Showing posts with label ppf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ppf. Show all posts

Friday, 10 June 2022

Paint Party Friday

I miss Paint Party Friday. Some bloggers burn out, get bored or too busy, or move on, which is what one expects. I've met some lovely people (virtually) through this PPF artistic blog. Rain has been an inspiration with her Thursday's Art Date, living remotely as she does, she sketches, makes cheese, grows her own veggies (I have so failed at that recently), and teaches people what she knows.  

We took a drive last week. I spotted this little barn. 


First stab at it.


I was similarly inspired by Landscape Artist of the Year, created by BBC. We've been watching them at dinner time, as we settle into the evening. As I researched this, I found there is a Canadian version
Anyway, I finally managed to sit down and sketch. I am happy with myself.

 
Now, you may wonder what we retirees need to relax from... watching relaxing art shows. The news is discouraging, of course. We are feeling like hermits, but I'm happy with that. We still do not feel comfortable eating indoors in a restaurant, and will continue to mask. This thing isn't done. 

What else weighs us down? We've switched banks, and it's taken a month to get that going and convert things over. I've been banging my head on the wall trying to get this done, having dealt with CRA tax issues – I was triggered by the whole process. I was in no state of mind to do it a few months ago. I worked so hard on this online, it almost defeated me, but the CRA stuff is settled and our medical deductions were finally accepted for 2020. 

We felt that we would get better benefits from a new bank. I've made progress, having managed to switch over my CPP and OAS automatic payments to the new bank account, as the government web site won't allow this right now. 

JB went into the local federal government office to switch over his CPP and OAS to the new account. This was our last resort. A big, burly security guard (there were 2 of them, and 2 employees) asked his purpose in the foyer of the local, and he stated his goal. He sat and waited for service. All was done by a clerk who lives just down the road from us. Yea small towns!

Anyway, JB headed home after picking up some groceries, looking for the snapping turtle he'd seen at the side of the road on the way in to town. It was still there. Traffic was brisk, he was brave and he guarded it, trying to get people to avoid it, hoping for help. He cannot bend and lift with his back issues. They were heroes. Look for the helpers, said Mr. Rogers. 

Snapping turtle heroes!.mp4 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Finally, speaking of paintings: Caitlin was in Toronto for a two-day work conference. She was meant to get on the 18:10 flight back to Ottawa last night. The flight prior to theirs didn't leave until 18:45, nearly 2 hours late. The incoming plane, the one she was to get on, didn't arrive until 19:40. They cleaned it up, they boarded, and waited for take off. The thunderstorm rolled in! Another delay.



They had to wait, for safety reasons. The sky was a painting. They finally left at 21:00 hours, only three hours late. We were all watching her progress, texting back and forth. She was happy to get home, having done some great networking, and socializing with folks she either hasn't seen in years, or on on Zoom!


Have a wonderful weekend, all! 

Thursday, 21 April 2022

Cooking, bears, snow

✈ Air Traffic (UA)

Poor Ukrainians, they had 1260+ bombs fall April 18th. It is just horrific. There were mistakes made by many countries leading up to this, but it is too late (or early) for blame. It is so tragic.

People are stepping up, providing help, assistance, homes. Families are taking in families from all parts of the world. 

Bombs fell April 18th
 The Italian air force, USAF plus army & navy, RAF, French, and Nato planes have been covering Romanian air space. 

Cooking

I like watching cooking shows. Look at what I bought at the auction! With only the two of us for breakfast, I thought I might find it useful.


Jan. '21


April 18th



April 17th vs. April 19th, but it all melted!


The backyard still looked pretty covered in snow, but the delight is wearing thin!


I had a delightful Facetime with Cluny and Jesse in Vancouver. She was over the moon fooling me with changing various backgrounds on Jesse's phone as we talked. She watched my reactions. It was so much fun!




Nutmeg brought in her second tick in two days. I took it off her, we put it into the jar with a cotton pad of rubbing alcohol. JB hustled into the vet's offices and we put some tick prevention goop on them, Bravecto.


🐻SNUGGLE Bears

April 18 – they were cold and tired, and went back to bed.

April 20 – Royal Family Photo; God Save The Queen

Cinnamon and I went walkies down to the forest. 



Cinnamon on a log

Cinnamon frogpond from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This morning I heard the cardinal, phoebe, and other birds singing their spring love songs. We've so many birds returning from migration, as well as those already here and ready for mating, that it is simply delightful. I heard a bird, videotaped it, and played it while running the BIRDnet app.
Flicker in forest

Northern Flicker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Even the turkeys are doing their dancing.

wild turkey from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Sunday, 3 April 2022

Spy technology

 I've written about how we can look for the helpers. Then, there are the spies and the analysts! There is spying going on overseas. I read an interesting piece, an interview with a Russian journalist living in London: The Bear Breaks Down: Andrei Soldatov on Russia’s Self-Destruction:

Andrei Soldatov, a Russian newspaper reporter, co-founded a website called Agentura.ru devoted to monitoring the activities of Russia’s security services. 

He has analysed the failure of the Russians to take Ukraine. It's a good read, if you are into that sort of thing. I was curious. He talks to Russian spies, now called the FSB (formerly KGB), and gets information. No wonder he has fled Russia.

Here is an interview with Soldatov. 

It was reported that Ukraine captured a spy truck. This fascinated me!

This is such a hi-tech piece of equipment. 

There is a theme here. If you recall, we have a mouse hole on the front deck. The cats, Cinnamon and Nutmeg, even Oregano, peer in the hole like spies. I've captured them on the trailcams, at night in the dark!

I imagined what the deer mice were doing! 


Using mixed media, coloured pencils, and fine coloured sharpies for outlines I chose pastels for the frame. I realized I'll have to be very careful scanning it, since the pastels are likely to transfer. Whoopsie!

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Paint Party Friday

Yes, I know it is Wednesday, but Paint Party Friday [PPF - The After Party] was wound down as of last  Friday. Many artists have inspired me to sketch from that blog. I appreciate that and wanted to mark the occasion. This is my latest drawing Draft #1 I used pencil crayons, and fine coloured sharpies for the outline.


I went back at it. Realizing I'd forgotten my purple alien, I added it in. When I used to sketch while I sat with a hospice client, he'd always ask about my little alien. He was such a nice client.

Polka dots were fun for a tablecloth. For those I used my oil-based paint pens, with a thicker nib. I had in mind some sort of wood pattern, maybe using Graphic Converter, but that didn't work out. Polka dots won the day. 



We had a chilly afternoon yesterday, but Cinnamon and I went walkies. Wearing my mittens helped, but I accidentally had the 'close' mode setting on the camera. I thought it quite artsy. I turned it to 'sports' mode, as I usually do, and you can see what I was trying to photograph.


We went down to the point, along the way he did his business, as usual, and carefully covered it up. He was quite keen on watching the deer. The cats, being vulnerable forest walkers, are very aware of noises.

This morning it is -10˚ C. and Cinnamon didn't want to go out. Clever lad. Nutmeg bolted out the door. We are in for some weather this afternoon. They are warning about ice rain. I'd rather it turns to snow, as it won't last. Thursday is supposed to be 16˚ C.!



Cinnamon is sitting in the window, where he likes to watch the squirrels. They ignore the birds, now, knowing they haven't a hope in catching them. He is watching the the turkeys out front. Wild turkeys from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.


Friday, 5 November 2021

Corn snake & other stuff!

Things have been getting chilly. That is -5 C.! 


Wednesday we had some graupel. It's like baby hail! 

The cats preferred sitting in the sun. The clouds came and went.


I took JB walkies on my trip to the wetland. I found some lovely fungi!


Joseph Brian went walkies yesterday morning in town. It was so cold, but glorious he tells me! 
He spotted a crocodile.


I like watching skating. It is usually accompanied by some great music. This was so much fun, they masked up after their performance, which involved birds. 


Having had a few wind gusts, it took out my scarecrow! I brought her indoors. This is the before and after! Total face plant, the poor girl. I had to tape up the straw she sits on. 

More November clouds.

coyote

wild turkeys 

Cinnamon and I went walkies. He found Dratted Red Squirrel. This seems to be its favourite spot to sit. I've videotaped it here before.  


Cinnamon likes the catalpa tree.

Well, finally, I managed a sketch. It's been awhile since I've done one. Writers Artist's block?! Anyway, things are settling back down. 

Josephine is thinking about getting a snake! I drew a picture of a corn snake in a vivarium! They are good choices for newbies, apparently. 

Corn Snake Care Sheet <=

  • Country of Origin: America
  • Potential Adult Size: 120-180cm (48-72 inches)
  • Average Life Span: 20+ years