Weekend Post

Hi Everybody!

Today was another hot and humid day, but we have been promised that from tomorrow on it will be getting back to normal. I can hardly wait!

Today I am sharing another mixed media A3 journal page with yet another rare bird from Balconia-by-the-Rhine. I started off with a painted and textured background to which I added one of my heads, evidently full of weeds. The bird is the bicoloured jester bird, which is about the size of a pigeon. Its call is a hearty 'ha-ha-ha-ha', which together with the beautiful markings, reminiscent of a jester's costume, led to its name. It is a very fussy eater, living off fruits and grains, preferably organically grown, and is strictly vegan. The female bird is slightly smaller, and has a different call - 'hee-hee! hee-hee!' The male is responsible for collecting the food while the female guards the nest, which is often lined with socks, which it purloins from washing lines.

And I have a special edition again with an added tag for Alison's challenge at AJJ

This morning I had to go to the doctor for an injection, and I enjoyed the walk as it rained for a few minutes - not heavy, but refreshing. On the way back the sun was up and the wet roads were steaming.

And the coffee bike was out and about - could I say no?

Have a great weekend, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Paint Party Friday

 Hi Everybody!

Hope you are all well and fit. After a couple of days of 'normal' summer weather, we have a few very hot days again here, and I am really reaching my limits just now. It should only last another day or so, but it's really hard on my health just now. Yesterday I was able to go for a walk along the Rhine, but today (Thursday) I had to stay home, although it's very hot in my apartment, too. 

In the past few weeks I have been working on a few journal pages in my large A3 journal. As always, I find circles fascinating, and have drawn some more of the strange creatures living in Balconia-by-the-Rhine. The strange bird on the right is an orange-billed pop-eye bird. It's very shy, and always tries to hide, which is difficult because of the bright colours. It loves fruit, and tries to peck oranges at the market. The bird on the left is the purple plum-pitter. At this time of year it can be seen in the trees pecking plums and pulling out the pits. The beetles are musical ones, and make strange strumming noises by rubbing their front legs together, and  inspiring the other creatures to sing and dance:

And I have a 'special edition' to fit the page to Alison's challenge at AJJ - I added a tag digitally:

I am linking to Paint Part Friday

At the Rhine the farmer was working early, followed by clouds of crows, gulls abd geese:

I went along my fave, shady paths:

You can see that some trees are  losing their leaves:

It was good to see the Rhine again:

The berries are ripening:

There are lots of benches along the tow-path, which was good for resting:

The little market by the Rhine was not very busy, but it was still really early:

The walk took well over an hour instead of the usual 25 minutes but I enjoyed it very much.

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!