayers. It has been a hard time to go through, and I know I'm not alone on that score. Life gets rough sometimes, and that's all there is to it.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgrdssVtg66ltyp7nvZ2jnJ3KDcqMyrSoY2rMB3ElEchQGG5v-NMei3BjtvSN9QQDk_WyZkliYhpWu5MsexyhT9VMwvhzK2A2N6eUII9N1taXiMiJxlL1OSbzOUpP1KfFwZ826QhENmyjn_3wo6hI8AlXurjRsHB6NDVrI6qR2AiuqeFSQU-EK5f5H-x8/s1632/DSC04339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="1224" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgrdssVtg66ltyp7nvZ2jnJ3KDcqMyrSoY2rMB3ElEchQGG5v-NMei3BjtvSN9QQDk_WyZkliYhpWu5MsexyhT9VMwvhzK2A2N6eUII9N1taXiMiJxlL1OSbzOUpP1KfFwZ826QhENmyjn_3wo6hI8AlXurjRsHB6NDVrI6qR2AiuqeFSQU-EK5f5H-x8/w480-h640/DSC04339.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm trying to think of the things I have learned along the way. It will take a while to collect my thoughts. Right now I'm writing as I type. Soon I'll try to get some things out on paper where I can see them. And then I can tell my friends just where on earth I have been.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you again for good thoughts and for the prayers.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">P.S. I have a new phone, which isn't letting me post photos to my blog as easily as my old phone did.</div><div style="text-align: center;">These are old photos I took. I may have to just show scans of my art instead of taking photos for a while.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It was a happy chance that I saw the scenes in the above photos.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Talk soon.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Love, Debra</div><div style="text-align: center;">XXOO</div> <p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-21696132208538283392023-09-29T09:52:00.001-04:002023-09-29T09:52:22.989-04:00Anna Golden - I Love It Here (feat. Rita Springer) (Performance Video)<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/D1q3stAOmgc?si=QVl4ZV3qVppYQZ0s" frameborder="0"></iframe>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-69810763900741065062023-09-17T17:20:00.000-04:002023-09-17T17:20:05.417-04:00Loving a Goose, A true story<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2sNcIWp-tTyX5sMYF1IVx6mB0ueyxp4ck_wHxa6grmx84OQ37dmuGHv0zj7XgIVM-E9wMjPVyRXZ6eS3U1t3jwUohxurKTA2AR2kBgwmkOiv4SmJLGzkbw8bX_9LrdHaWYpoVFWqLkrDIDhYa3O1MOUNwk3-YvcMAIWkEH49H1HHTcjxHd2dO5l2RrXP/s2816/1h.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2sNcIWp-tTyX5sMYF1IVx6mB0ueyxp4ck_wHxa6grmx84OQ37dmuGHv0zj7XgIVM-E9wMjPVyRXZ6eS3U1t3jwUohxurKTA2AR2kBgwmkOiv4SmJLGzkbw8bX_9LrdHaWYpoVFWqLkrDIDhYa3O1MOUNwk3-YvcMAIWkEH49H1HHTcjxHd2dO5l2RrXP/s320/1h.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXcCJYJ3S-BoW84u6EZgt_NkvUsJngompvev-HdYSdRFyhSPKSjv_W1wlmPJHH1Mn2lx38FYl7iSf-6pLqigcUu2KMkpUa-iGDdm4b5Pq4Z2cXtn5A6Ylsf0NdEfpxyYRnuZ7RWdmDK0M5YMmLbiD6pGtsiNe3Dzi4P4Jrh83HeEV3v_ZJrwWUvqLh_va/s1800/story2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1516" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXcCJYJ3S-BoW84u6EZgt_NkvUsJngompvev-HdYSdRFyhSPKSjv_W1wlmPJHH1Mn2lx38FYl7iSf-6pLqigcUu2KMkpUa-iGDdm4b5Pq4Z2cXtn5A6Ylsf0NdEfpxyYRnuZ7RWdmDK0M5YMmLbiD6pGtsiNe3Dzi4P4Jrh83HeEV3v_ZJrwWUvqLh_va/w540-h640/story2.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Loving a Goose + Loved by a Goose</div><div style="text-align: center;">A True Story</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When my goose Sam lost the last of her three sisters, I worried. Would I have to buy some decoy geese to put in her pen? Would she die of loneliness or just stop eating?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Within a few days, I had the answers to my questions.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She made an elaborate nest in her nighttime kiddie pool where she slept safe from predators. She didn't lay eggs in the nest-she only wanted some kind of goose-comfort, aside from all the human attention she got from me. Every morning when it was time for her to go outside, she wanted to stay in </div><div style="text-align: center;">her nest. I let her stay, but I kept talking to her. After a little while she stood up and was ready to go outside.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I watched carefully because once I had a goose that mourned her mate by laying next to the fence all day. Lots of love and care brought that goose out of her depression, but I was hoping Sam would only need her indoor nest and be happy to be out in the lush grass with lots of corn to eat. I needn't have worried-she was happy outside and bathed and ate heartily.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sam and I had never had a one on one friendship-there had always been her sisters, who had died one by one, until it was just her and Titus for quite a few years.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Titus (female with a male's name) was the Alpha goose and Sam was the lowest on the totem pole out of the four. Until Titus died, Sam was very content to be her own goose and not be held and petted. She wanted her corn and a place to bathe and the indoor safety-that was her world.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Until Titus died. Then<i> I </i>became her world. She became a huge part of mine. I think I always substituted the geese for my son who had his own life far away from the nest we made for him. I missed my son so much.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So I had a goose and I loved her. She needed my love; we became best friends.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Pandemic started only a few months after Titus's death. My world was suddenly small. It was as big as our yard and home. My husband and my goose were my only social contacts. Church was over the Internet. Everything changed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So I loved my goose even more. One goose, one human.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We bonded. Did she somehow sense an odd thing going on in the world?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Whatever it was, it was something God did for me. I have had geese for decades. Ducks, doves, two chickens. Always birds. I could qualify as a goose whisperer. I know them well.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our days of friendship and love and trust were days I see as always being sunny, rainbows everyday, warm breezes and my eyes seeing beautiful gray feathers and a black knobby beak.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sam replaced the broken world, the loneliness of masks, the fear of being close to humans because of an unseen virus. I didn't have to think about that stuff with a warm goose body on my lap.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And then one day she died. June 20. 2023. The chair we sat in is in my studio. It comforts me, just like her nest comforted Sam.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't help but think of a loving God who invented love to begin with. What a glorious 'thing' love is.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I miss Sam. I mourn and grieve over her. I still have to figure out how to be Sam-less. It hurts. But there's something that just won't let me give in to despair. It's knowing that God is real, that this stuff matters to Him because <i>I matter to Him.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Thank You</i> God, for the beautiful gift of loving a goose.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-53567981019022853922023-08-31T12:31:00.003-04:002023-08-31T12:31:35.489-04:00Help please!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HRxv2Jqyac_9LV0518eU23ys-1HzEmW8VPuvJFERwy4o-I5olyOX3WDVGiVLdK3Px8eQ1TwvQ-R2Dr9TCJYYgHe9sRMS9oA7lJVmfNGbp6vtZHLDbROVgKJPSAFsK-0736EqV5oyZbXpoYjk6OwUqmL93QAYWcCQSk4Lu0YJHZWt2mhQRvLEGtIHjcpO/s2816/1d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HRxv2Jqyac_9LV0518eU23ys-1HzEmW8VPuvJFERwy4o-I5olyOX3WDVGiVLdK3Px8eQ1TwvQ-R2Dr9TCJYYgHe9sRMS9oA7lJVmfNGbp6vtZHLDbROVgKJPSAFsK-0736EqV5oyZbXpoYjk6OwUqmL93QAYWcCQSk4Lu0YJHZWt2mhQRvLEGtIHjcpO/w400-h300/1d.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Does anyone know how to prevent thousands of views from one country-probably a spybot or some odd thing like that? It's giving me the creeps.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I've googled it and nothing is making sense to me about preventing that on my blog.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks!</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-53368233359542031832023-08-29T11:53:00.003-04:002023-08-29T11:53:49.401-04:00Finn, the wonderful dog...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV9aL2fIcR8o2iVAsKok5iMyWspNOLp8UmIC8OaOTdHf997TQ88o2VO-WZdc1Sa8OGzbvWGoBygxcE5XHOllNeUqdkBgaavyRGUZRmjvGvB_Ir4NT9yFTAjoRikraSs5PvFvOokQZuB9yMPtTHQrQKJHFoyVntWWeChGMMOu7s7kRjWv8l4V6k_RFbEFP/s1280/FullSizeR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1007" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV9aL2fIcR8o2iVAsKok5iMyWspNOLp8UmIC8OaOTdHf997TQ88o2VO-WZdc1Sa8OGzbvWGoBygxcE5XHOllNeUqdkBgaavyRGUZRmjvGvB_Ir4NT9yFTAjoRikraSs5PvFvOokQZuB9yMPtTHQrQKJHFoyVntWWeChGMMOu7s7kRjWv8l4V6k_RFbEFP/s320/FullSizeR.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Debra Smith, acrylic on canvas 10"x16"</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">"Finn"</p><p style="text-align: center;">I know I promised to review some art books I'm reading, but we've been traveling, so I have ten million things to do today-the laundry being top of the list!</p><p style="text-align: center;">See you soon. And thank you for all the nice comments-it helps me to keep on painting!</p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-35304611701531784542023-08-07T11:41:00.001-04:002023-08-07T11:41:22.656-04:00A new painting<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PDz5_3w4OxsgrDco03boMsYl4mywQFGusbyuVHcaa8kzhxn3Ngmy4AiYSltJZ2aFNFnMaUYeYCGeICYKBLYnC3aZ2m1rjwbjZSZLo5q_CbFYypMvyttxXr6CFT1sw45J8td1Y3-Da_4YXaFTAzj6tP5NJPHinksbNvvLrUeLuWJO6GvLPzErTxgBXHWA/s1601/FullSizeR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="1601" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PDz5_3w4OxsgrDco03boMsYl4mywQFGusbyuVHcaa8kzhxn3Ngmy4AiYSltJZ2aFNFnMaUYeYCGeICYKBLYnC3aZ2m1rjwbjZSZLo5q_CbFYypMvyttxXr6CFT1sw45J8td1Y3-Da_4YXaFTAzj6tP5NJPHinksbNvvLrUeLuWJO6GvLPzErTxgBXHWA/s320/FullSizeR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Acrylic on cover of an 'Artists Loft' sketch book.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Debra Smith</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I wanted to paint the front of my sketchbook so I'd know which way to open it when I wanted to use it, and just to decorate it a bit. I used painter's tape to block off the edges and when I took the tape off, it ripped off some of the cover of the book. Thankfully, not damaging the painting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I feel like I am learning some things about values. I am happy about that because my folky paintings were all flat blocks of color-nothing wrong with that at all-I just want to learn more representational painting.</div><div style="text-align: center;">My color work needs much improvement.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's ok.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The point is to keep working...</div><div style="text-align: center;">I thought soon I'd do a post about some of the books I am enjoying and learning from.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Have a wonderful week!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-31559337691153751042023-07-27T15:23:00.000-04:002023-07-27T15:23:11.634-04:00I painted Sam...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Scd8fOeieJkO0_DrbmJRYN-jDin9msZogKe0H_xJPgwJVpt3HccgCPNwcxB7wqHnQ08KY72fZeeV6naHVhFy661jFJwH4qsx_kxsor2ZfhPleOqbykEboWeKlM8B_N8Fh_TOvO85-q1hgtYTsLpSCBKfIm0LZhf96UbcthxhuMHvXaJVY98CpstgFPrL/s1280/FullSizeR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="970" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Scd8fOeieJkO0_DrbmJRYN-jDin9msZogKe0H_xJPgwJVpt3HccgCPNwcxB7wqHnQ08KY72fZeeV6naHVhFy661jFJwH4qsx_kxsor2ZfhPleOqbykEboWeKlM8B_N8Fh_TOvO85-q1hgtYTsLpSCBKfIm0LZhf96UbcthxhuMHvXaJVY98CpstgFPrL/w486-h640/FullSizeR.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Acrylic on stretched canvas, 14"x 11"</div><div style="text-align: center;">I miss my goose.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I miss her feathers and her honk.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I love how she loved me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And I believe I'll see her and all my pets in heaven. Of course my beloved humans!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Would God, who took the time to make lightning bugs, not include animals in eternity?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-9410365947163331482023-07-15T11:57:00.004-04:002023-07-15T11:57:57.020-04:00Lyle, the porch bird<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPhUecarJRhbZY01p0m2oTrYiltnUvWbs9zLgsnvTRJSMhoEXyh5l6rQpPFmBns-fzAVQODqpReXDlaV3sBLZ5IpmoGScIW0tGSnHYC-cdEknDFATudlTZtjFSrVPzu7gtlIUDAV8GHaQLoV_qn3MwadxkiNQh18EEckpatYFp93ofWI57qNoa8OK9aNx/s1600/IMG_2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPhUecarJRhbZY01p0m2oTrYiltnUvWbs9zLgsnvTRJSMhoEXyh5l6rQpPFmBns-fzAVQODqpReXDlaV3sBLZ5IpmoGScIW0tGSnHYC-cdEknDFATudlTZtjFSrVPzu7gtlIUDAV8GHaQLoV_qn3MwadxkiNQh18EEckpatYFp93ofWI57qNoa8OK9aNx/w316-h400/IMG_2001.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Acrylic on canvas</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I know there are flaws, but I learned so much painting this. Of course, this is my little bird on our porch post. I had to do a lot of figuring out colors on my own, as I didn't have a photo of him I could work from.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's not a totally good photo of the painting either.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I think the thing I am most pleased about is that I wanted to give up on this many times. But I pushed through.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I prayed.</div><div style="text-align: center;">And I learned I can do hard things. Maybe not perfectly, but I can do them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope your weekend is a nice one.</div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-38296165968795587062023-07-11T09:48:00.002-04:002023-07-11T09:48:22.050-04:00A beautiful morning<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D3zE45yBkJ4VTOz0VKyt6ciF63NpBmvo4dp_O1EOfGx6Pvi-jFjMvriqzXrkaY2lcn1vh_rHnQq5LPqCeuo77mk9BELUALx3qa5bZTp3EE8HUQC-V4wxhYkTk3G_CyBmoXajFIfaaV0m9CNlkBCEi-MiscA99jO44kWwRcCvGm0tE8n3zawGox5MaciX/s800/IMG_1981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D3zE45yBkJ4VTOz0VKyt6ciF63NpBmvo4dp_O1EOfGx6Pvi-jFjMvriqzXrkaY2lcn1vh_rHnQq5LPqCeuo77mk9BELUALx3qa5bZTp3EE8HUQC-V4wxhYkTk3G_CyBmoXajFIfaaV0m9CNlkBCEi-MiscA99jO44kWwRcCvGm0tE8n3zawGox5MaciX/w300-h400/IMG_1981.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Thanks to Henny, at Henny Penny Lane, I can upload photos from my phone to my blog. She said she uses email to do it. So I sent myself the photos and then just downloaded them to my computer from email. Easy as pie, and I don't have to buy a new camera.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncnuZ-SM93IcPheAdGmcgZNu2GtKdFCucalhJ5RAQzwjJRGmwq8iKVyUf_jFY6BJpohGXHlS29SodpJrE0Xp1zXEhBS84DJNtfEZOutCp8FczxHI_tE42kNajMPqrO4q5_OEjI0g3VQz42K4gbt-Kg7YL4jDeSNcSCo_V6FwyVnwZWUvjegYA7QrVmOJn/s1600/IMG_1983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncnuZ-SM93IcPheAdGmcgZNu2GtKdFCucalhJ5RAQzwjJRGmwq8iKVyUf_jFY6BJpohGXHlS29SodpJrE0Xp1zXEhBS84DJNtfEZOutCp8FczxHI_tE42kNajMPqrO4q5_OEjI0g3VQz42K4gbt-Kg7YL4jDeSNcSCo_V6FwyVnwZWUvjegYA7QrVmOJn/s320/IMG_1983.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> The top photo is from my front porch. It is a wonderful shady spot.</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-1151775612005781362023-07-05T12:16:00.004-04:002023-07-05T12:16:33.165-04:00A Little Bird<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHH30gYc0y9hOoUZWrTR-p_BIUbwqx8BD9_foMPjOEy299RMrkFO8x819m_qelM9cjw0RP1rG1cHe7vT_vTv4ikhlJTmNXu1QZJrCbaIK5MIeQOD5MjYfnJbQlQ38E0XegXmdr--hrnM-QWrwqowvySqAmdmpcxwU1JbWqBbEntOb2sPNm3fBhTUHaPDI/s1106/cwren1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1106" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHH30gYc0y9hOoUZWrTR-p_BIUbwqx8BD9_foMPjOEy299RMrkFO8x819m_qelM9cjw0RP1rG1cHe7vT_vTv4ikhlJTmNXu1QZJrCbaIK5MIeQOD5MjYfnJbQlQ38E0XegXmdr--hrnM-QWrwqowvySqAmdmpcxwU1JbWqBbEntOb2sPNm3fBhTUHaPDI/w640-h278/cwren1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> A little bird has been sleeping on top of one of our porch posts every night. He is tucked in a corner which his little feather-body fits perfectly.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nothing can hurt him there. He will weather every night storm dry and ready to fly out in the morning when the robins start singing.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I love this little bird and I feel like God has given him to me. I can still 'mother' a bird. There is love left over from loving Sam, and now this love has a little bird as its target.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Because God loves me and knows me, He has done this for me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I thank Him for seeing me in the midst of wars and shootings. People are homeless because of devastating storms. There are awful things happening. The world is brutal.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yet here I am in my comparatively small sadness over my goose dying, and God takes notice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It means a lot to me, God, and I thank You and love You.</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-25245417610915716602023-06-29T15:37:00.000-04:002023-06-29T15:37:13.534-04:00Losing a feathered friend<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3YuAM5fk4Ayxgvq85iN41zS4XBd-a3RcE7yDsMpXtrq-DFXwFUSyKuc8TF2wCkJEB0Cr-CqCKMa-iNU7EyI2AYXZjAJzjChyky6FKB47FopiqCDGOeqklAjvPnvx4bl-YbgEM3NaJG11Wfb10-9iapy1GxA-tdFHA0ItRyMFf8xagW5FzYwSSEfKIV41/s2816/1j.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3YuAM5fk4Ayxgvq85iN41zS4XBd-a3RcE7yDsMpXtrq-DFXwFUSyKuc8TF2wCkJEB0Cr-CqCKMa-iNU7EyI2AYXZjAJzjChyky6FKB47FopiqCDGOeqklAjvPnvx4bl-YbgEM3NaJG11Wfb10-9iapy1GxA-tdFHA0ItRyMFf8xagW5FzYwSSEfKIV41/w640-h480/1j.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>My little girl went to heaven last Tuesday. It was a total shock. I have had geese for 40 years; Sam was with me 22 of those years. Having a goose as a pet is a wonderful thing, and I will cherish all of my geese and the personalities they had. Geese are smarter than ducks-they are very curious. They know their names, and they respond to love from humans. Sam adored me and showed it in many ways.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPwcXrzVGdWr4h87U7isMt_POHUBpjI0TwYuOwJMxsta62kEdFAmD0x_U5qm3V1FSLmftC681ypFbN5e9srkgiJF0lJJZImqPfBhwYvhGhe3mdowepQNSqgD8WTHt4jOvAyzL_aY9wNbXrXbqWDVQaA0BVesMcQq7Rdc4xlQbXulD1a156Sp9lwp8FuW_/s2816/1p.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPwcXrzVGdWr4h87U7isMt_POHUBpjI0TwYuOwJMxsta62kEdFAmD0x_U5qm3V1FSLmftC681ypFbN5e9srkgiJF0lJJZImqPfBhwYvhGhe3mdowepQNSqgD8WTHt4jOvAyzL_aY9wNbXrXbqWDVQaA0BVesMcQq7Rdc4xlQbXulD1a156Sp9lwp8FuW_/s320/1p.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9_Aa_J2xHxuCyGVfalhJ5tXTkz-Htdq9DD9ZOlIFad49HgCiFrnmlSf8l1gl89d2KoGKkQ5q5x7w-v0Y6J0cG9Osf7Mqmp-VIITxzFueHSQK2gJKp5dnl6HWWcVAx-K5_C3oFD2qk_x_3Y86WaFynmOb2XxveDbnQqNmmq_-uAQBzAVk-UUdM9Gwa_wE/s1600/DSC06813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9_Aa_J2xHxuCyGVfalhJ5tXTkz-Htdq9DD9ZOlIFad49HgCiFrnmlSf8l1gl89d2KoGKkQ5q5x7w-v0Y6J0cG9Osf7Mqmp-VIITxzFueHSQK2gJKp5dnl6HWWcVAx-K5_C3oFD2qk_x_3Y86WaFynmOb2XxveDbnQqNmmq_-uAQBzAVk-UUdM9Gwa_wE/s320/DSC06813.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am still in mourning for my goose.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We have no pets now, and that seems very strange.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I keep thinking I have to do something for her or that I want to hold her. I miss the feel of under her wings. I miss the closeness and trust we had together.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We will not have another goose-we are in our late 60's and it's not possible.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I know many of you loved her too, so I wanted to share this news with you.</div><div style="text-align: center;">If I don't publish comments in a timely manner it's because my computer is not really running right. I hope to visit you all soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2bDG1K_1jqaZD4n9g31FLOVKXrSDRPv55dgY1vmCDS05dSrAidMT3FEERs3W-VNvngNXxZRd_vAlcOfEsUKOauYPvcN5zV1YB5_u5UJqdu8wIhNl5cFr_BtgebrQFat41rnRkLYVIJjXEy9aSaO_M1kYy2zRiPWMIfl7Y8nK681IwNULpdOkOA4Co2nu/s2048/DSC07047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2bDG1K_1jqaZD4n9g31FLOVKXrSDRPv55dgY1vmCDS05dSrAidMT3FEERs3W-VNvngNXxZRd_vAlcOfEsUKOauYPvcN5zV1YB5_u5UJqdu8wIhNl5cFr_BtgebrQFat41rnRkLYVIJjXEy9aSaO_M1kYy2zRiPWMIfl7Y8nK681IwNULpdOkOA4Co2nu/w640-h480/DSC07047.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> XOXO</div><div style="text-align: center;">Debra</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-83152136171821417702023-06-09T08:15:00.001-04:002023-06-09T08:17:50.048-04:00A dry and thirsty land.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-i9IZfTSgHrZfVrvbS7HbZ5c-pHaequUWAirIEk9y7QSSpkmlhJamixPXc6Fj1gC1AUx5E5sLaCZ14vD7pA2FxYOUlQSBw4r8ozRRyELv_iAxmNANDsYe9JdZ7eiZvZKV7SagGiqE4dXv1CzlFbb8bFaHrPEYDTN8-antFduSB2qUoRCpHVjczOxktg/s1600/DSC06567%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="811" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-i9IZfTSgHrZfVrvbS7HbZ5c-pHaequUWAirIEk9y7QSSpkmlhJamixPXc6Fj1gC1AUx5E5sLaCZ14vD7pA2FxYOUlQSBw4r8ozRRyELv_iAxmNANDsYe9JdZ7eiZvZKV7SagGiqE4dXv1CzlFbb8bFaHrPEYDTN8-antFduSB2qUoRCpHVjczOxktg/w325-h640/DSC06567%20(3).JPG" width="325" /></a></div>My computer is giving me fits-not knowing when I can get online with it. Part of not being a steady blogger. I'm glad I have pictures of these older works of mine because I think I have painted over them or tossed them. I have gone through a rough season with my art making. Hard to be consistent in just sitting down to draw or paint.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozBqR3sKEvnyNpe25tDlF213dzjsUxljim4HxM914BgGKXFf77UfsZJYwctCloaMH3drnHOOgUwc-V5qyy7vvx4mMxk7uUlmmInKM8HwwE-hijBl9SdtNSkTbbdzFoil9AWbrmeuZ447i9ot9YATz2NRV4FDaxsm2B2FvEuP6WmjjwV5737L9a7f_-w/s1600/DSC06601.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1491" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozBqR3sKEvnyNpe25tDlF213dzjsUxljim4HxM914BgGKXFf77UfsZJYwctCloaMH3drnHOOgUwc-V5qyy7vvx4mMxk7uUlmmInKM8HwwE-hijBl9SdtNSkTbbdzFoil9AWbrmeuZ447i9ot9YATz2NRV4FDaxsm2B2FvEuP6WmjjwV5737L9a7f_-w/w373-h400/DSC06601.JPG" width="373" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've still been battling some unknown health issues, but the ball may be rolling with some first tests for Lyme disease. It sounds awful, but I would welcome <i>something</i> with a name for what I'm experiencing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxghVv9XMn1nADbWvsAVUvjPU9imgjIw4XlMpryxzsKwLmPXcC4k6EaTSiiZITUG3ve9O1wP2Kr_51zFVqQuRa9izpXgMNvGJ9McLNTXuUaeReyDX-Q4thbGhx5JcAHZzens1EWFSyKwxRKmruIfrCpysneeP3aRQmhbS3FVWps-Lxo7vjS4kh7IBmQ/s1600/DSC06602%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1600" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxghVv9XMn1nADbWvsAVUvjPU9imgjIw4XlMpryxzsKwLmPXcC4k6EaTSiiZITUG3ve9O1wP2Kr_51zFVqQuRa9izpXgMNvGJ9McLNTXuUaeReyDX-Q4thbGhx5JcAHZzens1EWFSyKwxRKmruIfrCpysneeP3aRQmhbS3FVWps-Lxo7vjS4kh7IBmQ/w640-h618/DSC06602%20(3).JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Right now I have hives-again-and I'm just trying to have a good attitude about it. Last year I went to way too many doctors and was put on steroids for hives-they got rid of the hives but made me very sick. So I'm using OTC stuff and there is some improvement.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some time or other I remember asking God how do people with very hard medical things have good attitudes? I know someone who is amazing-her attitude is so good it's almost contagious. So I think I have figured it out. It's something that God gives us. It may be something we seek after, and not give up seeking. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I do know I have something more now, even in the midst of this stuff, that I didn't have before. My heart is softer. I am less selfish. I am not as fearful.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hard to put into words, I just know God is working and He knows all and nothing is wasted-only He can make good things out of what seems bad.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, I guess that's all for now.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I will try to let you know what's happening with me when my computer will let me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">please take good care.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Debra</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-91241099649897258462023-05-12T12:49:00.000-04:002023-05-12T12:49:10.377-04:00Painting birds with inexpensive and expensive paints...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhzEd_PeCilZ4mcZ5d-I7IEp459ZLUZ0Ya6l5HeaBUojZVYaQcC6scrVKNyrc6bzjaDVrAQkdxfwggaaxW2xydQPHrzesL-Oxqo6lDUdrxJSY9j0RtVRo0BsRhURIgauVbSruUibQJolyTpq_AA71sWnpX1qfm1qnry_hR8_rP0IjGmIXL7SKPxAf9Q/s1652/hawk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1652" data-original-width="1371" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhzEd_PeCilZ4mcZ5d-I7IEp459ZLUZ0Ya6l5HeaBUojZVYaQcC6scrVKNyrc6bzjaDVrAQkdxfwggaaxW2xydQPHrzesL-Oxqo6lDUdrxJSY9j0RtVRo0BsRhURIgauVbSruUibQJolyTpq_AA71sWnpX1qfm1qnry_hR8_rP0IjGmIXL7SKPxAf9Q/w333-h400/hawk2.jpg" width="333" /></a></div>The Bateleur is a snake eagle. I painted him with FolkArt brand matte acrylic paints.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghR6TdEvE83g67xBGWj2cL3yX2kX14_9beplNlc83u4C1rlsB_q9JgR6BTJhPoHpHxT3tPZb_yNSUv_CH9W92I0My-N7u5hIeXphzD1vdftO47-Z3bzF6co7U7Xhyib1TIX145g2jOmWZjBn3u_FHfjLuPiSTaEljoIQMuSRw0zvGBDdP7H3e2E_6M5Q/s1486/owl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1486" data-original-width="1150" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghR6TdEvE83g67xBGWj2cL3yX2kX14_9beplNlc83u4C1rlsB_q9JgR6BTJhPoHpHxT3tPZb_yNSUv_CH9W92I0My-N7u5hIeXphzD1vdftO47-Z3bzF6co7U7Xhyib1TIX145g2jOmWZjBn3u_FHfjLuPiSTaEljoIQMuSRw0zvGBDdP7H3e2E_6M5Q/w496-h640/owl2.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> I painted the owl using M. Graham and Winsor & Newton gouache paints.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This morning while I was holding my goose Sam on my lap I watched a very large bumble bee sniffing the flowers on the gill-over-the-ground that was growing near us. The bee was so heavy with pollen that he bumbled down into the short stems of the plant and had a hard time pulling his large body out of the flowers!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you are having a nice spring...</div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-41056705663521519402023-03-16T18:04:00.000-04:002023-03-16T18:04:20.588-04:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlh87sKrfX9EMVX-MlnPRVTEac2R0nnQhcI9BJUtLim0EmPnvTLL4G9PG2C3ZFO5sEKvCDC7Cm4L58cYTHDUtNRxVws42ug3cddUQV_9lRu_0Z-Wml_uFbX2ioKdXRebGE7tmu33e0NoIqIwo_S0ouRsmN7njTmuAfH1Nk_Xgry7MhXHG4tzTFojo-g/s1062/under1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="996" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlh87sKrfX9EMVX-MlnPRVTEac2R0nnQhcI9BJUtLim0EmPnvTLL4G9PG2C3ZFO5sEKvCDC7Cm4L58cYTHDUtNRxVws42ug3cddUQV_9lRu_0Z-Wml_uFbX2ioKdXRebGE7tmu33e0NoIqIwo_S0ouRsmN7njTmuAfH1Nk_Xgry7MhXHG4tzTFojo-g/s320/under1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Under Wings</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Water soluble Derwent pencils</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-34856074697836350952023-02-27T11:45:00.001-05:002023-02-27T11:45:35.807-05:00Hello friends!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRB77nbJ4ev7kgBbyVY8Yq34vmGzYYJs4rL9wPxn1FbhC2X-OLTqmegWvwRpcbKvvAvIPXWMqWwDYSaJcnRyYWqGHEjS8ZAQ5jgJ19pKMWvtBQSyhrVBamybV2qjvCKQNJx6duUw9M8HKIoP6sgwslW7KDnY0jsJltpPoTT5KRQyfnxk8w-hyddJUXZQ/s1958/donk2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1958" data-original-width="1329" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRB77nbJ4ev7kgBbyVY8Yq34vmGzYYJs4rL9wPxn1FbhC2X-OLTqmegWvwRpcbKvvAvIPXWMqWwDYSaJcnRyYWqGHEjS8ZAQ5jgJ19pKMWvtBQSyhrVBamybV2qjvCKQNJx6duUw9M8HKIoP6sgwslW7KDnY0jsJltpPoTT5KRQyfnxk8w-hyddJUXZQ/w434-h640/donk2a.jpg" width="434" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSCeajgsfkIa99e-fgPagUW1VqTXvMHviGQYfyavbw1OrX0Ib8oEwiykFBWMSt864x0IgfmlFvDu-eZdV6BaAeGzAp3Sqf_SdVbub6Dn8RIyA6SVlSMyCcOrI9GpQDeCMndiL_5CLwi49_nCdjlhHTIJBYoN6vAk004rShB7EMfP3F8DYxVQ8ltvWXQ/s1634/donk3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1634" data-original-width="1315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSCeajgsfkIa99e-fgPagUW1VqTXvMHviGQYfyavbw1OrX0Ib8oEwiykFBWMSt864x0IgfmlFvDu-eZdV6BaAeGzAp3Sqf_SdVbub6Dn8RIyA6SVlSMyCcOrI9GpQDeCMndiL_5CLwi49_nCdjlhHTIJBYoN6vAk004rShB7EMfP3F8DYxVQ8ltvWXQ/s320/donk3.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcRAuKwMz6rkJOnkzPf33H7DvLH2NoofBrvILEsWUUQWYIKlk53zkrF2XrE6R5MgKywYBCc9hfz1XO5lxb7V-Q2sdt6BOqXf3xKjTNTCFfFr5vVe892-C_ZT3hSB1YhQjn3upStaZIjGf44p4QxisSGd4QgHmBO2AQ722SjyLqL2LEw2XgYtWC7SFrg/s1516/dog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="1069" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcRAuKwMz6rkJOnkzPf33H7DvLH2NoofBrvILEsWUUQWYIKlk53zkrF2XrE6R5MgKywYBCc9hfz1XO5lxb7V-Q2sdt6BOqXf3xKjTNTCFfFr5vVe892-C_ZT3hSB1YhQjn3upStaZIjGf44p4QxisSGd4QgHmBO2AQ722SjyLqL2LEw2XgYtWC7SFrg/s320/dog2.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> My word-Blogger is weird today. Different way to upload photos.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm still playing with Derwent water soluble pencils. They are fun for loose drawing.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Loose painting and drawing is so popular now. Lots of YouTube artists are teaching how to loosen up. It's a beautiful way to do art-but very hard for me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I love naive art, folk art, children's art. But also abstract and realistic or representational art. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The important thing is to just keep the sketchbooks filling up, and the paints being used.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you have a grand day!</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-29041614576356647102023-02-04T12:31:00.003-05:002023-02-04T12:37:26.456-05:00Health update sort of and just a howdy.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi4ncwfpuU4YhAOc_eRLr-GA8aZB5-mg-OR5ueiQW4LI6Sf5r8TESF7S8XlpXQ0XocfK0eq9oTF85pDkVs7LMQf70d98MdADg4PV1FvJIWITA1xCUFg_URVdR7TwEe_I9h-_l6RAh3XtOerp6_4BdKAlmOp1Dngj7apC-983ISUVG2WLIyUD1rntZlw/s320/1n.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi4ncwfpuU4YhAOc_eRLr-GA8aZB5-mg-OR5ueiQW4LI6Sf5r8TESF7S8XlpXQ0XocfK0eq9oTF85pDkVs7LMQf70d98MdADg4PV1FvJIWITA1xCUFg_URVdR7TwEe_I9h-_l6RAh3XtOerp6_4BdKAlmOp1Dngj7apC-983ISUVG2WLIyUD1rntZlw/s1600/1n.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>My Sam's undercarriage...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N1ZkLKoX1CBZfVDmdx1tfKo9Fy_bbd4RZM5TL4T06KbAQWON0F8bl0hkMMhU0k9TvpQ86hHTvhJumnB8CSd8GFkPDGjlcjlVXDb-OU0I576sI9PBm1DeRBzIFg4e6XhxQxfPRxOPrJPHseAbKN9seN3Lh13R7NtH8sSi2NWeEUFQ6P1EXeFneHsHLQ/s1600/DSC06813.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N1ZkLKoX1CBZfVDmdx1tfKo9Fy_bbd4RZM5TL4T06KbAQWON0F8bl0hkMMhU0k9TvpQ86hHTvhJumnB8CSd8GFkPDGjlcjlVXDb-OU0I576sI9PBm1DeRBzIFg4e6XhxQxfPRxOPrJPHseAbKN9seN3Lh13R7NtH8sSi2NWeEUFQ6P1EXeFneHsHLQ/s320/DSC06813.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Yum, Mom, I love your garden!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvnR2UkCP2DXlNTCerNZ98etFczCaJybknCzOT50p_ZG_rDuJ-5_UTiRNN-FSb7iPOxnyZ74VIb2Sp3CEOlOc5PqJCNJE_sl1BGcy6q51q4LEkYy_RMFKUYJ9GRsrQ8d5ejlm_8Uf13gvNqOmJVIJ30wuy_FCxHfMgCI5w7XZh4aRr2b3tBPi56LalQ/s2048/DSC07047.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvnR2UkCP2DXlNTCerNZ98etFczCaJybknCzOT50p_ZG_rDuJ-5_UTiRNN-FSb7iPOxnyZ74VIb2Sp3CEOlOc5PqJCNJE_sl1BGcy6q51q4LEkYy_RMFKUYJ9GRsrQ8d5ejlm_8Uf13gvNqOmJVIJ30wuy_FCxHfMgCI5w7XZh4aRr2b3tBPi56LalQ/s320/DSC07047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCwtGLVuax3LOZot81AyE_4MRscCbG2uc3dOsKVlhjq0T7qoJmvxE_4FZwSlatQWX_J4om7McYmIaBnVWNzMoizAD3kr-qAwJxTzLfNb0PX4Lfa--z4MV9IAJUBmE4EkSSFDbSZTGCYqSHhffYTwaCWFlhW8Q2-mE1XFXOg_mW7IgtyxIunKBVkN10g/s2048/DSC07077.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCwtGLVuax3LOZot81AyE_4MRscCbG2uc3dOsKVlhjq0T7qoJmvxE_4FZwSlatQWX_J4om7McYmIaBnVWNzMoizAD3kr-qAwJxTzLfNb0PX4Lfa--z4MV9IAJUBmE4EkSSFDbSZTGCYqSHhffYTwaCWFlhW8Q2-mE1XFXOg_mW7IgtyxIunKBVkN10g/w640-h480/DSC07077.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> My camera has died, so I only have old photos from this blog to post, and whatever I can scan if it fits on the printer plate. Thankfully, most of my art is small, so I will be able to scan it. Have to save up for a camera-but I can wait on that. Above is some knitting that I started a few (gulp) years ago-the shawl is much longer now. I don't have this beautiful plant now-it got too big for being inside, and didn't come up again after I transplanted it outside. I do have to buy another one-I LOVE this color-especially with the color of the shawl.<p></p><p>I <i>think </i>my health issues have gotten better. I must say I have never seen so many doctors in my life. And I have never been quite so discouraged about my health or getting real help for it.</p><p>Why do doctors argue with you when you tell them how a medicine affects you? Like you don't know your body-but they do??</p><p>Anyway-I finally feel good enough to do some artwork, and I am able to sleep fairly well-even though it's broken up into segments of hours-not an all night sleep. </p><p>For some reason, having hives and red swelling arms depressed me more than not feeling well...and right now I have no itching and no hives. I am very thankful. And yes-it seems like a small thing compared to lots of things-but it took over my life-mostly because it came from nowhere. Was it stress?</p><p>Something I was eating? A reaction to the infections I also had? No one can tell me. And I refuse to take another steroid. They made me feel terrible-they did the job of getting rid of my hives and itching-oh yes-but I felt like I was extremely sick as well. </p><p>So what am I doing? For one thing-taking probiotics. Back to eating yoghurt, which I thought I might be allergic to. I'm not. But the pill form of probiotics is something I needed along with yoghurt.</p><p>I so admire Nicole and I'll try to make a link to her blog here. (it's beadwright.blogspot.com) She figured out what to take to help her with some serious health problems. I think that is amazing.</p><p>And I admire people who have life-long issues and can smile and make the very best of it. </p><p>I want to be like that.</p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-14842629189402596882023-01-24T12:12:00.001-05:002023-01-24T12:12:32.120-05:00Some more birds...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFGjus1fuvsipAFuckIWi1u5_-AUifs8fTVz4hzJHyZHCMtbYvlOZK3VKm0aNGFQXOu5q1qLvdnILX1S6u9b7p2-MWcOEDKKp4QBoIMikHtlPZEt_MQHsYwnwVvl3R_6yg9JWqqu7-5KMfH-bZhCjwJzRSjHgnNBawlOd1iQTzmWudO5wmlC7PIQc4g/s762/birdhole2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="748" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFGjus1fuvsipAFuckIWi1u5_-AUifs8fTVz4hzJHyZHCMtbYvlOZK3VKm0aNGFQXOu5q1qLvdnILX1S6u9b7p2-MWcOEDKKp4QBoIMikHtlPZEt_MQHsYwnwVvl3R_6yg9JWqqu7-5KMfH-bZhCjwJzRSjHgnNBawlOd1iQTzmWudO5wmlC7PIQc4g/s320/birdhole2.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pencil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB900-S9eXb1JpjakFjPupst9DjlRdtgD9RWR5WSDFhEqCQm_FP9xkcyBQNuZKPMtHdbVxJZxfWzA1QYsO2geI_jNVAxqQaaoUJl_02g-5f1oZWREtdTBvttKkAMvBslh0xXD9TkFGguMLE6019HfDk_tVA7463a8uoOoXl0FKp9meEqyIr7xNe9DRg/s1566/boldbird2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="956" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB900-S9eXb1JpjakFjPupst9DjlRdtgD9RWR5WSDFhEqCQm_FP9xkcyBQNuZKPMtHdbVxJZxfWzA1QYsO2geI_jNVAxqQaaoUJl_02g-5f1oZWREtdTBvttKkAMvBslh0xXD9TkFGguMLE6019HfDk_tVA7463a8uoOoXl0FKp9meEqyIr7xNe9DRg/s320/boldbird2.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>Pencil and gold acrylic paint<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TfpiRHeNCiwMIdGCKGIERx9Ez6hPL56hlqJ6KbKwSTbqaK5t1r9NsQJ_peEfEGAOqeWPoYo4s88eQH8q_dR2b9ltWZT-4nEbZEEWHG2brhpYKizw6sGhSCuiQoEzSCJl8d4149LliUr7EJZh9rZp2FnQ3vBzi7r0YG-wBEe3CvpsJOtYdaxrJp_lQg/s1077/corn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1077" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TfpiRHeNCiwMIdGCKGIERx9Ez6hPL56hlqJ6KbKwSTbqaK5t1r9NsQJ_peEfEGAOqeWPoYo4s88eQH8q_dR2b9ltWZT-4nEbZEEWHG2brhpYKizw6sGhSCuiQoEzSCJl8d4149LliUr7EJZh9rZp2FnQ3vBzi7r0YG-wBEe3CvpsJOtYdaxrJp_lQg/s320/corn2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> M. Graham gouache</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is Corneilius, Sam's sister. She is in heaven. This goose adored me and was jealous of Titus and Sam. Corneilius would peck at them if they tried to get near me. </div><div style="text-align: center;">This goose also would sleep on my lap (so did Titus). I have that effect on geese (maybe people too!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">'Neilius was a character and always made us laugh.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-42528734912655231642023-01-15T15:28:00.004-05:002023-01-15T15:28:55.140-05:00Large dragonfly ink drawing<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslWcMkJvBxJ-L0wgl1Oa77NErCD5tmDtsFseopRpFldODyWXL1iK3z22dpKHcUDhzpEHqxydA56xItijmllF-RqBIExBR8YOxFrG7QepVHozmLHaLo0tj_Zy-dckAGUPeRcSfA3R9ohgSFMVgsCLwbBqBe8xO95-bOBxWBpmbdENn1xyTT--k9-1OhQ/s1166/dragfly2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1166" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslWcMkJvBxJ-L0wgl1Oa77NErCD5tmDtsFseopRpFldODyWXL1iK3z22dpKHcUDhzpEHqxydA56xItijmllF-RqBIExBR8YOxFrG7QepVHozmLHaLo0tj_Zy-dckAGUPeRcSfA3R9ohgSFMVgsCLwbBqBe8xO95-bOBxWBpmbdENn1xyTT--k9-1OhQ/w400-h370/dragfly2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>I did a pen and ink drawing of my dragonfly. I found him last summer as I was walking down our road. He was dead, and missing most of one wing. I like bugs, so I took him to my studio. He's been in my little desk till I decided to draw him. The mark on the bottom left of the drawing is the edge of the paper, which I couldn't get out by editing. Blogger is not letting me add a caption. Oh well...<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztlTtwe9a8zdv5fkFyNN28S9aDw_W6SKypQaask6zOiDsuL2MH_ZugSsLjcJz3ka0H_z4yP8B9Bs7xtKVVZLNw-7tX6vwaLt5KjAi0iNBQMzFk6ddOJJMCip1QAVT9gqYPNQ1C1C0P9Cyr9hs1swn3vgLVSNKinJ9RWe6PKqLWne2MjuRRoprhDguUQ/s2816/DSC08638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztlTtwe9a8zdv5fkFyNN28S9aDw_W6SKypQaask6zOiDsuL2MH_ZugSsLjcJz3ka0H_z4yP8B9Bs7xtKVVZLNw-7tX6vwaLt5KjAi0iNBQMzFk6ddOJJMCip1QAVT9gqYPNQ1C1C0P9Cyr9hs1swn3vgLVSNKinJ9RWe6PKqLWne2MjuRRoprhDguUQ/s320/DSC08638.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is the ink I used. I used sepia. I love this ink.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMN1yedpQ8JUfKwJ8hmO-goagxNRsJ6e-l2-d8Qf7j_fSrhmTswLIdfn0ivnmq2MBqT2MRpZSNqUFeg_EYD5KdajqkT7AaAOe1HOXNb3OAlz62EfWW9xP-w-StPHQ4B5N1CcoNBlqxcojvI697WVVaspl0TYmsh0Gb0SCxnp2G8KJKFbW1X26bluYRA/s2816/DSC08639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMN1yedpQ8JUfKwJ8hmO-goagxNRsJ6e-l2-d8Qf7j_fSrhmTswLIdfn0ivnmq2MBqT2MRpZSNqUFeg_EYD5KdajqkT7AaAOe1HOXNb3OAlz62EfWW9xP-w-StPHQ4B5N1CcoNBlqxcojvI697WVVaspl0TYmsh0Gb0SCxnp2G8KJKFbW1X26bluYRA/s320/DSC08639.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I used this book to find a font style I wanted to learn.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_4_Vj4bdTZfr6SQje-Z6y7Kee75zBpf3X8tv_qz_nnRORMrNb_Q0KkY9X-drGWwxHik2Tt9XfmXWXVqyYEKyuSPmsf-VZw2NrBOeMyVtWkoahfPTZDplDwCf9BSn8FharKUn7VtdXFJwmn2WVc4ABZI6UD5sLAT1kkb8-E7RpS2cbNs32fBF-cpy5w/s2816/DSC08640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_4_Vj4bdTZfr6SQje-Z6y7Kee75zBpf3X8tv_qz_nnRORMrNb_Q0KkY9X-drGWwxHik2Tt9XfmXWXVqyYEKyuSPmsf-VZw2NrBOeMyVtWkoahfPTZDplDwCf9BSn8FharKUn7VtdXFJwmn2WVc4ABZI6UD5sLAT1kkb8-E7RpS2cbNs32fBF-cpy5w/s320/DSC08640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> And this is the paper and ink pen. I was going to use watercolor to color parts of the drawing, but decided against it. So this paper is not a good match for pen and ink because of the rough surface, but with the pen nib I used, it wasn't too much of a problem.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't for one second think that I got all the tiny parts of his wings drawn correctly. I tried-but I did get the general idea of the amazing structure of his wings.</div><div style="text-align: center;">This was good 'medicine' for me-I enjoyed it.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you like it too...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-1821149123992901412023-01-12T12:44:00.000-05:002023-01-12T12:44:05.210-05:00Hare<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD4CyP9lW3sFd2haBzQ5OrPtP3AgY3dCof919voDFHbrgeXl9K3RWN9QUsr6ID4xbXbu1JP16AoCxp2nkuCKvl-9hwRgD5RYh28uZMebPlOifqi2L6FXNnKZnWWoOBFmu2Mopdr7StVBL_xznZmqfThyT69BPdehUwkbjYqVegkBpR4dPReDzW6_qZQ/s2816/DSC08630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD4CyP9lW3sFd2haBzQ5OrPtP3AgY3dCof919voDFHbrgeXl9K3RWN9QUsr6ID4xbXbu1JP16AoCxp2nkuCKvl-9hwRgD5RYh28uZMebPlOifqi2L6FXNnKZnWWoOBFmu2Mopdr7StVBL_xznZmqfThyT69BPdehUwkbjYqVegkBpR4dPReDzW6_qZQ/w400-h300/DSC08630.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Done with water soluble Derwent Sketching pencils.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The only thing I have trouble with when using these lovely pencils is that they can be very hard to sharpen.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Otherwise, it's fun to have a watercolor-like pencil. They come in different wash strengths (light, medium, dark).</div><div style="text-align: center;">I used a photo from the Web to paint from-source unknown.</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035455746155334078.post-43168535632113460482023-01-06T08:38:00.002-05:002023-01-06T08:38:31.656-05:00Woodies<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0l15UJxmLbvaN8HMeI2LGiNJQi0ZJuREwFTRDC9D3X6dZgF3rfWbB_ltcejIi-jYYxeb3n5IGK5wt-kWQIfBh7oYcsiwaqCHJVioe9oYr_AHXfGxR0N2h2J0c0lZpUoFe9_DBf00t6cdesSL6183u7O-RPzUJhwtw0afJqQWChZaVPeZfRLTnQp-9MA/s2816/DSC08593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0l15UJxmLbvaN8HMeI2LGiNJQi0ZJuREwFTRDC9D3X6dZgF3rfWbB_ltcejIi-jYYxeb3n5IGK5wt-kWQIfBh7oYcsiwaqCHJVioe9oYr_AHXfGxR0N2h2J0c0lZpUoFe9_DBf00t6cdesSL6183u7O-RPzUJhwtw0afJqQWChZaVPeZfRLTnQp-9MA/w640-h480/DSC08593.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> More work with the Neocolors and some kid's crayons too. The crayons made these days aren't as good as they used to be. And they don't smell good either. I thought they'd be fun to play with, and they are.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm still going through health issues, and honestly I can get very depressed at times. I have found making myself do even a little art every day has helped.</div><div style="text-align: center;">This ordeal has made me much more compassionate for people who have health problems. I have been so used to being healthy and not even thinking about how I feel.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for your visit today-it means so much to me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Have a wonderful weekend!</div><p></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982370018359352543noreply@blogger.com12