Friday, 28 August 2020

TGIF

Hi Everybody!

This week has gone by very quickly. After the stormy weather yesterday, today (Thursday) was cool and cloudy, but good to go walking. I enjoyed being at the Rhine for an hour, with lots of sit-down breaks in between, and was good to be out in the fresh, cool air.

For Paint Party Friday and Alison's challenge at AJJ I have an A3 mixed media journal page. On a textured background I collaged some napkin pieces and stenciled Lenny the lizard with structure paste. Lenny is another of the strange creatures that lives here in Balconia-by-the-Rhine. Lenny is a blue spotted dancing lizard, which dances through long grass to attract a partner. Most people have never seen these lizards, as they are very shy and keep to the  long grass which gives them some protection. They live off white and yellow flowers, greenflies and small slugs:








In the evenings I like watching the birds gathering in the tree behind our garden:





Yesterday evening some of them looked very bedraggled after the storm:


This morning started off well:




I visited the horses on the meadow as always:






I walked along the shore:






But why people have placed two seatless chairs on the path, I have no idea! What do you think?


People walking their dogs along the other side of the Rhine:





 Have a great day, take care,
and have a great weekend!

79 comments:

  1. Incredible art again!!!
    You definitely have a magical touch while creating these master art pieces.
    Love your photos... especially the horses!
    We used to raise them... beautiful animals!

    Hugs ☕🌷

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    1. Thanks Jan. Magic is always a help! Have a great day!

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  2. I enjoyed meeting Lenny 😁 and always enjoy your walk photos, maybe the chair owners bring their cushions with them when they meet for a chat.

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    1. Thanks. I will watch out for people carrying cushions....Have a fun day!

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  3. Pleased to meet Lenny, a dancing lizard no less! Lovely photos today.

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    1. Thanks Christine. Yes, Lenny likes to dance his way though the world!

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  4. And Lenny likes to hang out with those Balconia birds too. They must all be living this very secret life. Love the page. And glad to hear the weather is cooling off and you can get out for your walks and enjoying the Rhine. Have a great Friday. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Thanks Erika, it's wonderful that the weather has cooled down, I love it! Have a lovely day!

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  5. Lenny is very handsome and the perfect color. I wonder if the seatless chairs are a bit like the expression, Here’s your hat. What’s your hurry? Beautiful flowers, too. The blue ones are my favorites. Enjoy your day!

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    1. Thanks CJ. I will keep watching those chairs and see what happens....

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  6. Lenny is just too cool and his feathered friends are beautiful. Wonderful photos too. Those horses are my favorite.

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    1. Thanks Nicole. The horses are always wonderful. Have a great day!

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  7. You created Lenny perfectly. You are a master with that texture paste. Lenny hiding along with the colorful birds on Balconia. I love it. Simply adorable and nicely done for Alison's theme at Art Journal Journey.

    Love the horses. Always do. Today the yellow flowers and bugs caught my eye, though. These were my favorites today, along with the horse, of course.

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    1. Thanks E. The yellow flowers looked so pretty along the shore. Have a safe day!

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  8. Good morning Val! Wonderful art and photos as always. Just short today, have an early appt at the doc's. Have a fun day, stay safe, hugs, Sarah

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    1. Thanks Sarah, good luck at the doctor's! Take care!

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  9. Love Lenny and all your fatastic creatures! The photos are always a joy to look at. My favorite today besides the horses is the little solitary bee you caught on one of the flowers. So cute! Happy PPF!

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  10. Beautiful photos, especially sunset:) have a nice day:)

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    1. Thanks Martyna, have a wonderful day, stay safe!

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  11. Wonderful journal page, love the images and texutes. Enjoy your day. x

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  12. How FABulous is Lenny the Lizard? I know I would not have your patience to fussy cut those napkins, either. I giggled over the two seatless chairs. A form of installation art, maybe? For a long time, over two years, there was a lovely, wooden, tapestry upholstered chair in a bus shelter. Left in peace, it would migrate periodically from one side of the road to the shelter on the other side. Then, one day, it was gone. I hope no one stole it, but it will always puzzle me. Have a good weekend and stay safe.

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    1. Thanks Deb. At the moment we all need a bit of fun to take our minds off the strange situation we are living in. I am looking forward to seeing if the chairs are still there this morning when I walk along the Rhine. That's a fun story with the tapestry chair in the bus shelter - I wonder where it got to? Have a great day, stay safe!

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  13. Beautiful work of art and gorgeous colours. Love your photos and today Monte and I went walking and saw mother and father duck with 8 ducklings waddling along our path. Monte was in awe of them and just sat down watching them, it was so cute, and bugger, I didn't have my camera. x

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    1. Thanks Annie. You and Monte saw some wondrous sights, he must have been wondering what they were. Pity you didn't have your camera, take it with you next time! Have a great day, give Monte some hugs from me!

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  14. Lenny the lizard looks really great! You have created such wonderful texture, Valerie! Lovely photos, I am baffled about the chair cushions! Love the sunrise and the horse photos. Happy PPF!

    -Soma

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    1. Thanks Soma! I just came back from the Rhine, the chairs are still there, one has just been turned round! Happy PPF!

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  15. A beautiful page for the challenge, I love Lenny the lizard!
    Great photos too, especially those gorgeous horses.
    Not sure about the chairs, modern art?!
    Hope you have a lovely weekend,
    Alison xx

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    1. Thanks Alison! Modern art could be an explanation! Enjoy your day!

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  16. Much as I am drawn to Lenny, the Blue-spotted Dancing Lizard, my eyes are immediately attracted by the exotic birds in the corner. There seems to be little doubt, Valerie, that BalconIa-by-the-Rhine is an area of biological diversity unrivalled anywhere in the world. Who needs to journey to The Celebes or bushwhack through Halmahera shedding leeches all the while, when Balconia is there with discoveries aplenty - and you can have a piece of plum strudel with cappuccino after a leisurely morning of discovery? Now that's how an expedition should be conducted! Your walks along the Rhine are, as ever, delightful, and I am confident that the cooler weather of late has made them very enjoyable. The horses you pass with such regularity are magnificent creatures. Perhaps they look forward to seeing you as much as you delight in seeing them. Be sure to pay careful attention. It is quite possible that one of your remarkable birds might perch on the back of a horse to render tick removal services and enjoy a pleasant ride. Now that would be a picture for the record books! I beg you to receive the undying admiration of your humble Canadian acolyte and accept warm hugs as a token of his esteem.

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    1. Thanks David! You must be reading my mind because I baked a plum tart this morning, I'll show pictures next week. And yes, it's very delicious! Balconia-by-the Rhine is really a fascinating place to live in. Why go to Australia when you could make such discoveries here? Today the girls who bring the horses to the meadow from the stables were just leading them into the enclosure, and as they were released into freedom they gamboled off, kicking and springing for joy, such a lovely sight. And good idea with a tick remover bird, I will investigate! Have a great day, I'm off for cappuccino and plum tart!

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  17. I’m glad you got to go for a nice stroll. Your page is a lovely bit of whimsy. I like how the birds have gathered to watch Lenny dance. Hugs, Teresa

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    1. Thanks Teresa. The birds here like their entertainment, and dancing Lennies are always top of the bill! Have a great weekend!

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  18. Thats one cutie gecko. Luv the horses, happy you dropped by my blog today

    Much🦎love

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  19. Wow I am loving your gecko Valerie!! Super cool art work. Beautiful photos today!

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  20. the horses!!! I can stand and watch horses for hours. Such strength and beauty. Your landscape photos are so beautiful. Those chairs... well kind of like sculptures since they are not for sitting.

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    1. Thanks LeeAnna, horses are indeed wonderful to observe.

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  21. Again, your nature photography is always a joy :)

    Perhaps the chairs are offered for adoption to someone with repair skills. Or somebody's idea of public art. Curious minds want to know!

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    1. I will keep you informed how long they are there or when they disappear!

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    2. The Saga of the Wayside Chair Frames! I'll look forward to developments :)

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    3. Perhaps the wayward chairs instead of the wayward pines!

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    4. Their waywardness could explain how they lost their seats ;)

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    5. That is a possibility!😁😁

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  22. I love your beautiful blue lizard, such gorgeous art and beautiful photos too. Have a happy Friday :)

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    1. Thanks Martha, Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!

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  23. Lovely art. I like that dancing lizard. You captured it so beautifully. And I like those horses.

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    1. Thanks a lot, The horses are always beautiful.

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  24. I love Lenny and his friends AND the horses;)
    Hugs

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  25. WOW what a colorful Page Valerie, I love that stenciled blue lizard! Gorgeous photos, you had a beautiful sunrise this morning and all of the horses look like they are enjoy the meadow. Have a nice weekend. Hugs, Tammy

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    1. Thanks Tammy! The horses we're playing around Like kids today. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  26. Lenny is very clever indeed ~ I love the beach shot and saved that for future admiration.
    Enjoy your weekend

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    1. Thanks Karen. The beach is pretty, I love being down there.

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  27. Das ist ein wunderschĂśne Idee mit der Eidechse auf dem Journal zu spielen. Grossartiges Bild.
    Deine Fotos geniesse ich gerade bevor ich ins Bett gehe. Ich liebe deine Kunst und auch deine schÜnen Spaziergänge. Ich wßnsche dir ein schÜnes Wochenende!
    Lieben Gruss Elke

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    1. Danke, liebe Elke. Dir auch ein schĂśnes Wochenende!

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  28. Love that little guy! So cute (lizard) .
    Hope all is well with you!

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  29. Love all the layers and details in your piece. I enjoy seeing your photos each week!

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  30. Hi Valerie omg your gecko is adorable what beautiful work and i love his colour,well done my friend. Oh i bet its so relaxing watching the birds in the evening,stay safe and take care my friend xx

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    1. Thanks Sheryl. Yes, it's fun watching birds, clouds and whatever! Stay safe!

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  31. Twoja koronkowa jaszczurka jest zachwycająca. Piękne fotografie koni . Dużo zdrowia życzę:)

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  32. Oh what a fabulous piece, I love Lenny the Lizard. I hope he gets his 5 a day from his flowers, greenfly, and slugs! Take care, Sue xx

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    1. Thanks Sue. Lenny is very particular about his eating!

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  33. "Don't worry be happy" I have that song in my head now! :) I love Lenny the Lizard! :) Your walks are lovely, thanks for sharing, I just have such a soft spot for horses. :)

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  34. Gorgeous page! The lizard is fabulous, love how he stands out against the background and the collage layer of napkin are such fun - beautiful 😀. I will never tire of seeing those sunrise photos, a lovely way to start the day! Happy and creative wishes! Hugs, Jo x

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  35. I love that textured lizard so fun. We have a bunch of them on the deck yesterday. I actually like them but not in the house. Great texture and super fun little tag too. GREAT horse pictures, flower, and sunsets. Lovely pictures. I so enjoy visiting and hope not to stay away so long again (took a bit of a break to recover MOJO). Hugz

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  36. Sorry I am real late catching up this week Valerie. I loved the journal page and Lennie the Lizard.
    The photos as always were a joy to see, I wonder what those chairs were really there for.
    Stay safe.
    Yvonne xx

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    1. Always good to see you when you have time. Take care of yourself!

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  37. Great art.
    Great selection of photographs.

    All the best Jan

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  38. Maybe the chairs are for those who might be walking and need a rest. That's all I can think of. Those bedraggled birds actually look kind of cute (I'm sure they don't think so!) and I love the horses.

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