Thursday, 6 May 2021

Duck Tales and more

Hi Everybody!

Another week has flown by and I didn't really get much done! But I did take time out to read and catch up on some TV programmes while the weather was so bad, so I suppose that's something, too! 

This week were 2 pieces of news in the newspaper and local TV which warmed my heart. The first one was the story of a pair of mallard ducks who waddled into the foyer of the Hyatt Hotel in the media harbour of  Düsseldorf. They proceeded to make themselves at home in a large flower pot, where the female laid her eggs. The staff kept an eye on the proceedings, and called a duck-expert as soon as the 8 little'uns hatched. They were then taken carefully away to be released in a safe place. The 2nd story took place in a neighbouring town. The police got a call that a mother duck and 9 babies were running wild over a busy road. The little delinquents  ducks didn't want to be caught and resisted arrest. The fire brigade was called to help, and in the end they were all safely incarcerated in a large cardboard box and brought to the river nearby.  It makes me happy that people value the lives of these little creatures.

Today I have 2 pieces to share. The first is a mixed media/ hybrid piece made for Elle's language challenge at AJJ. The background is part of a large masterboard made some time back and 'discovered' when I was looking for something else. The letter is an old one I have in my collection. The corner decorations are from a set of pre-cut images. The quill, ink-blots and sentiment were added digitally:  




And I have another tag for Sandie's sport challenge at Tag Tuesday
Dancing like this is really a sport art, and requires a very high degree of fitness:



I am also linking to Paint Party Friday

We had stormy weather this week, which changed every few minutes and gave us some wonderful skies and a rainbow:











Have a great day, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!

90 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing the duck stories. Heartwarming indeed.
    Loved the piece, tag and rainbow:)
    Stay safe. Be well.
    Hugs

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    1. Thanks Sandra. It's so good to see that people are kind to all in this world that often seems so cold. Have a great day!

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  2. Hi Val, good afternoon. You're later than usual today! Love both pieces, and the duck tales are wonderful, really heartening. Great rainbow and cloud pics, too. Have a great day, hugs, Sarah

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    1. Thanks Sarah, I had a lazy day and couldn't be bothered to do anything! The duck tales are really nice, I loved them, too. Hugs to all!

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  3. Beautiful art and photos Valerie, and I love your tales of the delinquent ducks xx

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  4. I love the duck stories, so sweet. Beautiful artwork and beautiful sky shots too! Have a great evening Valerie. Hugs :)

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    1. Thanks Martha. It's a nice change to hear positive stories!

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  5. I love a good Duck tale - we saw one on TV where ducks had nested on someones balcony and the ducklings were lowered in a bucket to join their mother who had flown down - the traffic was stopped while they crossed the road to the river. Your page is beautiful with a great quote. Love the tag too - I will get on with mine! Love the sky pics. Hugs, Chrisx

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    1. The Chris, it's lovely to see people being kind to animals! Looking forward to seeing your tag! Hugs!

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  6. Beautiful photos, very nice sky😊

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  7. Glad the animals were saved! Lovely art and such beautiful clouds after the storm!

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  8. Lovely art as always. Wow double rainbows, now that is good luck. Have a nice day.

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    1. Thanks Nicole, it's always fun to see rainbows!

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  9. Happy Thursday Wishes.
    I did enjoy the duck stories, thank you for sharing them here.
    Lovely art and a great collection of photographs.

    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks Jan, little things like that brighten the day!

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  10. Gorgeous artwork Valerie, I love your tag with that awesome dancer! Great duck stories, I'm so happy that momma and her babies are all doing well! :) Take care.
    Hugs, Tammy

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    1. Thanks Tammy! It's nice to hear some good news for a change! Take care!

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  11. Well, you know how much I love the ducks so these stories make me smile so happily!

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  12. Those a fun stories about the ducklings and their their parents. I am so glad they were rescued and moved to a safer spot. That would have been horrible otherwise. And nice page for AJJ. And how true about the pen being mightier than the sword. Too bad the pen can lead some to lift their swords. And nice tag. Dancing is definitely a good way to get and stay in shape, and have fun too. And those rainbow photos are beautiful. Hopefully next week the weather will be better. Happy Friday. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Thanks Erika. It's good to hear about people being kind. Let's hope the weather soon changes. Have a great day!

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  13. So good to hear the ducks and ducklings were looked after and taken to a safe place, how wonderful to have some happy news for a change! Beautiful art work Valerie.

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    1. Thanks Sue, we need some good news right now. Have a great day!

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  14. Two charming stories. So nice to hear good news for a change. Your pages are beautiful. I like the way you enhanced the calligraphy and that dancer is so joyous. Wow! The rainbows. A double rainbow! Your sky photos are always awesome.

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    1. Thanks CJ. I have a wonderful, panorama view from my balcony, it's the best thing about my apartment!

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  15. Lovely art pages but that double rainbow has my heart. I am in love with rainbows.

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  16. Fabulous arty creation, lovely colours, have a great weekend. ♥

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  17. Good job and pretty nature❤

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  18. Heart warming duckie tales indeed. I see an oilyphant running away in the last cloud photo, probably chasing some ducklings!

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    1. Thanks Den. More people should be kind to animals! Yes, could be that it's chasing some ducklings. I always see pictures in the clouds! Have a great day!

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  19. Fantastic skies and rainbows!

    best... mae

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  20. Ducks, ducklings, quills and rainbows. Now that could make my day in a hurry, Valerie. I always find it heartwarming that people will go to great lengths to chaperone animals with young to safe places. It happens here too. And speaking of which, you may remember a few posts ago when I mentioned the Canada Goose that has constructed its nest in the parking area of a busy commercial plaza. Well, Mama Goose is still sitting on eggs and I expect they will hatch any day soon, so concerned citizens may need to be pressed into service to escort the family to a safe place. I noticed that some kind observer has placed a bowl of water close to the nest. There seems to be a new batch of young geese everywhere I look, and yesterday I found a nest of Black-capped Chickadee with five young in it. 'Tis that time of year. Stay well, Valerie, and enjoy the weekend coming up. Hugs and kisses. David

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    1. Hi David, it is indeed heartening to see people helping those who need help and protection, whether birds, animals or other people. This world is often do cold.. Glad to hear the plaza goose and her young are doing well. On my walk today the birds were singing so loudly, it was like an I can sing the loudest competition! You have a great weekend, too! Hugs to you both xoxox

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  21. The duck stories are sweet :) I love that double rainbow! You got great color in those blue skies.

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    1. Thanks, I like happy tales! Have a great Weekend!

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  22. These duck stories are very nice and funny. Beautiful works. Have a nice weekend:)

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  23. Two cute stories about those ducklings! Glad to know they were taken care of. And that dancing tag? Whoa! Hahaha.

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  24. I so enjoyed reading the stories about the duck families too, they warmed my heart 💖. Your page is perfect for the language theme at AJJ and I love your tag . Of course the rainbow photos look amazing too. Take care and wishing you a lovely Friday and weekend! Hugs, Jo x

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    1. Thanks Jo. It's great to hear good news for a Change. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  25. Two delightful stories about the ducklings ~ precious and so good t hear ~ very elegant and creative artwork ~ awesome ~ and what beautiful photos with a rainbow ~ how wonderful ~ Xo ~ Happy Weekend to you.

    Living moment by moment,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  26. Toll dass die Rettung geglückt von der Entenfamilie! Das Wetter ist aber auch grausig mal sehen wie der Sonntag wird aber gleich so warm.
    Schöne Journal page,diese Artwie du sie gestalten hast liebe ich!
    Tolle Fotos von den Wolken und den Regenbogen und sogar Zwei.
    Pass auf dich auf und hab einen schönen Abend!
    Lieben Gruss Elke

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    1. Danke liebe Elke, dir auch einen schönen Tag, bleib gesund!

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  27. Luv your art and the duck stories. Its quite rainy here today in St James Trinidad🇹🇹
    Happy you dropped by my blog today

    Much❤love

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  28. heartwarming stories about the ducks. Love today's art and your take on the "sports" theme for Tag Tuesday:) beautiful rainbow and photos. happy PPF!

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  29. Thank you for sharing these two heartwarming stories. Great pices of art as well. Have a great weekend. Hugs Anesha

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  30. I like old mail. Glad the ducks were saved. Enjoy your weekend.

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  31. What a beautiful blue sky you caught in your photos.
    Have a great weekend.
    Hugs

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  32. Love the two duck stories, such a change from doom and gloom. Love your page and tag, the sports theme is not my thing, so thinking cap now on. Hope you are feeling better, hugs Wendy.

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    1. Thanks Wendy, it's good to hear some happy news! I am doing well now! Have a great weekend!

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  33. Awesome rainbows and clouds, Loved your art-and love the stories of rescued little ones-makes my day brighter to know there is kindness out there-happy weekend

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    1. Thanks Kathy. The world seems so cold and full of hate lately, and stories of kindness are very cheering. Have a great weekend, stay safe!

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  34. Look like you been busy creating and some awsome cloud photo. Happy PPF
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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    1. Thanks Dora, the sky is always beautiful Have a great weekend, enjoy your coffee!

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  35. Brilliant mixed media piece and love the tag! Wonderful story about the ducks. Always wanted ducks, unfortuately I can't accomodate them where I like, although given the opportunity I would try!!!ha ha Michelle

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    1. Thanks a lot. Ducks are lovely creatures. I had ducks nesting on my balcony where I used to live!

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  36. You were right. I'm not sure how I missed this post, but obviously I missed it TWO places: on my blog sidebar and at AJJ. My apologies because the way you created this journal entry is wonderful with the pen being mightier than the sword. Thanks so much for this.

    And your photos of rainbows and the clouds are beautiful.

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth. I love that quote! And there's still another post....

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  37. I love your duck story lol, made me smile and can just imagine it all! Beautiful art work today. Loving that letter!! Gorgeous photos too and who doesn't love a rainbow. Hope you are keeping well xx

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    1. T Pinky, I love happy tales! I am doing well. Have a great weekend!

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  38. Super Dance Tag Valerie...I've not danced in years, show how unfit I am,lol...x

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    1. Thanks Sandra. My only sport is walking, and sometimes swimming. I can't dance like that, that's for sure!

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  39. Lovely page Valerie, I love your old letter and the quote. Also loved the duck stories, so cute! And beautiful blue skies and rainbows in your photos. Thanks for joining us for the Language theme at Art Journal Journey this month Elle xx

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  40. I so enjoyed yhour duck stories which reminded me of a duck happening with me. I taught in a classroom on the roadside and opposite was a country hotel with a large pond and ducks. One day one of the pupils shouted that there was a duck and ducklings waddling across the road. Sure enough they came in through the gate and settled on the grass outside my room.
    It was a good class and so I and some of the pupils went outside, me to stand in the road and stop the traffic (it was a fairly quiet road) whilst the pupils chased the duck and her ducklings back across the road through the gates and up the path to safety. When I got back I rang the hotelier to tell him what had happened in the hopes he could keep them in a bit better. It didn't happen again so I imagine he did.
    Love both your art pieces. The background you found for the letter is so yummy, what a gorgeous colour and I love the ephemeras at the bottom corner. Such a beautiful composition!
    The tag is lovely too and having just embarked on some chair bound exercise I wish I could dance like that and get my legs so high.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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    1. Thanks Neet, your story is a good one, too! I'm always happy when it's possible to help these little creatures. I can't dance like that either! Have a great week!

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  41. Great tag!

    wonderful Photos as always!

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  42. What a powerful art journal spread Valerie! LOVE how you used the photo of this fabulous lady! Have a fantastic week! ((HUGS)) Helen

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  43. Love this beauty of an art journal page! It looks like a gorgeous museum display of a collection of antiques from days long gone. Nicely put together. I love the image of your dancer on the sport tag. Your photos are beautiful scenes.

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    1. Thanks Annie. I found the letter in an old book I bought!

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  44. I love both the stories! How special!! Loving your sky photos and the rainbow! Beautiful! Excellent art pieces! I'm dancing! LOL! Big Hugs!

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  45. Lovely pieces, Valerie. The pen is mightier than the sword - such a great take on the AJJ theme and love your letter complete with ink spots. Dancing is totally a sport too. Love your dancer. Super stories and pictures too. Fab post. Hugz

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    1. Thanks Nancy, I love that old letter which I found in a book. Have a great day, take care!

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