Art Date with Rain -- "Mushrooms"

Here's my contribution for Thursday's upcoming art prompt at

Rain Frances Creations: Food, Art, Home and Garden.

I have to post it early because of reasons.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Anyway, I did these mushrooms in pen and ink in 2023,

using the techniques of hatching and cross-hatching.

I've been saving up this drawing all year just for this prompt!

And here's another mushroom, but one

with a serious attitude problem, LOL!

This plushie was a gift from my sister!

[Art and photo of art © Debra She Who Seeks, 2023]

The Black Cat Controversy

Since it's Friday the 13th today,

should we try to ward off even more bad luck

by avoiding black cats?

Let's consider all the arguments . . . .

Now, equal time for the other side . . . .

The truth, as it usually does,

probably lies somewhere in the middle . . . .

So Friday the 13th should be declared . . . .

Canada's Little-Known Imperial Ambitions

[All images courtesy of the internet]

Philosopher Kings

See #5 on the list --

Poetry Club, Eight Pieces of Brocade, and a Russian Mezzo-Soprano

One of the new seniors recreation groups which started up this week is a Poetry Club. Lately I've felt a hankering to try writing some poetry again, so I joined it. Five of us showed up and we had a marvelous time!

I also began a fun Qigong class which teaches the gentle and meditative stretching, strength and balance routine known as The Eight Pieces of Brocade. We covered the initial two exercise movements in the first class: "Two Hands Holding Up the Sky" and "Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk." This cute little GIF shows the routine's eight movements in simplified form --

The album I've been listening to this week is the just-released debut by Aigul Akhmetshina, a 27-year-old Russian mezzo-soprano who made a big splash recently in Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Royal Opera House in London. She is at the start of a huge international career! Although born in Russia, Aigul plans to become a British citizen. 

Thursday Art Date with Rain -- "Wings"

Here's my contribution to today's art prompt at

Rain Frances Creations: Food, Art, Home and Garden --

Last year I did this

butterfly on a flower

in pen and ink.

Then I decided to add a watercolour wash to it.

I wish now that I'd made the flower a 

different colour, though.

It's too "matchy-matchy" with the butterfly

and detracts attention from it. The butterfly

should be the focal point of the drawing, I think.

Oh well, live and learn!

[Art and photos of art © Debra She Who Seeks, 2023]

Join the Million Meow March!

I'm late to the party because of

my blog break last month, but who cares!

Celebrate Labour Day With Some Class Warfare